Page 53 of One Midnight Kiss

20

NATALIA

My head throbbed with every step I took down the hallway. The sharp pain of a hangover reminded me of how much tequila I had consumed the night before. Not exactly my best decision. I didn’t drink a lot. I definitely didn’t drink a lot of tequila. Not since my college days.

Damn robots.

But who could’ve guessed Fox Samuelson, notorious tech genius and professional loner, would turn out to be surprisingly fun after a few shots? I certainly hadn’t.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had that much fun. Or laughed that much. It had been freeing.

But now, it was game time. We had to get serious. I smoothed a hand over the front of my cream silk blouse and then down my tailored slacks. My hair was pulled into a low bun—not the sleek look I would normally go for, but it was the best I could manage after fumbling through it half awake.

And my head hurt. I didn’t want to have my hair pulling my scalp.

I stepped into the lobby, inhaling deeply, hoping the scent of coffee might somehow jumpstart my brain before the caffeine even hit my bloodstream.

The hotel’s self-serve coffee bar was tucked in a corner near the elevators. I grabbed a paper cup and started pouring, wondering how badly I would burn my tongue if I gulped it down immediately.

Fox appeared out of nowhere, reaching past me for the carafe. He looked annoyingly fresh, like he hadn’t stayed up until three in the morning pounding tequila shots and swapping secrets at a rickety picnic table. His dark hair was mussed just enough to make it look intentional, the kind of tousled perfection that took absolutely no effort. It was infuriating.

“You look perky,” I muttered, more to myself than to him.

“Compared to you?” He turned to look at me, a teasing wink in his eye. “You look tired.”

Trust Fox to tell it like it is.

I couldn’t help it. My lips curved upward despite the throbbing in my skull. It was refreshing actually, being with someone who wasn’t afraid to have fun and be a little daring yet not shy away from being ruthlessly honest.

“Thanks,” I said. “Just FYI, women hate being told they look tired. That’s code for terrible. You’re basically saying I look like shit.”

“You don’t look like shit. You look beautiful. But tired.”

“I’ll take it,” I said.

He was trying to be playful, but I could feel the nervous energy coming off him in waves. The big presentation was this morning. Fox said he didn’t like public speaking. I got it. It wasn’t my thing either.

I wasn’t sure what made me do it, but I placed a hand on his chest. “You’re going to be fine,” I said softly.

For a moment, he looked almost startled. His eyes dropped to my hand. He didn’t move away. Instead, his fingers came up to toy with the ring on my left hand—the fake diamond ring I’d totally forgotten about until this very second. I felt it when I was in the shower, but the thing was stuck on, and I didn’t want to mess with it. Heat rushed to my cheeks, memories of last night flooding back. Fox, on one knee in the middle of the street, slipping the ring onto my finger as we both laughed like idiots.

I started to pull it off, but he stopped me. “Leave it on,” he said.

“Why?”

He held up my hand, the fake diamond catching the light. His eyes softened, just a little, and he gave me a crooked smile. “Because the universe just made a move,” he said. “Your friend was right. Don’t tell her I said that. But we can’t overlook this.”

I swallowed hard, feeling a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with the coffee. “Fox, this was a joke,” I said, trying to sound stern.

He leaned in, lowering his voice. “What if it wasn’t?”

“I think you’re still drunk.” I shook my head. “We should get going. We don’t want to be late.”

Thirty minutes later, I found myself sitting in the front row of a packed theater in the convention center, wedged between a group of excited investors and tech enthusiasts. I felt like I was in a foreign land. This was all so new to me. The energy in the room was palpable, buzzing with anticipation. I hadn’t realized until now just how big of a deal this was until I was sitting in the crowd. I didn’t realize how big of a deal he was.

The emcee announced Fox. There was a round of applause. He was like a celebrity in the tech world.

Fox walked across the stage like he owned it. He didn’t look nervous anymore. In fact, he looked in his element. He was dressed in black slacks and a crisp white shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The crowd settled when he raised his hand. The man had serious charisma. People were on the edge of their seats. I felt like I was getting a different look at him. Like I was seeing what millions of other people saw. I wasn’t seeing the man I met in the conference room.