Page 82 of One Midnight Kiss

32

NATALIA

Christa really had outdone herself this time. I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, twisting this way and that in the emerald green dress she insisted I borrow.

“You need something festive,” she had said, her eyes flashing with that mischievous glint she always had when she was meddling.

The dress was a vision. A deep, shimmering green that clung in all the right places and flared just slightly at the hem. It felt a little too glamorous for a Christmas party, but I had to admit it made me feel pretty.

I borrowed the dress for my company Christmas party but wearing it to Fox’s party was fine. It wasn’t like there would be anyone at his party that would be at mine. I could totally pull it off twice.

I stared at my shoe rack. Originally, I was going to wear my sensible black heels with the dress, but my eye was drawn to the shoes that I had never actually worn.

I picked up the strappy gold sandals that glittered in the light. Slipping them on, I felt a surge of daring. These heels were not the kind I usually chose for any event, much less a corporate one. But tonight, they felt just right. They made me feel taller, more powerful, and certainly more visible.

And a hell of a lot sexier.

The four-inch heel was not something I typically wore, so I did some practice walks and turns, not stopping until I was strutting like a model.

Satisfied I wasn’t going to fall on my face, I added my accessories, keeping it simple and classic with a gold necklace and bracelet and simple gold hoop earrings.

I glanced at the clock. It was nearly time for Fox to arrive. My heart beat a little faster at the thought. It was ridiculous. This was nothing more than a business arrangement that suited us both. Or so I had told myself repeatedly since we’d agreed to it.

The doorbell rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath, smoothing down the fabric of my dress once more before heading to answer it.

Fox stood there, looking impeccably handsome in a black suit that seemed to fit him as perfectly as a second skin. The man knew how to dress. His eyes traveled over me, lingering just a moment too long in a way that made my stomach flutter. “Wow,” he said. That single word was laden with more than simple admiration.

“Shall we?” I asked, trying to sound more composed than I felt.

He offered his arm, which I took, letting him lead me to the sleek black car parked outside.

“No truck?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Not tonight. I figured we might have a drink or two. I hired a driver.”

“Good thinking,” I replied.

We slid into the back, the leather seats nice and comfortable.

I found myself glancing over at Fox. He turned to me and smiled softly. “I’m really glad you agreed to come,” he said, his voice low. “I love my employees but socializing with them is complicated. Lines get blurred.”

“It’s just a party,” I replied, trying to match his casual tone, but my heart was pounding fiercely in my chest. “Don’t overthink it.”

“Of course.”

The short drive to the party felt quicker than I had anticipated. I was a little nervous to be attending his Christmas party with him. I knew everyone believed we were engaged but there was still that feeling of breaking the rules. Our relationship, whatever it was, had mostly been in the privacy of our homes. Not out in the public.

When we arrived, the place was already buzzing. The party was being held at a swanky downtown Seattle bar, surrounded by the brightest minds in tech. I couldn’t even begin to guess the average IQ in the room. I caught snippets of conversation. They were speaking English, but the words were foreign to me. They were talking tech, something I knew little about.

Fox seemed to sense my unease. He tightened his grip slightly on my arm, guiding me through the crowd with a confident ease that I envied. “Don’t worry,” he whispered close to my ear, making me shiver slightly despite the warmth of the bar. “You don’t need to talk tech tonight. Just enjoy the party. We don’t have to stay for long.”

He navigated us toward a group of people who looked a bit more relaxed than the rest, holding drinks and laughing over what seemed like a personal story rather than a technical discussion. “Natalia, meet some friends from the office,” Fox introduced smoothly.

“The fiancée!” one of the women exclaimed.

I offered a smile. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

We exchanged a few words before Fox led us toward the bar. The place was packed with people, mostly young and energetic, all of them clearly awestruck by Fox, their reclusive and enigmatic CEO. Being on Fox’s arm was like being on the arm of some hotshot, A-list celebrity. He shook hands, cracked dry jokes that made people burst into laughter, and basically lit up the whole room.