AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Christian was touched by her apology but knew he couldn’t let her take all the blame. “I never gave you any reason to think I would be there for Marc.” He regretted missing Marc’s first four years, but also for failing Noelle even as he thought he was trying to help her. “I wish I could take back the past five years.”
Noelle shook her head. “I don’t. If you hadn’t broken things off I never would have gone to Paris and had a chance to learn under Matteo.”
“And become an internationally famous wedding gown designer.”
“You see. It all worked out perfectly in the end.” But her smile wasn’t as bright as her voice. “In the end you did me a huge favor.”
Maybe he had, but Christian acknowledged that he’d also done himself a disservice by letting her go.
An exhausted Noelle returned to her suite at the Four Seasons after a grueling second day of meetings and interviews to find her son wearing a Yankees jersey and cap and carrying an autographed baseball in his mitt.
“And then he swung like this.” Marc demonstrated a dramatic swing that spun him in a circle. “The ball went like...gone...gone...gone. Home run!” He threw his arms into the air and ran around the suite’s living room as if running the bases.
“Goodness.” Noelle looked to Christian, who stood with his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, watching his son with such fondness a lump formed in Noelle’s throat. “Sounds like it was a fun game.”
“It was grrreat.” Marc charged toward Christian, who absorbed his son’s enthusiastic hug with a grin. “And tomorrow we’re going on a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty.”
“You two are certainly taking advantage of all New York has to offer.” Once again Noelle found herself regretting all the quality time she was missing with her son.
Christian picked up on the source of her melancholy as he swung Marc into his arms. “You could cancel your meetings and join us.”
“Tempting.” She smiled through her weariness. “But I only have tomorrow morning to get the last of the details hammered out.”
“You’re running yourself ragged.”
“I know, but it will be worth it in the end.” Satisfaction suffused her. As grinding as the pace had been since the jet’s wheels had touched down on the New York runway, her ready-to-wear line was getting the right backing and garnering the perfect buzz.
“I’m really proud of you.” While Noelle had been lost in thought, Christian had set down Marc and stepped close. “I want you to know that whatever you need I’ll be here to help.”
When his arm slid around her waist, drawing her against his body for a friendly hug, Noelle’s pulse bucked. The man smelled like sunshine and soap. She longed to rest her cheek against the cotton stretched across his broad chest and let the world fade away. Her hunger for him flared. It had been a week since they’d made love, but with all that had happened in the meantime, it felt more like months.
Noelle leaned back and gazed up into Christian’s molten gold eyes. Her knees weakened at the heat of his desire, and her lips parted as he lowered his head. A small body crashed against them, reminding Noelle that she and Christian weren’t alone. She set her hand on Marc’s head, frustration making the ache of longing that much more intense.
“What sort of plans do you have for dinner?” Christian asked, his arm sliding away from her body. He’d booked a suite at the Four Seasons in order to be close to his son. “Marc had a hot dog, popcorn and cotton candy at the ballpark, so I thought it would be a good idea to feed him a healthy dinner and we hoped you’d be able to join us.”
As hard as it was to turn down the offer with two pairs of matching gold eyes trained on her, Noelle shook her head. “I’m having dinner with some designer friends of mine, and then there’s a gala I’m attending afterward.”
Marc showed less disappointment at this news than Christian. Their son was having far too much fun with his father to notice his mother’s absence. As Marc dashed over to retrieve his mitt and autographed baseball from the coffee table, Christian’s deep voice rumbled through her.
“I’m sorry you can’t join us.”
“So am I.” And she meant it. “If it wasn’t business...”
He nodded in understanding, his hands sliding into his pockets once more. “That’s why you’re here.”
While part of Noelle appreciated his support, she couldn’t stop wishing he’d ask her to cut her night short so she could tuck Marc into bed and maybe invite Christian to linger for some private time with her. Instead, he headed to his son, leaving her free to get ready for her evening out.
Three hours later, Noelle stood beside Victor, her mind far from business and the well-dressed crowd gathered to support a local food pantry. She was wondering if she could plead a headache and get back to the hotel in time to put her son to bed.
And the other thing...
All night long her heart and body had been wrestling with her mind regarding Christian. She longed to spend the night in his arms. To pretend she hadn’t broken off their engagement in a foolish rush because she’d thought to beat him to the punch. But could she have married him thinking that he was merely following through on a contract he’d made with her? It had been one thing to marry him knowing he didn’t love her when they were both taking steps to secure the future of the country.
“This has been a fantastic couple of days,” Victor said, his enthusiasm dragging Noelle’s attention back to the ballroom. “I think your line is going to be a huge success.”
“Have I told you how much I appreciate all you’ve done?”
“I’ve just started things rolling.”
