The Billionaire's Christmas Cinderella

by Carol Marinelli

  Help! Naomi thought again, as he caught sight of her and smiled and walked over.

  Please get on with being the utter bastard I’ve been warned that you are.

  But help wasn’t arriving.

  ‘Nice coat,’ he said, which in itself wasn’t a problem.

  More it was the approval in his eyes and the flurry it set off in her chest.

  They loaded the bear into his car but, instead of saying goodbye to her, the driver was sent on his way, and it took a moment for Naomi to register that Abe was going to be her tour guide for the day.

  ‘To make up for not picking you up at the airport,’ he offered by way of explanation.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Ethan asked me to, but I had a lot of meetings yesterday.’

  ‘And you don’t today?’

  ‘Nope,’ he said. ‘Well, I should go in, but there are a few issues and it might serve me better...’ He hesitated, because certainly he shared business matters with no one. ‘I forgot you were friends with Merida for a moment there.’

  ‘Oh, not you too,’ Naomi huffed. ‘I’ve got Barb backing off because I’m not real “staff” and now you...’

  ‘Really?’ he said, genuinely intrigued. ‘What would Barb tell you if you weren’t a friend of Merida’s?’

  ‘The gossip.’ Naomi smiled.

  And on a slushy, wet street they faced each other.

  ‘Well, I don’t have gossip as such,’ Abe said. ‘Just a headache developing in the Middle East. One that I don’t want my brother to know about just yet.’

  ‘My lips are sealed.’

  He wished they weren’t.

  As he looked down at them, Abe rather wished he was prising them open with his tongue, and possibly she was thinking the same thing because she pressed them together in response to the sudden scrutiny.

  ‘So,’ Abe said, rather than do something very un-Abe-like and kiss her in the middle of the street, ‘I’ve got a clear day, so if you want company...’

  ‘I’d love it.’

  And he was wonderful, wonderful company.

  Naomi did her share of sightseeing on her days off, wherever she went, but always alone.

  On this cold, cold day, she was embraced by his company as they first took in the breath-taking Christmas window displays filled with enchanting scenes.

  Abe didn’t hover at the back or subtly nudge in, he moved straight to the front and took her with him. Every window told a story. There were fairies waving their wands and trains made of candy and the sounds of delighted children’s laughter and music playing brought tears to her eyes.

  For the first time it was starting to feel like Christmas should, Naomi thought.

  She could gaze at the displays for ever but it seemed they had a schedule to adhere to! ‘Ready?’ Abe said.

  ‘For what?’

  The Empire State Building was what!

  And, because it was December, they didn’t have to line up and soon they were on the top of the world, or rather, Naomi corrected herself, the top of New York City. ‘But it feels like the top of the world.’

  ‘Actually, my office is higher.’

  ‘I don’t believe you.’ Naomi smiled, stamping her feet against the cold and digging her hands into the pockets of her coat. She had never felt so cold, or so exhilarated and happy, all at the same time.

  He pointed out landmarks and the bridges and the snow had thinned enough that she could see the Statue of Liberty.

  ‘I’m going to do one of the river cruises on my day off,’ Naomi said.

  ‘You’ll freeze.’

  ‘I don’t care.’ Naomi laughed.

  From up high she did her best to get her bearings in a snow-blanketed city. ‘So, you live that way?’ She pointed.

  ‘No,’ Abe corrected, ‘my father lives there and...’ he guided her by the elbow to the other side ‘...I live there at Greenwich Village. See the green?’ She followed to where he pointed. ‘That’s Washington Square Park and the view from my bedroom window.’

  ‘Oh, I’d love to see it...’ Naomi said, but it came out wrong. ‘I meant Greenwich Village is on my to-do list...’ Not the view from his bedroom window.

  ‘I know what you meant.’

  He gave her a smile and it felt as if the snow stopped and even the wind eased as he corrected her little faux pas. Except it didn’t feel like one, it felt more like a Freudian slip.

  From the giddy heights of the Empire State Building they moved on to the Rockefeller Center and the gigantic tree, and, yes, he took her photo in front of it. As he finished, a German tourist asked if they’d like one together, and would he mind taking theirs, bitte?

  It was easier to just say yes, or ja, than to explain to a stranger that they weren’t, in fact, a couple.

  And as they stood side by side, and the German tourist waved them to move closer and he put an arm around her, Naomi found her smile a touch stilted for the very first time that day.

  It was all just so amazing, so wonderful that Naomi knew, just knew, she’d be looking at this photo for a very long time to come.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  IT WAS HER PERFECT DAY.

  In every way.

  There was so much to see and do and they crammed in all they could.

  ‘I should have bought some gloves,’ Naomi said, blowing into her hands as they wandered down Madison Avenue, but Abe had a trick for that and bought them huge pretzels, hot from the cart, and they warmed their hands very nicely.

  ‘My dad taught me that,’ Abe said. ‘Though I think it was more that he loved to eat them.’

  ‘You did some nice things with your dad.’

  ‘We did,’ he admitted, and stole a look at her and wondered why this amazing woman had no one. And how come she had no family?

  And so he pried, only it didn’t feel that way to him. He just had to know.

  ‘Do you, did you...?’ He watched as she braced herself, no doubt used to the question, so he rephrased it. ‘Do you have any memories at all of your family?’

  ‘Not good ones,’ Naomi said, and she peeled off some warm dough but didn’t put it in her mouth. Instead, she told him the truth. ‘I’ve never seen my mother. I tried contacting her when I was old enough to, but she didn’t want to know.’

  ‘Then she missed out,’ Abe said, but it sounded like a trite response and he knew it so he tried again. ‘Maybe it was for the best.’

  ‘I doubt it.’

  ‘Some people shouldn’t be parents,’ Abe said, and he shared with her something he had never, ever shared with anyone. Not with his father, not with Ethan. Oh, they knew it, of course, but he’d never said it out loud. ‘My mother was one of them.’

  Naomi knew that she was hearing the truth, rather than being placated. And she knew, too, that he was sharing a very private part of his rather public life.

  ‘And,’ Abe added, only this time, given what he’d just shared, it didn’t sound trite, ‘she did miss out—I can’t imagine anything nicer than a day spent with you.’

  It was possibly the nicest thing he could have said to her.

  They stood on a busy street but it might just as well have been empty because it felt as if it was just the two of them. Then, not used to too much disclosure, he peeled off some dough and popped it into his mouth. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘Lots to see...’

  He fought not to take her hand and Naomi had to ball hers into a fist so as not to reach for his.

  And so, rather than make herself look a fool, she peered into a very well-dressed window. ‘Now, that’s a coat!’

  It was long and the deepest shade of violet, perhaps more of a velvet cape than a coat.

  It was absolutely exquisite.

  ‘I’m supposed to be get measured up,’ Abe said, thinking of the fitter he had blown off today and
deciding that while they were here to just get it over and done with. ‘Let’s go in.’

  Naomi would never, in a million years, have entered such a place and neither would she have been greeted as warmly. But as she was with Abe the blonde and groomed sales associate was very amenable.

  ‘Mr Devereux!’

  ‘Felicia.’ Abe’s return greeting was less effusive, but it didn’t matter. Of course, he was told, it wasn’t a problem that he’d missed the private appointment that had been scheduled to take place in his office earlier today.

  ‘I was just speaking with Jessica,’ Felicia said with a smile, ‘and trying to arrange another time. Let’s get you measured. Will your, er...’ She glanced at Naomi and clearly didn’t know how to place her, but she gave it a go. ‘Will your assistant be coming through?’

  It was the only awkward moment.

  Well, it was for Naomi.

  Of course, they would never think she might simply be with him and merely assumed that she was one of his staff.

  ‘I’ll just look around,’ Naomi said, declining the offer of refreshments and looking at the stunning outfits that were completely beyond her reach, though it was heaven to gaze. Still, she did wonder how long it took to be measured when, half an hour later, she was still looking around.

  ‘It shouldn’t be too much longer,’ Felicia said.

  As it turned out, Mr Devereux wasn’t just selecting a tux for the ball. There were swatches and buttons and collars and cuffs for suits that would see him to summer.

  ‘How long have you worked for the Devereuxes?’ Felicia asked as they chatted.

  ‘Oh, I don’t work for them,’ Naomi corrected her. ‘We’re just...’ she didn’t really know what to say, so possibly she took a slight leap in her description ‘...friends.’

  Well, they were acquaintances perhaps.

  Two people who had one person, Merida, who connected them. Still, she wasn’t about to explain all that to Felicia.

  But in that moment everything changed.

  The slightly casual air to their conversation disappeared and suddenly, now she was no longer mere staff, Felicia was on higher alert. ‘You like the wrap?’ she asked, when Naomi’s hands lingered on a length of fabric so soft it felt like mercury running through her hand.

  ‘I love it,’ Naomi said.

  ‘There’s a dress,’ Felicia said. ‘It would go with your colouring.’

  ‘Oh, I doubt that it comes in my size.’

  Felicia was actually very skilled at her job. So much so that twenty minutes later Naomi stood in high heels with the gorgeous floor-length dress on, and, lo, it did come in her size.

  ‘You look,’ Felicia said, ‘stunning.’

  ‘Ah, but you’re paid to say that.’

  ‘No.’ Felicia shook her head. ‘I don’t want anyone wearing something from our range if they don’t suit it and absolutely you do.’

  Did she?

  It was nice to dream. It was just dress-up and fun, and, no, not for Abe’s eyes, but she came out of the dressing room smiling.

  In contrast, Abe was scowling.

  ‘I didn’t think it would take that long.’ He rolled his eyes as they headed out. ‘Just how many shades of black are there?’

  Naomi laughed.

  Her happiness remained, even heightened as the sun sank lower and Naomi found out that, yes, there were still squirrels in winter in Central Park.

  At first there was just one that she could see as Abe headed off and bought some nuts.

  ‘They’re for the squirrels,’ Abe reminded her, when Naomi had a taste.

  ‘There aren’t any.’

  Except then she saw one, sitting upright in the snow.

  She tossed him a nut and very boldly he came and took it and then scuttled off.

  ‘There’s one,’ Abe said, and he took some nuts and threw them, and then there was another.

  And another.

  They came very close, right up onto the benches, and Naomi laughed as she fed them nuts and some even took them from her fingers.

  Abe took some photos on her phone.

  ‘This is like a dream come true.’ Naomi was beside herself. There were squirrels coming from everywhere.

  She looked like Snow White, Abe thought, but of course didn’t say so. ‘Was I right?’ Abe checked. ‘Or was I right?’

  ‘You were right, Abe,’ Naomi teased. ‘Squirrels don’t hibernate and I apologise for ever doubting you.’ And she took them back to their conversation and neither could believe it had been just this morning, because after a day spent together it felt like a long time ago.

  ‘You missed that one,’ Abe said, pointing out a little black little squirrel who held back from the others.

  ‘He won’t come...’ Naomi said, because she’d already noticed the little creature, who shook and startled but clearly wanted to join in. Finally, with coaxing, he came over and had his share of the little packet of nuts.

  ‘Do you want to get some more?’ Abe offered.

  ‘Another time,’ Naomi said. ‘I can’t feel my feet.’

  It was growing dark and it was utterly freezing so some real food and serious warming up was called for. ‘Do you want to go for a drink?’ he offered as he handed her back her phone and they walked towards the park’s exit. ‘Or perhaps an early dinner? We could go over to the Plaza?’

  He nodded in the direction of the gorgeous building and it was an invitation she could scarcely comprehend.

  ‘I’m hardly dressed for the Plaza,’ Naomi pointed out. Her coat might be gorgeous but beneath that she wore jeans and the bottoms of them were drenched.

  ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  And it wouldn’t matter, Naomi knew.

  She could be dressed in sackcloth and ashes and they would make the exception for him. But it mattered to Naomi—she knew she must look a fright. It was better to leave things here, Naomi decided, to simply end their perfect day. And she had the perfect excuse too... ‘I promised Merida I’d be in to visit this evening.’

  Perhaps it was for the best, Abe thought.

  He too was supposed to be at the hospital.

  In the space of a day he’d gone from wearing a hat so he wasn’t recognised to offering to step out together in the Plaza.

  It could only cause trouble.

  On so many levels.

  ‘I’m going to go back to the house and get changed,’ Naomi said, ‘and then head to the hospital.’

  ‘Well, I’ll call my driver.’ Abe took out his phone and did just that. ‘I’ll head to the hospital now and drop you home on the way.’

  ‘Sounds good,’ Naomi agreed. ‘Abe, thank you for the most wonderful day. I wouldn’t have seen half as much if you hadn’t been with me.’ Though it was more than the sights she had seen that had made it so special. ‘It’s been amazing,’ she said.

  ‘It has,’ he agreed.

  ‘How’s your Middle East headache now?’ she asked.

  ‘Gone!’ he said. ‘Though probably not for long. I bet Ethan’s found out.’

  ‘Found out what?’

  He smiled at her persistence. ‘Khalid and Ethan are friends. They went to college together. I warned Ethan not to mix business and friendship.’

  ‘It can work.’

  ‘Not in my book.’ He shook his head. ‘Khalid has helped pave our way into expanding into the Middle East, I admit that, but it’s a business agreement and one he’ll benefit from enormously. I refuse to be beholden to him. He’s got feet in both camps.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Well, he’s a partner in our Middle Eastern branch, but he’s also Prince of the country where we’re looking to extend.’

  ‘So he’s got both your interests at heart.’

  He gave a wry laugh. ‘It makes better business s
ense to view him as screwing us out of millions than looking out for his people.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ Naomi said. ‘It’s nicer to think of it the other way around, though.’

  ‘I don’t play nice.’

  ‘You did today,’ Naomi said.

  ‘Today was an exception.’

  Or rather today had for Abe been exceptional.

  He felt as if he’d been born fighting. Keeping one eye out for Ethan and another on his mother. And later there had been no halcyon days to his youth. Just the weight of the Devereux name and the depraved reputation he upheld.

  Today, in the midst of the darkest times, it had felt as if the world as he knew it had been put on hold.

  He stopped walking, they both did, and turned and faced each other. Naomi looked down as he took her hands in his.

  Finally.

  Oh, they’d been blown on and thrust deep into pockets, and wrapped around hot pretzels and bags of nuts, and all day they had resisted this. So many times he had wanted to reach for hers, and all day her hands had felt as if they had secretly sought his.

  Now they met and she watched his fingers wrap around hers and felt the warmth that came not just from his skin but from the surge in her heart.

  She was here in New York to work, and usually Naomi did not do foolish things such as get involved with family, and she always guarded her heart, but all that faded when she met his eyes.

  There was gentle snow and there were squirrels and there was a hush that descended over a noisy city as his mouth neared hers. His scent was close, not quite familiar yet, and she imprinted on her mind the heady notes as she breathed him in.

  The first intimate touch sent a slight tremor through Naomi, but then came a flutter of relief as their mouths met, for it felt as if she had waited for ever to know this bliss.

  She had.

  Abe Devereux’s was her very first kiss, and the first time she had lowered the gates to her heart.

  He sensed it.

  Abe felt her slight jolt at the first contact, and then her untutored return to the caress of his mouth. And he fathomed only then that this kiss was her first. The magnitude of that had him hold back a fraction, his approach now more tender, lest he startle her again.