by Kait Gamble
Even then, Kendra was still up way too early to do anything, but wait for the rest of the world to wake up.
Wandering around the apartment was just going to drive her crazy, so she grabbed a pair of runners and donned the jacket to explore a little.
And walked straight into Michel as she exited her apartment at the same time as he did his.
“Morning, Kendra.” Michel’s winsome smile was immediate.
She returned the smile. “You’re off early. Guess your date last night wasn’t as hot as you had hoped.”
He chuckled. “No, sadly. But even it if had been, there are some work things to take care of. We’ve got a big gala happening tonight that I need to keep on top of.”
“Anything I can do to help?” Organizing a gala sounded like it could be interesting. It would definitely help her keep her mind off things.
“Actually, most things are in hand. I just like to make sure that everything is in order myself.”
“A good policy.”
He winked. “I think so, though I’m sure some would disagree.” Michel laughed.
Kendra joined in. “Well, let me know if there’s anything I can do. I think I’ll go explore a little.”
His smile dimmed a shade. “Have fun. Oh, and see if you can find a formal gown for tonight. You are going to be my date for the gala.”
“That’s presumptuous of you.” She laughed.
His smile grew bigger. “I thought since you didn’t know anyone around, you would like a little introduction. There will be good food and music and, if that’s not enough, celebs and bigwigs you can rub elbows with. What do you say?”
Kendra nodded. “Sounds wonderful. I’m sure I have something suitable actually…” Plans to explore were postponed in her mind as she started filing through her clothes mentally. Surely there was something in her wardrobe that would fit the bill.
“I can see your mind working. Trying to figure out an outfit, am I right?” He smiled knowingly.
“I am. I’ll be in at nine to take that look around the hotel, but in the meantime, I think I’ll put off the exploration for another day.”
He waved her statement off. “You know what? Don’t worry about coming in today. Things are all up in the air and I don’t want you to get swept up in the chaos. Besides, there’s a stack of paperwork that you’ll need to fill out before you can come in anyway.” He held up his hand, disappeared into his apartment and reappeared within moments. “You can get these back to me tomorrow. As for tonight, I’ll pick you up at eight?”
Juggling the stack to keep it together, Kendra nodded again. “I’ll be ready.”
She watched him walk away before turning back and heading into her apartment once more. Apparently, her first day would be more eventful than she’d thought it would be.
Whatever would get her out of her funk was fine with her.
Heading for her closet, Kendra mentally sorted through the clothes trying to come up with a good outfit. Once she had opened the door, she skimmed her hand over the fine fabrics of the clothes she had tried on as Kiki. There was sure to be something in there that would be suitable.
She shied away from the brightly colored items. Something understated in black would work. At least in her mind. Kendra wanted to look well put together, but not stand out too much.
It didn’t take long to find a simple dress that would do. The black jersey draped over her shoulders in the front to look almost like a cowl to hang over a form fitting body and skirt that stopped just above her knee. The thin leather belt was tied in a little bow and set the whole thing off wonderfully.
After a quick inventory of the shoes, she found a pair of Louboutins that she had been dying to wear. The black toe bled into the trademark red at the heel that matched the soles. Combined with the matching clutch, she had an outfit with just the right amount of color not to be drab.
Her hair and makeup she would figure out later.
For now, Kendra had paperwork to get through.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time she had finished going through the paperwork, filling it all out carefully and in triplicate, she was sick of writing her own name. Luckily, she had plenty of coffee to keep her going. It wasn’t so bad, really. At least it kept her mind churning and off the two devilishly handsome men that kept creeping into the edges of her consciousness whenever she let her concentration lapse. Though, apparently, her head refused to stop thinking about them since it took her all day just to fill in a stack of forms.
Her phone chimed, letting her know it was time to get dressed. Kendra had given herself a couple of hours just in case she managed to screw something up. Which she quite easily imagined herself doing.
A quick shower later, she stared at her clothes. It didn’t feel quite right getting dressed up for a party without Nikos and Dmitri. There just seemed to be something missing. True excitement surely was. But Kendra soldiered through and even managed to look somewhat decent by the time she was done. The hollow look in her eyes was hard to disguise, however.
But since she doubted anyone would be paying too much attention to her, Kendra didn’t fret over it too much.
She took a final twirl in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom before she picked up her clutch and stuffed anything she might need—and could fit—into it.
She was in the middle of checking her phone for messages and voice mail, making her way into the living room, when there was a knock at the door.
As she pulled it open, Kendra felt a twinge in her gut when it was Michel. How long would it be before she could do this without expecting to see either her Greek or her Russian on the other side?
Michel let his gaze wash over her. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks.” She appraised him as well. “You look great too.”
He tugged at the collar of his tuxedo shirt. “I hope so. It’s always a nightmare to wear these things.”
Kendra laughed. “Just be glad you never have to deal with Spanx.”
“Oh, I’ve dealt with my fair share of those things. And point taken. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” He extended an arm. “Ready?”
Not really. “Yeah.”
She looped her arm through his and let him lead the way.
“You don’t seem excited in the least.”
“I’ve had my fair share of dealing with celebrities and the like. All I can say is I’ve seen enough of their…eccentricities to last me a lifetime.”
“Oh, I get it. I’m not going to lie. Working for Totally Five Star is great. It’s some of the clientele that I can do without.” He chuckled. “There was one time this little old man called up reception and had us find his car, get into it, find a bag and bring it up to him.”
Kendra cringed. She could imagine where the story was going.
Michel’s eye glinted. “He answered the door—stark naked, I might add—and tears into the bag to pull out a box of Viagra. He took two right there and slammed the door in the porter’s face. Not even a thank you.”
She had to laugh. It would be fun to trade stories with someone who knew what it was like. “I’m sure I could top that.”
They reached the curb and got into a cab that was waiting for them.
Between absurd tales, she caught glimpses of a bustling village that was so picturesque Kendra could almost imagine it being built with postcards in mind.
The car pulled up to an amazing wood, stone and glass construct that looked like a cabin on steroids. It was marvelously modern while at the same time had the look of a hotel that was perfectly suited for a ski resort. It stretched high, though not to the heights that the towers in Dubai reached, but sprawled wide along the mountain.
“What do you think?”
“It’s absolutely incredible.” Kendra meant every word of it. She couldn’t wait to get inside.
There were quite a few people wandering around the lobby, some waiting to get checked in, others well dressed as they were obviously there for the party.
>
But she wasn’t paying attention to them. Kendra couldn’t keep her eyes off the beautiful lobby design. As with all the Totally Five Star Hotels, it was a display of the best of local flair. The gleaming wood totem poles acted as pillars that reached up from the polished stone floor to the geodesic dome that arched above.
The art along the walls was a mix of native art and paintings of what she figured was of the area. She couldn’t wait to get the chance to get a better look at them.
Michel tugged her arm. “I’ll give you a guided tour later.”
Kendra looked forward to it. He led her through the lobby toward two beautifully carved doors.
“Just wait here a sec. I’ll be right back.” Michel disappeared before she fully registered what he’d said.
Shrugging, she took the time to study the door.
“I should take you over my knee, agapi mou,” said a voice on her right.
“I agree with Nikos, kotenok.” The other familiar voice came from her other side. “You need to be punished for running out on us the way you did.”
Kendra’s heart stopped as she almost gave herself whiplash to look at the two men she had been missing. They were in tuxes and so handsome… It might have been only a day apart, but it felt like an eternity to her.
They were here!
She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying. “What are you doing here?”
“What a question.” Dmitri looked over at Nikos. “You’d think she wasn’t happy to see us.”
Nikos shrugged. “Perhaps we were wrong. Maybe we should go.”
Kendra grabbed their arms before they could turn. “Don’t you dare.” She hugged them both, wrapping her arms around them the best she could. Never wanting to let them go again.
“We’ll have our talk, but not yet. There’s something we need to do first.”
She nodded, willing to agree to just about anything if it meant clearing the air with them.
They had come for her.
Kendra’s heart felt as if it would burst through her chest.
They linked arms with her.
“Smile, kotenok.
Nikos caught her gaze just before he nodded at Michel who had miraculously reappeared. He motioned to two men who dragged open the doors to reveal a crowd of people who turned to look at her.
“And here she is, the new face of De Winter Diamonds! Kendra Wright!”
Her knees almost gave out as the spotlight hit and she realized it was her name she’d heard.
Kendra managed a few leaden steps into the room with the help of Dmitri and Nikos. Without them, the blinding flashes would have kept her standing in the door dazed and very confused.
Massive photos from the shoots hung from the ceiling along the walls. Seeing herself so beautiful as the various creatures was surreal. The ones that caught her attention, however, were the ones of the three of them together.
As a trio, they were striking. In the photos, they looked at her as if she was the only woman in the world for them. And in the ones where she looked at either of them, it was apparent that she returned the emotion.
Nikos and Dmitri helped propel her toward the stage where a gorgeous raven-haired woman stood with an equally handsome man.
It didn’t take long for Kendra to figure out that she was looking at the De Winter Ice Princess and her husband. They welcomed her on stage with warm smiles.
Kendra barely heard a thing that was going on. She barely understood what was going on. Perplexed and bewildered, she could only smile and nod.
By the time the speeches were over, Kendra was sure she was in a dream. It had to be. How else would this all come about?
“Kendra.”
Nikos and Dmitri beckoned her over. Kendra picked a path toward them. The closer she got to Anika De Winter, the more dazzled by her she became. Anika and her husband were just so glamorous and beautiful, looking at them was like staring into the sun.
“Kendra.” Nikos motioned her to his side. “I’d like you to meet Luca Rossi and Anika De Winter. Luca, Anika, this is Kendra Wright.”
“A pleasure.” Kendra shook hands with them both. “I can’t tell you what a thrill this is.”
“The pleasure is ours.” Anika’s smile was genuine as she shook hands with Kendra. “When Nikos told us he had the perfect woman for the campaign, I was surprised. He’d never shown much interest in helping out on that front before.”
“But now we see why they were both so insistent.” Luca grinned. “More beautiful than Kiki Brandt, indeed.”
Many women would balk at their men commenting on another woman’s beauty, but Anika didn’t even bat a lash at her husband’s remark. And Kendra could see why. Luca smiled and gazed at his wife as if she were the center of his universe. She was a very lucky woman.
Kendra felt her cheeks flush as his words sank in. What had Nikos been saying about her? He had put her up for the job almost immediately after they’d met. So how could he claim she was more beautiful than Kiki unless he knew…?
Anika’s British accent cut into her thoughts. “You’re embarrassing poor Kendra, Luca.” She placed a gentle hand on Kendra’s arm. “I apologize for my husband.”
“There’s no need. Really.” Kendra was happy to let them believe that her blush was because of his observation.
“Shall I get us some champagne?” Dmitri waved over a waiter.
They all took a glass except for Luca and Anika.
Nikos’ expression lit up. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”
Luca shared a look with his wife before turning back with a broad grin. “We’re expecting.”
Nikos beamed at his friends, wrapping his arms around them. “That’s wonderful news!”
“Congratulations!” Dmitri clapped Luca on the back as he traded a genuinely happy smile with Anika.
And somehow Kendra managed to get caught in the middle of it all as well. The honest delight on Nikos’ and Dmitri’s faces was a surprise. She never considered they might be the type of men to go gooey over the mere mention of a baby.
Obviously, there was so much more to them than jet-setting, philandering billionaires that the media made them out to be and the passionate men she knew they could be.
Kendra wanted to know more. She wanted to learn everything about them that she could.
The fact that they were there and had done all this for her was definitely a sign that not all was lost.
“Mind if we have a chat?” Her gaze drifted from Kendra to the men on either side of her.
“Not at all.” Kendra squeezed them before following.
Being addressed by Anika De Winter was something Kendra had never thought would happen, but seeing as she was now her employee, there were sure to be things they needed to talk about.
Anika led them to a pair of secluded seats.
Once they were both settled, Anika quietly regarded her for a moment. Kendra’s skin prickled under her scrutiny. She was being studied. Thoroughly.
“I’m glad we’ve finally had a chance to meet, Kendra.”
Nodding, she smiled. “This is a big thrill for me. I had no idea any of this was happening or that I would be meeting you.” Kendra couldn’t even keep the excitement reined in. “This is all so incredible.”
Anika’s smile grew. “I’m sure it is. You’ve done a wonderful job so far.”
Kendra could feel a ‘but’ coming. So she waited, breath frozen in her lungs.
“What I wanted to talk to you about was…” Anika glanced across the room. As she did, the crowd parted to reveal the two men Kendra had been obsessing about since the moment she’d met them.
Had Anika guessed the nature of their relationship?
“I don’t know how well you know them and I’m not judging. But for Nikos to put you forward for something like this, you have to be something special to him. Dmitri jumped in and vouched for you immediately. And the way they look at you…” She indicated the photo hanging over their heads where she and Dmitri
gazed deeply into each other’s eyes. “I know those two come across as cocky and above everything, but they’re really sweet. I wouldn’t want them to get hurt.”
Was she warning her off them? Kendra chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t know what you think is going on—”
Anika put up her hand. “And you don’t have to tell me. All I’m saying is be gentle with them. I don’t want to lose you any more than I want them hurt.”
Kendra smiled. “I’m trying my best to figure things out.”
“Just don’t let them bully you.” Her gaze flitted briefly to her husband. A secretive little smile touched the corners of her mouth.
Spoken like a woman who knew what that was like. Kendra imagined a man like Luca Rossi knew how to throw his weight around quite well.
“I think you’re remarkable to take them both on.” Anika chuckled. “I don’t think I could handle them.”
Kendra wasn’t sure herself.
With that out of the way, the atmosphere shifted. Anika turned out to be charming and as smart as she was beautiful. Kendra found herself liking her immediately.
Their men caught their gazes and joined them not too long later for a spirited conversation.
Anika and Luca turned out to be the most normal couple she’d ever met. At least when it came to people with a mind-boggling amount of money. Kendra found that she really enjoyed talking to Anika and Luca. She wanted to spend more time with them. The promises they’d all made to get together again soon left her with confidence that they would follow through.
By the time the party wound down, Kendra had met more people than she had in ages. She smiled until her face ached as much as her feet did, but it was nothing compared to the exhilaration and excitement she felt when she realized that this was just the beginning. She was going to be the face of De Winter Diamonds for years to come and with that came all sorts of offers from all directions.
Her life was on a trajectory she had never imagined possible. And it was all thanks to the two men who hadn’t left her side all night.
