Christmas with the Billionaire ; A Tiara for Christmas

by Niobia Bryant

  “Kimber Reyes?” Darren repeated. “She’s in Dubai?”

  “She’s been in the area for a while, working on a string of beauty pageants,” Dario answered too quickly. He cursed himself for letting out that bit of information.

  Darren laughed and shook his head. Dario’s misery over his first heartbreak annoyed his twin and their sister, Alisha. “Even overseas you’re weak for her.”

  “Shut up, it’s not like I’ve seen her,” said Dario, flipping his brother off with his right hand, just out of Ilaria’s sight. “Ilaria, where is she?”

  “She’s downstairs at the jewelers, inquiring about the crystals.”

  Great, Dario thought with a groan. Kimber was on the hunt for answers. Answers he wasn’t ready to give her just yet.

  Last year, Dario had brought Kimber and her Miss Southwood crew up to Four Points General Hospital to get the kids to participate in a mock pageant show. The dude who was supposed to supply the tiaras upped the cost at the last minute. Since Dario was good with his hands, he’d gone into his garage, welded a few crowns together with materials he had around the place along with a few “gems” from his sister’s costume jewelry.

  It wasn’t like he’d never fixed things for kids before. Despite the wealth the Crowne family had now, their upbringing was filled with ramen meals and disappointment. Dario and Darren got by with a football or basketball, but Alisha was often teased for not having the same toys as her friends. She had one fashion doll.

  As a child, Dario put together cars, built homes and fastened together crowns out of scraps of metal. Their father, however, did not care for Dario spending his time building things for dolls, even if it was for his sister. Dario had always enjoyed the sense of accomplishment from the time he received his first building blocks to his first model car. His father called them “man things,” even though he never did anything around the house. To get his point across, John Crowne often took his belt to Dario’s backside to make a man out of him. But seeing his sister smile was worth the beatings. And getting Kimber to smile had been important too. He’d gone back to the hospital with Kimber the following visit, carrying boxes of dresses. When he had a moment alone, Dario had set the prototypes tucked in one of the boxes, down on the bed of a girl who was about to be discharged. Kimber was so in love with the crowns and the gesture he was sure he’d won brownie points, at least until he realized he never left his name on the box.

  He’d come very close to taking responsibility, but there was something about the pure joy on Kimber’s face that day. It was like she’d witnessed a Christmas miracle, and he didn’t want to rob her of any of the magic of that moment. That, combined with how pleased the little girls receiving the gifts were, had influenced him to continue to make them and had them delivered anonymously, maintaining the mystery and magic.

  He was man enough to admit he was going to great lengths to try and impress Kimber, even if he wasn’t taking any of the credit. She was the only woman to make Dario regret the bad-boy reputation he’d had when he joined his brother and sister in Southwood. She’d seen through his charming grin and called him out on his BS. It was probably the reason he’d been so in love with her. They’d had more than a moment that last Christmas before Kimber broke everything off to focus on her career. She had some nerve blaming him for messing up her internship when she ended up landing a perfect position after all.

  Darren took advantage of Dario’s silence. “Why is she there looking at crystals, Dario?”

  Dario pushed away from his desk, grabbing the clicker to open the cabinet hiding the pyramid of monitors positioned to view various spots around the city to study traffic flow and pedestrian congestion in order to see how he could improve the city. The one in the center captured the image of the lobby and front entrance. He rewound the recording, and sure enough, Kimber sauntered—she always sauntered—into the lobby and strolled right over to the listings.

  “She’s inquiring about the jewels,” Ilaria went on, “and wanted to know who has been buying them in bulk and where they were shipped to.”

  “Is she talking about the crowns you make?” Darren’s voice came from the laptop. “Dude, you still haven’t told her?”

  “Should I tell her we’ll send someone down there to answer her questions?” Ilaria asked.

  “Hell no,” Dario said quickly. “Stall her while I get out of here.”

  “Dodging Kimber?” Darren laughed. “It’s a Christmas miracle.”

  Dario moved around the desk. “The miracle will be you being able to walk once I’m done with you in the octagon when I get back tonight.” With that, Dario disconnected the face-to-face call and chuckled to himself.

  “Sir?” Ilaria stood, wide-eyed and confused.

  “I’m heading home a little earlier than planned, Ilaria,” said Dario. “Go ahead and shut the office down and have yourself a nice paid break until I get back after the New Year.”

  * * *

  For the first time in Kimber’s life, no amount of flirting or batting her lashes got her past the support staff at the closed gates at the Dubai International Airport. Kimber’s little mission to find the buyer of the jewels had been fruitless, and on top of everything else, she’d missed her flight. On any other occasion, Kimber wouldn’t have minded reverting to her original plan to return home later in the week, but this was for Lexi. And Kimber owed Lexi everything.

  Defeated, Kimber considered going to relax in the Zen Garden or heading over to the private lounge for a drink to help her decide what to do next. The latter won. Hiking her purse up, Kimber headed toward the bar. She stopped when she spotted a familiar figure commanding attention. A wave of women parted down the corridor, then stared at the back view of the man walking toward her dressed in a fitted dark blue suit.

  A second wave flowed through Kimber then. Shock and then jealousy. All these women and a handful of men dared to lustfully stare at him—her man. Or who might’ve have been her man. Kimber stood with her hand on her hip and the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth as he approached, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence. When he did as she expected, their eyes met. There he was. In the flesh. Her Dario Crowne.

  Kimber offered him a shy smile. Their last parting hadn’t gone so well. After an evening of pure bliss, she’d left him. The whole point of hanging out with Dario had been his reputation around Southwood. It was no secret he didn’t want a commitment. Neither had she, which was what had made their friendship perfect. Kimber wasn’t going to fall for his swagger and he didn’t cave when she batted her lashes.

  When they crossed the blurred friendship line Kimber had panicked. She’d needed space from him, but not out of regret. Her need for that internship intensified even more when she realized how deep her feelings for Dario might grow. She’d never wanted to settle down, be a mother or stay in Southwood. But Dario’s kisses had had her rethinking everything she’d worked hard for. Instead of telling him the truth, that her feelings for him scared her, Kimber had told him she needed space to concentrate on her career. She’d thought he understood. But judging by the way his lips twisted now, from a smile to a flat, unfriendly line the moment he laid eyes on her, maybe he hadn’t understood. Her heart quivered with disappointment. This was not her day.

  “Kimber,” Dario said with a cool tone in his deep voice.

  Kimber pretended to shiver. “Dario, why so frosty?” She lifted her arms for a welcoming hug. “Oh my God, it’s so good to see you.” There was no mistaking the way he barely leaned over to make contact or the half-assed way his hands wrapped around her waist. Kimber had to lift herself up on the balls of her feet just to get a semi-decent hug. He smelled delicious, like spiced Christmas. A sigh of disappointment escaped her throat when he pulled away.

  “I’m shocked to find you here,” Dario said.

  “I just finished a job with the Miss International Pageant.”

  Da
rio cocked his head to the side at her baggage. “And now you’re on to the next. What is it? The Big Four?”

  Beaming, Kimber pressed her hand against her chest. “Aw, you remembered.”

  “Are you waiting for your plane?” Dario nodded toward the gates. “I think you’re in the wrong area. That’s heading back to the States.”

  “I’m in the right spot,” she replied. “I’m heading home, not to the next pageant.”

  “To Southwood?” Dario asked with wide-stretched dark eyes.

  “That is home,” Kimber said, nodding her head. “Lexi needs me.”

  His thick brow rose in concern. “Is everything okay?”

  “Oh yeah. She is starting up a Christmas pageant and needs some help organizing. So I’m heading home.”

  “For the holidays?”

  “Yeah.” What was wrong with him? she wondered. “Where are you headed? Back to Southwood also?” Kimber pressed her hand against his sleeve and couldn’t help but feel the bulge of his biceps. She bit her bottom lip for a moment. “You might be out of luck. The plane just left. Thankfully, I still have a flight booked for later this week, but I don’t know how I’m going to break the news to Aunt Lexi. I promised I’d try to get there today but I was sidetracked by something sparkly.” She didn’t want to say what for fear of evoking an eye roll from him. Dario used to love teasing her about her collection of tiaras.

  Dario let out a deep sigh. “I’ll take you back.”

  Something about his words felt more like a forgiveness. Kimber scrunched her nose in his direction. “What?”

  “To Southwood, Kimber. You need to get there, right?”

  “Yes,” she answered in a slow tone.

  Dario nodded his head toward the empty waiting area. A half dozen uniformed flight staff walked through the silver barred door. The wide window gave a view of a sleek airplane.

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s your ride home, if you’d like.”

  Kimber blinked in disbelief. The Crownes made quite a pretty penny restoring classic cars. But owning a plane? As if Dario had read her mind, he sighed in annoyance. “The plane belongs to Aamir.”

  “The sheikh?”

  “If it pleases you to know,” said Dario, “fine, yes. Aamir Assadi’s plane will take us back to Southwood and no, before you think about asking, he won’t be joining us.”

  Kimber felt herself pull back from the bristle of his tone. Apparently the way they’d parted was worse than what she thought. The flirting banter they used to share was gone.

  Licking her lips, Kimber swallowed her hurt pride. “Looks like this Christmas is starting off just right,” she said with sarcasm oozing.

  Chapter 2

  Since he was the one who’d had Kimber stalled at the jeweler’s, causing her to miss her flight, Dario couldn’t help but feel responsible for making sure she arrived in Southwood in time to meet up with Lexi. That’s who he was doing it for—Lexi, not Kimber.

  Dario allowed Kimber to travel up the steps to the jet in front of him. Weak, his eyes traveled to her backside and his body responded in a typical adolescent way. Watching her hips sway from side to side, Dario told himself no man in the world would blame him for falling under Kimber’s spell.

  At least they were finally boarding. A change in the flight manifest had caused a thirty-minute delay. Now Kimber could have her pick of the seats and he could sit as far away from her as possible. No mile-high club here, he sniffed while watching Kimber’s profile as she turned to face the seats. Her tongue darted out and licked the bow of her top lip. His body stiffened and beckoned him to touch her one more time.

  “Nope,” Dario said out loud before he could catch himself. An attendant at the back of the plane stopped what she was doing. He half smiled and raked his hand over his head. “Sorry.”

  “Is everything okay?” Kimber asked turning toward him.

  Dario began to follow her farther down the aisle but stopped once enough space was between them and took a window seat to the left. He set his briefcase on the empty seat beside him. The long flight ahead gave him plenty of time to finalize his plans for the new school and tutoring center he’d been working on. Leaving early hadn’t been wise, but a necessity.

  “So, what’s going on with you?”

  The voice came too close to Dario’s ear. He turned to find her peering over the empty seat beside him. “You should buckle up. We’re going to take off in a moment.”

  “Dario, it’s an almost twenty-hour flight. You can’t be this cold to me the entire time and not talk to me.”

  Dario pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have a lot of paperwork to go over, Kimber.”

  Kimber clamped her hand down on his shoulder. He flinched at her touch. As if feeling the tension, she pulled her hand away. “Geez, it’s that serious, huh?”

  “What?” Dario turned in his seat to face her. Kimber’s long, dark lashes fanned against her high cheekbones. When she opened them, he recognized the true obliviousness behind her hazel eyes. In an instant, he realized what a jerk he’d been for being so cold to her. When she’d ended things, he’d had all the opportunity in the world to tell her he didn’t want things to be over between them. His cowardice about admitting she’d hurt his feelings shouldn’t have spoiled the friendship they did have.

  It wasn’t like he was one to acknowledge how he felt. His father had made sure he and his brothers never expressed their emotions—that was for the weak. Pushing all that behind, Dario curled his flat-lined scowl into a smile. “I’m good. I’m sorry if I’ve been distant. I just have a lot on my mind. I shouldn’t take my frustrations out on you. You have nothing to do with it,” he lied.

  “Like a job interview overseas?” Kimber smoothed her hands over his shoulder.

  Thank God for the thick material masking the ripple of goosebumps she evoked. “Job interview?”

  “Yeah,” she said while her fingertips traced the lapel of his blazer. “I never thought you’d trade in your coveralls but I guess a man can’t lie under a car forever.”

  Dario inhaled deeply. “And here I thought we’d spent some good times under a car.”

  Nodding, Kimber grinned and moved from around the seat behind to sit next to him, handing him his office work. Of all the seats on this plane, Dario thought again and then corrected himself. She was not to blame for their year-long radio silence.

  “Oh my God,” Kimber burst out and grabbed his arm. “I gotta tell you about how I was able to fix this Jeep’s battery connector with a twist tie.”

  “That’s not safe,” Dario began.

  “I know, but it got us far enough to get the car looked at.” Kimber beamed and flashed a row of perfectly straight, white teeth. Her lipstick was red, the same color as the roses on her dress. He always wondered how she coordinated such a thing.

  “Which beauty pageant were you off to cover?” He asked the question but knew the answer. Just because he hadn’t been speaking to her didn’t mean he hadn’t kept keep tabs on her and made sure she was safe while in a foreign country.

  Kimber pressed her lips together to think about her answer. “I was off to Miss Earth. We were scouting some of the local villages, which were putting forward their beauty queens, ya know. But when we stopped for gas, I noticed the clerk had a bracelet with those same ruby jewels from those mystery tiaras back in Southwood.”

  “I see,” Dario said, calming the beat of his heart as it began to accelerate. He sat up and loosened the knot in the tie choking him at his throat.

  “You remember how they mysteriously showed up at the children’s hospital and around South Georgia, right?”

  “I guess.” He feigned boredom. “You’re still asking about that?”

  For a second Kimber poked out her bottom lip to pout. Her brows furrowed together in confusion. “Of course I am. There’s a story behind
them.”

  No story, Dario thought. He’d just wanted to do something nice without taking the credit. “Yeah, but weren’t the tiaras dropped off anonymously? Do I even need to mention the keyword in that question?”

  “So?” Kimber asked with all sincerity. She blinked and her long lashes fanned against her high cheekbones. “Someone that talented needs to be exposed.”

  “Why?” Dario responded quickly. He recovered with a cough. “I mean, don’t you think if this person wanted to be found out, she’d have said something?”

  “Or he,” Kimber said with a knowing smile.

  Dario’s heart slammed against his chest. “You think a man made them?”

  “I wouldn’t rule it out,” said Kimber, squaring her shoulders.

  “It sounds as if you have an idea.” Did she know it was him? If she did, why wasn’t she asking him a thousand questions like the reporter she was? The plane began to taxi the down the runway and the flight attendant reminded them to buckle up until they hit altitude.

  “I traced the jewels back to Dubai, and I was thinking, since you know Aamir Assadi, maybe you’ve heard something about it?” Kimber asked with a sly smile.

  Dario just shrugged. “I doubt Sheikh Aamir has time to concern himself with something like that.”

  Kimber apparently remained unconvinced. “Well, I have all Christmas break to work on it.”

  “You say that as if you’re not staying in Southwood after the holidays,” said Dario, not sure why the idea bothered him. He’d left. Why couldn’t she?

  Kimber twisted her lips and shrugged. “Who knows what will happen? I’m having a blast doing what I do, ya know?”

  “I do,” he agreed with a head nod.

  “But hey! At least we can hang this holiday.”

  As Kimber went on about how excited she was to spend Christmastime in Southwood, Dario allowed himself to be sucked back into Kimber’s world. While he’d just vowed to himself not to hold on to his anger, that didn’t mean he needed to fall head over heels in love with her again. Kimber had made it clear she had no desire to be in a relationship with one person.