No boyfriend.
No family.
She was single.
He knew all of this, of course, but HR didn’t always keep the most up-to-date records. A little error he had to deal with come the New Year.
“I noticed the art in your office,” he said, attempting to open up a conversation.
Alora’s smile was so fucking beautiful, it lit up her entire face, and her lips, they were so enticing. He wanted to kiss her.
Throughout the day, he’d find himself using any number of excuses to visit her floor, just to catch a glimpse of her. She was always busy. Her blonde hair pinned up atop her head, paint brushes and pencils either behind her ear or stuffed into her bun. At times, she looked like a sexy art teacher. One he desperately wanted.
“That artwork is my own,” she said.
“Oh. That’s why I couldn’t find it available to purchase.”
“From time to time, I like to sketch what I see in my head. It can cause such a blockage if I’m not careful. Are you in the market for some art?” she asked.
“Actually, I am. I’ve recently renovated a condo. I was able to move in a week ago, but all the walls are blank, and if I’m being honest, I don’t have the first clue what to pick out. Would you mind slipping away from the party with me? I could use your eye.”
Alora glanced around the room and shrugged. “No, I wouldn’t mind.”
He wanted to get her alone. Everything he’d said about the condo was the truth. He’d purchased the condo at the beginning of the year. It was only a ten-minute walk away from work, which was why he paid through the roof for the place. Due to bad weather and just general poor luck, his condo had been behind schedule, and that was why he’d stayed at a hotel for the past few months. The moment his condo was done, he’d moved in, but he didn’t know how to truly furnish it.
It was a surprise to find out that Alora was a foster kid, as he’d been in the foster system himself. He ran away at sixteen, and by the time they found him, he was eighteen and already working his way to being a self-made billionaire. He promised himself he would never live on the streets again. And the secrets of his past would die with him.
He’d been one of the lucky ones with an idea and had created the means to get what he wanted. Most were not as lucky.
Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Amelia’s bodyguard and let him know that she would be available to take home. That woman had been begging to go on a date with him. She wanted to go from being on magazine covers to acting, and through advertising, she hoped he’d use his contacts to get her what she needed. It was never about love. Not in his world.
Putting his hand on the small of Alora’s back, they walked onto the elevator. No one paid them any attention.
He clicked the button for the main floor.
“My condo is only a ten-minute walk. Will that be okay, or would you like me to bring the car around?” he asked.
“I can walk.”
He glanced down at the heels she wore.
Alora was full of surprises.
As they rode the elevator down toward the main floor, he couldn’t help but notice the subtle vanilla fragrance she wore. Nothing strong and obnoxious. It just so happened that vanilla was his favorite scent. His mouth salivated just thinking about tasting her.
She seemed shy, looking up at the changing floor lights, and he admired her. Compared to him, she was a tiny thing, but with curves that made him ache to touch.
The doors opened, and they stepped out.
He became all too aware of the dress she wore, and he removed his jacket, draping it across her shoulders.
“Thank you.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
They left his office building, and much to his surprise, he found it was snowing. The beauty of the city at Christmastime never failed to amaze him.
Alora gasped, bumping into his side.
With snow, came ice, and he grabbed her hand, holding her close. The moment he touched her, he felt this spark and knew he was making the right decision.
Chapter Two
It was surreal hanging off her boss’s arm. She certainly didn’t expect him to have such big, hard biceps, but she’d only seen him covered up with a full suit. He’d always intimidated her, and she felt he was leagues above her. But after talking with him for only a brief time, she got a down-to-earth vibe from him. He wasn’t the monster everyone portrayed him to be … at least not yet. Alora hoped it wasn’t a mistake going to his condo alone with him. Did he think she was some kind of slut? Did he think she’d jump in his bed to keep her job? Or was she jumping to conclusions?
She was a classic overthinker, and right now, her mind was on overdrive. The evening was dark, but the trees along the main road had Christmas lights of every color. In combination with the big, lazy snowflakes, the evening felt absolutely magical. It made her think of families around old-fashioned fireplaces, safe from the cold outside. There’d be a decorated tree in the corner with carefully wrapped gifts. When she was a little girl, she watched the Christmas specials and dreamed of having her own family. Her imagination was so intense she could smell the wood burning, see the stockings hung on the mantle, and feel the love of her parents. But without being adopted, those fantasies stayed exactly that.
“I love this time of year,” she said.
“I thought you said you were a foster kid.”
“I was.”
He shrugged. “Most people I know who’ve been in the system hate the holidays. Too much trauma.”
“Not me. I have an excellent imagination. It kept me sane. Christmas is a comforting time for me even if I spend it alone. I just need the cable holiday specials and Burt.”
He stopped briefly, turning to face her. “Burt? I thought you were single.”
She smiled, liking the possessive tone in his voice. “He’s my cat.”
Adam tilted his head slightly, a cute smile on his face. “He sounds hard to compete with.”
“We’ll have to see if he likes you.”
As soon as she spoke, she wanted to bite her tongue. She was acting like they were dating, but this was just an art consult. He probably thought she sounded like a desperado. The man had a supermodel back at the party waiting for him.
They arrived at the condo sooner than she expected. Her feet didn’t even hurt. She looked way up. It was a massive skyscraper.
“Impressive, isn’t it? I like the modern architecture,” he said.
“It’s something else.”
As they entered the massive main entrance, she couldn’t stop admiring all the high-end décor. It really was a modern-day marvel. Any unit in this building must cost a small fortune. Her apartment was a joke compared to this place.
Everyone knew her boss by name as they walked toward the elevators. There was a lot of staff and security for a lobby. The inside of the elevator was all mirrors with a digital display she’d never seen before. When he hit the penthouse floor, she did a double take. How much money did Nelson Industries make?
When he opened the double doors to his suite, the first thing she noted was the overwhelming presence of white. It felt like she’d walked into a hospital operating room, not a home. There was nothing on the walls and only sparse furniture. Her heels echoed as she walked into the foyer.