A Christmas Kiss: BWWM Interracial Romance (Holiday Happiness Book 1) Read online

  A Christmas Kiss

  by Roxy Wilson

  BLURB

  Cole Davenport doesn’t expect to be jilted by his fiancée, but that’s exactly what happens on his wedding day, the day that is also Christmas Day. He should be grateful when the attractive CEO of Grand Events comes to console him, but instead he does the unthinkable—he kisses her.

  Alexandria “Lexi” Riley has kissed a few frogs in her life, hoping that one day she’ll finally find her prince. But, what she doesn’t bargain for is a prince who used to be her client—a client whose wedding she was paid to organize and whose pride she had to protect when his bride-to-be left him.

  Months later, Cole and Lexi meet again. Friendship and then a romantic relationship develop between them. But, unexpectedly, two things happen: a crime against Lexi and a reentry of Cole’s ex-fiancée into his life.

  Will this Christmas turn out to be a fiasco like the one the year before?

  Text copyright © 2014 Roxy Wilson

  All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  Lexi Riley didn’t like surprises. In her line of work as the CEO of Grand Events, the event management company that she owned along with her two sisters, an untimely twist and turn could ruin a well-planned occasion. And that is why she always managed to tie every loose end, leaving nothing to chance. Every event organized by the three sisters was fabulous and beautiful, and this particular wedding would meet the strict standards she adhered to.

  As she strode forward on her three-inch stiletto heels, Lexi monitored the activity. The guests were in place, the tables were set for the reception in the garden, her sister Brielle’s mouthwatering food was ready to be served as soon the ceremony was over, and all she needed to do was enjoy the rest of the day.

  Lexi scanned the area where the ceremony was to take place. It was Christmas Day, but she was pleased when the bride, Arianna, had agreed to move away from using the traditional Christmas colors and instead chose gold, burgundy, and forest-green. Lexi’s eyes followed the trail of glitter stars and hearts that were placed on the floor to line the aisles. The pillar candles, enshrouded in clear glass cylinders, were placed strategically among the stars and hearts. Lexi beamed at the way the multicolored glitter on the stars caught the candlelight and helped to highlight the Christmas ambience.

  There might be hiccups later in the evening, but there was little that Lexi couldn’t handle. Stopping at the mirror to check the exquisite floral arrangement, she removed a dead leaf that marred its beauty. There. All perfect now!

  Lexi gazed into the mirror and adjusted the sweeping, tiered skirt of her chiffon gown. With its halter neckline and finely pleated empire waist the lavender dress accentuated her curves and brought a glow to her charcoal-black eyes. Her hair was tied in a neat chignon. She looked professional, yet elegant and feminine for the wedding.

  If everything went well tonight, she could expect many more new clients from this lot. Her eyes scanned the guests, and she detected a senator, a well-known businessman, and a TV personality in the crowd. Either the bride or the groom was well connected, and it wouldn’t be a waste of time to wow them with the flawless preparations of Grand Events.

  The earpiece she wore crackled. “Lexi!” hissed the youngest of the Riley sisters, Janay. “We’ve got a situation.”

  Lexi nearly huffed. “Don’t tell me that the seating arrangement is messed up.”

  “No! That is all good.”

  So, what else could it be? “Is there a problem with the food? I saw Brielle an hour ago, and she assured me that everything was ready at her end.”

  “It’s not the food,” said Janay, who took care of the company’s finance and accounting department and also pitched in on actual events.

  Lexi’s mind raced. What the heck is wrong then? “Spit it out, Janay.”

  Janay expelled a deep breath. “The bride’s missing.”

  The silence that followed Janay’s pronouncement was so deafening that Lexi actually heard her heart pound. “Did you just say that the bride is missing?”

  “Yes, she’s not in her room. Her mother and sister have no clue where she is. And I’ve looked everywhere and…”

  “You’re joking.” Lexi interrupted. It wasn’t possible to conduct a wedding without a bride. How was she going to get this event rolling? “Tell me you’re joking, Janay. Maybe she stepped out for a smoke or something.”

  “She doesn’t smoke. And the guard at the gate assured me that he saw her getting into a cab twenty minutes ago.”

  “What…Why didn’t he stop her?”

  “He didn’t have the authority to do so. She’s a client of the hotel.”

  “Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!” Lexi nearly stomped her feet, something she never did. Maintaining a dignified and controlled persona at all times was critical, but just this once, she wished she could pull out her hair and bawl like a baby.

  “Do you want me to announce to the guests that the wedding’s off?”

  “No!” Her thoughts scattered in all directions. She needed to get a handle on this situation. Lexi drew in a deep, controlled breath and released it slowly. Then she did it again. It was what she did whenever she needed to recover what little of her composure she could manage when things went terribly wrong. “Let me talk to the groom first. He’s the one paying for this wedding. What did he say when you told him?”

  “He doesn’t know yet.”

  Lexi grimaced. This wasn’t news that she wanted to deliver to anyone, even to her worst enemy. But he was her client, and as such he deserved her support at this difficult time. Lexi straightened her shoulders. “I’ll tell him right now.”

  “Do you want me to go with you?” said Janay in a voice that suggested she would rather be anywhere else than with her big sister for this task.

  Lexi didn’t think he would appreciate an audience. “No, I’ll manage. Until I give the okay, don’t utter a word to anyone.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Lexi clicked off. Without wasting a moment, she marched off towards the gate to interview the guard. She didn’t want to tell the groom anything until she was a hundred percent sure her sister wasn’t wrong. Not that Janay ever was, but these particular circumstances called for special measures, and she didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Lexi took her time to check each nook and corner of the hotel. Of course, she couldn’t peek into each room, but short of that, she made her staff search for the bride in every place they could think of. Once she was sure of the facts, she headed off towards the room where the groom was waiting with his best man. When she put her hand on the handle, Lexi took a deep breath and ordered herself to calm down. She knocked and entered after being summoned inside.

  The bride must have a few loose marbles, thought Lexi as she cast her eyes on the groom. Cole Davenport took her breath away from the first moment she’d seen him when he came with his bride-to-be—now the runaway bride—several months earlier for their first consultation. His warm, caramel-colored hair was cut short, his electric-blue eyes were startlingly bright, and his face was just shy of movie-star handsome. But it was the scar above his right eye that drew her attention. It was the mark of a man who’d fought his battles in a war and won against all odds. He was a retired army captain and now an author of best-selling psychological thrillers and mysteries. It was all Lexi knew about him. And now, she’d find out soon enough if he deserved the medal that his fiancée—ex-fiancée—told her he earned because of his exploits in the war against terrorism.

  And from what Lexi had seen, based on her interactions with
him as they prepared for the wedding, he seemed to be a really decent guy.

  Yep, Arianna was crazy to walk away from the man that was Cole Davenport. In fact, there was something about her that Lexi couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it always left her uneasy in Arianna’s presence. Sure, she seemed a bit selfish, pretentious, and spoiled, which was probably expected since she was born and raised in the lap of luxury. But there was something not quite stable about her. Whenever Arianna visited her office to discuss the wedding preparations, Lexi always got the impression that she was just going through the motions. From Lexi’s experience, as the wedding day drew nearer, the brides-to-be were usually gushing with enthusiasm or panicking or a combination of both extremes. But Arianna was different. Eerily so. Oftentimes, Lexi mentally shrugged her shoulders and reasoned that she was perhaps too critical of Arianna; but judging by Arianna’s stunt today, it seemed as if Lexi wasn’t far off base. Now she had to concentrate on the task at hand: breaking the news to Mr. Davenport about his runaway bride-to-be.

  “Mr. Davenport?”

  When Cole’s gaze settled on her, Lexi resisted the urge to run away. Nothing in her line of work prepared her to handle this kind of situation. She needed help. But there was no one who could bail her out. And in any case, Lexi Riley wasn’t a coward.

  “Yes?”

  “I’d like to talk to you in private.”

  He frowned. “Isn’t it time for the ceremony to start? Don’t tell me my bride isn’t ready yet.”

  “Arianna has never been ready on time.” The best man laughed. “Your military precision is going to suffer a lot now, Cole. You’ll always be late for every event, including your own wedding.”

  Lexi folded her arms and tapped her foot against the tiled floor. She didn’t have time for fun and games. She directed a cool stare at the best man. “Excuse me, sir. I’d really like to talk to Mr. Davenport alone.”

  The best man stared at her for a moment, as if trying to weigh the seriousness of her words. Then he shrugged, exchanged a quick glance with the groom, and left them alone. When Lexi was sure the door was closed, she strode forward until she was standing directly in front of the groom. If he swooned, she’d make every attempt to catch him. but it wouldn’t be an easy feat. He was about two or three inches above six feet, and she knew from seeing him in more casual clothes that his shoulders were broad and his limbs were muscular, though not overly so. And with his military background and the way he kept his physique even though he was no longer in active duty, she knew that Mr. Davenport not only looked strong, he was strong. She figured she might not be able to hold him upright, but she might be able to save him from banging his head if he fainted.

  Lexi cleared her throat. “Umm…Mr. Davenport, I’ve got some bad news.”

  Cole cocked his head to the side. “Is there a problem with the payment?”

  Lexi felt terrible. He’d already cleared the bill. What was she supposed to do in this particular, disastrous situation? Should she return his money?

  First things first.

  Lexi took a deep breath. “It’s not about the money. Unfortunately, we can’t find the bride.”

  For one minute, he simply stared at her. “Can’t find her? What do you mean?”

  “She’s not in the hotel anymore.”

  “But the wedding is about to start. Where could she have gone?”

  Lexi put a hand on his arm. “I’m afraid that she may have left on purpose.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  She gulped. He clearly wasn’t able to comprehend the gravity of her words. Lexi chose her next sentence with care. “I’m afraid that she may have decided not to get married.”

  “Have you lost your mind?” Cole dragged his fingers through his hair. “We’re about to get married in five minutes. She can’t just decide to walk away. This must be some mistake.” He began to pace the length of the room.

  Lexi’s eyes tracked his movements. “I’ve searched the place, Mr. Davenport. Why don’t you give her a call to see if she picks up?”

  He stopped in his tracks as he seemed to latch on to her suggestion with the efficiency of a desperate man. Thrusting his hand inside his pocket, he took out his cell phone and dialed. Lexi wrung her hands together, silently pleading with the runaway bride to pick up the phone. She mentally made the sign of the cross when she saw a smile lit Mr. Davenport’s face.

  “Arianna, honey, where are you?”

  When the smile slipped, Lexi wished she was far away. At least the woman had the decency to talk to him, even if it was over the phone. She shivered when the groom began pacing the room again. “But why?”

  When he put the phone back in his pocket and just stood there, Lexi didn’t know what to do. The clock in the room ticked. Outside, a bird twittered. Still, he didn’t move.

  “Mr. Davenport? Guests are already waiting in the chapel. What would you like me to do?”

  “She doesn’t want to get married,” he said as if he didn’t hear her question. “Not to me, at least.”

  Lexi didn’t think this was a good time to ask him if the bride had chosen another groom. Some women got cold feet at the altar, as did some men, but she’d never attended a wedding where one of them deserted the other. “Mr. Davenport? Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “What?”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?” she repeated.

  He ran his hands through his hair. “Oh dear God! The guests!”

  “If you like I could announce that…the wedding has been put off for an unforeseeable future.”

  “Future?” He stared at Lexi as if she’d lost her mind. “I don’t have a future. My fiancée decided to leave me rather than exchange vows. I don’t know why. She wouldn’t give me a reason.”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Davenport.” Lexi wrung her hands together. What the hell was she supposed to do? Luckily, he didn’t faint. “Would you like some time to be by yourself?”

  He focused on her. “Damn.”

  Once again, she was rendered speechless. Lexi wasn’t sure if she should leave him alone. If she were in his shoes, she’d want someone by her side, even if that person was an impersonal employee, or well, sort of. Maybe she needed to call the best man back and let him deal with the groom. After all, that should be part of his job, not hers. But seeing the anguished look in Cole’s eyes, she didn’t think she could leave him yet. He certainly wouldn’t want someone to see him like this, even if that person was his best friend. Perhaps being with a stranger would ease his pain a bit.

  Lexi rubbed his arm. She almost pulled away from him when she felt the shiver of awareness.

  Come on, Lexi, you’ve got to focus.

  “Mr. Davenport. I’ll do whatever I can to ease this situation. If you want, you could leave the venue and we’ll take care of this. The food is ready, the guests can be served, and we can just tell them that there was an emergency.”

  Much to her shock, he gripped her arm, drew her forward, and claimed her lips. Her first thought was to kick him in the nuts and get away. But then, compassion welled in her heart. He was jilted at the altar. Anyone would lose their mind after such a terrible shock. But it wasn’t sympathy or pity that made her open her mouth when he attempted to thrust his tongue inside. It was desire, hot, hard, and sizzling. Despite her unwillingness to enjoy the moment, a strange ripple of lust sneaked up her spine. His breath was hot on her mouth and his scent was tantalizingly sexy.

  The man sure knew what to do with his tongue.

  Lexi actually swayed on her feet when he let go of her. “I don’t care what the hell you do with the guests, but don’t tell them lies. She left me. Tell them that and yes, feed them. It’s, after all, a goddamned party!”

  Saying that, he strode out of the room and Lexi was left standing by herself. She touched her lips with the tip of her finger. Damn! The man was a master at getting the most out of those soft lips. She’d never been kissed senseless before—but now Lexi could un
derstand the actual meaning of that statement. Finally, she turned and marched out of the room to deal with the mess that had fallen in her lap.

  The kiss meant nothing. A man could be expected to act insane when he was left on his wedding day by a thoughtless and uncaring woman. She would probably never see Cole Davenport again—and just as well. She didn’t have anything to say to him.

  Chapter Two

  Nine months later…

  Cole handed over his credit card to the sales assistant as he eyed the packages he’d purchased over the past hour. It was going to be a costly birthday celebration, but he was in the mood to splurge. Ever since the fiasco at his wedding, he’d acted like the Grinch who stole Christmas, and perhaps it was time to make things up to his twin sisters and mother, who shared the same birthday and had stood by him like a rock.

  The day that was supposed to be his wedding day was a nightmare he wanted to put behind him. While any little reminder of it might have triggered pain early on, he was past the point of hurting and now only wished to forget the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the woman he’d hoped to spend the rest of his life with. How could he have been so blind? Such a poor judge of character? Cole shook his head to rid himself of his bleak thoughts. It was time to look ahead and focus on the future.

  “Thank you.” He smiled at the sales assistant as he accepted the card and put it in his wallet. Well, now this was all a good day’s work. He could go home and spend a few hours earning back the money he’d just spent.

  Picking up his packages, he turned. Cole halted as the slim, sharply-dressed woman darted out of the home appliances store and strode towards the elevator. He’d imagined this moment a million times, but never in a mall. This might not be the best time or opportunity, but since this moment landed in his lap, he wasn’t about to squander it.

  “Ms. Riley!” he yelled as he marched after her. A few people stared in his direction, but she didn’t spare him a backward glance as she rode the escalator. He caught up with her just as she stepped on to the first floor. “Hey.”