Christmas Miracle (13 page)

He was never far from her mind, and hearing his voice could bring a smile to her face. Cameron had reintroduced her to Christmas, a holiday that had been one of her favorites until the situation with her sister and Chester. He’d reintroduced her to family, by freely offering of his own. And he’d reintroduced her to...love, by making her fall hopelessly for him. And that was what terrified her. They were moving too quickly, and he was her client, dammit!

Picking up one of the magazines, she stared at the page that contained a picture and column on her and Cameron at his Christmas Eve party. Someone had taken a picture of them waltzing, him staring down at her with that smile on his face, and her head tilted back as she beamed up at him. The header read, “Who is Sebastian’s New Woman?” The other magazines contained similar pictures and articles, and one had even given her a false name and profession. Apparently, she was “Shania Jackson” a dancer from some performing arts school. She’d been slightly amused until she recognized what would follow. The paparazzi were vultures. They would soon find out who she was, what her relationship was to him, and there was a large possibility that her business would suffer. Her clients saw her as strictly professional, and her relationship with Cameron was anything but.

Her phone rang and when she answered, Fiona, who’d come in of her own volition to help the borderline incompetent temp and to give Melanie a belated Christmas present, said in her chipper voice, “Ms. Samuels, Mr. Mackintosh is here. Should I send him in?”

She didn’t have to look at the time to know that it was nearing one. Cameron usually came to take her to lunch around then.

“Yes, please.”

Cameron strolled into her office with a bouquet of roses and a smile on his face. He wore a knee-length tan coat that parted to reveal a pale green work shirt and dark tie, dark pants, and shoes. Lifting a brow at the offering, she stood and took the flowers from him.

“I didn’t know if you were a roses girl, but I thought I’d try my luck. If I didn’t get it right, there’s always tomorrow.” That was followed by a light kiss to her lips, and then he took a step back and analyzed her blouse. It was a deep shade of pink. “Very nice.”

And this was why it was hard not to think of him. Because in one word, Sebastian Cameron Mackintosh was amazing.

“Even if I didn’t like roses, which I do, I’d still think they’re beautiful.”

“Good. What kind of food do you feel like eating today?”

He moved back around her desk, and his eyes caught sight of one of the open magazines on her desk. Lifting it, he said, “You look beautiful, lass, but who’s the ogre dancing with you?”

Ogre? More like good-looking, sexy, dark-haired devil. Okay. She shook her head and placed the roses against her desk. Clasping her hands together, she said firmly, “Cameron, we need to talk.”

He stiffened briefly before dropping the magazine back onto her desk. “We can talk over lunch, sweetheart.” He looked her straight in the eye, and she looked away. Why was this so hard anyway? She’d barely known him for more than a week, even though it felt longer. Calling up the business executive inside her, she squared her shoulders and disappeared behind a mask of aloofness.

“I think it would be better if we spoke here.”

A brow lifted, but Cameron didn’t reply.

“I try to keep my relationships with my clients strictly professional—”

“It’s a bit late for that, don’t you think?”

She didn’t acknowledge that as she continued, “—and since you’ve decided to sign on with my agency, I think it would be best if we maintained a professional relationship from now on.”

His expression hadn’t changed since she’d begun speaking. He continued to look at her with that half smile playing around his lips and a lifted brow.

“That’s what I wanted to talk about.”

“Best for whom?”

“Excuse me?”

“You think it would be best for whom if we maintained a professional relationship?” Cameron asked casually.

“For everyone.”

“How so, Melanie?”

Her mask cracked a bit in response to his easygoing manner. “Cameron, we barely know each other. We met no more than two weeks ago. It’s not as if we’re serious. It wouldn’t look good for my agency if I was dating a client—”

“Of course. You’re right.” When both of her brows drew up, he continued, “Wasn’t that what you wanted me to say, Melanie?” He clucked his tongue and moved over to the small bar she rarely used. Opening it, he poured a drink and downed it. “You don’t want me to say I think you’re full of shit, that the whole ‘we barely know each other’ speech went out the window when you spent Christmas with me and my family, or when you told me about what happened in your past. And that whole spiel about us not having anything serious—speak for yourself, sweetheart.” He shook his head and poured another glass, walking back over to her.

“Cameron, you don’t know me as well as you think.”

“And whose fault is that, Melanie?” he demanded. She watched as anger engulfed his face and felt as if she were the biggest fool in the world. But she held out. “I know you’ve been hurt before, but how do you expect to be happy if you push everyone away?” He glared down at her. “Well?”

“I don’t push everyone away, Cameron.”

“Bullshit, sweetheart. Bullshit.” He placed his glass onto her desk and caught her by the arms, pulling her closer. “You’ve probably pushed every person who wanted to know you away, and granted, you’ve had a good reason, but you can’t live like this, Melanie.” His eyes lowered to her lips and unconsciously, she licked them. “I am not your ex. I would never do what he did.”

Melanie tried to pull away from him. “It’s not about that—”

“No? You expect me to believe that you’re doing this because it could hurt your company? Melanie, you own a public relations agency! The worst this could do is give the company more exposure. More exposure means more clients! Come on, if you’re going to give me an excuse, give me a good one.”

“In a few days, you’ll be glad—”

He released her immediately and moved away. “Don’t do that, Melanie. Don’t tell me how I’ll feel.”

She remained quiet, watching him move around her office like a caged jungle animal. What the hell was she doing?

He came to stand before her once more and picked up his glass. Lifting it to his lips, he drained that too.

“I won’t argue with you,” he finally said, his usually vibrant eyes flat. “If you want a strictly professional relationship, then that’s what we’ll have.”

Melanie nodded, pinching her lips together to keep from blurting out something stupid. This was what she wanted.

“I have one more thing to ask,” he said in a low voice, and she nodded once. “Why did you sleep with me?”

Her eyes widened and she blinked. “I don’t understand.”

“Did you sleep with me because I was a potential client?”

A burst of anger rushed through her. How could he think that? Seriously! And then she saw the vulnerability in his eyes, and with it, a way to make sure that from now on they had only the professional relationship, if any at all.

She looked away from him, and nodded once. Oh God, what was she doing?

A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips. “I always knew you were cold, Melanie, I just didn’t realize how much.”

He turned and walked to her door.

“Cameron!” She’d taken a few steps to him when she stopped. He didn’t turn around, but he remained where he was. “I’ll understand if you choose another PR firm to represent you.”

“You are the best at what you do, Melanie, and like you, I am a professional. I use the best, for the best results.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “My secretary will handle any business matters between us.”

She swallowed and nodded.

He’d reached the door and was pulling it open when she called to him again.

“Do you need me to call a cab for you?” That was her way of telling him that he shouldn’t drive after two glasses of whisky straight.

“Does that fit into your neat box of professionalism?” he threw at her before replying, “I can get my own cab.”

And then he was gone. Just like that. Melanie stared at the closed door, wondering if she’d just made the biggest mistake of her life. As she sat down, playing over everything that had just transpired, she was inclined to believe that she had.

***

It took her two days and a lot of second-guessing to realize that Cameron was right.

She was full of shit.

Everything she’d told him had been an excuse. The real reason she didn’t want to continue their relationship was her fear of being hurt again. Even when she’d been with Chester, and had thought herself in love, they hadn’t moved this quickly. And although Chester had made her happy before she’d found out he was slime, Cameron made her feel more alive than she’d ever felt.

And she’d only been with him for just over a week. She didn’t see her feelings for him subsiding, and imagined that they would only grow stronger if she continued to see him. Cameron Mackintosh would be able to hurt her in a way that Chester Barrington hadn’t. Chester had broken her heart; Cameron could break her.

Two days and she missed him like crazy.

Reaching over to the almost empty pan of desserts that Cait had given her, she grabbed a shortbread cookie and bit into it. Tomorrow would be the last day of the year, and hopefully, she could make and keep a New Year’s resolution to forget about Sebastian Cameron Mackintosh.

“Ms. Samuels, you have a...man—a person waiting...” Melanie rolled her eyes as the temp’s voice came through her phone. “What’s your name again? Aiden...wow...erm...Aiden Mackintosh is here to see you.”

Immediately, Melanie sat up. Aiden? Was Cameron with him?

She told the temp to send him in.

Melanie hadn’t known what to expect, but Aiden Mackintosh walked into her office with a scowl on his lips and a letter gripped in one gloved hand. She went on alert, standing as he approached her.

“Hello, Melanie. I’m sure you didn’t expect to see me, but I need to know something.”

Aiden had been all smiles at the Christmas gathering, but his current tone and demeanor easily reminded her that he was responsible for the overseeing of the UK offices of his brother’s company.

“Please, have a seat.”

He ignored that, and instead his eyes, so painfully similar to Cameron’s, bored into hers.

“Do you love my brother?”

She blinked rapidly and, flustered, sat back down. “Aiden, I don’t understand.”

“Just answer the question, Melanie. A simple yes or no will do.”

Confused, she wondered aloud, “Did Cameron send you?”

He laughed dryly and shook his head. “I’m risking limb and life being here, so please answer my question.”

“And what if I do?”

“Do you?”

Deciding that she’d told enough lies, both to herself and to Cameron, she answered honestly. “Yes.”

“Good. I thought so.”

When Melanie’s brows drew together, he offered her a smile. “Everyone knows it but my brother.” He dropped the letter, actually an envelope, on the desk before her.

“What is that?”

“Yours.”

Curious, she opened the envelope to find a plane ticket with her name on it.

“I don’t understand—”

“Of course you wouldn’t. Whatever happened between you two happened before Cam could give you the ticket.”

She read the information and saw that it was a plane ticket to Edinburgh, Scotland. Her information was also on it.

“We go there every year for Hogmanay, Scottish New Year. It’s tradition.”

Melanie shook her head and pushed the ticket back into the envelope.

“I can’t take this.”

Aiden made no move to retrieve the ticket. “Flight leaves tomorrow at six in the morning. Brendan and I are on it. Everyone else is already there.”

Her shoulders dropped as she remembered their last conversation. “Aiden, he won’t want to see me.”

“No, he won’t,” Aiden agreed, giving her a small smile. “At least, not at first. Whatever happened between the two of you, he’s not happy about it. Still, I’m pretty sure you can persuade him to change his mind.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love my brother, and he loves you.”

When she looked doubtful, he lifted a brow and shook his head. “Why are you two the only persons who can’t see it? I guess it’s true what they say about love and stupidity.” He laughed when she looked offended. “Hand in hand, ay?”

***

The flight from New York City to Edinburgh, Scotland took a total of nine hours. She spent most of those peacefully asleep in the comfortable first-class seat, and the others being entertained by Brendan and his antics with a pretty stewardess who looked like she didn’t know whether to clobber him or kiss him. Aiden was unusually quiet, but he occasionally tossed her a supportive smile.

When they finally landed and the pilot welcomed them to Scotland, she began to panic. “What ifs” began rushing through her mind, and she was already contemplating the logical thing to do when Aiden touched her shoulder lightly.

“You’re not giving up already, lass, are you?” he asked with a challenging lift of his brow.

Melanie blew out a breath. She’d come to Scotland because she’d made a mistake; at least, her heart was telling her she’d made a mistake. She wanted Cameron. That was the sole reason she’d rushed back to her apartment to pack a carry-on bag, one suitcase, and then hailed a cab to JFK to catch the flight.

Squaring her shoulders, she turned to look at him. “No, Aiden. I’m not one to give up.”

“There’s the spirit.” He stood and began unloading their carry-ons from the overhead compartment.

Yeah, I’m going to need spirit all right, Melanie thought with a shiver. She’d only glimpsed Cameron’s temper before, as he usually reeled it in before he unleashed on her, but she instinctively knew that it was massive. And she’d have no choice but to deal with it if she wanted him back. Yep, she was going to need a large amount of spirit.

***

By the time they pulled up to a large manor-like house in the countryside, it was five o’clock, Scottish time. Melanie was exhausted. The journey, which had been eleven hours total, was weighing on her, and her entire body felt like lead. It didn’t help that it was pouring outside. It had been raining when she touched down, and was still raining now. Did the rain ever stop here? She hoped so. She quickly rushed over to the door and was greeted by a surprised Cait.