I wasn’t a big lover of the holiday season, and I wasn’t going to miss being with the family. My mother and stepfather had gone to Europe to ski this Christmas, and I wasn’t really in the mood for social-climbing ski bunnies at the moment. Not since Clarissa.

  I tried to shove the thought of my potential fiancée out of my head. But I couldn’t let go of the burn of rejection. She’d turned me down. Me. But it wasn’t just that she’d turned me down; it was the reason she’d given me. That despite my money and connections and my successful business, she didn’t think I could give her the lifestyle she wanted. That was the real part that burned. She wanted cart blanche to my accounts. And that wasn’t going to fly with me on any day of the week.

  She’d constantly run through the monthly allowance I’d set up for her in a matter of days. She liked to shop and party, and she wanted to look the part of a billionaire’s girlfriend. I enjoyed being generous, but it was never enough for her.

  Everyone had warned me about her. But like a fool, I thought I could change her. Control the situation.

  She’d already replaced me with someone richer… and older too. Someone who wouldn’t bat an eyelash at her gold digger tendencies.

  Fine by me. I wished her a lifetime of saggy butt wrinkles. Good riddance. I had work to do. And one day, she’d regret walking away from me. Truth was, I was more excited by the thought of my business goals right now anyway.

  Teched was in the process of acquiring a small gaming firm that was bucking the system. Normally, I let my VP of Acquisitions handle the takeovers, but this company had been rejecting their offers for nearly a year. So I’d gotten involved.

  At first I thought it was funny that they declined. I knew they were struggling, but somehow the owner had managed to keep Cyberpunked moving along. I’d have preferred to avoid a messy situation, but all attempts to buy them had been rebuffed.

  Challenge accepted. I liked a little fight anyway. Sooner or later they would buckle. I was going to spend the next two weeks gaining some leverage and applying some pressure.

  I wasn’t a fan of the word no. When it came to business, my father had taught me that a no answer was just a sign of someone who hadn’t yet learned the benefits of saying yes. He’d also taught me that when the cost outweighed the benefit, you should walk away. Never get into a fight simply because someone irritated you. Maybe he hadn’t learned that lesson so well.

  In business, it was rare that people said no to me. And when they did, I was usually able to make them see things my way. There had been some deals I walked away from, but it was a rare occurrence. Cyberpunked should have been that kind of deal, but for some reason I couldn’t let it go.

  Instead I’d spent the last year following the company and so far, they’d refused every offer I’d come up with. It both infuriated and intrigued me. I’d found out about them a few years ago with their game Spyder. The gaming kids had gone apeshit over the realistic design and hyper-realistic graphics. When I played it myself, I fell a little in love with the labyrinth of scenarios in the game and the brains behind it. The designers were smart. Innovative too.

  I’d made an attempt to secure the company then, but they’d refused to sell. Shortly afterward, one of the owners took off with some of the major clients. They built their own games and components for large game manufacturers as well. But the games they’d put out so far weren’t as appealing as Cyberpunked’s were. They were missing some of the nuance and complexity. But despite having the better product, Cyberpunked had limped along ever since.

  The only logical conclusion was that the creative force behind the operation was the one left holding the bag of their financial troubles. And I wanted it. Well, mostly I wanted that brain on my team. The rest of the employees would probably be let go or placed somewhere else in my firm, but I didn’t care about that. Cyberpunked thought they could fight the inevitable. But I knew better. I didn’t give up on anything. And I wasn’t going to start now. Come January, Cyberpunked was going to be part of Teched. They just didn’t know it yet.

  4

  COLE

  I let myself into the suite and grinned. I loved this place. Stepping into the mudroom, I peeled off my outer layers.

  I tossed my bag into the guest room, but before I could even sit down and relax, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I grinned when I saw who it was. “Jake, what’s up, man? Tell me you have good news.”

  “Define good news,” Jake replied.

  “Why is it every time you sound like that I get the kind of information that puts me in a bad mood?”

  Jake gave a humorless chuckle. "Because it's usually news that includes the word no."

  I ground my teeth. I’d wanted to at least get some skiing in this afternoon before the work began. "What the hell is the matter now?"

  "The latest offer to Cyberpunked was declined."

  I pinched my nose. “Seriously? What the hell is their problem? The last buyout package was beyond generous. Hell, it was practically a Christmas gift. I even made concessions for the engineering staff to be hired on at Teched."

  Jake was silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, his words were slow, as if he'd measured each one before speaking. "Cole, maybe it's time to think about letting this one go. At least for the time being until they fall apart on their own. The terms will be better for us if they come crawling for a bailout. I don’t like this version of Teched with us chasing after a nothing game company. Hell, they have less than fifty employees. They aren’t worth the effort. This is all ego to them."

  Give up? The hell I would. “No, Jake. J.L. Reed is a genius. You played the game. You should understand."

  "Look, I’m not saying the designer’s not good. I'm just saying we're getting nowhere. The resources you're expending trying to get that company to pay attention to us are far outweighing the benefit. You don’t usually get so stuck on something. This is going a step above and beyond. Maybe⁠—"

  I was quick to jump on the hesitation in his voice. "Maybe what?"

  "I'm just saying that maybe some of this has to do with Clarissa. You weren’t able to hold onto her, good riddance by the way, so you're desperate to attain this company. Maybe you think they should fall in line just like everyone else in your life."

  Jake had been spending too much time with his psychologist girlfriend. That's what I thought. "You know what, I appreciate the concern, but I know what I'm doing. We’ve been talking about a game division for years. This is the best foray into that."

  Jake sighed. "I hear you, but what about the company that split from Cyberpunked? They were once half of the outfit. And maybe they'll be less of a pain in the ass."

  I was silent for a minute as I poured myself a glass of Scotch. "Jake have you ever known me to settle for less than the best?"

  He gave me a frustrated sigh, and I could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose. "No."

  "Then why would I take second best when the brains are at Cyberpunked?"

  "Okay. I hear you. I'll have another offer drawn up. Maybe it's time you walked in an offer personally. Force the CEO to meet with you."

  For the first time in the conversation, Jake was saying something that made sense. I could really state my case then. And face to face there were few people who would tell me no. "That’s the smartest thing you've said to me all day."

  "Okay, I’ll get on it. And Cole?"

  "Yeah?"

  "For once, try and enjoy the holiday."

  Like hell that was happening. "Help me get that company for Christmas, and it'll go a long way toward improving my mood.”

  Everywhere I went, people tried to insist I should be festive. Relax. But they didn’t understand how much I hated the season. It had been years since I could enjoy it.

  "Working on it."

  After Jake and I hung up, I didn't even get to pick up my glass before the room phone rang. "Yes?"

  It was the front desk. "So sorry to disturb you, Mr. Nichols, but there is a problem that needs your attention."

  "Really? Can't the manager handle this?" I'd hired a management company so I could stay in the background of everything. If my mother had her way, she’d have sold the place years ago. Too many memories of my father. But I couldn’t let the place go.

  "Not this time, sir."

  "Fine, I'll be right there." So far, my relaxing vacation was anything but.

  Jamie

  This could not be happening. "What do you mean you are overbooked? That is just complete bull—" I had to stop myself from cussing out the guy behind the reservation desk. He looked young. Like just-out-of-high-school young. Screaming at him would get me nowhere. I inhaled deeply. I was so worked up it might trigger an asthma attack if I wasn’t careful.

  I tried some yoga techniques to regulate my breathing. Nope, that didn’t work. Still furious. “So what do you suggest I do? You're looking at my reservation, aren’t you? I mean it's there, but somehow you're telling me that you have nowhere to put me?"

  His hands shook as he stammered. "I—I—I'm so sorry miss, but there are no empty rooms. One of the guests extended their stay an extra week, and that was meant to be your suite. I’m terribly sorry. We’d like to comp you a free stay⁠—"

  I felt the pressure building and could have almost felt bad for the kid… almost. Except now he was just being a moron. "Sure. I assume you mean you're going to comp my next stay. But why would I ever stay here again after this?”

  “I wish I had a solution for you. If I had a room available, I’d rent it to you.”

  Still mad, I was feeling punchy and exhausted from the trip. “Well then, you’re going to go and get your car and take me to your place, and you can find some other accommodation for the week."

  His eyes went wide. He thought she was kidding. Or crazy. Truth was she was that desperate. “M-M-my place?"

  I nodded. "Yep. When do we leave?"

  "But—but… Where would I stay?"

  I smirked. "Well, since you don't seem to care about where I'll stay, I am finding it hard to give two figs about where you'll stay." I shouldered my bag. "Okay, I'm ready to go when you are."

  Poor kid looked ready to pee himself.

  Be nice. It’s not his fault.

  I sighed. "Okay, look, I'll let you have the couch."

  Somehow, that didn't mollify him. Go figure. His eyes went wide, and he swallowed hard. "You can’t stay with me."

  "What happened to the holiday spirit? You're going to turn a defenseless woman out onto the streets with nowhere to go?" I was far from helpless, but he didn’t know that. My mother had sold our house three years ago to move to California. Otherwise, I'd just go home.

  I supposed I could hack my way into some hotel’s reservation system, but since it was the holiday season, hotel rooms were scarce, and I wouldn’t do that to someone else.

  The desk clerk was still stammering. "No, I⁠—"

  A deep baritone came from behind me. Smooth as silk, low and mellow enough to warm me from the outside chill. "What seems to be the problem?"

  The kid's whole body sagged in relief as if he was thrilled to be able to pass me off to someone else to handle.

  But after the warmth settled over me, an alarm bell sounded. I knew that voice. Knew it well. It had been years, but I’d never forget it. I whirled around. Cole Freaking Nichols. The object of every schoolgirl fantasy come to life… in the flesh. But unlike my fantasies, he was clothed. Bummer.

  Also, unlike my fantasies, he was likely to speak… which would ruin everything.

  He blinked at me, and then his brows quickly furrowed. He was trying to place me.

  I tipped my chin up. Was he really going to act like he had no idea who I was? Not that I should be surprised, but still.

  He stared at me for a moment too long, but I was determined not to give in. I wasn’t looking away. If he was going to stare, then I could stare too.

  The first thing I noticed was that he looked good. But then Cole Nichols had always looked good. He’d been a football god, the kind of guy that even smart, ambitious girls noticed.

  The problem was that he was also brilliant. His skills were phenomenal enough to have been in competition with me for every single academic award or acknowledgment in high school.

  He had played football with my brother Matt, and like the other guys on the team, Cole had spent a good deal of time at my house because Mom was team mom, but it wasn’t like he and I were besties.

  He was always right there. And either he was nipping at my heels, or I was chasing him. Until our paths connected and crossed at that party.

  You will not think about that party.

  No. That was ancient history. What I did allow myself to remember about Cole was that he was good-looking, rich, and, oh yeah, an asshole.

  But that was a long time ago. He might have changed.

  I took a step forward, but instead of marble-tiled floor, my foot caught nothing but air. In the seconds between being on my feet and falling backward, so many thoughts ran through my head.

  Thoughts like This would only happen to you. And Maybe you’ll get lucky and the floor will swallow you. And finally, Of course, the first time you see him in years and you’re flat on your behind.

  A final look at his face before my rear made contact with the marble told me all I needed to know. From his expression, nothing had changed.

  I used several inventive curses to illustrate just how I felt, and he whistled low. “Looks like Jamison Reed finally grew up. Who taught you to swear, Jamison?”

  I didn’t wait for him to offer a hand of assistance. I rolled to the side and pushed myself back up. Never mind the labored breathing; I was going to look him in the eye. Okay, in my case, I was going to look him in the pecs then work my way up to his eyes.

  Yeah, hell of a plan, Jamie.

  “It’s Jamie. And in case you were wondering, I’m fine.”

  His lips quirked into a wry smile. “I see some things never change.”

  No, apparently they didn’t. Because he looked just as mouthwatering as he had the last time I’d seen him, seven years ago. He’d cut his hair though, a style that was shorter on the sides and a bit longer on top, sort of a messy mohawk. It was stylish, just like his pea coat and Tom Ford boots. I recognized the boots because my brother had the same pair. Just my luck. Cole Nichols was still more gorgeous than the devil himself. And he was speaking to me after seven years.

  I blinked hard to clear my head and tried not to think of the last time I’d spoken to him.

  “Are you okay?” His voice was soft, gentle almost.

  Besides my bruised behind? I was not going to tell him about the state of my butt. “I’m fine. Or I will be when your employee over here realizes that until he finds me a room, I’ll be bunking with him.”

  Cole chuckled low. “That won’t be necessary. Since you’re in this predicament because the property manager screwed up, you can stay with me.”

  My eyes went wide. Stay with him? Like as in with the Cole Nichols? I shook my head. “I can’t do that.” Especially not given that I remembered every single detail of the last time we’d spoken.

  He narrowed his eyes, and I got the impression that no one ever told Cole no. But when he spoke, his voice was calm, restrained. “Well, for starters, you won’t find another hotel with vacancies this close to Christmas. And second, the deluxe suite is nearly a thousand square feet. I don't need that much space.”

  “B-but… we-you-I—” I was a smart woman who knew words. Lots of words. Just not ones I could think of right now. “I have work to do, and intrusions will be distracting and…” My voice trailed.

  His lips twisted into a wry smile. “I see the cat’s got your tongue. Call it the holiday spirit or whatever.” He shrugged then bent down to help me retrieve the contents that had spilled from my purse.

  As he shoved my phone and my inhaler back into my purse and handed it back to me, he asked, “Have you got any other options?”

  My inner adult scowled at my inner giddy teenager who was excited about this development. I was annoyed, but I could do this. Especially as I had no other choice. Placing my hand in his proffered one, I sighed. “Fine. Merry Christmas, roomie.”

  5

  COLE

  You are an idiot.

  The last thing on earth I wanted was company for the holiday. Especially not the Jamie Reed kind of company. She practically screamed Christmas with the red-and-green-colored stripes in her hair and her reindeer sweater. Plus, she signified everything I wanted to forget about that time in my life.

  But where the hell else was she supposed to go? And this was Jamie, Matt Reed’s little sister, and he’d asked me to keep an eye on her. Back in high school, Matt had been tight end on the football team, and his sister had always been around at team functions.

  And she’d outsmarted me for half the scholarships the school had to offer. Every time an academic competition was announced, the two of us were right there, neck and neck. Until my life turned upside down.

  We hadn’t exactly run in the same circles, but she’d always been there. As I walked her back to the suite, the bellboy trailing in our wake, I tried not to remember all the little details I knew about her.

  Things I didn’t need to remember. Like she was only eleven months behind her brother, so they’d been in the same year in school. Details like how cute she was. Spunk and brains in a tiny package. Barely five feet three inches, she’d been a little dynamo.

  But the number one thing I really didn’t want to remember was that smart mouth of hers. Yeah, probably best I didn’t think about her mouth.