Christmas Secrets. Barbara Dunlop

sinister. I told you up front that I was interested in the Pacific routes.”

      “And what were you doing last night? Pumping me for information? Are you actually using Zachary’s trust to gain an inside advantage?”

      “You called me last night,” he reminded her.

      “And you were only too happy to show up.”

      “To help with Zachary.”

      “That’s how you played it, all right.” There was something in her eyes, a veiled hurt that made him think of their kiss.

      He took a step forward. “Amber, I’m sorry.”

      “For lying to me?”

      “I didn’t lie to you. Last night was all about Zachary.” He paused. “I mean, it was mostly all about Zachary.”

      She gave her hair a little toss. “You don’t need to explain.”

      But he did need to explain. He wanted to explain. “I like you, Amber.”

      “Well, I don’t like you.”

      He moved closer anyway. “Yes, you do.”

      “Go away.”

      He shook his head. “I understand that it’s complicated.”

      “It’s not complicated.”

      “It’s Zachary. It’s business. It’s you, and it’s me.” Even as he spoke the words, he asked himself what on earth he thought he was doing. He needed to leave this alone, not ramp it up.

      “There is no you and me.” But her expression instantly shifted, telling him otherwise. Her lips parted, her blue-eyed gaze going bedroom soft.

      Cole glanced at the open door, debating pushing it closed and pulling her into his arms again. But that would be a stupid move. The receptionist, Sandra, would certainly report the closed door to Roth. It would complicate things even further for Amber.

      But she was so enchanting, and his memory of kissing her was so incredibly strong, he couldn’t stop himself. He reached past her and gave the door a shove. Her eyes went wide as it clicked shut.

      Without giving her a chance to protest, Cole pulled her into his arms, bringing his thirsty lips down to hers and kissing her soundly. She gasped, but she didn’t pull away. After a moment, her lips softened. She kissed him back, and her arms wound around his neck.

      He pressed their bodies close together, feeling the sweet heat of her thighs and the softness of her breasts. He teased her lips with his tongue, and she responded, parrying with him, a small moan burbling in the back of her throat.

      His hand went to her cheek, cradling the soft skin, holding her in place while he plundered her mouth. He forgot where they were, forgot everything except the sweet taste and scent of Amber. His other hand moved to her waist, sliding beneath her linen blazer, along her silk blouse, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin fabric.

      Suddenly, she pushed back. “We can’t.”

      Cole sucked in a breath. Of course they couldn’t. What was he thinking? They were in her place of business.

      “I’m sorry,” he said.

      But she shook her head. “My fault, too.” Then she glanced at her watch. “I have to go. There’s a board meeting.” She stopped talking. Inhaled a deliberate breath and took a step back. “That was foolish. I don’t know what got into me.”

      “Amber—”

      “Goodbye, Cole.” She moved for the door.

      “Can I call you later?”

      “No.” She shook her head and pulled open the door.

      From behind her desk, Sandra’s sharp gaze went to Amber, then to Cole. He tried to look casual, innocent, as if nothing more than a brief conversation had taken place between them.

      But it was hard to put his finger on the exact expression and posture that would convey those things. So he simply left the room, bid a brief goodbye to Sandra and took the elevator back to the lobby.

      Smoothing back her hair and mentally pulling herself together, Amber reached for the door handle to Coast Eagle’s main boardroom.

      She couldn’t believe she’d kissed Cole again. She couldn’t believe she’d done it in the office. And she sure couldn’t believe she’d enjoyed it.

      She tugged open the door.

      “There you are,” said Max, rising from his seat at the head of the long boardroom table.

      The other eight members of the board nodded politely, their gazes fixed on her. They were all men, fortysomething to sixtysomething, longtime members of the Atlanta business community and the aviation industry. She knew most of them by sight, but she’d shared little more than a passing greeting with any of them.

      Max moved away from the head chair, gesturing for her to sit down in it. “Please, Ms. Welsley.”

      She hesitated over the bold gesture, but Max gave her an encouraging smile.

      She told herself she could do this. For Zachary, she could do this. She lifted her chin, walked forward and took the power chair.

      Max took the chair to her right.

      She stared down the center of the table, fixing her vision on the photograph of a red-and-white biplane at the far end of the room. She had no idea what to say.

      Luckily, Max opened for her. “Per article 17.9 of the Coast Eagle Articles of Incorporation,” he said, “Ms. Welsley is exercising her right as majority shareholder—”

      “She’s not the majority shareholder,” said Clint Mendes.

      Max peered at Clint. “According to the State of Georgia, she represents the majority shareholder.”

      “But that’s under appeal,” said Clint.

      “And until that appeal is settled, Ms. Welsley represents the interests of Zachary Henderson. Now, as I was saying—”

      The boardroom door swung abruptly open, revealing Roth in the threshold, his eyes wide, face ruddy, and his jaw clenched tight.

      “Mr. Calvin,” said Max, a clear rebuke in his tone. “I’m afraid this is a private meeting.”

      “Is this a coup?” Roth demanded.

      A hush came over the room as everyone waited to see what Amber would do.

      She immediately realized she had to step up. She couldn’t let Max defend her against Roth. She was going to be a board member, and she had to stand her ground.

      If she lost the court case, Roth would have her fired within seconds. He would have done that anyway. She had nothing left to lose.

      She came to her feet, turning and squaring her shoulders. “Please leave the meeting, Roth.”

      The silence boomed around her.

      Roth’s jaw worked, his face growing redder. “Are you out of your—”

      “Please leave,” she repeated. “This meeting is for board members only.”

      “You’re not a board member,” Roth all but shouted.

      “I’m the majority shareholder, Roth. That’s as much as you need to know. Now leave.”

      Nelson MacSweeny coughed, but said nothing.

      Roth glared at the man.

      Then he fixed a biting, narrow-eyed stare on Amber.

      But he seemed to understand that he’d lost the round. He stepped back,