Christmas Secrets. Barbara Dunlop

by me,” she said. It would be better than doing it alone.

      Cole shrugged. “I’ll order the brass nameplates.”

      “What do you think of these?” asked the clerk, holding a gold dress and a black blazer in one hand, and a navy-and-white outfit with a nautical flair in the other.

      “The stuff on the mannequin, too,” said Cole.

      Amber gave in. “Sure. Bring me whatever you think will work. I’m new at this.”

      The clerk showed her to an airy changing room with a settee and a triple mirror.

      “Come out and show us,” Cole called.

      “I’m going in to help,” said Destiny, slipping past the velvet curtain.

      The professional outfits were easy to find. But once they switched to dresses, things bogged down. There were simply too many choices, and all of them were gorgeous. Once she made it past her cost worries, Amber actually began to enjoy herself.

      After an hour, Cole headed to menswear. Once he was gone, Destiny dived into the fun, trying on a few of the dresses herself. The women were close enough in size that they could swap back and forth. Destiny was a little bigger in the bust while Amber had the longer legs. Some of the swaps were quite comical.

      Amber had accepted a glass of champagne, and now wandered over to where it sat on a glass table. She was trying on a flirty, strapless cocktail dress that was unlike anything she’d ever worn before.

      The bodice was snug, wrapping her in silver beading and sequins. It had a high waist of deep jewel blue with a chiffon skirt that flowed to midthigh. Her back was mostly bare, crisscrossed in shiny, beaded straps, ending in a drop V waist. She’d also found a pair of high-heeled silver shoes that were surprisingly comfortable and seemed to go with a lot of outfits.

      “This is a keeper,” said Destiny from behind her.

      Amber turned to see Destiny do a runway turn in a glimmering, full-length gold sheath with a slit up the leg.

      Luca’s voice drawled from the armchair where he’d stayed back to watch. “Have you got a month’s pay to blow?”

      “I was going to let Cole buy it,” Destiny answered with an impish grin. “The man just inherited half a billion dollars. He’s not going to notice one little dress.”

      “Sure,” came Cole’s unexpected voice. “Dresses are on me.”

      Amber turned to find him looking her up and down. “Buy that one.”

      She felt suddenly self-conscious, particularly knowing he’d had a good view of the back.

      “I’m just messing around,” she told him. “I’ve already picked out more than enough.”

      “Buy it,” he repeated. “It looks good on you.”

      “I don’t have anywhere to wear it.”

      “You will.”

      “I don’t think you have a good feel for my social life.”

      “The Coast Eagle Christmas party is on Friday. It’s formal.”

      She glanced down at herself. “You call this formal?”

      “What do you call it?”

      “Nightclubbing.”

      “Nobody’s going to complain.” He moved in a bit closer, his voice going low as Destiny and Cole engaged in their own conversation. “I’m sure not going to complain.”

      The familiar shiver of arousal teased her limbs. “Stop.”

      “You done?” he asked.

      She nodded.

      “Got shoes, purses, jewelry? Whatever else Destiny says you need?”

      “I wouldn’t trust Destiny if I was you.”

      “She’s right. I did just inherit a ridiculous amount of money. And this is important.” There was something in his tone, some combination of reluctance and tenacity.

      “Are you okay?” she asked.

      “I’m fine.”

      “Are you still wrapping your head around it?”

      It took him a moment to speak. “I don’t think I’ve started wrapping my head around it. I’m going one step at a time. You hungry?”

      The question took her by surprise. “Hungry?”

      “For tonight, I think that’s the next step.”

      “I could go for a pizza,” she admitted. It would feel nice to climb back into her jeans and be normal.

      A grin spread across his face. “I like you, Amber. All this, and now you want to go out for pizza.”

      “Double cheese if you don’t mind. And maybe a beer?”

      Cole tipped his head to the sales clerk. “We’ll take everything she liked, including the dress she’s wearing.” Then he nodded to Destiny. “Her, too. She’s got an important court case coming up, and she needs to look good.”

      The clerk’s eyes went round.

      “Cole,” Amber protested, horrified to think that the woman might take him seriously and ring up everything.

      He ignored her protest, instead speaking to Luca and Destiny. “We’re going for pizza and a strategy session. Now that we look the part, we have to act the part. Amber and I need to make a decision. Something important, positive and significant, and we have to be able to implement it fast.”

      “You mean change company policy?” asked Amber.

      “Absolutely,” said Cole. “You two get changed, I’ll pay the bill.”

      Amber renewed her protest. “Cole, you can’t buy everything.”

      He slipped an arm around her shoulder. “I know this is hard for you. But we’re doing it. And honestly, I’m through having this argument with you.”

      A spurt of anger jumped to life inside her. She opened her mouth to retort, but something in his eyes stopped her cold.

      Fine. He wanted to blow his money? That was up to him. She was through trying to save him from himself.

      In her new clothes, and at the head of the boardroom table, Amber looked fantastic. Cole had to struggle to keep from chuckling at how the vice presidents kept shooting surreptitious looks her way. She was wearing a steel-gray blazer and skirt set, with a white blouse underneath. Lace along the scooped neckline kept the outfit from being too severe.

      She’d changed her hairstyle, too. Strands were braided at her temples and partially pulled back to a knot at the nap of her neck. She looked sophisticated and professional. She also looked sexy, and it made him want to kiss her.

      Then again, pretty much everything made him want to kiss her these days. Last night, watching her bite into a slice of double-cheese pizza had turned him on.

      He dragged his gaze away from her, focusing on business. He and Amber both looked the part now, and they were going to act it, too, starting with some small but definitive strategic directions for the company.

      “Thank you all for joining us,” Cole opened politely, although everyone in the room was fully aware their attendance at the senior management meeting had not been optional.

      “Ms. Welsley and I realize this is a temporary situation,” he continued. “However, our expectation is that the status quo will continue into the future.”

      “Excuse me?” Roth piped up.

      Cole sent