A family of five, donning beautiful, shimmering sarees and silk kurtas stood at the elevator bank, while unwrapping the homemade after-dinner mints he knew the hotel’s award-winning restaurant handed out at the end of each meal. Just then, the elevator chimed, the doors opened, and…
Kyree’s jaw went slack when a woman stepped out––confident and elegant––like she owned the place. She was stunning, with smooth, brown skin glowing, and long box braids swaying with each graceful step as she strode across the lobby. His heart raced as his eyes swept over the subtle curve of her breasts beneath her brown sweater and the enticing sway of her hips in loose, tailored pants. She was energy in motion––pure and vibrant.
Primal heat ripple through his lower belly, his gaze locked on her until she disappeared behind one of the columns, lost in a sea of strange faces.
Damn, she’s fine. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman, he thought, willing his libido to calm down.
Since things with Sabrina, his college girlfriend, ended last summer, he’d been dating less and less. Between the demands of his job and his responsibilities to his family, Kyree didn’t have time to waste on relationships he knew could not weather the storms.
If he were honest with himself, he knew that neither Lauren, his high school sweetheart, nor Sabrina––or any of the other women he’d casually dated over the years––were “the one”, not even when they were at their best.
At just sixteen, neither he nor Lauren knew what they were doing. But there was a time when he’d thought that he and Sabrina had what it took to go all the way. In the end, a job offer in San Diego had been a blessing, giving her the perfect excuse to finally end their stalled relationship.
“You’re all set, Mr. Johnson.”
Exhaling a trembling breath, he cleared the lump in his throat, and returned his attention to Miranda. “Great, thanks so much.”
“Your suite is on the fifth floor with a beautiful view of the Presidential Range. John will accompany you up with your luggage. We hope you enjoy your stay.”
“Thanks again, Miranda. You have a good evening.” Kyree took the envelope she presented and followed John toward the bank of elevators.
As they waited, he took another quick glance around the lobby, looking for any sign of the woman who’d so effortlessly captured his attention just a few moments ago. He may not have known what he was doing with Lauren or Sabrina, but he knew exactly what he would do with her if given the chance. But as the elevator arrived and he took own last look at the constant flow of faces, Kyree realized that seeing her again would take a Christmas miracle.
Chapter Two
Cranberry Crisis
Zuri Harris tapped the speaker button on her phone, set it on the edge of her bed in her room at Hotel Andreas, and sank down beside it on the white cotton duvet. “Mom?” she called. It was six days before Christmas, and right now, Simone Harris was braving the Connecticut winter weather to tackle the holiday shopping. She wiggled her feet into her brand new, red Louboutins and listened to the commotion of the supermarket––the only sound coming through the speaker. “Mom? Are you there?”
When there was still no response, Zuri sighed, stood, and crossed the room to the bureau. She picked up her gold-leaf earrings and checked the digital clock on the nightstand between the two queen-size beds. It was 9:17 p.m., and she was late meeting her friends downstairs for a party at L’Antra, the hotel’s exclusive, upscale lounge.
It was her own fault, Zuri thought, fastening her earrings, and spritzing her warm vanilla eau du parfum on her wrists and neck. Every Christmas Eve, she made a different pie for her family, and before leaving her parent’s house yesterday, she’d forgotten to give her mom the ingredient list for this year’s cranberry cheesecake crumb pie. She’d been in the middle of getting ready, when her mom had called from the crowded supermarket, asking for the recipe.
“Mom?” Zuri called again, checking her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was flawless—burgundy lipstick emphasizing her full, wide mouth, champagne eyeshadow making her expressive dark brown eyes pop beneath perfectly arched brows, and a hint of blush accentuating her high cheekbones. Feeling beautiful and ready for whatever the night had in store, she picked up her lipstick, powder compact, breath mints, and room key from the bureau, and arranged them all inside her beaded gold purse.
“Hello! Mom!”
“What, Zuri?” her mother snapped.
“I was just asking if you have everything you need. Can I go now? I need to meet––”
“Darnell! Kim! Hi! How are you two settling into the house? You know, I’ve been meaning to call you about…”
Zuri groaned as her mother’s attention was taken by a newlywed couple who’d bought one of the most difficult-to-sell listings her mom had had in years: a Tudor-style-one-bedroom in dire need of a complete overhaul, set on twenty acres of expertly designed private parkland. The catch was that no one with the pockets to match the property’s price tag wanted a fixer-upper listed with Connecticut’s protected historical buildings registry. But Simone––founder of her own multi-million-dollar real estate agency and the number one realtor in the state—had found a young, tech-money couple with dreams of opening a community farm and natural crafts “shoppe”. It had been a match made in heaven, and her mom had closed the deal with one hand tied behind her back.
As she listened to Darnell and Kim’s plans to convert half of their manicured parkland into farmland, Zuri grabbed her watch and her favorite gold bangle bracelet from the nightstand, and carried them over to the full-length mirror next to the step-in closet. She pushed up the sleeves of her cashmere camel sweater, slid on her accessories, and gave her appearance one last check. Her tailored, wide-leg camel slacks hung perfectly, and her over-sized sweater gave her the sophisticated, elegant look she often favored. Her cocoa brown skin was radiant against the warm tones, and her fresh, long braids drew attention to the graceful length of her neck.
“Zuri? Honey are you still there?”
Zuri collected her purse and her phone from the bed and headed toward the door. “Yes, Mom, I’m here.”
“I’m so sorry about that, honey. Yes, I think so. I may have to go to A1-Market for the pecans, but I think I can find everything else here.”
“Okay, but don’t worry about the pecans if you can’t find them.” She paused at the door. “I think I saw a pack of walnuts in the pantry before I left.”
“I’ll get the pecans, Zuri. You’ll have everything you need for your pie. Now you go have fun with the girls. Give them my best. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mama. I’ll see you in a few days.” Zuri ended the call, hurried out the door and down the hallway.
