Diamonds for the Holidays Read online

  From rivals to romance...

  Tall, dark and incredibly handsome, Nixon Gaines has a reputation for mixing business with pleasure. Especially with someone as captivating and intelligent as Jade Chandler. Jade is determined to stop the self-made millionaire from stealing her family’s company...but his mind-blowing kisses test her resolve. Can the beautiful executive risk opening her heart for the holidays? Or will she be another conquest on Nixon’s Christmas list?

  Jade’s scent hit him. It was just like he’d remembered—a floral aroma. Pleasant. Nixon’s stomach rumbled. Was he hungry—or was that reaction triggered by the memory of her scent? Quickly, he poured a cup of black coffee and returned to his spot with his bagel and a small serving of cream cheese. Tearing his focus away from her, he dived in on his bagel. She came and sat next to him. The tent card in front of her read Jade Chandler.

  Jade Chandler. Nixon spoke the name in his head with warning. Politely, she nodded and said a cool “Good morning,” as if she could have heard him.

  “Good morning.” He held his hand out. “Nixon Gaines.”

  She had a strong handshake and her touch made that sensation rise up on his skin again.

  “Nice to meet you.” She turned her attention to the coffee and croissant in front of her.

  “Jade Chandler, huh?” Nixon lifted a brow and nodded. He had repeated her name just to taste it on his lips.

  His mother had cautioned him about women who had a certain effect on men. Their lure was like the sticky silk of a spider’s web. Nixon couldn’t pull his attention away for too long. She challenged the ladies’ man in him. Only moments ago, he’d learned her name, said it and wanted to say it again.

  Dear Reader,

  I’m excited for you to experience the youngest sister in the Chandler clan’s story. Meet Jade and her amazing hero, Nixon Gaines. They never intended to mix business with pleasure but couldn’t seem to help themselves. There was no way they could deny the electrifying chemistry between them. A few things threatened to keep them from connecting—first a simple misunderstanding about Nixon’s intentions and then...an old friend of Jade’s. Will these issues get in the way of the best love both Jade and Nixon have ever experienced? Enjoy finding out and when you’re done, send me a message. I’d love to hear from you.

  Ciao,

  Nicki

  Diamonds for the Holidays

  Nicki Night

  Nicki Night is an edgy hopeless romantic who enjoys creating stories of love and new possibilities. Nicki has a penchant for adventure and is currently working on penning her next romantic escapade. Nicki resides in the city that dreams are made of, but occasionally travels to her treasured seaside hideaway to write in seclusion. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be contacted on Facebook, through her website at nickinight.com or via email at [email protected].

  Books by Nicki Night

  Harlequin Kimani Romance

  Her Chance at Love

  His Love Lesson

  Riding into Love

  It Started in Paradise

  Desire in a Kiss

  It Must Be Love

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010002

  This book is dedicated to my current hero and biggest cheerleader, Mr. Big Les.

  Acknowledgments

  With God anything is possible. Diamonds for the Holidays is my seventh romance title and the fourth book in the Chandler Legacy series. I’m more grateful for this journey than words can express. To God be the glory.

  Harlequin Kimani fulfilled my publishing dreams. Thanks to my editor, Glenda Howard, for your great ideas and patience! To Sara Camilli, thanks for always having my literary back.

  I’m so thankful to my family for lending me to my passion over and over again and not considering it any kind of robbery. Team Flagler is the best!

  To my literary sisters, you keep me inspired, laughing, empowered and off the ceiling! Thank you Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson, Zuri Day, Tiffany L. Warren, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Victoria Christopher Murray, Elle Wright, Sheryl Lister, Sherelle Green, AD and so many more.

  To my street team, I appreciate you more than you can comprehend. Priscilla Johnson, Rowena Winfrey, Michelle Chavis, Shavonna Futrell, Shannon Harper, Cheryl McClinton, Deirdre Young and Yolanda Rigby, you ladies are the bomb diggity!

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Excerpt from Seductive Moments by AlTonya Washington

  Chapter 1

  Jade spotted him right away. Her heart rate quickened and she could feel the rapid thump in her chest—a prominent thud that made her think the other folks at her table might hear it, too. Despite applying her best effort to keep her eyes on the gentleman she was meeting with, she fought hard against her will to avoid looking back at her ex, sitting at the table with a beautiful woman. She smiled at the executive director across from her, who was speaking so passionately about his nonprofit organization that served families of his community.

  Jade was interested in what he was saying. She truly was, and had even called the meeting herself. But now, with Mitch Davidson seated just a few feet away from her, all she could think about was how she’d messed up and lost him for good. How could she let that perfect man escape her flighty grasp? Was that woman he sat with his new fiancée or was he entertaining business peers, like her? Jade nodded, agreeing to the bit she’d clearly heard from the man in front of her. The eloquent way he described his mission and vision was falling on filtered ears. Watching Mitch as she was, most of what she now heard sounded more like incoherent rambling. A few words here and there came through with clarity.

  Hopefully, Mitch hadn’t seen her. There would be a possibility that she could get out of the restaurant undetected. Jade politely excused herself and headed to the ladies’ room.

  “Get it together, Jade.” She scolded her reflection. “You’ve been over him for a while now.” Right?

  A toilet flushed and a petite woman stepped out of the stall. She raised her brows at Jade in the mirror, connecting, letting her know without words that she understood. Jade smiled back and waited for the woman to exit. When the door clicked shut, she sighed.

  Why was she reacting this way? They’d parted ways almost a year ago. Jade shook her head. The answer was clear. It was one thing to know he had moved on, but to see him at that restaurant—which used to be one of their favorite places—with another woman made everything more real. If this beauty was the new lucky woman, she truly had a prize. One that Jade failed to appreciate until after she’d tossed him
away. And why? Because commitment frightened her—that was why.

  “Okay, lady! You’ve got business to handle.” She washed her hands, stuck them under the forceful hand dryer and headed to her table.

  On the way back, she noticed that Mitch was gone. Relief paraded through her core. Before getting too excited, she looked around the restaurant to make sure he wasn’t there. Just beyond the front door, she saw him, tall, handsome, and holding the woman’s hand. They kissed—a soft slow peck—one that clearly laid claim to the other. He let his free hand slip over her backside. The woman giggled. They released their grasp, the gesture slow and hesitant. They didn’t want to let each other go. Even from inside, Jade could spot the ring on her finger. Jade shook her head and, with one last sigh, let it all go.

  At the table, Jade tried her best to give her full attention to the gentleman she was meeting with, and relished the excitement in his eyes when she invited him to submit a proposal for funding before ending their meeting. Inside her car, she dialed her cousin Kendall. To the world, Kendall was a famous pop artist. But to Jade she was her closest friend ever since the days of playing dress-up in their mothers’ closets.

  “Hey, Jade.”

  “I just saw him...and her.”

  “Who? Oh no!” Kendall’s gasp was airy. “Him!” she sang. “And his fiancée?”

  “Yep.” Jade took a deep breath and dropped her head back on the headrest.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I thought I heard he was engaged, but seeing them together made it so...real.”

  “Did you say anything to him?”

  “No. I’m not sure if he even saw me.” What if he had?

  “Do you still love him?”

  Jade paused a moment. “I don’t think so.” She was as honest as she could be.

  Silence hung between them for several moments.

  “I wonder if he did see you, but didn’t say anything because he was with her,” Kendall finally said.

  “Yeah.” Old feelings bubbled to the surface. Jade wondered if the fiancée was giving him the things she couldn’t. “Anyway,” she huffed, “that’s in the past now.”

  “Yes. It. Is! Why don’t you come see me? We can do a long weekend on Catalina Island. Meet some gorgeous men and get your mind off of him. It’s time for you to really move on and find someone new.”

  “Humph.”

  “Don’t sound so glum. I just said ‘meet’ some gorgeous men, not bring them home to meet our mothers and get married.” Kendall’s laugh poured through the phone and Jade pictured her bent forward, slapping her thigh the way she always did. “Let loose a little—know what I mean?”

  “Hey,” Jade prompted when their laughter died down, “have you thought about settling down?”

  Silence ensued, saying more than words could offer. “No time soon,” Kendall finally said. “Let history tell it and that answer may change to never. The public can be cruel.”

  “I can imagine,” Jade said, without rehashing the viral debacle Kendall’s last breakup had become.

  “What about your visit?” Jade perfectly understood Kendall’s timely change of subject. Their conversation was moving toward a heavy matter. “Check your calendar and see when you can come. I’ll send you my new tour dates and we can work around those. Why don’t you come to one of my shows? I could use a good dose of normal.”

  “Yeah! And I could use a vacation.”

  Kendall squealed. “Good. I haven’t seen you since Chloe’s wedding. I gotta run now, but call me later and we’ll work it out. Okay?”

  “Okay, Ken.”

  “And don’t sit around wondering ‘what if.’ Maybe things didn’t work out between the two of you because there was another amazing man coming your way.”

  “You, too.” Jade chuckled. “Talk to you later, Ken.” Before she could think about meeting other men, she had to make sure she got Mitch all the way out of her system.

  Chapter 2

  “Mr. Gaines.” Alex Brentworth greeted Nixon with a firm handshake. “Please.” He waved toward the chair in front of his massive mahogany desk. “Have a seat.”

  Nixon stood tall, tugged on his tailor-made suit jacket and sat down. With his back firmly pressed against the tufted burgundy leather chair, he crossed his legs and flashed a proud grin. “Always a pleasure, Mr. Brentworth.”

  Alex chuckled. “Enough with the formalities, Nixon.” He sat back and chewed on the end of an unlit cigar. “Congratulations! I hear you’re quite the negotiator lately.”

  Nixon smiled again. “That’s what they say.”

  “It certainly is.” Alex studied Nixon for a moment. Alex’s smooth mannerisms reminded Nixon of the polished and savvy Wall Street kind of man he’d seen in movies. “It most certainly is,” Alex repeated. “A few of us are getting together for dinner tonight. How about you join us?”

  Nixon kept his composure. “Thanks for the invitation. Let me check my calendar.” He pulled his cell phone from the clip on his belt buckle. Even if he had plans, he wasn’t going to turn down a dinner with the company’s top execs. Sure enough, he was supposed to meet a friend for dinner. “All clear. What time should I meet you?”

  “Seven thirty at Manning’s...on Northern.”

  “Anytime is a good time for a great steak.”

  “You’ve got that right. I’m glad you’re able to join us tonight. I think you’ll find the conversation quite interesting.”

  Nixon’s curiosity was piqued. Alex was a strategic guy who did nothing without an agenda. Nixon sat for a silent moment. Several questions crossed his mind. Not wanting to appear anxious, he didn’t let those inquiries pass his lips. He stood and righted his jacket.

  “Looking forward to it, Alex. I’m sure it will be a great time.”

  “So am I.” Alex nodded. “So am I,” he repeated in his assured way.

  What was Alex up to? He was an old-school executive who preferred face-to-face interactions. “You can’t read people in an email,” he’d once told Nixon. But Nixon couldn’t read Alex, either. Something was up and Nixon couldn’t wait to get to dinner and find out what it was.

  For the first time in weeks, Nixon left work on time. At home, he showered and pulled one of his best suits from the closet, a stylish navy blue number that he usually reserved for special occasions. Nothing less would be suitable for dinner with his company’s senior executives in one of the most upscale steak houses on Long Island. There would be nothing casual about this environment.

  Nixon arrived a few minutes early, but handed his keys over to the valet only after spotting two of the executives entering the restaurant. From the doorway, the dimly lit space offered an air of posh living. Nixon was greeted by a polished-looking host with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a black suit. He led him to his table. The murmur of jazz music and the rumble of blended voices filled the place, which was packed for a Wednesday night. Nixon assumed that most of these well-dressed patrons, like him, were more likely to be talking business and making deals rather than sharing generic, casual conversations.

  When he arrived at the table, Alex and the other two men—Jeff, the CEO, and Benjamin, the VP of Mergers and Acquisitions—stood. Alex was the president of that division. Nixon cleared his throat before greeting each with a firm handshake.

  “Glad you could join us.” Jeff nodded as he returned to his seat.

  “Good to see you.” Benjamin patted Nixon’s shoulder.

  Alex gestured to an approaching waiter, and moments later he returned, setting in front of each of them a glass half filled with what Nixon assumed was one of the finest single malt scotches a high-end restaurant could obtain. One shot of some of those luxurious libations could cost over half his rent. The waiter took their orders and together the gentlemen clinked glasses in a quick toast.

  “How’s life treating you outside of
work?” Jeff asked him.

  “Well, I must say. No complaints here.”

  “Good.”

  “And you?” Nixon made direct eye contact with each of them.

  They shared a few more moments of cordial conversation, getting all the pleasantries out of the way. Nixon engaged as expected, but longed to get to the purpose of their invitation.

  Alex took another sip, pressed his lips in appreciation of his drink and held his glass in the air. “Exquisite. Great choice, Benjamin.” Placing his glass on the table, he looked over at Nixon. “I guess you’re wondering why we invited you to join us tonight.”

  Nixon felt like Alex read his thoughts. “I am a little curious, of course.” He felt more anxious in that moment. To calm his nerves, Nixon sipped and sat back, hoping to exude confidence as opposed to nervousness.

  “Well.” Alex leaned forward. “Let’s get right to the point.”

  “We like what we’ve seen from you,” Jeff said.

  “And we have something for you to consider,” Benjamin added.

  The three of them spoke a well-choreographed dance of intrigue. Each picked up where the other left off, without a stutter.

  “We have no promises to make,” Alex said.

  “However, we know what you’re capable of,” Jeff started.

  “And have seen the accomplishments accredited to you in business development,” Benjamin added.

  “The bottom line is we see a future for you in Mergers and Acquisitions. The potential is great and the money is potentially limitless. It’s the side of the business where the strong thrive, and your keen negotiation skills could be put to good use,” Alex said.

  The three of them sat back, eyes trained on Nixon, lips pressed together. They peered silently—in sync. Waiting.

  At first Nixon nodded knowingly. He was being sized up. In the timeliest of fashions, the mature waiter arrived with their orders. He placed a choice cut of chateaubriand before Nixon and sides of sautéed spinach and garlic potatoes. The waiter bowed before departing, leaving Nixon to the three men peering back at him.