An overnight heiress meets the man of her dreams—

and her newfound family’s worst nightmare.

Discovering she’s a member of Manhattan’s most famous retail dynasty has given Emma Stewart a place to belong. Meeting a seductive stranger makes her rags-to-riches transformation complete. But British-born heir Daniel Stone is secretly carrying out revenge against her new family. Now the clock is ticking down to midnight on their secret affair...

KAREN BOOTH is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on ’80s music and repeated readings of Forever by Judy Blume. When she takes a break from the art of romance, she’s listening to music with her nearly grown kids or sweet-talking her husband into making her a cocktail. Learn more about Karen at karenbooth.net

Also by Karen Booth

The Best Man’s Baby

The Ten-Day Baby Takeover

Snowed in with a Billionaire

A Christmas Temptation

Tempted by Scandal

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Cinderella Seduction

Karen Booth

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09249-4

A CINDERELLA SEDUCTION

© 2019 Karen Booth

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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For Piper Trace. Every book I write has your

delightfully crazy fingerprints all over it.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Epilogue

About the Publisher

One

The room was pitch-black and perfectly still, except for the ring of Daniel Stone’s cell phone. He rolled over in bed and blindly slapped his hand on the nightstand, fumbling for the device. He didn’t bother checking the caller ID. Despite the five-hour time difference between London and New York, his mother never worried she might be calling too early.

“It’s 5:49 in the bloody a.m.,” he croaked, pushing himself up in bed. He switched on the lamp. The bright light shot across his room, and he squinted hard until his eyes adjusted. “What could possibly be so important?” The second of April, it was still dark out. His three dogs, Mandy, Buck and Jolly, were asleep at the foot of the bed.

“Are you going to see spaces for the new store today?”

His mother always jumped straight into business. She’d been this way as long as he could remember, but ever since his brother, William, had passed away, it was even more impossible to keep her content.

“I meet the real estate agent at nine. Two spaces to see today. I’m hopeful.” That was a lie. Daniel was anything but optimistic, but he had to keep up the charade. It had been his idea to forge ahead with his mother’s long-held dream of a New York location of Stone’s, the family’s wildly successful department store chain based in the UK. He’d hoped it might finally make her happy. So far, it was doing nothing but making Daniel second-guess himself. He’d been in Manhattan for three weeks now and he’d only come up empty-handed.

“You’ll ring me when you’ve had your look?” she asked.

“Don’t I always check in?” Daniel hated that she still had so little faith in him. He’d worked for the family his entire adult life. Then again, he’d spent those years playing second chair to his brother. That changed a year ago, when William’s black Aston Martin hit a slick of oil on a road outside London and went careening off a bridge. The Stone family was no stranger to tragedy, but this one had hit especially hard.

Daniel’s father now spent his days and a considerable chunk of the family fortune sailing the world. No boat was fast enough, no stretch of ocean too dangerous. He was currently somewhere off the coast of West Africa. His mother despised her husband’s new hobby and had become equally reckless with the family business. Daniel felt as though he was babysitting them both, an unfair situation given that they still felt he needed to prove his worth.

“I trust you’re prepared for the Empire State fashion show this evening?” she asked.

His mother was the micromanaging sort of boss. Never mind that he was thirty-four and this had become wearisome. “I am.”

“Taking a date?”

“I’ve been busy.” Daniel was not in New York to make friends. He certainly was not in America for romance. Women only made life complicated. No, he was here to prove to his parents that he had things well in hand and it was time for them both to retire. William might have been the golden boy, but Daniel refused to be the black sheep because of the argument he and his brother had had the night of the accident.

“I’ll take that as a no then. Now, please tell me you remember your marching orders for this evening.”

“I track down Nora Bradford and convince her to design a line exclusive to Stone’s.”

“I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. Eden’s has not done right by her and her designs. She’s too talented to be selling an entire line of her gorgeous garments in a second-rate department store.”

Daniel choked back a grumble. He hadn’t realized his mother still had an ax to grind with Eden’s until he’d already begun his initiative of opening Stone’s New York. If he’d know this much, he never would’ve suggested it. “It’s not second-rate. I’ve seen it.”

“You’re wrong. And you know how much I despised Victoria Eden. The woman was vindictive.”

Victoria Eden, the founder of Eden’s, had given his mother her start in retail years ago, grooming her to be the manager of the Eden’s flagship store in Manhattan. Eden’s had locations all over the world, and Stone’s, a business founded by his grandparents, was dying on the vine. His mother had been sent to New York to learn the secrets of Eden’s. But when Victoria found out, she not only fired his mother, she got even with his family by convincing suppliers to stop selling to Stone’s. It nearly crippled their company. A family feud was born.

“I’m aware.”

“Our move into New York has everything to do with destroying Eden’s. It does make me sad, though, that William isn’t here to be a part of it.”

Daniel slumped down in bed. Jolly, the English bulldog that had belonged to his brother, crawled her way closer, curling up at his hip. Daniel gave her a scratch behind the ear, but she growled. She wasn’t always affectionate with him. Even Jolly thought he didn’t quite measure up to William. “Our best strategy is to focus on being Stone’s. May the strongest survive,” he said.

“The Eden sisters are no competition. Those three know nothing about running a department store. One of them has been off in the south of France her entire life, doing nothing.”

Daniel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I need to take the dogs out. I’ll ring you later.”

Daniel said goodbye and shuffled into the kitchen to put on some tea. With the kettle heating up, he strode into the living room. Through the tall windows, he watched the sun begin to creep up over the horizon, illuminating the edges of the lush green tree line of Central Park, tucked neatly inside the hard city landscape. This was a million-dollar view, the sort of vista most people only dreamed of.

Still, something was missing. He probably felt that way because it wasn’t London. There was nothing tying him to this luxury high-rise or this impossibly busy metropolis. The sooner he found a location for Stone’s, got the store opened and staffed, the sooner he could head back to England and whatever future he could manage to build.

* * *

For the fifth time in as many days, Emma Stewart stared into the mirror, scrutinizing herself and her attire. Was this dress chic enough for the Empire State fashion show tonight? It was flattering. Tasteful and tailored. The gray midweight crepe fabric had a beautiful drape. Plus, she had on somewhat daring shoes—black Manolo Blahnik pumps that her half sister Sophie had instructed her to buy. The ensemble was befitting a woman with an executive position at Eden’s department store. But would it make the cut in a room full of designers, celebrities, fashion editors and models? That, she did not know.

Emma took a final skeptical turn in front of the mirror, gathered her long brown hair and reached back to unzip the dress. It was just going to have to do. The fact of the matter was she was comfortable wearing gray. She might someday be a bolder, sexier version of Emma Stewart, but not today. She wasn’t ready. It didn’t matter that she now had a net worth of over a billion dollars, owned a swank apartment overlooking Central Park, and was CFO of the largest department store in the city. Three months ago, Emma’s checking account held thirty-four bucks, she was renting a tired one-bedroom apartment in New Jersey, had a fleet-footed brown mouse for an uninvited roommate, and was a junior CPA at a tiny accounting firm. She wouldn’t be at ease in a dress that might make her the center of attention, mostly because she’d never been the center of anything.

She tucked the dress inside a garment bag in order to take it to work. She and her half sisters, Mindy and Sophie, were not only attending Empire State, they were going to get ready together, at Eden’s. Sophie had arranged for a hair stylist and makeup artist, which was perfect, since Emma had time for neither this morning. She was going to be late if she didn’t get out the door. Putting her hair up in a ponytail, she bothered only with sunscreen, a light coat of mascara and lip balm, and dressed in her usual work attire—black trousers and a silk blouse. To mix things up, the blouse was royal-blue. She also decided to stick with the sky-high pumps she planned to wear that night. Twice daring counted for something, right?

Out in the hall, she waited for the elevator, mentally running through the workday ahead. She’d been at Eden’s for three months now, and the days weren’t getting any easier. It was a bizarre situation to begin with—in late December, Emma had been called to the reading of Victoria Eden’s will. Emma had known Victoria Eden only as her cousins’ grandmother, and the owner of Eden’s, the largest department store in the city. Turned out that Victoria Eden was also Emma’s grandma. Emma’s mom had had an affair twenty-seven years ago with her sister’s husband. Everyone kept it a secret, especially from Emma. But Victoria Eden blew the top off this powder keg when she left one-third of her empire to the third granddaughter nobody knew about—Emma. The other two-thirds of the store went to Sophie and Mindy Eden, women Emma had always believed were her cousins. In truth, they were her half sisters. Emma still wasn’t sure what to make of that. She’d grown up an only child. She’d always wanted siblings, but this was a lot to grapple with at once.

Finally, the elevator dinged. Emma glanced down at her pumps as the door slid open, but then her sights landed on someone else’s shoes. A man’s shiny black wingtips to be exact, leading to charcoal dress pants on ridiculously long legs. The hem of a suit coat led to a trim waist, under which was a crisp white shirt over a broad chest and shoulders, all topped off with a tousled head of thick brown hair swept back from the forehead of a man she’d never before had the good fortune to run into.

Icy blue eyes connected with hers. The man didn’t say a word. He merely cleared his throat and pressed his hand against the elevator door as it threatened to close.

Emma hopped on board while a flush of heat washed over her. “I’m sorry. Morning. On my way to work. Too much on my mind.” She added a casual laugh for good measure.

The towering man said nothing in response, folding his hands in front of him and staring straight ahead at the doors.

“Are you on your way to work, too?” she asked.

The man glanced over at her and nodded. “Yes.”

Ooh. A British accent. “Have you lived in the building long?” She’d been in the building for nearly two months now and had made friends with almost none of her neighbors. Not that she hadn’t tried. She brought pumpkin muffins to the couple who moved in down the hall from her. They seemed...bemused. Emma realized her tragic mistake as soon as the wife said, “How sweet. Homemade and everything.” She should have brought something from Dean & Deluca or Zabar’s at the very least. Next time, it’d be chocolate truffles and a bottle of champagne. Emma was capable of faking her way through this world if she simply put a little thought into it.

The man shook his head. “No.” He raked his fingers through his hair.

Emma had another four or five questions queued up in her head, one of which was whether she could smell him some more. His cologne was intriguing—warm and woodsy. Unfortunately, the doors slid open and he stepped aside. “Please,” he said. If he was that good with single-syllable words, Emma could only imagine what might happen to her if he chose to utter an entire sentence in her presence.

Emma scurried off the elevator to the right and the main lobby, but the British mystery man strode left through the entrance to the parking garage. She looked longingly as he disappeared from view. Maybe she could get her driver to meet her in there next time. She might be missing out on a whole slew of handsome men.

Or perhaps she should just get to work and stop thinking about handsome men. Eden’s was her entire future, one she’d never dreamed she could have. There was no room for distractions now.

After twenty minutes of stop-and-go Manhattan rush-hour traffic, Emma’s driver dropped her at Eden’s. Lizzie, the receptionist in the administrative offices, hardly let her step off the elevator before speaking. “Mindy and Sophie are waiting for you in Sophie’s office. They want to talk about Empire State.”

Emma forced a smile. “Thanks. I’ll head in.” Simply hearing the name of the big charity fashion show made her nervous again. Their grandmother had apparently attended the event every year. Tonight would be the debut of the three sisters, Mindy, Sophie and Emma, as the new faces of Eden’s department store.

“Emma. Good morning.” Sophie sprang up from her desk, swung her long, strawberry blond hair over her shoulder and gave Emma a hug. She was wearing a gorgeous navy blue dress and killer red heels. Sophie was the epitome of put-together, and quite frankly, everything Emma hoped to be someday.

“Hey, Em,” Mindy offered, unsubtly eyeing Emma from head to toe. Mindy was wearing a plum-colored pencil skirt and short peplum jacket. She didn’t have a wardrobe as funky as Sophie, but she always looked impeccable. “I see we went with black pants again.”

“I was in a rush. I just grabbed what I knew would look good.” Emma stood next to Sophie’s desk rather than sitting. She didn’t want to be here for long.

“Is that your dress for tonight?” Mindy asked, pointing to the garment bag Emma was still toting.

“Oh. Uh. Yes.”

“Sophie and I would like to see it, please. No more keeping it a secret.”

Emma walked over to Sophie’s coat tree and hung up the dress, unzipping it from its bag. She pressed her lips together tightly, preparing herself for what these two might say. Anything was fair game. They worked in an industry built on first impressions and style, and she wasn’t doing great on either front. But, and this was a big but, Sophie and Mindy had grown up in a household where money was never an issue, where they were encouraged to dress in any way they saw fit. Emma, however, had grown up buying her clothes at discount stores, and had been preached the value of blending in.

“Well?” Emma stood a little straighter, holding the dress up and steeling herself for the onslaught.

“No way,” Mindy said. “It’s terrible.”

Sophie shot Mindy a look and got up from her desk again, rushing over to where Emma was standing. “Oh, I don’t know. Gray is a hot color this season.” She took the hem of the dress in her hand. “I think the problem is that this isn’t really an evening dress. And it’s not very fun. This is a fun night. It’s a night for standing out.”

Emma had been afraid of that. “It’s not my fault that I’m not up to speed on the fashion world. Up until three months ago, I was working in an accountant’s office and had no money.”

“You know you can’t tell anyone about that,” Sophie said, holding her finger to her lips.

Oh, right. The family fable. Soon after Emma’s inheritance was announced, Mindy and Sophie had concocted a story to explain Emma’s absence from the public lives of the Eden family. They owned up to the poor behavior of their father, but not the fact that the truth had been hidden from Emma for her entire life and she’d lived with very little money. They felt it might reflect badly on their grandmother, and in turn, the store. Emma was to tell everyone that she’d spent her formative years with a private tutor in France, then moved back to the States to quietly pursue her education in finance. It wasn’t that far from the truth, except that she’d lived in New Jersey and been home-schooled. Emma would have fought the lie, but it made it easier to exist in this world of money and power. It was a shred of a pedigree, and she’d take what she could get.

“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything.”

“Anyway, that dress is a snooze fest. You need to find something else.” Mindy crossed her legs and bobbed her foot impatiently.

“I’ll go down to jewelry and find a necklace to brighten it up,” Emma said.

Sophie scrunched up her face. “I’m not sure that will be enough.”

Emma wasn’t going to stand here and endure their criticism. She did not want to appear weak or foolish in front of her half sisters. She still wasn’t sure they had her best interests in mind. “I’ll pick out a different dress then. Surely we have something in the store that will work.” Head held high, Emma marched out into the hall, but she felt anything but confident. There was too much sheer embarrassment coursing through her veins.

She darted into the safety of her office and flipped on the light. This had been her grandmother’s office when she was still alive. Every time Emma walked into this room, she was reminded of what might have been. What if the family secret had come out when she was a little girl? She would have had a chance to know her grandmother. She might have known her father. She might have been a completely different person, the sort of woman who had no problem picking the right dress for an event like tonight. But no, all of that had slipped between Emma’s fingers and she hadn’t even known it was there.

Sophie appeared in the office doorway. “May I come in?”

“I don’t want to turn this into a big thing, okay? I’ll figure it out.” Emma sought the comfort of the chair behind her desk, putting a big piece of furniture between herself and her half sister.

“I know that. But why don’t you let me come with you?”

“I’m a grown woman. I can pick out my clothes.” Emma didn’t want to sound defensive. The truth was that she needed help. She at least needed someone to tell her she didn’t look ridiculous.

Sophie took a seat in an available chair. “You know, the first time our grandmother took me to this event, I was a wreck. I had no clue what to wear. I really needed Gram to point me in the right direction.”

“Well, she’s not around to help me, is she?” Emma hated that tone in her voice, but it came from a very deep place. She’d been robbed of the relationship with her family.

“She’s not. And I’m sorry about that. But I’d like to help. I’ve been to this event four times now. I can help you find the perfect dress.”

Emma didn’t want to admit it, but this was what she’d been waiting for—the smallest of opportunities. A door opened. Plus, the clock was ticking. “I don’t know when I’ll have time. My schedule is hell, and I hate doing things at the last minute. I’m a planner. I don’t like surprises.”

Sophie stood. “Don’t worry about that. I need to run down to the designer department this morning, anyway. I’ll find a few things and you can pick from those. Sound good?”

“Just don’t go too overboard, okay? I’m not a showy person.”

“You don’t have to be showy to be a showstopper.” Sophie looked at her phone, which she always had in hand. “Meet me in the private fitting room in two hours.”

Emma didn’t have a great feeling about this, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t go to this event looking as if she didn’t belong. She desperately wanted to stop being the proverbial fish out of water. “I’ll be there.”

Two

After a morning of crunching numbers, Emma found herself with Sophie in the private fitting room reserved for Eden’s most important customers. Emma had never tried clothes on in such a lavish setting. The room not only had a lovely sitting area with elegant upholstered slipper chairs in silvery velvet, it had especially flattering lighting, and came with a valet who took drink orders. For Eden’s wealthiest and most influential clients, this was their shopping experience—an oasis tucked away in a quiet corner of an otherwise bustling department store.

The valet appeared with two flutes of champagne.

“Really?” Emma asked, when Sophie offered her a glass. “It’s the middle of the day.”

“I’m hoping we’ll have a reason to toast and celebrate. I wanted to ask if you’ll be one of my bridesmaids.”

Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Really?” As soon as she’d said it, she realized how inappropriate and knee-jerk her response was. If she didn’t want to feel like an outsider in this family, she had to stop assuming that role. “I mean, yes. Of course. I would love it. Such an honor.”

Sophie grinned and held out her glass. Emma clinked it with hers. “Perfect. I still need to figure out who’s designing the dresses, but I’ll let you know.”

Emma was in a state of delight and shock. Custom designed bridesmaids’ dresses? “Sounds wonderful.”

Sophie sank down onto one of the chairs, her skirt billowing in a poof. “It’s funny, but I think of Gram every time I drink champagne.”

“What was she like?” Emma sat in the chair opposite and took a small sip. It was so delicious. The bubbles tickled her nose.

“Gram was amazing. My idol, really. I loved her to pieces. But she rubbed some people the wrong way. She could be a ruthless businesswoman.”

Emma pushed back any sadness over not having known her grandmother. “All women have to be ruthless at some point, don’t they?”

Sophie eagerly nodded. “If they want to be a success, yes.”

“Speaking of which, I happened to notice that our exclusive arrangement with Nora Bradford still hasn’t been renewed.”

Sophie frowned. “I know. They’re dragging their feet. You know, we lost two of our exclusive designers in late December, right before you started. If we lose Nora, it would be devastating.”

“Why do you think this is happening?”

“People aren’t treating us the way they did when Gram was in charge.”

Emma took another sip. “Sounds like we need to get a few things in line.”

“I’m working on it. I’ll need your help at some point. For now, I’m hoping the dress I picked for tonight might help. It’s in the fitting room.”

“Dress? Singular?”

“I know I said I’d give you some choices, but this one is perfect. It just came in this morning. It’s one of our Nora Bradford exclusives.” Sophie shooed her into the fitting room. “Go on. Go look.”

Emma ducked inside the dressing area. On the hook was a dress she wouldn’t have dared to choose. Ice blue, strapless and sparkly and daring. It was so far outside her comfort zone it was in a different zip code. And maybe that was exactly what she needed.

Wasting no time, she shed her work clothes and slipped into the garment. “Can you help with the zipper?” she called.

Sophie poked her head inside and her face lit up. “That’s it. That’s the dress. It’s even better than I imagined. Now suck in your breath.”

With a quick zip, Emma was squeezed in. She looked down at herself. “I don’t know. I’ve never worn a strapless dress before and there’s all this fabric.” She fussed with the strips of pale blue organza that made up the skirt. If she stood still, her legs were hidden, but the second she moved, the strips swished open like streamers in the breeze. “What if I trip? And I can barely breathe.” The bodice was holding her tight, all the way down to her hips.

“Oh, there is no breathing in a strapless dress. Not if you want it to stay up all night. And really, you look incredible. It’s perfect for your body. You look sexy and glamorous.”

“I do?” If it wasn’t for the freckles on her cheeks and the earrings she wore every day, Emma wouldn’t have even known it was her.

“Yes. And the best part is I’ve instructed the department manager to keep the rest of the inventory off the showroom floor until tomorrow morning. You’ll be the only one at Empire State wearing this.”

Emma studied herself in the mirror, dropping her head to the side and swishing the skirt. The dress looked like magic. Maybe this really was the right choice. “Okay. This is the one.”

Sophie grinned with pride and clapped her hands on Emma’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to be nervous about tonight. You’ll be amazing. And I’ll be there the whole time, okay?”

Emma felt so much better than she had that morning. “Thank you for helping me. And thank you for asking me to be a bridesmaid. That means a lot to me.”

“Of course. You’re my sister. It only seems right that you’d be a part of my wedding.”

Emma had never felt so optimistic. Sophie was making such an effort to include her. Emma was starting to feel like a real part of the Eden clan, less like a person who was unwittingly plopped down in the middle of it. She would get what she’d missed out on during her twenty-seven years in the world—a close relationship with siblings, the camaraderie of an extended family. She felt sure of it now.

From the bench in the corner, Emma’s phone buzzed. “Oh, shoot. I have a call.” Back to reality.

“I’ll help you out of the dress. Then I need to get Lizzie to order me some lunch.”

Emma changed and raced upstairs. One of Eden’s personal shoppers steamed the gown and delivered it to her office, along with a pair of strappy silver Blahniks Sophie had picked out. The dress was the only thing Emma looked at as she finished up her call. The fabric, the style, the price tag—it all seemed unreal, as if it wasn’t meant for her.

Mindy appeared in Emma’s office doorway around three. “The hair and makeup people are here, but we have a problem. Sophie’s sick.”

“Is she okay?”

Mindy shook her head. “A stomach bug or something she ate. I sent her home. I don’t see any way she can come tonight. Looks like it’s just you and me.”

Great. The sister who hates me. Emma felt queasy herself. Her security blanket was gone. “Oh. Okay.”

“We need to leave right at five or we’ll get stuck in traffic forever. I’ll send in the hair and makeup people.”

Emma was now not only nervous, she was dreading tonight. Before she had time to think about it, a man and a woman invaded her office with brushes, hair clips, a curling iron, and every shade of lipstick and type of hair product you could imagine. They wheeled her across her office in her chair and parked her in front of a full-length mirror they’d brought.

The male stylist took her hair out of the ponytail and tutted. “I’m Anthony. This is going to take a while.”

The makeup artist at least offered a smile. “I’m Charity. It’s going to take me some time, too.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, I’m Emma.”

“We know,” they answered in unison.

Charity dug through a case of makeup, picking up tubes and examining the colors. “I’m going to cover your freckles, if that’s okay.” She pointed to Emma’s cheeks.

“I like them.”

Charity shook her head. “I don’t think they’ll photograph well. There will be paparazzi tonight. You want to look good.”

Emma hadn’t taken the time to think about the fate of her freckles, and definitely not photographers. “Do whatever you need to do.”

The duo went to work, tugging and dabbing, prodding and pulling, spraying and spritzing. Emma kept her eyes closed whenever possible. They were doing too many things that she would never do to herself.

“Voilà,” Anthony said a good forty-five minutes later. He was like Michelangelo presenting a masterpiece.

Emma opened her eyes and blinked several times. If it wasn’t for the same clothes she’d worn to work, she never would have known it was her. Her hair was tugged back in a dramatic updo, she had long false lashes and smoky eyes. She looked fantastic, practically ready for the cover of a magazine. So this was what it was like to be glamorous.

“Wow,” was all she could say.

“Emma, you are a stunning woman if you put some work into it,” Charity said.

Perhaps that was her problem. She hadn’t been trying hard enough. “Thank you so much. Both of you.”

“Call us anytime.”

Not wanting Mindy to be angry with her, Emma closed and locked her office door and dressed. She called in Lizzie to help with the zipper.

“You are so lucky,” Lizzie said, looking at Emma with eyes full of wistful envy. It was a bizarre feeling. Emma and Lizzie were more alike than she and Sophie or Mindy.

“Maybe we can figure out a way for you to come with us next year.”

“Really?”

Emma nodded. “In fact, I promise to do whatever I can to make it happen, okay?”

Lizzie grinned from ear to ear. “Wow. Something to look forward to.”

Mindy walked in wearing a supershort magenta dress with a plunging neckline and sky-high Christian Louboutins with the signature red bottoms. She surveyed Emma’s new look. “They did wonders. You hardly look like yourself at all.”

Gee, thanks. “You look great, too.”

Lizzie rushed out of the room when the reception phone started to ring.

“Hey, so, I need a favor from you tonight,” Mindy said, digging through one of her prized Hermès clutches. “I have a friend meeting me there, so I won’t be able to spend much time with you. But I don’t want you to tell Sophie.”

“Does this friend happen to be the guy that Sophie doesn’t like?”

Mindy pursed her lips. “His name is Sam, okay? He’s in town for a few days and I really want to see him. And yes, Sophie hates him. But that’s her problem, not mine. It has something to do with her fiancé, Jake.”

Emma was tempted to ask what was in it for her to keep the secret but decided against it. She needed to forge a connection with Mindy, somehow. “Okay. My lips are zipped.”

“Awesome. I owe you one.”

Well, that was something. “No problem.”

Mindy’s phone beeped with a text. “My driver’s here.”

Downstairs, they climbed into the back of a black stretch SUV. As they whizzed through the city, Emma tried to ignore her nerves. She tried to ignore that little voice inside her head that said that every last person at this event was going to know she didn’t belong. There was only so much refinement she could fake. What if someone asked her where she went to school and she forgot the canned story Sophie and Mindy had cooked up about private school in France? What if someone asked about her family and she accidentally blurted the truth, that until three months ago, she was the deep dark family secret? Even worse, what if no one asked her anything at all?

As the driver pulled into the line of limousines and black town cars, Emma could see the paparazzi’s camera flashes popping like crazy. The red carpet. Emma’s stomach wobbled. She wasn’t practiced in the art of posing for cameras. She didn’t know how to hold her head at the right angle or slant her leg to make herself look skinny, or even how to properly plant her hand on her hip. This could be a disaster.

“Anything I need to know about this first part?” she asked Mindy.

Her half sister eyed herself in a compact mirror, them clamped it shut. “Follow my lead. You’ll be fine.”

Mindy climbed out of the car first and Emma followed. A woman with a clipboard was checking names, but she took one glance at Mindy and knew exactly who she was. “Mindy Eden. Nice to see you. Who do you have with you tonight?” the woman asked, her tone syrupy.

“My sister Emma.”

A deep crease formed between the woman’s eyes. “I thought your sister was Sophie.”

“Long story,” was all Mindy said, patting the woman on the shoulder and waving Emma ahead.

Emma stepped onto the red carpet, her heart thundering in her chest. She followed every move Mindy made, mimicking her stance and posture, every elegant quality Emma did not possess naturally. The paparazzi were quite taken with the couple in front of them, but then a few spotted Mindy and she quickly became their focus.

“Mindy! Over here!”

“This way, Mindy!”

Emma didn’t know what to do, so she hung back, letting the photographers focus on her sister. Mindy smiled effortlessly, turning her head just so, shaking her shiny red tresses with all the confidence in the world. She was such a pro. Emma felt like a kid standing on the edge of the pool with water wings.

“Who’s with you tonight?” a photographer asked.

Mindy cast her sights at Emma. Emma worried that Mindy might throw her under the bus and pretend she didn’t know her.

“My youngest sister, Emma, of course.” She reached for her hand, and before Emma knew what was happening, a million flashbulbs went off as she stood next to Mindy. These strangers were taking her picture and saying her name.

Emma! Emma!

Mindy stepped back and left Emma at center stage. She smiled, willing her face to be relaxed and natural. She planted her hand on her hip in what she hoped was the appropriate place.

Why are we just meeting you now, Emma?

She hadn’t prepared for questions. “I’ve been living in France. Just came back to the States to help my sisters run Eden’s.”

Who are you wearing?

“Nora Bradford, of course. The gown is an Eden’s exclusive. It’ll be available in the store starting tomorrow.” She glanced down for an instant and knew that if she didn’t move, they’d miss the most dramatic part of the design. Hands on her hips, she turned in a circle, the skirt flying up and showing off her legs. She was nearly blinded by flashbulbs when she’d completed the three-sixty.

“Let’s get out of here,” Mindy mumbled in her ear.

“Did I make a mistake?” Emma asked nervously.

“It was fine. You just can’t give them too much.”

She and Mindy strolled the remaining length of the red carpet and stepped into a lavish room already packed with people. Emma’s eyes were still adjusting from the bright lights of the cameras to the moodier party atmosphere, but she could see enough to know that beauty was everywhere.

Mindy tapped Emma on the shoulder. “Sam’s here.” She waved across the room, and sure enough, a tall and handsome man with jet-black hair waved back. “I’ll see you later.”

“Wait,” Emma blurted. “Will I see you at our seats?”

Mindy was distracted by her quickly approaching guy. “I’ll be with Sam. Not sure where I’ll see you. My driver will take you home. You have his number?”

Emma nodded. Mindy’s driver had taken her all over the city before she had a driver of her own. “I do.”

Just like that, Mindy was gone. Emma turned to the crowd, unsure what to do. She disliked being by herself. If Sophie had been able to come, Emma still would have been the person nobody knew, but at least she wouldn’t have been alone. In this big room filled with fabulous people, she felt insignificant. Like a speck of dust floating around everyone’s head, unnoticed.

A waiter walked by with a tray topped with glasses of champagne. Emma snagged one and took a long sip. Then another. She scanned the room, and for an instant, she wondered if she’d already had too much to drink. Either that or an optical illusion was walking into the room. Her heart nearly stopped beating. It was Mr. Brit from her building. Sure, he’d been less than friendly in the elevator, but she was now officially intrigued. His accent alone had been enough to interest her, but was he somehow involved in fashion? Perhaps a wealthy investor? Hopefully, he wasn’t one of those men who habitually dated models.

She studied him as inconspicuously as possible, sucking down the last of her champagne. Damn, he looked good in a tux. Ridiculously good. Like it had been sewn around his broad shoulders. His light brown hair was a bit of a tousled mess, but she liked that about him. It made him seem human. Everything else about him was a little too perfect—the five o’clock shadow, the kissable lips, the way he could see over the top of nearly everyone in the crowd. For a moment, she imagined herself combing her fingers through his bed-head hair and allowing her hands to get completely lost.

But the best thing about Mr. Brit was that he seemed to be alone. Just like her. Did she have the nerve to approach him? They did have a slight rapport. There was at least a starting point for a conversation. And she still had the questions she’d cooked up in the elevator. She could likely hold her own for a good ten minutes.

As if he sensed she was watching him, he turned his head. Their gazes connected. Emma would’ve looked away if he didn’t have her so locked in. His eyes were like a tractor beam designed to pull her across the room. And maybe that was precisely what she needed to do.

Three

If Daniel wasn’t mistaken, he hadn’t merely laid eyes on one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, she was coming his way. He never played coy, so he made eye contact again, but still his pulse raced. She was stunning—floating through the room as if her feet never touched the floor. Her dark hair was swept up and back from her face, accentuating her graceful neck. He hadn’t pondered kissing a woman in that region for months. Now it was all he could think about.

“Hello.” She had an air of self-assurance that was simply breathtaking. This was a woman who was accustomed to taking what she wanted.

“Hello yourself.”

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

Taken by surprise, he couldn’t help but laugh. What a confident way to greet a stranger. “Clever.” He held out his hand. “I’m Daniel.” He stopped short of offering his last name. No one knew he was in New York scouting locations for Stone’s, and he intended to keep it that way. Luckily, few people in the States knew him by sight. In London, it would be a different matter.

She slid her long, delicate fingers against his and shook his hand, sending ripples of warmth through him. “Emma.” She let go, leaving his palm tingling.

“So, tell me, Emma, what brings you to an event like this?”

She looked up at him from beneath a fringe of dark lashes that brought out the sheer sexiness of her brown eyes. “My job. I work for Eden’s.”

A waiter walked by with champagne, which gave Daniel a moment to decide how best to proceed. This gorgeous woman who’d managed to find him was employed by the company his mother considered the enemy. “Can I interest you in a drink?”

“Yes, please.”

Daniel took two flutes and handed one to Emma. “To new friends?”

Emma shook her head. “You can’t toast with a question. To new friends.” She clinked her glass with his.

For the first time in three weeks, Daniel wasn’t so eager to get home to London. He also found himself dismissing his commitment to staying away from the fairer sex. “Hear, hear.” He took a sip, studying her rosy-pink lips as they curved around the glass. “What do you do for Eden’s?”

“Number crunching, mostly.”

The lights in the room flashed off and on. Emma looked up, then returned her sights to him. “I guess we have to find out seats?” The crowd began moving toward the double doors leading into the adjoining room.

Something in Daniel’s gut told him he was an idiot if he let Emma get away. They were just getting started. “Did you come alone?”

“I didn’t, but my date ditched me.”

“Date?”

“My sister. I mean my half sister. It’s complicated.”

“I see. Well, if I’m not being too forward, where are you sitting?” he asked.

A sheepish smile crossed her lips. “My seats are in the front row. I have an extra if you want to join me. My other sister wasn’t able to make it.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your sister.” But he wasn’t sorry he would be sitting with Emma. “And I’d love to join you.” He didn’t have to tell her that his seat was also in the front row. He’d let her think she was giving him a thrill.

They made their way inside and found their seats along the runway. Daniel subtly surveyed the rest of the front-row attendees, and spotted Nora Bradford, the designer he had to speak with before the end of the evening. He’d have to find a time to break away from Emma, which was a real shame, but for now, he would enjoy himself.

“You haven’t told me what you do, Daniel,” Emma said.

He couldn’t afford to tell her the truth. He had no idea of her stature at Eden’s or to whom she might end up speaking. “I’m here in the city looking at some real estate for my family’s business.” Not a lie. Not a lie at all.

Emma nodded, her eyes wide and eager. “Sounds exciting.”

“Not as exciting as meeting you.”

Emma smiled and shied away, looking down at her lap and running her fingers over her evening bag. The crowd had filled the room, the conversation at a steady din, broken only by the introduction of a thumping beat of dance music. The lights went down and the volume grew louder, the bass reverberating in Daniel’s hips and thighs. Or perhaps that was Emma’s effect on him. He had an amazing vantage point sitting next to her, one where he could admire the dips and valleys of her collarbone and shoulders. She had exquisite skin. Touchable and shimmery. How badly would he jeopardize his family business if he asked an Eden’s employee out for dinner?

The models began to strut down the catwalk, which would normally catch Daniel’s attention, but Emma was the real attraction. She leaned into him. “Isn’t it exciting?”

“It is.” He found himself smiling, of all things. That was not his usual reaction when forced to attend an event like this.

“This is my first time coming to one of these.”

Utterly charming—those were the words the came to mind. “I never would’ve known. You seem like an old pro.”

She reached over and swatted his thigh with the back of her hand. Now the grin on his face felt as though it might never leave.

Emma studied the models and applauded, her enthusiasm for fashion seeming so genuine. Her face was full of wonder as she followed each new design down the runway. Watching her became Daniel’s primary source of entertainment, especially as she pointed out her favorites.

“Ooh. I love that one,” she whispered in his ear. The hint of warmth from her sweet breath brought every nerve ending alive, like flipping on a switch.

“It’s lovely.” You’re lovely.

She repeated this exercise over and over again, muttering comments into his ear whenever she found a particular design detail interesting. As the show went on, she seemed to become even more comfortable with him, leaning in closer. The conversation continued, and he found it was easier to hear her if he slung his arm across the back of her chair. She placed her hand on his thigh, sending signals straight to his groin. He wanted her. He wanted to take her home. But he had work to do after the show was over. Important work he couldn’t afford to miss.

When the designers and several models made their final procession, Emma was one of the first in the audience to shoot to her feet and applaud wildly. Daniel was even more entranced. He loved her lack of inhibition. He was intrigued by the possibilities of getting Emma into his bed.

“I take it you enjoyed yourself?” he asked as the music died down and the crowd began to filter out of the room. From the corner of his eye, he saw Nora Bradford walking away. He couldn’t let her out of his sights, but he wasn’t ready to excuse himself from Emma. He needed her number. He deserved a little fun while he was in New York. No strings attached, of course.

“It was amazing. The clothes were incredible. It’s definitely been the most exciting part of my job to date.”

Daniel wasn’t sure how much he should dig into Emma’s life at Eden’s. He dreaded learning anything that might indicate she was not a woman to pursue. He wanted her, but he wouldn’t risk everything to take her to bed.

“One more drink?” he asked, unwilling for this to be goodbye.

“Yes. Please.” Emma answered instantly and smiled widely, momentarily numbing him to his sense of duty to his family business. Daniel knew where a second drink might lead, or at least where he wanted it to go, and that was not a good idea. He had unfinished business tonight. And it didn’t involve the stunning woman from Eden’s department store.

* * *

Emma worried for more than a moment that she’d answered too quickly. Daniel was all suave sophistication, and she’d been nothing but goofy with excitement during the fashion show. She wasn’t sure what had come over her, except that she felt different right now. For the first time, she felt as though she could be comfortable in this world. More importantly, she could hold her own with a handsome man like Daniel.

“Shall we?” Feeling a bit invincible, she hooked her arm in his and snugged him close to her.

The look he cast down at her shook her to her core. So confident. So pleased. So hot. “Please.”

Emma took a step and her shoe caught on the carpet. It twisted right off her foot and she stumbled forward.

Daniel kept her from falling with a strong hold on her arm. “Are you okay?”

Embarrassment heated her cheeks, but she was determined to make a graceful save. A little hiccup was not going to ruin her evening. “I’m great. Just need to get my shoe.” She reached down to hook her finger into a silver strap, but as she bent at the waist, she felt a pop behind her. Cool air hit the center of her back. She still needed her shoe, so she crouched to grab it. In a rush, the cold spread down her spine. The zipper.

She let go of Daniel’s arm, righted herself and immediately flattened her back against his chest, clutching her dress to her bosom with one hand and her shoe in the other. The fine wool crepe of his tuxedo brushed against her bare skin. Her zipper had split wide-open. The only thing that was keeping the dress on was that impossibly tiny silver hook at the very top and the few inches of bodice before the skirt started.

“Everything all right?” Daniel grasped her shoulders from behind and looked down at her.

Emma’s chest was heaving. Panic coursed through her veins. Of course something disastrous would happen. “My zipper. I think it broke.” She knew one thing as soon as those words came out. The humiliation of this scene was going to last her entire lifetime. She’d have to start taking the stairs in her apartment building. She might have to move.

Daniel pushed her shoulders forward ever so slightly. “Indeed it has.”

That small breach of the space between them told her exactly how bad it was. Daniel could see far more of her than was reasonable for the first few hours of their acquaintance. Her bare back. Her skimpy panties. “Do you think you can fix it?” Luckily, most people had made it back out into the reception area. The few still milling about didn’t seem to notice. “I can’t walk out of here with half a dress.”

He pulled her a little closer and lowered his head. “No. But we could stay in here with half of your dress.” His breath was warm against the slope of her neck.

She craned her head, looking at him over her shoulder. His lips were so close, achingly within reach. If they were somewhere quiet and private, this mishap could’ve been the perfect icebreaker. Her clothes were already half off. Might as well go all the way. “As fun as that sounds, I’m still going to need to walk through that room at some point.”

“Hold on. Let me see if I can do anything.” He waited as a few people walked past, then he made more space between them.

Emma tried very hard to not think about how much he was essentially studying her naked back and every inch of lacy undergarments that went with it. “Well? How bad is it?”

“From where I’m standing, the view is spectacular.” He traced his finger along one edge of the zipper, his warm skin brushing hers. It had been so long since a man had touched her like that, and certainly no man as sexy and handsome as Daniel.

“You get bonus points for flattery.” And for making me dizzy. “I’d still like to know if the dress can be saved.”

“The two sides of the zipper aren’t attached anymore. It’s just the hook holding it together.”

Emma didn’t know a lot about garment construction, but she did know that there was no saving that stupid zipper. “What do I do? I didn’t bring a jacket or coat.”

“I did.” Daniel stepped back and shrugged his shoulders out of his tuxedo jacket. Emma got a much better sense of his body now that it was hiding under fewer clothes. If she wasn’t so deathly embarrassed, she might be daring enough to invite him home. He placed his jacket on her shoulders and held her shoe and handbag as she slipped her arms inside.

“This is so nice of you.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Emma sat in a chair and worked her foot into her shoe. “I’m not accustomed to such chivalry.” Not even close. Her only real boyfriend had been the sort of guy who didn’t want to share his umbrella in the rain.

“Still care for a drink?”

Emma stood, well aware that whatever magic she’d managed to conjure this evening would evaporate if she was the woman walking around in a broken dress and tuxedo jacket. “It’s probably best if I head home.” She could hardly believe the words. He was too amazing. She was missing her chance. Hopefully, she’d have another, perhaps run into him in the building again.

He nodded. “I understand. There’s someone I need to track down, anyway. Let me walk you to your car, though.”

Emma pulled out her phone and sent a text to Mindy’s driver, who said he could be out front in a few minutes. The disappointing end of this evening was unimaginable, but she was determined to steal a few more lovely moments with Daniel. “That would be nice.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anything bad happen.” He placed his arm around her shoulder and walked her through the double doors.

They wound their way through the crowd. Several people gave her funny looks, but she did her best to hold her head high. Daniel’s presence certainly made it easier. He ushered her outside, where the red carpet photographers were lying in wait. As soon as she was spotted, the flashes started going off. Yet another thing she had not bargained on.

Emma squinted as the bright lights made it hard to see. A black SUV pulled up to the curb and Mindy’s driver rounded the back of the car, waiting for her on the sidewalk.

“That’s my ride,” she said.

Like the perfect gentleman, Daniel escorted her to the waiting car, and Emma climbed into the back seat. As soon as she was inside, she started to remove his jacket.

He held up his hand. “Please. Keep it.”

“No. It’s okay. I know you have to go back in and find someone.” She had to wonder who he was meeting. Surely there were hundreds of women in that room who would love even a moment with Daniel. Still, Emma was immensely grateful for the time she’d had with him, even with the way it was ending.

He slid his hand onto her shoulder and gave a subtle squeeze. Even through the suit fabric, it was wonderful. “I’m the only person who has seen the state of your dress. When you arrive home, I’d like you to be able to retain your dignity.”

She smiled. “That’s so sweet.”

“Oh, I have my reasons. If you keep it, it’ll give me an excuse to see you again.”

Emma’s face flushed so quickly she was surprised she could still sit up straight. “You’re forcing me to hold your jacket hostage?”

He leaned in even closer. Good God, she wanted him to kiss her. She found herself puckering just to extend the invitation. “Part and parcel of being a gentleman.”

The car behind hers honked. She jumped. Daniel grimaced and looked back.

“I should go,” she said, hoping he’d protest.

“I’ll need your number if I’m going to see you again.”

His voice was a bit desperate and that was when the realization hit her—he didn’t recognize her from their building. Looking back at the first thing she’d said to him tonight, she was shocked by her own brazenness. That had been a far bolder gesture than the real Emma would have ever made.

“So you really don’t know who I am? I don’t look the slightest bit familiar to you?”

“I’m so sorry. Should I know who you are?”

She laughed quietly, but it was more born of sad resignation than happiness. He hadn’t noticed the everyday Emma. Not at all. She leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. She desperately hoped that wouldn’t be the extent of things between them, but if it was, at least the end could be on her terms. She’d either be bold Emma and go to his apartment, or she’d be her old self and leave the jacket with the doorman and attempt to hide from Daniel forever. First, she needed time for her ego to feel a little less bruised.

She reached for the door handle. “Don’t worry, Daniel. I’ll find you.”

And just like that, the driver pulled away from the curb and sped off into yet another magical big city night. Emma wrapped her arms around herself and sat back in the seat, looking off through the window, wondering what was ahead for her and her slightly-less-mysterious Mr. Brit. Romance? At least a real kiss? Or was tonight as good as it would ever get?

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