Chapter 3
946 Words
Leona had made a lot of questionable decisions in her life.
Taking on high-profile, high-stress events with impossible deadlines? Sure. Trusting Ian Caldwell with her heart for far too many years? Definitely.
But kissing Rhyder Vale?
That was on a whole different level of bad decisions.
Her lips still tingled from the contact, the warmth of his mouth lingering in a way that made her stomach clench. The worst part? She hadn’t even meant to kiss him like that. It was supposed to be quick, polite, a simple brush of lips to satisfy the onlookers.
Instead, it had felt…
Slow. Intentional. Dangerous.
And Rhyder—damn him—didn’t look the least bit affected.
He just stood there, his smirk subtle but present, his whiskey glass still in hand like he hadn’t just turned her entire evening upside down with a single kiss.
“Well,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly, “I think we made quite the impression.”
Leona forced herself to breathe, to push down the whirlwind of emotions still running rampant inside her.
“You think?” she shot back, her voice sharper than she intended. “You do this often, Mr. Vale? Kiss unsuspecting women under holiday decorations for sport?”
Rhyder let out a low chuckle, deep and smooth, the kind of laugh that felt like it belonged in dimly lit rooms with whiskey on the rocks.
“Only when the opportunity presents itself,” he mused. “And for the record… I wasn’t the one who kissed me.”
Leona narrowed her eyes. “That was circumstantial kissing.”
He raised a brow. “Circumstantial?”
“Yes. Social pressure. A necessary evil. A performance for the crowd,” she listed, folding her arms as if that would shield her from the way he was looking at her—like he enjoyed getting under her skin.
Rhyder nodded, as if he were actually considering her words. Then he took a slow sip of his whiskey.
“Huh.”
Leona sighed. “Huh what?”
“Just interesting, that’s all.”
She groaned. “You are infuriating.”
“I’ve been told.”
“By who? Other women you’ve kissed under strategically placed mistletoe?”
Rhyder smirked. “I don’t usually participate in festive gimmicks.”
“Then why make an exception?”
His gaze flickered, something unreadable passing through it, but he just shrugged. “Maybe I like breaking my own rules.”
Leona opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, a new voice cut in.
“Well, that was unexpected.”
Leona turned, already wincing before she even saw who it was.
Maya. Her assistant. And, judging by the wide grin on her face, she had definitely witnessed the kiss.
Leona sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Maya ignored her completely, her eyes darting between them with barely contained amusement. “I knew you had chemistry, but damn, boss. I wasn’t expecting that kind of show.”
Leona pinched the bridge of her nose. “Not. A. Show.”
Maya grinned. “Tell that to the twenty people who got it on camera.”
Leona froze. “What?”
Maya wiggled her fingers in a vague motion. “Phones were out, boss. The internet moves fast.”
Leona groaned.
This was not how tonight was supposed to go.
Rhyder, however, looked completely unbothered, as if the fact that their kiss was now public knowledge didn’t affect him in the slightest. If anything, he almost looked… amused.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Everhart,” he drawled. “I won’t sue you for kissing me in public.”
She turned to him, deadpan. “How generous.”
He smirked.
Maya, clearly having the time of her life, clapped her hands together. “Well, as much as I’d love to watch the two of you flirt—”
Leona spluttered. “We are not flirting.”
“—you should probably know that Ian Caldwell is very much in attendance tonight.”
Leona’s stomach twisted.
Of course, he was.
Of course, he had the nerve to show up after everything.
Rhyder watched her carefully, his expression unreadable. “You want me to throw him out?”
The question was so casual, so effortless, as if that was the simplest solution to the problem. As if he would do it without hesitation.
Leona shook her head. “No. He’s not worth the scene it would cause.”
Rhyder studied her for a beat longer before nodding. “Your call.”
Maya, ever the agent of chaos, hummed. “Just saying, though… he did just see you kissing this man.”
Leona inhaled sharply. “Not. Helping.”
Maya shrugged. “Hey, if he’s pissed, good. Maybe it’ll humble him.”
Leona wasn’t so sure about that.
Ian wasn’t the type to get humbled. He was the type to manipulate, to control. The type to make her feel like she was the problem, like his mistakes were her fault.
But not this time.
Not tonight.
Leona straightened, smoothing the fabric of her gown. “I’m not letting him ruin my night.”
Maya grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
Rhyder, however, said nothing. He just watched her, quiet and observant, like he was trying to figure her out.
Then, with a smirk, he lifted his glass in her direction.
“To circumstantial kisses,” he mused.
Leona rolled her eyes. “Enjoy your whiskey, Mr. Vale.”
And with that, she turned and walked away—ignoring the way her heart still pounded in her chest.
Ignoring the way she could still taste him on her lips.
- Writer
