Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

KEELY

K eely sat in the center of her workroom, the soft glow of Christmas lights twinkling in the windows as the cold wind howled outside her cabin. The familiar tools of her trade surrounded her: bits of wood, screws, metal scraps, soldering irons and tiny gears strewn across the workbench. She should have been focusing on the final touches of her latest prototype—a mechanical elf that waved and played holiday songs—but her mind was far from the toy in front of her.

Instead, it kept wandering back to Cris Sutton.

With a frustrated sigh, she set her carving tool down and rubbed her temples. The design had been due days ago, but every time she tried to concentrate, thoughts of Cris clouded her mind, sending a wave of heat through her body that left her restless and unfocused. She hadn't been able to shake the memory of their night together—his touch, his scent, the way he had made her feel as though she were the only thing that mattered in the world.

But then he had left. Without a word, slipping out of her bed before dawn with nothing but a hastily written note as an apology.

Keely exhaled sharply, trying to push the memory aside. She couldn't afford to get distracted by Cris Sutton. Not now, with her career on the line. She wasn't going to work for Vanguard. She'd given her notice, and this last prototype was the last thing she owed them. Warren had whined and said Vanguard wanted to keep her on, but Keely was ready to forge her own path, and she wasn't about to let some enigmatic CEO derail her focus.

Just as she was about to force herself back to work, the sound of her phone buzzing on the workbench broke the silence. Keely glanced over at the screen, her breath catching when she saw his name flash across it.

Cris Sutton.

A video call.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers hovered over the phone, hesitation gripping her. Part of her wanted to ignore it—to let him wait, just like he had left her waiting after their night together. But the more professional part of her whispered that this was business. She couldn't just ignore a potential client, even if he had left her feeling confused and a little hurt.

She sighed and tapped the screen, accepting the call.

"Keely," Cris's deep voice resonated through the speaker before his face appeared on the screen. His dark eyes locked onto hers through the phone, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Even over video, his presence was undeniable. His dark hair was slightly mussed, as though he had been running his hands through it, and the sharp line of his jaw was clenched in a way that made her heart stutter.

She quickly composed herself, lifting her chin. "Mr. Sutton. What can I do for you?" Her tone was cool, professional, despite the rush of emotions swirling inside her.

He exhaled, his expression softening just slightly. "‘Mr. Sutton?' I suppose I deserve that, at least from your point of view. I know you probably don't want to hear from me right now, but I need to explain. I didn't mean to leave like that."

Keely narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her. "You didn't mean to? What exactly did you mean? What, Cris? You just happened to disappear without a word?"

He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "I didn't want to leave. Trust me, I would have stayed if I could, but something urgent came up—something I couldn't ignore. It wasn't personal, Keely. I didn't want you to think... I left you a note," he finished lamely.

He trailed off, the weight of his words hanging in the air between them. Keely's chest tightened as she watched him struggle for an explanation. Part of her wanted to believe him, but another part of her was still reeling from how abruptly he had left.

"And I'm just supposed to believe that?" she said, her voice quieter now, less certain. "You vanish with nothing more than a note, then not a word, and now… what? You're suddenly back in my life like that night never happened?"

Cris's gaze softened, and his voice dropped, as if the distance between them mattered less than what he had to say. "Keely, I'm sorry. That's all I can say. I read this morning that Schultz sold out to Vanguard Holdings. Are you going to stay?"

"I don't know that that's any of your business."

"It might not be if I wasn't calling you to offer you a job."

A job? Did I hear him right? Keely's resolve wavered as she looked at him, feeling the pull of his sincerity, the apology in his dark eyes. She knew she should stay firm, that she couldn't let him off the hook so easily—but damn it, he made it so hard to think clearly. Her fingers flexed against the workbench, trying to grasp at some semblance of control.

"A job?" she asked finally, her voice steadying as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I'm listening."

Cris's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of relief passing through his features. "I need your help. Your designs—they're incredible, Keely. They have a kind of magic to them that's more than just craftsmanship. And right now, I'm facing a situation that I believe your ideas could solve. I want to offer you a consulting contract. I'd offer just to hire you, but I'm worried you'd turn me down."

"What makes you think I won't?"

"Because I'll make it worth your while. And if you're going to go out on your own, having a client like North Star Toys would help. And if you decide you like it, you could pretty much dictate your terms."

Keely frowned, skepticism rising in her. "I thought you already had a team of designers. I don't want to get anyone fired or demoted."

"That's the furthest thing from my mind," Cris said, his voice growing more urgent, "This is bigger than just toys. I need someone with your unique perspective—someone who can think outside the box. You've got an eye for innovation that we don't see every day, and I believe you could make a real difference."

She blinked, her heart pounding as she tried to process what he was saying. This was unexpected—more than just a simple apology or an attempt to explain away their night together. This was business. Real business.

But something about the way he said it, the intensity in his voice, made her feel like there was more to it than just work.

"And what exactly are you asking me to do?" she asked, narrowing her gaze slightly. "Because I'm not interested in being strung along, Cris—personally or professionally. If this is just some way to?—"

"It's not," he interrupted quickly. "This is serious. And it's not just some remote job. I want to bring you to the North Pole."

Keely blinked in surprise, her mouth opening but no words coming out. The North Pole? He couldn't be serious.

Cris continued, sensing her shock. "I know how it sounds, but I'm not joking. This isn't a game, Keely. I'm not going to lie to you. We're facing a crisis—a real one—and your designs, your ideas, might be the key to fixing it. I don't want to sound too dramatic, but I think we need you to save Christmas."

Keely felt her heart skip a beat at the absurdity of it. Christmas? Saving Christmas? It sounded like something straight out of a children's book, but the gravity in his voice told her he wasn't playing around. He believed what he was saying.

"And you think my toy designs are going to fix this crisis?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief, but curiosity tugged at her.

"I do. And so does Tinker." Tinker was a legend in the toy design business. "We can discuss the specifics once you get here," Cris said, leaning closer to the screen, his dark eyes as intense ever. "All I'm asking is that you give me a few days and trust me. I can explain everything once you're here, and I promise—it'll be worth it. I'll pay you upfront for thirty days, and you only have to agree to come. Once you step off the plane, you can leave any time you like."

She stared at him, torn between disbelief and the strange pull he had over her. Going to the North Pole? Consulting on some mysterious project that involved saving Christmas? It was ludicrous—and yet, the way he was looking at her, the urgency in his voice... something said this was more than just a job offer.

Before she knew what she was doing, the words slipped out. "When do I leave?"

Cris's eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Tomorrow. Pack warm."

Keely hung up the call, staring at her phone in stunned silence. What had she just agreed to? Going to the North Pole, to work with Cris on some secret project? The rational part of her screamed that this was a terrible idea, but deep down, something else simmered. Something that had been building ever since their night together.

Whatever was happening, it felt bigger than her—and she wasn't about to back down from it.

L ater, Keely sat cross-legged on her couch, twirling the edge of her blanket in her fingers as she stared at her phone. The video call with Cris earlier in the day had left her buzzing with so many conflicting emotions. The idea of going to the North Pole? It was absurd. Ridiculous, even. And yet… she couldn't stop the thrill that coursed through her at the thought of being near him again. His dark eyes had drawn her in even through the screen, full of intensity and something more—something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

She groaned and buried her face in her hands. Slowly she picked up the phone and called Sienna Grayson, the sheriff's mate. She briefly explained everything that had happened, finishing with, "What am I even thinking?"

"It sounds to me like you're thinking about a hunky CEO and forging a new path for yourself."

"But that's crazy, isn't it?"

"Well, there's crazy, and then there's crazy. This sounds like the good kind of crazy."

Keely felt her cheeks flush as she remembered the heat of their night together. The way his touch had set her skin on fire, the way his lips had moved against hers with a raw hunger that still left her breathless. "It was just… one night."

"One very passionate night, and sometimes all it takes is one night. Don't even try to tell me you don't want more of Mr. Cris Sutton. Push comes to shove, you go up there, fuck his brains out, take his money, and leave him a note."

Keely sighed, burying her face in the blanket again. "There's something about him… something that pulls me in, and I can't explain it. It's like I'm being drawn to him, even though I know I should be more cautious. It almost makes me nauseous to think about it… him."

"Nauseous? Dizzy? Disoriented?"

"Yeah. That's not good, right?"

"Depends on how you feel about finding your fated mate."

"No."

"Yes," said Sienna, laughing.

"Oh lord," said Keely as Sienna continued to laugh. "I guess I'm going to the North Pole. I don't know what's waiting for me there, but I'm done playing it safe. I need to take a chance."

"That's my girl! And who knows? Maybe you'll come back with more than just a new job. I'm sensing some serious ‘romance of the century' vibes here."

Keely laughed despite herself. There was something bigger at play here, and she couldn't shake the feeling that stepping into Cris's world was about to change everything.

T he next day, Keely found herself standing at the small private airport just outside of town, her suitcase in hand, staring at a sleek private jet with the North Star Toys logo emblazoned on the side. The chill in the air was sharp, biting at her skin, but it was nothing compared to the nervous energy buzzing inside her.

What was she even doing? This was madness. She was about to board a jet to the North Pole, to work on a mysterious project with a man who made her heart race in ways she hadn't thought possible. A man, she reminded herself, who had left her bed without a word but had somehow pulled her into his orbit with such force that she couldn't seem to break free.

The jet door opened, and a flight attendant smiled warmly at her. "Ms. Blake, we're ready for you."

Keely nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the jet, her mind swirling with uncertainty and anticipation. This was it. She was leaving everything behind—her job, her life, her comfort zone—and stepping into a world she knew very little about.

As the jet's engines roared to life and the plane began to roll down the runway and lift off, Keely gazed out the window, watching the ground fall away beneath her. Her breath caught in her throat, a mixture of excitement and fear rushing through her.

Whatever awaited her at the North Pole, she knew one thing for sure—there was no turning back now.