The Christmas Crusade Read online

  Despite her plans to remain uninvolved, they’d already sucked her in. In the few times she’d been to Center for Hope, she’d learned the names of several children and pried a few of their stories out of the staff.

  Their sad tales made her heart ache, but that went along with the acute pain she felt every time she saw Levi.

  At this rate, her heart would be in tatters by Christmas.

  Chapter Five

  Levi fussed with the black bow tie threatening to cut off the flow of air into his lungs as he stared into his rearview mirror. Resigned to facing the crowd inside the swanky hotel, he abandoned his efforts and slid out of his truck.

  One of the fresh-faced valets working the event gave the pickup an admiring once-over as Levi handed him the keys.

  “Nice wheels, man.”

  “Thanks.” Levi grinned at the young man, gratified by his praise. The majority of the vehicles at the event were luxury cars that cost more than what he planned to spend on vehicles in his lifetime.

  “Whoa, dude!” The kid nudged Levi with his elbow. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

  Levi turned in the direction the valet indicated and watched Kat’s grandfather give her a hand out of his Lexus.

  Regal and graceful as she climbed out of the car, Kat smiled graciously. The black and white gown she wore, accented with black elbow length gloves and dangling black earrings, drew Levi’s interest. His eyes lingered on the dark hair piled on top of her head.

  Although it was early December and cold out, she didn’t wear a coat. Her creamy bare shoulders beckoned to him. For an insane moment, he let himself imagine pressing a kiss to the exposed expanse of her skin.

  Kat looked like a celebrity or a fashion model in her expensive attire. She was far too good for the likes of him, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming.

  Mindful of the young man gawking at Kat, Levi gave him a friendly slap on the back then walked over to greet her. “Miss Kingsley, Mr. Kingsley, it’s a wonderful night for a charity gala, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is, Levi. It most certainly is.” Lewis Kingsley made a subtle move that left Kat’s hand resting on Levi’s arm. He grinned at Levi and winked at his granddaughter. “Nonetheless, this cold air is hard on my old bones. I think I’ll venture inside, but you two take your time. Kat, darling, you really should have worn a coat. Perhaps Dr. Clarke can keep you warm until you make it indoors.”

  Shocked by the old gent’s words and the speed with which he departed, Levi gathered his wits and glanced over at Kat. “You ready to do this?”

  “I am.” She smiled up at him from beneath thick, dark eyelashes.

  Levi’s heart flipped over in his chest. He leaned down until his breath stirred a soft curl by her ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look as beautiful as you do tonight. It’s a shame the rest of the women won’t be able to hold a candle to you.”

  “Thank you.” Kat squeezed his arm beneath her hand and they started toward the hotel. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

  In fact, he looked so good, she’d nearly dropped her jaw at the sight of him when her grandfather pulled up and she’d spotted Levi talking to the valet.

  If someone had stopped them and asked if he’d consider gracing the cover of a magazine, she wouldn’t have been surprised. Slightly mussed hair, glasses that emphasized the seductive gleam of his eyes, and a hint of stubble along his firm jaw made her wish for things she knew would never happen.

  Determined to enjoy her evening, she set aside her silly, girlish dreams and lifted her long skirt in her hand to navigate the hotel’s steps.

  Levi shifted so his hand cupped her elbow as they hurried up the remaining steps and entered the hotel’s lavish lobby.

  “It’s this way.” Kat turned down a hallway leading to the grand ballroom. Soft strains of Christmas music floated on the air along with a homey, holiday scent that brought old-fashioned sleigh rides and homemade caramels to mind.

  They stepped into the room and Levi gazed around in awe. Utterly overwhelmed by the atmosphere Kat and her volunteers had created, he remained rooted to the spot.

  Kat finally tugged on his arm and pulled him out of the way so others could enter the room. “What’s wrong, Levi? Do you not like it?”

  The breath he’d been holding escaped in a whoosh. Without thinking, he pressed a kiss to her mouth. A spark zapped between them the moment their lips connected but Kat jerked back, glaring at Levi.

  Before she could splutter with indignation, he grabbed her hand and held it between both of his. “Kathleen Kingsley, you never cease to amaze me. How in the world did you make this happen?”

  Delighted by Levi’s words and the way he tenderly held her hand, she shrugged her shoulders. “I just called in a few favors, that’s all.”

  Bedazzled by the woman at his side as well as her considerable talents, Levi stared at her. “You did a lot more than call in a few favors. When I call in a few favors, Mike rewires a room or Brock installs sheet rock on a wall. This,” Levi’s wave encompassed the event, “is not just a few favors.”

  “I’ve made a lot of contacts over the years and have friends in the right circles. When I explained that this gala would not only be the talk of the town but also benefit families in need for the holiday season, people were more than happy to help.” Kat leaned closer to him. “Do you really like it?”

  Levi cupped her elbow again and stepped farther into the room, letting his gaze rove over the elaborate decorations. A dozen birch trees towered around the room with white votives in clear glass holders twinkling from their limbs. Flocked branches, white roses, and white candles decorated the white linen-covered tables. Hundreds of sparkling snowflakes dangled on fishing line from the ceiling, making it seem like some magical cloud had opened up and showered the room in a shimmering flurry of fantasy.

  Two traditional green Christmas trees flanked the stage, bedecked with glittering white ornaments and iridescent ribbons.

  Long tables against one wall held a variety of auction items including everything from bottles of wine to tickets for sought-after events.

  When Kat first suggested having Mr. Harchett spend the funds he planned to donate to Center for Hope on a charity gala, Levi opposed the idea. In truth, he needed that money and counted on stretching the donation to cover a variety of expenses.

  Now, as he looked around the rapidly filling ballroom packed with some of the city’s most influential movers and shakers, he was glad Kat talked him into the charity event. The ticket sales alone had brought in three times what Mr. Harchett planned to donate. When Kat assured Levi she could quadruple the funding, she hadn’t been kidding.

  Officially called the Harchett Industries Charity Ball for the Center for Hope, the event promised to bring in far more funds than Levi would have generated in a year.

  “Kat, I, um… I can’t even begin to thank you and Mr. Harchett for this. I still can’t understand how you made this all happen.”

  “It was simpler than you might think,” Kat said, leading Levi over to the table where they’d sit near the stage. She’d convinced him to give a little speech about the center and some of the more pressing needs. The thought behind her insistence was that a well-delivered speech might loosen the purse strings of those in attendance as they bid on the auction items.

  Levi held a chair out for her then took a seat beside her. “There’s no way that you didn’t spend an arm and a leg to pull this together.”

  Kat offered Levi an indulgent smile and patted his cheek. “Oh, you dear, delusional boy. I had a budget and I stuck to it. As I said, I called in a few favors and stroked a few egos. Brenna, her mom, sister, and brother-in-law helped with the decorations and centerpieces. The emcee owes me a favor because I introduced him to his lovely wife.” She leaned over and dropped her voice. “The hotel had quite a scandal here back in the spring between the general manager and a high profile politician. They were all ears when it came to my ideas for promoting them
as a bighearted business, supporting the less fortunate this Christmas. They aren’t charging rental for the room or the staff. All we had to pay for was the food and beverages. Everything else you see in this room was donated. We ran several advertisements listing the sponsors and playing up their benevolent involvement in Center for Hope. Voila! I practically had people beating down my door wanting to get involved with the event.”

  Levi noticed a few news cameras in the room along with a reporter he recognized from the daily newspaper.

  “This is huge, Kat. I don’t know if you fully realize what you’ve done to help the center—to help me.”

  “You can thank me later by promising to cut in anytime you see that guy trying to dance with me.” Kat pointed in the direction of Miles Donovan.

  “It would be my pleasure. I’d offer to drag him out back and punch him in the nose, but I don’t want to mess up my tux. It’s a rental.”

  The laughter that spilled out of her reminded Levi of Christmas bells. Inwardly, he scoffed at his nostalgic musings and stood as Brock and Brenna approached their table. Kat hurried to embrace Brenna in a hug while Levi and Brock shook hands. Once Kat finally released Brenna, Levi kissed her cheek. “You look like an angel, Brenna.”

  “Thank you, Levi. This is the first time we’ve gone out since Alex was born. You’ll have to forgive me if I text my mom to check on the baby with alarming frequency this evening.”

  Levi grinned and Brock chuckled while Kat led Brenna over to sit beside her. The women chatted while Brock and Levi stood behind them, talking about progress at the center, Brock’s construction business, and their plans for the holidays.

  A few minutes before the emcee took the stage, Mike strolled in with his date. Levi waved him over to their table and the six of them soon fell into an easy conversation.

  Dinner proved to be delicious although Kat hardly got a bite between greeting guests and working behind the scenes. The emcee offered entertaining commentary as people ate. A slide show of the center played in the background, highlighting the progress that had been made since Levi took over. He had no idea where Kat had found the photos, but people seemed impressed to see the direction the center was headed.

  Nervous about speaking to the large group, Levi fussed with his tie as the time to deliver his speech approached.

  “Your tie is fine. You look incredibly handsome.” Kat’s reassuring whisper in his ear had the opposite effect of calming him. Instead, his temperature climbed as her fragrance engulfed him and his thoughts scattered every direction.

  The emcee launched into his introduction, calling Levi up to the stage.

  With his heart hammering loudly in his ears, he stood and rushed up the steps to the podium, shaking hands with the emcee before stepping in front of the microphone.

  The next ten minutes passed in a blur. It ended with the crowd giving him a standing ovation, even though he couldn’t recall what he said. As soon as he started to speak, he realized the notes for his speech were on the table next to Kat. Rather than run back to the table to grab them, he spoke from his heart.

  When the room quieted, Levi smiled at Kat and glanced over the room again. “Please give a big hand to Harchett Industries and their talented team for making this evening possible. Thank you all.” Levi lifted his hands in a gesture of gratitude then made his way back to the table.

  “That was quite a speech, little bro.” Mike slapped his back as he took his seat.

  “Yeah, I’m impressed. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you string that many words together before,” Brock teased. He raised his glass in a toast. “To Levi, Center for Hope, and good friends.”

  As their glasses clinked together, Kat’s hand slid over Levi’s beneath the table and she tenderly touched his fingers.

  Two hours later, he maneuvered behind her on the dance floor and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, cutting in as Miles Donovan attempted to dance with her.

  Angry at the interruption, Miles finally backed away and stalked off in the direction of the bar.

  “I thought you’d never get over here. Did you not see my distress signal?” Kat asked as Levi swept her into his arms and continued the slow dance.

  “I did, but guests kept stopping me to talk about the center. You don’t want me to be rude to the wonderful people who made it possible to keep the center’s doors open for the next year, do you?”

  “Of course not,” Kat huffed. She tilted her head to the side as she let her gaze rest on Levi’s. He’d removed his glasses and his hair had gone from slightly tousled to completely mussed when he ran his hand through it several times after his speech. At that moment, there was nothing, not a single thing, she wanted more than to kiss his enticing mouth and let herself melt against his strong chest. Lest the temptation become more than she could resist, she glanced down at his feet. “I had no idea you knew how to waltz.”

  Levi’s crooked grin sent the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzied flight. “There are a number of things you don’t know about me, Miss Kingsley.”

  “I’m starting to get that idea, Dr. Clarke.” Kat smiled at him. “I’ll even admit I had no idea you would deliver such a riveting speech, particularly without your notes.”

  “If you promise not to tell, I’ll fess up that I have no idea what I said. I hope whatever it was inspired these good folks to drop a few dollars on the auction.”

  Kat laughed and leaned closer to Levi. “Molly’s working on the totals, but she said we’ll easily clear thirty on the auction. Several people who didn’t have a winning bid pledged donations as well.”

  Astounded, Levi’s feet ceased to function and he stopped mid-step on the dance floor. “Thirty? You mean thirty thousand dollars, in addition to the thirty we made on ticket sales?”

  Kat tugged on his arm, leading him off the dance floor in the direction of their table. “That’s right, and don’t forget the individual donations. Molly guessed the totals on those to be around another twenty thousand.”

  Levi’s head swam from the success of the event. Absently, he wondered if the people who contributed to the center had any idea how vital the funds were, how much help would be provided through their generosity.

  “You seem a little pale,” Kat whispered, giving him a concerned glance. “You’re not going to hyperventilate are you? I’m sure I could find some foul-breathed, cougarish old woman who’d eagerly resuscitate you, should the need arise.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Levi bent down until his lips hovered near Kat’s ear. “Not unless you want to do mouth-to-mouth.”

  Involuntarily, she shivered and turned away from him, glancing around the table. Mike and his date had left right after the auction. Brock and Brenna gathered their things to call it a night and Kat’s grandfather was nowhere around.

  Brenna engulfed Kat in a hug, speaking quietly in her ear. “Thank you for making tonight so special, Kat. It means so much to Levi and the center.”

  “I know. I’m happy to help.” Kat pulled back and smiled at her friend. “As soon as we get past Christmas, you can plan on me coming to spend a few days and spoiling Alex rotten.”

  “I’m holding you to that promise,” Brenna said as she took Brock’s arm and started to walk away from the table. She turned back and grinned at Kat. “Oh, your grandfather was tired and wanted to go home. He said he was certain you could find a ride.”

  Kat scowled at Brenna. Even if she was excited at the thought that Levi might offer to take her home, she didn’t appreciate her grandfather or her friends scheming to throw the two of them together.

  Forty-five minutes later, the last of the guests departed. Kat perched on the edge of the stage wishing she could remove her heels and rub her pinched toes. She’d watched as Levi stood at the door thanking each and every guest for their attendance and support of the center.

  Thoughts of the kind of men she knew from work, the type she generally dated, trickled through her mind. She arrived at the conclusion Levi was one of
a kind. Genuine, honest, generous and caring, he was probably the nicest person she knew.

  In addition, his handsome appearance hadn’t gone unnoticed. Kat struggled to take her eyes off him all evening and it made her want to unleash her claws every time she saw a woman cast an admiring glance Levi’s direction.

  Although she had no claim upon him, she definitely didn’t like the idea of any female garnering his attention.

  “What do you say, Kat? Shall we call it an evening?” Levi held out a hand to her.

  She took it and slid off the stage onto her tired feet. Straightening her spine, she nodded her head. “I believe we shall.”

  “Mind if I give you a lift home? I heard your granddad left you without transportation.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Contentment settled over her when he continued to hold her hand as they left the ballroom and walked out of the hotel.

  Levi shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and dropped it around her shoulders while they waited for the valet to bring his truck around. “Do you need help cleaning up that mess in the ballroom tomorrow?”

  “No. I’ve got a committee who’ll take care of it, but thanks for asking.” Inconspicuously, Kat turned her head to the side, inhaling Levi’s scent clinging to the tuxedo jacket. Surrounded by the warmth of the jacket, warmth created from his body, her knees wobbled. Just when she thought they wouldn’t continue to hold her upright, the valet parked the truck and hurried to open the passenger door.

  Levi handed him a tip then swept Kat into his arms. Wide-eyed in surprise, she gaped at him as she rested her hands on his shoulders. Gently, he set her on the pickup seat and carefully stuffed the billows of her long skirt inside before shutting the door.

  “Sweet, dude.” The valet knuckle-bumped Levi before rushing off to retrieve another car.

  A goofy, satisfied grin stretched across his face as Levi pulled away from the hotel and into traffic. “Anywhere you want to stop before I take you home?”