Sleigh Ride Together with You Read Online Free

much older than a girl, really—considered him attractive, but the more rational part of him cringed. Without a doubt, her phone number was on that card. Crunching it in his palm along with the napkin, Alex tossed them both in a nearby trash can. A number of years ago, he might have paid attention, but those days were long behind him.
    Apparently, he wasn’t much better since he’d stolen repeated glances at Nicole for the better part of the past hour. A sailor on leave would probably exhibit more tact, and he only hoped he hadn’t been obvious. Although he didn’t welcome it, he couldn’t turn off his internal meter of attraction for the Wake Up, Des Moines! co-host. No wonder viewers loved this woman. She was even prettier in person than on camera, but it was more than her physical appearance that appealed to him.
    Nicole radiated a positive energy and glowing health. The woman had incredible presence, a key factor for successful television journalists. Her shiny, straight, dark hair fell slightly below her slender shoulders. Wispy bangs swept low over her forehead and fringed piercingly blue eyes. At five-foot-seven, she was on the shorter side. While taller women generally fared better in a national market, her smaller stature didn’t have to be a negative factor. Small-boned but well-proportioned, Nicole’s features were delicate, her hands and feet dainty. The blue dress she wore, while modest, accentuated her femininity in a way that could easily drive a man to distraction.
    Maybe it was a good thing she’d changed out of the high heels she’d worn earlier since they’d been equally memorable. He’d noted her grimace while wearing them, no doubt a result of twisting her foot on the ice.
    From what he’d seen in the tapes of the show, her on-air presence was a strong force. Nicole “Nikki” Reardon could hold her own against anyone, male or female, with humor, wit, and professionalism. Viewers identified with her, and her personality was the perfect foil for Colin’s witticisms and British charm.
    He needed to remind himself that, for all intents and purposes, Nicole was his client, even if she didn’t know it. Yet.
    As he watched, Colin whispered something to her, making her laugh. The co-hosts were definitely in sync, but if Alex’s interpretation of their body language was accurate, these two were close friends but nothing more. The fact that Nicole didn’t lean into Colin and kept a respectable distance between them spoke volumes and pleased him more than it should. Colin Young had a reputation as a confirmed, perennial bachelor—different woman every month—with seemingly no intention of changing his lifestyle.
    Nicole’s love life was another story entirely. If she dated anyone, she kept that part of her life intensely private. From what Alex knew, she was a woman of faith.
    His assistants had been thorough in their reports. He’d studied them during the past week and in more detail during the flight to Des Moines. Nicole was a church-going member who showed up for services most Sunday mornings. While she couldn’t openly discuss or promote her faith on the show, her off-camera activities tipped him off to her commitment in serving others. Giving back to a community who’d welcomed her with open arms. That, too, pleased him on a personal level.
    She’d graduated from a state university with high, if not stellar, grades. Starting out as an apprentice four years ago, she’d moved to weekend anchor within months, and then she’d been named the permanent co-host of Wake Up, Des Moines! a little more than a year ago. While her predecessor—who’d gone on to another market—had been popular, the show now won its time slot by a landslide every day without exception. Call it chemistry between Colin and Nicole, call it good writing, great interviewing skills, or whatever. But Alex knew better. If ever he’d seen star power, that innate “it” factor, this woman had it in every nuance of her