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Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and without thinking, she let him lead her back onto the floor as the band transitioned into "Le Freak" by Chic. The beat was infectious, and soon they were laughing and dancing again, the earlier drama forgotten. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ruth let herself fully enjoy the moment, relishing the warmth of her hand in Noah’s as the world spun around them.

* * *

As the luxurybus rolled away from the estate, Noah let his head rest against the seat, his hand still wrapped around Ruth’s. The warmth of her skin, the easy way she held on to him—it felt natural, like they had been doing this for years instead of just a handful of moments stretched over too many complications. Outside, the moon cast a pale glow over the quiet road back to Pierre, but inside the bus, the air still carried the hum of the evening, of something unspoken settling between them.

“I don’t know about you,” Ruth said, her voice soft, carrying the last remnants of laughter from the night, “but I think that was one of the best holiday parties I’ve ever been to.” She tilted her head up at him, her eyes catching the dim light, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “You’re surprisingly good at this date thing, Kandor.”

Noah huffed out a laugh, low and warm. “Surprisingly good? That’s a little insulting, Everhart. I was aiming for ‘undeniably exceptional.’”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Fine. You were exceptional. Happy?”

“Very,” he said, letting his gaze settle on her. She was still glowing from the night, that dress a distraction he hadn’t quite gotten over. He smirked. “But, honestly, the company was what made it great. You, in that dress… Ruth Everhart, I’ve got to say, you set a high bar for holiday party dates.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she played it off with a roll of her eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Noah.”

He leaned in slightly, voice dropping to something softer. “You sure about that?”

She started to respond but hesitated, something flickering behind her eyes. For a moment, the space between them felt charged, like something had shifted, and neither of them wanted to acknowledge it just yet. Her gaze dipped to their hands, her fingers tightening slightly around his. “You really are something else,” she murmured, almost too quietly for him to hear.

Noah let the moment linger before steering them back to safer ground. “So, what was your favorite part of the night?”

Ruth bit her lip, considering. “Honestly? Dancing. I haven’t done that in ages.” Her lips quirked. “And you—” she gestured at him, her teasing tone returning, “—are a surprisingly good dancer.”

“Surprisingly?” Noah repeated, feigning offense. “You make me sound like some kind of underdog.”

She laughed, leaning back into her seat. “Okay, okay. No qualifiers. You’re a great dancer, Noah Kandor.”

“Thank you.” He nodded as if accepting a grand honor. “And you’re not too bad yourself.”

Their smiles came easy now, the tension of the evening fading. But then Ruth’s gaze flicked past him, her laughter dimming as she looked toward the back of the bus. Noah followed her line of sight.

Matt Brandt sat alone, his posture slumped, his face sullen. Jenna had put as much distance between them as she could, seated near the window, her expression distant. Security was nearby, a silent presence making sure Matt didn’t make a scene.

Noah leaned in slightly. “Put a fork in him; he’s almost cooked.”

Ruth’s brow furrowed. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Noah said, voice steady. “Tonight was the beginning of the end for him. His behavior, the way people reacted to him—it’s all unraveling. We just have to give it a little push.”

She exhaled slowly, nodding. “I hope you’re right.”

Noah turned back to her, smirking. “I’m always right.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered.

As the bus fell quieter, the night finally settling over them, Noah felt Ruth’s weight shift. Her head bobbed slightly before coming to rest against his shoulder, her body softening as sleep tugged at her. He glanced down, watching as her breathing evened out, her hand still loosely curled in his.

As he glanced down at her, a small smile tugged at his lips. Her red hair brushed against his jaw, and he could smell the faint, sweet scent of her perfume—something floral and soft, like gardenias. Slowly, he shifted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to steady her. She sighed in her sleep, nestling closer, and something unfamiliar stirred in Noah’s chest.

He stared out the window at the passing darkness, his thoughts a mix of the evening’s events and the woman asleep beside him. Matt Brandt was imploding; the firm’s senior partners, by asking security to intervene with him, had made their allegiances clear. The firm came first at all costs.

Melanie’s boyfriend nagged at him, a faint alarm bell he couldn’t ignore. Was he there as an honest boyfriend, or was he using her for an ATF case? He made a mental note to look into it first thing in the morning.

But for now, Noah allowed himself to focus on Ruth. The way she felt against him, the trust she had in him—it all made him want to protect her even more fiercely. He didn’t know where this thing between them was going, but for tonight, he was content to simply hold her close and let the world outside the bus fade away.

* * *

By the timethey returned to Pierre, snow had begun to fall again, soft and steady, blanketing the quiet streets in a pristine layer of white. His truck’s tires crunched lightly over the frozen ground as he parked outside Ruth’s condominium building. Noah stepped out first, the crunch of snow beneath his boots breaking the early morning silence. He walked around to help her down, after he retrieved her snow boots from her bag and knelt to help her into them. Her hand slipped into his as she climbed out.