Passion Blooms in Paris (Diary of a Free Woman) (6 page)

He smiled. “I want to spend every minute I can with you and admire your beauty.”

Her heart swelled. This French man would make some woman very happy one day with his charm and loving ways.

“I thought you wouldn’t come unless I offered something in return.”

She couldn’t stop from grinning. “You’re wicked.”

He leaned close to her ear. “Yes, but you like it.”

True, she did.

“Don’t worry. We won’t stay too long after the ceremony. But we will dance,” he said.

“And then?”

They stopped behind a crowd waiting to enter a room.

“Then we have the night to ourselves.” He wiggled his eyebrows and she chuckled.

Slowly, they moved toward an open doorway.

“One dance is all I agreed to. Just one,” Gwen said. “And you promised I won’t embarrass myself.”

He let go of her hand and slipped his arm around her waist. “I’m a good dancer. You have nothing to worry about.”

The confidence in his tone assured her again she would be fine with him. But she still wanted at least one drink to settle down her nervousness.

Past the doors, Pierre led her through a maze of round tables to the back of the dining room. He sat next to her with his hand on her knee through the entire hour and half ceremony where various men and women spoke. Gwen didn’t understand a word since it was all in French, but she pretended she did. She clapped and smiled with everyone else. During the speeches, servers brought wine and champagne to each table. After consuming two glasses of red liquor, Gwen felt much more relaxed.

The speaking part of the gathering concluded and soft music played over the speakers. Guests rose and visited other tables to chat. When Pierre stood, she assumed he was heading to talk to one of his friends. To her surprise, he extended his hand to her.

“Ready to dance?” he asked.

She stared at his palm before she clasped it. She’d made a deal and the sooner they completed it, the quicker they could visit the Eiffel Tower. Then back to her hotel room where they could spend the rest of their time tangled in each other’s arms.

He led her to the middle of the room. The soft music had a romantic quality with a woman singing in a seductive tone. Couples embraced on the dance floor while their bodies lightly swayed to the tune. As Pierre took her to a spot in a corner, she slid the strap of her small purse along her arm until it reached her shoulder. Tucked close to her body, the wallet-sized bag would be out of the way and invisible to most.

Pierre stopped and faced her. Holding her one hand, he pressed his other to her back and brought her body to his. “Follow my lead.”

She nodded and let him guide her on the dance floor. The soothing music added to the air of romanticism, but the solid object brushing against her belly aroused her the most. Did the man ever stop having a hard-on?

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I was just wondering if you’re always…excited.”

He stared into her eyes. “With you, yes. I can’t help it.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. She looked away from him.

“You’re an incredible woman. Maybe I will travel to America some day and visit you.”

“Well, I don’t live the same kind of life as you do. In fact, you’d probably think mine is boring. But I would be glad to show you around.”

“Show me to your bedroom?”

A grin teased her lips. “That would be one place to check out.”

“I may take you up on that offer.”

Her body swayed with his and each time his length touched her she considered dragging him to a private area to free his stiff muscle. How could he bare to be hard for so long?

“What are you thinking now?” he asked.

“Honestly, I’m wondering how you’re managing to control yourself.”

He grinned widely. “I’m not. My balls ache because I want to bury my face between your legs and feel you come with my tongue. I loved tasting you last night. I must do it again.”

Need blossomed within her while moisture pooled between her legs. “I’d very much enjoy that. Soon.”

He slid his hand down lower until it rested on her ass. “I can arrange it.”

“When?”

He stopped moving and so did she. “Ready now?”

“More than ready.”

Before they could leave, a woman with long blonde hair stopped behind Pierre and tapped his shoulder. The blue gown she wore accentuated her curves and large breasts. Pierre turned and smiled as the female spoke in French. Based on their facial expressions and the tones of their voices, it seemed the two knew each other. The longer they conversed, the more Gwen’s hormones calmed.

Pierre turned to her. “Gwen, this is a friend of mine. Aimee Poppenaux.” Pierre faced his friend and introduced Gwen.

“Nice to meet you,” Gwen said as she offered her hand to shake. Smiling, she wondered if the female was a previous lover or someone Pierre had worked with. Regardless, Gwen maintained her manners and politeness.

Aimee accepted her greeting. “American, yes?”

“Yes.”

“How are you enjoying Paris?”

“I love it.” She looked at Pierre. “He’s been an amazing tour guide.” Dare she say the multiple orgasms he gave were incredible, including an intense one at the Louvre? She held her tongue. If Aimee had been a previous girlfriend, the woman probably didn’t want to hear about Gwen and Pierre’s sexual escapades.

“She’s leaving tomorrow,” Pierre said.

“Oh no. Well, perhaps you can visit France again sometime,” Aimee said.

“Maybe,” Gwen said.

Aimee spoke in French to Pierre and he laughed. Gwen disliked how she couldn’t understand their language. She was starting to sense from the way they smiled and looked at each other the two had more than a friendly relationship.

“Why don’t you chat with your friend and I’ll wait for you at the exit?” Gwen said.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” Aimee said.

Pierre responded to her in French. Since it appeared he wanted to talk to her, Gwen backed away from them.

He twisted to face her. “Gwen, wait.”

“Go ahead and talk. It was nice to meet you, Aimee.” She took another step and another.

“Gwen…”

“I’ll be waiting in the hall.”

Before he could say another word, she turned and walked off the dance floor. Unease stirred in her gut as she wondered if Pierre would want to spend the night with Aimee instead of her. Clutching her bag under her arm, she strolled around tables and headed for the open doors. She’d wait for Pierre near the main exit.

Following a quick break in the lavatory, she returned the way she’d entered the building. When she reached the doors leading outside, she decided not to leave yet. She didn’t want to face the crowds standing behind the barriers with their cameras ready to snap. At least, not without Pierre.

For several minutes, she ambled around the marble entryway. Clusters of well-dressed men and women conversed in French while police guarded the doors inside and out. Gwen checked the time on her phone. If Pierre didn’t show in ten minutes, she’d take his absence as a sign he wanted to stay with Aimee and she’d leave without him.

With a deep sigh, she returned her cell and looked around. Crown molding, tall ceilings and oil paintings resembling some of the ones in the Louvre added a sense of elegance to the building. She marveled at the large round fountain with a statue in the center. Earlier, she’d missed it due to the mass of bodies blocking her view. She studied the different works of art and ventured back down the hall. Bored and itching to leave, she checked her phone again. Her mood turned dismal when she realized fifteen minutes had passed.

So much for her last night being another memorable one. Maybe Pierre had changed his mind about spending the night with her and opted to leave with Aimee instead. Gwen refused to waste time pondering over the matter. If he wanted to find her, he had her number and could call.

Gwen walked to the end of the hall, opposite to the way she’d entered. She spotted several doors. One of them had to lead to another exit, one away from onlookers with cameras. She noted signs and although she didn’t understand French, she guessed they were ways leading out of the building.

Two uniformed security personnel, one male and one female, turned the corner and stopped her. She didn’t have a clue what they were asking her.

“I’m searching for the exit,” Gwen said.

“Exit,” the woman said and pointed to a door a few feet away.

“Thank you.
Merci beaucoup
.”

Gwen hurried to the door. She pushed the bar and stepped outside into a small alley. The stench of urine and cigarettes made her stomach churn. Holding her breath, she strode toward the end of the building.

After reaching the sidewalk, Gwen walked along the street in search of taxi. Although the hour was past one in the morning, the traffic hadn’t died much from earlier. The area she was in seemed safe, but she didn’t want to venture too far from the public and end up near the wrong type of crowd.

She’d walked three blocks before she felt the vibration of her phone. She tugged it from her purse and read the message from Pierre.

Where are you?

She prepared her response.

Walking. I left.

While she waited for him to send another message, she stopped at a traffic light. A taxi waited on the other side. Once the light turned in her favor, she crossed and headed for the vehicle.

Her phone buzzed in her hand as she stepped onto the curb. She paused to read Pierre’s reply.

Can you meet me at the Eiffel Tower?

She looked up at the cab. The driver was staring at her through his side mirror while half his arm hung out the window and over the door.

She walked up to the man in the taxi. “Eiffel Tower.”

He gave a nod. “
Oui
.”

Gwen’s mood brightened. Maybe she’d get a chance to have sex with Pierre one last time after all. She opened the back door and fell onto the seat. As the driver started the engine, Gwen typed a message to Pierre.

On my way.

Chapter Five

The taxi stopped underneath the Eiffel Tower, near one of the steel legs. Bright lights illuminated the area and created a soft glow in the early morning hour. The windshield wipers cleared the mist from the front windshield. Rain had showered the car during the drive. Now the drops amounted to little more than a sprinkle. The sidewalks were free from visitors but not security. Two men in uniform peered inside the cab as they walked by. Gwen smiled and nodded.

The driver twisted to face her and spoke in French. She handed him her credit card. Anxiety rose within her as he completed her purchase, his back to her. She would soon find herself alone with Pierre on the Eiffel Tower. No distractions. No interruptions. Nobody around to prevent them from doing what they wanted to do.

“
Merci beaucoup
,” Gwen said as she accepted the receipt and her card. She stuffed them in her purse, then left the dry confines of the vehicle.

Gwen spotted Pierre two car lengths away from where she stood on the sidewalk. Half his arm was inside a taxi as if he were paying for his ride. As she headed for him, he straightened and turned. A bright smile emerged on his face when his gaze landed on her.

“Do I know you, stranger?” Gwen asked with a playful grin. She stopped in front of him.

He looked her down then up while he ran a hand over his mouth as if he were thinking. “I believe we may have met before, yes. I recall admiring your beautiful body. I wondered what it would feel like to touch those plump breasts and taste such sweetness.”

His words set her on fire with lust. She wanted to rip down his trousers and climb aboard his cock. The way he could arouse her so fast truly amazed her.

“You seem like a nice man. Maybe I’ll give you a chance to taste my dessert,” she said.

“An opportunity I cannot pass on. Lucky for you, I have the perfect place for some privacy. Care to join me?” He offered his hand.

She accepted his invitation and he led her to the one of the pillars. An empty sales stand in front had closed signs in several languages behind the glass. Above the canopied booth, a large banner read ‘tickets’. A box office half the size stood off to the side. Pierre guided her toward it. As they approached, Gwen noticed a uniformed woman behind the glass window.

Pierre paused in front of the female guard and waved. She stood and within seconds, walked out of the booth from the side. She held a set of keys in her hand and strode toward the nearby elevator. Stopping in front of it, she activated the power and the doors slid apart. Pierre said a few words to her in French. She gave a nod and said something Gwen didn’t understand.

Pierre stepped inside the elevator with Gwen next to him.

“What did she say?” Gwen asked as the doors shut.

“She said for us to be careful. The metal might be slippery from the rain.”

The lift took them to the second floor where they exited. A small breeze brushed over Gwen and she chilled slightly as they walked to the next elevator. Fortunately, she didn’t have to stay in the cool air for long. The doors opened immediately after Pierre pressed the button.

Standing inside the lift, she rubbed her arms.

“Cold?” Pierre asked.

“Just a little.”

He faced her and slid his hands down her arms. His warm touch spawned more chills.

“Perhaps I can bring you some warmth.” He placed his face close to hers.

Staring at his mouth, she felt the urge to kiss him. He was such a fine kisser. “I could use some heat.”

He moved in to give her what she wanted and parted his lips, but he stopped when the ding sounded. With a deep breath, he took a step back.

The doors opened and Gwen walked out of the lift and onto the top level. She came to a quick stop a few feet from the railing. Wind tossed her hair and skirt, but the view of Paris blew her mind. The scene during the day had been spectacular. At night, the city appeared completely different but just as amazing. Lights showed life existed in the vast darkness and the tower was a beacon.

Warm arms enclosed her. Pierre planted a kiss to the side of her head. “What do you think?”