26 Hours in Paris Read online

  “He doesn’t seem to enjoy his job,” Kat observed.

  “Not necessarily so,” Marko laughed. “It’s just his way of acknowledging the tourists. That attitude is as expected as the lighting of the Eiffel Tower at night.”

  “I guess,” she replied, watching the other waiters interact with patrons. They weren’t rude or nasty; however, they all wore blasé expressions on their faces.

  Marko pulled his chair beside hers and rested his arm across her back. Awareness prickled up her spine as his fingers caressed her nape.

  “I’m guessing you’ve been in contact with Paul and Justin,” she said. “Did they update you on my whole itinerary?”

  “Yes,” he replied, meeting her gaze, clearly unabashed with the admission, but pulling away for the first time since they’d met in the terminal. His jaw set hard, he dropped his arm from the back of her chair. “Why didn’t you come to the Empire State Building as we’d agreed?”

  Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away and worried her lower lip. She couldn’t find the words to express why, but she had to be honest. “I went early,” she whispered. “I couldn’t stay.”

  “Why?” He leaned forward, but didn’t reach for her.

  She replayed the night in her mind. Every thought. Every hope. Every picture she’d seen of him over the years. They lived in two different universes, and fate had chosen very different paths for them. Every morning he woke in a posh home or a luxury hotel in any corner of the world. On almost every morning of her mundane life, she woke on a futon, in a shared rental, in the same state she’d always lived in.

  “It wouldn’t work,” she breathed, and managed to glance into his dark eyes. “I couldn’t stay and deal with it if you showed up. Even more, I didn’t know what I’d do if you didn’t. I did what you accused me of doing after my father died. I ran away.”

  “From me,” he said, catching a solitary tear that escaped from the corner of her eye. “From us.”

  Nodding, she dropped her shoulders and clasped her hands in her lap. She tried to swallow the knot lodged in her throat. Tried to miss the disappointment in his face, but she couldn’t lie to herself or to him. She owed him that much. “I’m sorry, Marko. I couldn’t face the possibility of an us and the hurt that would follow.”

  Their drinks arrived at that very moment. They fell silent.

  “I’ll let that go for now. I share in the responsibility for us being apart all this time. We made our choices. Our choices have made us.” His chest expanded, and he reached for her intertwined hands and pulled them into his own lap. “I have a few important decisions to make in the next few days. Tomorrow will be very telling. I’m scheduled to meet with a New York–based firm for a position in Manhattan. I also have a few offers in Europe to consider. Once we’ve caught up, I’d like your input. Your opinion means everything to me.”

  Kat licked her lips and nodded. “Anything I can do to help, I will.”

  “There’s one thing that will help. Only one. And since we are together right now, I won’t allow a single doubt to come between us. You’ve agreed to the next twenty-four hours together. I won’t let you run. There’s no choice. Understand?”

  She understood. She didn’t have any desire to run. She wouldn’t grow old regretting that she’d walked away from the best day of her life. “I don’t want to run.”

  “Good,” he said, sweeping his thumb over her cheek and wiping away the tears. He gave her lips a quick kiss. “I’m happy you’re here, and I’m so proud that you’re finally following your dreams. Tell me about the research you need to do.”

  Taking a deep breath, she accepted the olive branch he’d offered and returned to the moment. “The guy who was supposed to write the Valentine’s Day feature left City Wings on a rather sour note. Actually, Paul kicked him out on his ass when he found questionable expenses on his corporate card and deleted his proposal for a story. He’s history. The douchebag’s spot is up for grabs, and so is the byline.”

  “So Paul gave you the assignment?”

  “Not quite.” She leaned back and waited for the waiter to place her omelet on the table. “This looks heavenly.”

  Marko smiled and spooned whipped cream on her hot chocolate. “Go on.”

  “In typical Paul fashion, he pitted my story idea against Charlie’s proposal. That’s my roommate and best girlfriend. She’s been there for over two years, has a point to prove to her family, and also wants her own byline more than anything else. Paul wants a catfight. He thinks that we each want it so bad that we’ll turn on each other.”

  “I doubt that, sweetheart.” He laughed and shook his head. “That’s just Paul.” He adjusted her plate and cut into her eggs. Forking a mouthful, he presented it and waited for her to accept.

  She closed her lips around the small bite, and didn’t question the ease with which she’d reverted to speaking to and confiding in the man who was destined to break her heart. Instead, she gave in to the feeling. Damn, she deserved some happiness.

  “Anyway, he’s not getting the fight. I told Charlie to write the best feature she can, because that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

  “Hence, your Paris research.”

  “Exactly,” she replied, sipping the hot chocolate and licking the whipped cream off her upper lip. “I have a list of all the best places to fall in love. I also made a schedule.” She retrieved her folder and placed it in the center of the small table.

  She continued eating while he flipped through the stapled sheets. Each grin, smirk, or shake of his head had her perching on the edge of her seat. He didn’t look up until he’d reviewed the whole file and anticipation was pushing at her calm.

  “Well?”

  “Impressive list.” He cocked his head in an amused tilt. “If we start right now, we’ll be done two minutes before City Wings hits the stands. I’m sorry, Kat. You either need to remain in Paris for much longer or return to the city for weeks to cover that list. It’s impossible to see all those places in one day.”

  “You promised,” she reminded him. “You can do whatever you set your mind to. Are you backing out on me, Marko Renard?”

  “No, sweetheart.” He smiled and touched her chin. “I’m absolutely doing what I’ve set my mind to. As far as your research, we’ve started with the perfect spot. Not to fall in love with Paris—but to find love in Paris.”

  She wrinkled her nose, but let him guide her to look past the window and at the pedestrians outside.

  “I introduce to you the sidewalk café. These are the places to see and be seen, to meet new and old people, and to fuel your heart’s desires for any adventure. Whether a tourist trap or a local gathering spot, large or small, expensive or affordable, a Parisian café is at the core of all relationships.”

  “I see.”

  There was a young couple snuggled together at a table beneath the same heater she’d spied earlier. They fed each other a decadent-looking chocolate cake and shared long kisses between bites. A grandmother played with a baby, while a younger version of the woman motioned a young man to the table and offered him a chair to join them. Two men laughed as they exchanged animated stories. An older couple shared a cup of tea in silence, but with hands intertwined beneath the table.

  “I like the café angle,” she announced. “It’s romantic.”

  “It may be romantic, but it’s not an angle. It’s a way of life.” He looked over her head and nodded to someone. “Now what about the bridges?”

  “There are so many. At first, I wanted to see the Pont des Arts and envision all the lovers who had left locks there through time, but a man I met on the plane mentioned a different bridge that piqued my interest.”

  With a grimace, he held up a finger and requested she hold the thought. Kat turned to see a messenger approach them. Dressed rather fashionably for someone who made his living on a bicycle, the young man greeted them, then handed her a luxurious black and silver shopping bag.

  Marko thanked the deliveryman,
and placed a bill in his hand as he returned the signed slip. The other fellow gave a slight bow and tipped an imaginary hat. “Adieu.”

  “So which bridge intrigued you?” Marko asked, taking the bag from her hands and pulling on the silver tie.

  “The Pont Marie. He . . .”

  Marko produced a red cashmere wrap. He fit the oversized garment around her shoulders and arranged the way it flowed down her body.

  Swaddled in pure luxury, she raised the soft material against her cheek. “Thank you. I love it.”

  “You’re welcome.” He rolled the edge between his fingers. “It was a self-serving gift. At least you’ll be warm while we stroll through Paris. Tell me, why Pont Marie?”

  “Cyril, the man on the plane, said it was the first place he fell in love because an older girl kissed him beneath the bridge as legend requires.”

  “Okay. That one is easy,” he said, a shadow crossing his handsome features. He reached for his espresso and looked at her with a bright twinkle playing in his eyes. “We’ll have an afternoon picnic there.”

  “Not fair. You’ve taken over planning the whole schedule.” It was a fail of a scolding. Marko was efficient and complete in everything he did, and she had no reason for concern. Just because she was relieved didn’t mean she couldn’t protest for fun’s sake. “Please remember it’s my research, dear friend.”

  “Kat, I haven’t seen you or spent any time with you in over five years. You no longer hold a friend card over me.” He sipped the remainder of his coffee. “You agreed to my terms. Therefore, I arrange the schedule. I keep you warm, and I make all our plans. I assure you will have the material for your article. You don’t argue.”

  “Sounds like I’m supposed to surrender my will and do everything you want.”

  No verbal reply. He raised a dark brow and cocked his head.

  “You’re serious?”

  “I am.” He tucked a stray lock behind her ear and caressed the side of her neck. “Let me spoil you, Kat. Allow me to make decisions and plans.”

  Her insides went soft and a molten pleasure spread through her chest. It would be such an indulgence to let go.

  “For once in your life,” he continued in a soft voice, “live in the moment and don’t worry. Relax and enjoy. Trust me to take care of you and all your needs.”

  “I do trust you,” she said, studying his expression and wanting more than anything to simply be with him. “Okay. No more arguments from me.”

  He sealed the agreement with a coffee-flavored kiss. “Good choice,” he said. “Eat up. You need your energy for the day.” He pulled a small piece of bread off a baguette and popped it in his mouth while she finished her eggs and followed his advice. She relaxed into the moment.

  “Why the grin?” Kat asked, heat sparking her insides at his expression.

  “I’m thinking of how the cashmere will keep you covered and warm when we visit the highlights on your list. But mostly, I’m imagining how it will feel against your bare skin when you cry my name as I make you come, at the location of my choice. ” He stretched out his hand and turned up his palm. “Give me your panties.”

  Chapter Seven

  He knew what she needed.

  He knew what she needed.

  He knew what she needed, and Marko repeated it over and over in his head.

  Holding his hand steady, he looked into her eyes and waited. Kat resumed breathing and her luscious lips softened. He could see the argument brewing in her mind with each pass of her teeth over her lower lip. She needed to be pushed.

  Once upon a time, he’d chosen the patient and understanding path. He’d listened to her concerns and had given them credence. Unfortunately, it was caution that had ruled their paths after his wrong handling of the situation. Kat’s hesitation had kept them apart when he could have settled her family’s financial situation, if only she’d allowed him to help. If he could have made payments on the home until she graduated or paid off the remaining mortgage for her, she would have been free to follow her dream of grad school in Europe—at his side. Rather, the stubborn woman had insisted on doing it all herself. Without him.

  Without him was no longer an option. He’d tried it her way, but he knew what he wanted. Past, present, and future. He wanted her. She needed a push. He was going to push.

  “Would you prefer to stand so I could remove them myself?”

  She shook her head and her fingers went white around the edges of the wrap. With a nervous glance around the café, she clearly weighed the chances of being seen, but the flush on her face revealed that the possibility excited her. “I’m doing it. I was just trying to remember if the thong was over or under the garters.”

  “Over. I remember,” he said in a steely tone. He wriggled his fingers to show his impatience, and he smiled inwardly when she squirmed in her seat, her dainty hands disappearing beneath the cashmere.

  Marko worked to maintain a calm and collected façade while his heart pounded in his chest and excitement buzzed in his ears. He’d give Kat all she needed and, in the process, he’d fulfill her every desire and fantasy. There was no misinterpreting her expression of yearning to relinquish control. He was the man for this woman, and he’d grant her every wish.

  With her gaze sealed to his, she placed a shaky fist in his hand and slowly opened her fingers. Warm with her heat, the silk seared a trail from his palm to his cock. “Are you wet?”

  Wide-eyed, she nodded.

  “Nice,” he replied, fitting her offering into a pocket inside his suit. He placed his palm on her left knee, finding it clamped tight against the other. He grinned and leaned closer, brushing his lips just below her ear. “Relax your knees, Kat.”

  She let out a small breath, but did as he instructed.

  Slow and deliberate, he smoothed his hand up her sheer stockings to the soft flesh of her upper thighs. Her muscles tensed beneath his fingers, and a small moan escaped her lips. She looked only at him.

  “Wider,” he said, rounding his hand over the curve of her smooth flesh and sliding higher on her thigh.

  Heat radiated between her legs. His fingers skimmed her bare skin, and waves of her desire rolled beneath his fingertips. He slowly caressed the length of her inner thigh, fighting the need to move higher and bury himself in her warmth.

  Yet another moan from her lips, and he returned up her thigh and feathered a rewarding touch over her sweet heat.

  “Does it please you to know the couple sitting beyond that window is watching the glorious flush on your face deepen?”

  For the first time since she’d handed over her panties, she broke eye contact and looked at the two young men sitting outside on the terrace. Their attractive features included knowing grins, as their arms crossed at table height. Each of their hands cupped the other’s excited bulge.

  One of the men angled his coat so his partner had enough privacy from the patrons on the street, but not from Kat’s view. He lowered his partner’s zipper, revealed a thick erection, and fisted his lover’s shaft. The other man’s hand joined him, and they pumped quick and hard in perfect unison.

  She squeezed her thighs together and writhed in her seat.

  “Time for us to go,” Marko announced with a chuckle. He withdrew his hand and spread his fingers to either side of her knees, bringing them together. “The plan doesn’t include being arrested for public sex or indecent exposure at a popular café and spending time apart, no matter how much I want to strip you and take you on this very table.”

  * * *

  Marko secured the cashmere wrap over her coat, tucked Kat’s hand through his arm, and started toward the left—in the opposite direction of the way she’d stepped.

  “I lead,” he reminded her.

  She shrugged and laced her hand through his arm. With her free hand, she adjusted her coat. He touched a hand over his chest, savoring the knowledge of the treasure his pocket contained. She’d responded beautifully to his command.

  Marko set a comfortable pace, a
nd with a few more foxing turns on quaint cobblestone roads and narrow lanes, they were almost to the river before he spoke again. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quiet for this long.”

  “That was crazy,” Kat said, a faraway look still on her face. “How could—what will they—well, you know.”

  No question. Her rational mind was thinking about the logistics of the other couple’s situation. He laughed. “Ah, bella. That’s their concern, not ours. I’m sure the thrill of their exhibition died down once you left.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” he replied, pulling her hand into his pocket to keep it warm. “Put the other hand in your coat pocket. It’s still cold.”

  Considering her sweet astonishment, he laughed. “You haven’t managed to shake that adorable ‘seriously’ question. I hope you never do. It always makes me smile. You act so surprised with the most basic of facts and the obvious effect you have on others. If I had been one of those men, I would have done anything to keep you transfixed so I could see the color on your cheeks. You looked so pretty watching in shocked awe.”

  “I was shocked,” she insisted.

  “I know,” he drawled, unsuccessfully attempting to stop his laughter. “There was actual quiet at our table for more than a few minutes.”

  She playfully smacked his shoulder and joined in laughing. “Come on. That can’t be a common occurrence. Not even in Paris.”

  “The effect you have on people isn’t common,” he replied. “You are the only woman to cause me to stumble over my own feet and lose my composure. You are breathtaking.”

  * * *

  Once again, she’d been caught off guard. Kat didn’t know how to reply. No one spoke to her like that. No one made her feel wonderful. “Thank you,” she breathed.

  The feel of his fingers, intertwined with hers, gave her security and strength in each step she took. She felt no need to carry a conversation, and she didn’t mind where they ended up. “Everything here is so full of personality. I can’t decide where to go and what to do.”