Page 62 of Obsession

At this moment, even if I did have some ulterior motive, it vanishes. I am the seasoned adult in this relationship, and right now, she looks like a child who has been given a toy but is scared to touch it for fear of it being taken away from her.

“None,” I say calmly, sipping my coffee and watching her.

She swallows, and I can see the struggle on her face.

“So, you’re just being nice to me?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” I murmur.

“Well, this is what one would call a grand gesture. What else would you call it?”

“I get to spend time with you.”

The words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself, and her eyes turn wide, and she blushes fiercely.

“What?”

Now that it’s out there, I can’t exactly take it back, so I take another sip of coffee and allow her to process what I’ve just admitted.

“I don’t get it–” Megan cuts herself off, a tight smile on her face. “No, you know what? I’m not even going to ask. Because the answer is probably something that I don’t want to hear, this might be the only chance I get to come to Paris. I willingly got on the plane. We’re here. So, I’m going to enjoy myself.”

She sounds so determined that it’s adorable, and I smile into my cup. “Go crazy. I won’t stop you.”

She takes out her phone and starts searching for something.

“It’s the weekend, so some museums and art galleries have free entries. You have to wait in line, but we can still get in, and–“

“I assure you I can afford to get you a fast pass into any museum in the city,” I say, feeling a little insulted, but Megan isn’t listening.

“There’s a coupon for a lunch menu in–“

“Megan!” I growl at her, and she looks up.

“I brought you here on a private plane. I’m funding this trip. Stop looking for coupons and free entries. It’s a waste of time and energy when we only have a few days here.”

She frowns now. “No, that’ll make it seem like I’m using you for your money.”

“Not when I’m offering it.” I stare at her. “Plus, I have plenty of it.”

She looks back down at her phone and continues to scroll whatever tourist discount site she’s on.

“I don’t like you because of your money, and I don’t want you getting that idea.”

Her words are thoughtless, and I blink, absorbing them and their meaning.

“Come again?”

“What?” She gives me a distracted look.

“You said you like me.”

I don’t know why her words make me feel so taken aback but also, dare I say, they make me feel good?

This time, when she blushes, she shrugs a deliberate movement.

“Well, you’re nice to me a lot, even when I yell at you. And you haven’t shot me even once, although you shoot other people. And you took care of me, twice by my count, even though I can sometimes be a complete bitch.”

“I never once thought you were a bitch,” I say with a smirk, wondering why her words sound so pleasant.

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