Page 59 of From the Moment We Met

He smiled, leaning against the counter. "Paris is beautiful. There’s an otherworldly feel to the city; a leisurely pace despite the bustle. And the smells from the patisseries are enough to make your mouth water." He turned on the stereo, turning to Lilly and extending his hand. "May I have this dance?"

"La Vie en Rose" played through the speakers and Lilly hid a smile behind her hand. She was right, this man was no Hollywood playboy but a romantic whose heart had been closed off by a world that didn't appreciate sentimentality.

He pulled her close as they swayed to the music in his kitchen. Lilly lost herself in his gaze, and the walls of the kitchen faded. She could almost hear the sounds of a Parisian street in the background.

He twirled her, bringing her back to the comfort of his embrace, his lips pressing against hers. "I'll take you to Paris, Lilly."

For once, her heart didn't allow her mind to over analyze his words. This moment belonged to the ideals of love and romance. "What would we do there?"

Jacob grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to the curve of her neck. "I would have to take you to the top of the Eiffel Tower—tourist trap though it may be—it's still a requirement. But we would also stand below and see her light up in the evening. It's magical, watching the city come alive. It's as if time stands still for just a moment and all the lovers that ever walked the Parisian streets are together."

Lilly willed her heart to stop fluttering but soon gave up, this evening was worthy of some palpitations. "Their love returns to the one place where it was always understood."

His jaw twitched, his eyes lit with a fire she hadn't seen there before. She sensed he wanted to say something, a response so intimate his body could barely contain it, but at the last minute he held back. "The Pont des Arts no longer allows the locks, but I would take you there regardless. Sneak a lock when no one is looking."

"I thought the locks were for lovers."

He closed the small space between them, framing her face with his hands. "The locks are for people in love, Lilly."

Before she could stumble her way through a response, his mouth claimed hers in an unspoken promise, pushing the mundane reality she’d always known before further away. She lost all sense of time as the kiss continued on, unbroken, the only sound the faint strains of French music and the rain on the windows.

“Jacob, the landscape architect called—" A female voice broke their moment, wrenching them back to reality. “Oh goodness, I’m sorry.”

Jacob looked up, holding Lilly against his chest. "Hi, Hannah."

Lilly turned the color of her dress, her ears burning with embarrassment. She stepped away from Jacob, walking over to his housekeeper. "Hannah, it's so good to see you."

Hannah smiled warmly. "Lilly, I'm so glad you're here. Jacob isn't the same without you."

Lilly glanced at Jacob, smiling at the flush that crept up his neck. "I'm glad I'm here too."

"French music, very nice,” Hannah murmured.

"Lilly wants to visit Paris, I figured this was the closest I could get tonight."

Hannah squeezed Lilly around the shoulders. "You should take her, Jacob. It truly is the city of lovers."

His bright blue eyes held Lilly's, a seductive smile on his lips. "I plan on it."

Hannah cleared her throat, chuckling. "I apologize for breaking the moment. I didn't realize you were here."

"It's fine, Hannah," Lilly replied, offering a warm smile.

"May I borrow this fine gentleman for a few moments? Just some boring business talk about house repairs."

Lilly giggled. "Of course, steal away."

Jacob squeezed Lilly's shoulders as he walked past, dropping a kiss on the back of her neck. "I'll be right back."

Hannah and Jacob left the room, and Lilly fanned herself, willing her heart rate and temperature down. Her fingers pressed against her lips, smiling at how his mouth felt against hers. That kiss was one for the record books. A giggle escaped. She had experienced a full array of the kisses in Jacob's arsenal—from angry to raw to sweet to...loving. Their kiss tonight radiated love. She couldn't be the only one who felt it.

She stood at the kitchen counter, taking the time to admire his home without appearing like an ogling idiot. It was immaculately decorated yet it didn't reek of pretension. It felt comfortable despite Lilly's knowledge that the vase was likely a Ming and the painting was probably not a reproduction Rembrandt.

"So long as I don't touch anything, we should be safe," Lilly murmured to herself.

"Having a good conversation?" Jacob asked, stepping back into the kitchen.

Lilly released a self-conscious laugh, feeling her damn ears flame again. Christ, she could fill in for Rudolph at this rate. "Just telling myself not to get too close to anything. Don't want to break a priceless artifact."

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