Page 43 of Save Me

“Of course, you do,” she said. “You plan everything, or so I’ve learned since we got married.” Andie stopped next to him while he texted the car service and gave him a considering look. “It’s hard to believe you were ever a gambler.”

He snorted. “Why do you think I ended up losing my shirt? You can’t plan your way out of a losing hand.”

“Well, I’m glad you got your shirt back…although I do prefer you without it if I’m being honest,” she said with a wink. “Can we go see the Eiffel Tower before we check into the hotel?”

He paused at the main doors. “What if I told you we could see it from our room?”

She gasped and grabbed his arm. “Seriously?”

Eric smiled at her eagerness. “It’s a short car ride away. Very short. I would suggest we walk, but we can’t with all this gear,” he said, indicating their cases.

The car eventually arrived. It maneuvered through the heavy Parisian traffic at a snail’s pace, but soon the trip was over. Andie’s eyes widened when she saw their location.

“Is this the Caislean Paris? Isn’t it impossible to get a room here?”

“It is,” he confirmed. “Which is why it’s useful to know the owner. Patrick is especially proud of this place. It’s their first hotel to earn six stars, but probably not their last.”

He ushered her out of the cab and inside the tall granite building. The spartan exterior blended seamlessly with the lobby interior both rich and elegant without being garish or overdone. Andie whirled in a circle, taking it all in.

“I didn’t know it was possible to get six stars,” she said, her eyes devouring every gleaming surface and decoration.

“I didn’t either until Trick told me,” he replied, handing their cases over to the porter.

They checked in and went up to their suite without further delay. He unlocked the door and Andie was about to step inside when he stopped her, scooping her into his arms unexpectedly.

Andie squealed and laughed and he carried her past the threshold, setting her on her feet just inside the foyer. The grand suite of the Caislean Paris had four rooms—a sitting room, office, dining room, and bedroom. There was also a private deck with an infinity pool and hot tub.

His beautiful bride was stunned into silence. “No way!” she said after a moment, dropping her purse and running from room to room.

It was incredible. He probably owed Patrick a kidney for a suite like this.

“Is Trick going to demand our firstborn for this hook-up?” Andie asked, reading his mind after she had dashed in and out of every room twice.

“Well, I think he’s working on his own right around now,” he said, thinking back to his last conversation with the hotel magnate. Trick had finally met someone, although from what he’d told Eric, the situation was very complicated.

Worry about Trick later, he thought, watching Andie turn around. She sidled up to him, the shimmy of her hips hypnotic.

She flattened her hands on his chest before toying with his collar. “And what about us? Have you changed your mind yet? I can throw away my birth control pills right now…”

Eric closed his eyes as she started to unbutton his shirt. “Don’t tempt me.”

As much as he wanted to start a family, Andie needed time to recover from her ordeal. The added stress of pregnancy was something that could wait—at least until she stopped having nightmares. They were fewer now, but she still woke up in a cold sweat every few weeks.

It’s more like once a month now. She is getting better.

“We need a little more time to enjoy married life,” he said, tracing her collarbone with his fingers. “We should revisit this conversation after our one-year anniversary…”

He had more to say, but he lost his train of thought when Andie parted his shirt, her fingers sliding across the skin of his chest.

“Honestly, I don’t mind right now. I like that we’re alone in this room tonight.”

“Actually, this place is ours for two weeks,” he said starting to nibble on the soft skin of her neck, but Andie pulled abruptly away.

“Two weeks! Shut the front door!”

He grinned and nodded. She started to jump up and down before leaping into his arms. Laughing, he spun her in a circle before carrying her through the double doors of the bedroom.

Dropping her lightly onto the king-sized bed, he started to undress, unzipping as fast as he could. But he was too slow for Andie. She pulled him on top of her with a wicked grin.

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