Page 19 of All the Gossip from Paris
“Really?”
“Yeah, and so was the one about the hedge fund billionaire. I loved that one too.”
“A word of warning. If you ever meet one of the males of the Royal family, don’t mention that show to them. My father and brothers all said it was so lame,” snorted Sophie.
A quizzical look appeared briefly on Liam’s face. “Oh god! It must be weird watching a show where the actors pretend to be billionaires. Cos you guys are actually real billionaires.”
“I think it had a lot to do with how badly they behaved. How they were able to get around the law so easily. I’m not sure how it works in America, but if my family did half the things they did on that showthey’d all be in prison. Or bankrupt. Or both.”
Freeing the remote from Liam’s grasp she tossed it onto the bed, then announced. “I’m going to order us both a hot chocolate from the late night dining menu. Along with one of those huge American cookies.”
Camille was always talking about the monstrous sized cookies that could be found in New York City. Sophie wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
“I suppose we did both work up a bit of an appetite just now. And hot chocolate sounds good. Hopefully it will put us both to sleep,” said Liam.
Sophie picked up the bedside phone and called room service.
Liam studied the large chocolate chip cookie in his hand. He was in bed in a luxury hotel suite, wearing expensive leisurewear, and sipping hot chocolate. Seated beside him was the beautiful French woman, who had shown him a night of passion he wouldn’t ever forget.
The TV show was still playing but he wasn’t paying it any attention. His thoughts were focused on one thing. That after today, there was a good chance he wouldn’t ever see Sophie again.
A crushing sadness threatened to overwhelm him.
There’d been plenty of women after his engagement with Brooke had ended. Dozens of one night stands. Most of them were hard and fast encounters. All of them meaningless.
Yet tonight with Sophie had touched him. Deeply.
She was bold, dare he say fearless. The aura of confidence she wore, had Liam thoroughly captivated. And as much as he tried to tell himself this was purely about sex, he couldn’t quite convince himself that it was true.
He kept stealing glances at her. The last time he’d done it, he’d found her doing the exact same thing. They’d exchanged silly embarrassed giggles.
Now, staring at the cookie in his hand, Liam found himself recalling happier times with his ex-fiancée. Cookies and hot chocolate. That was the life he’d always assumed he and Brooke would be sharing. But she was now married to someone else. To Liam’s former best friend. The guy she’d cheated on him with.
Stop it. Remember you promised you wouldn’t think about her. About them.
“So how long are you planning to stay in New York? Are you going to be here for a little while longer,” he asked.
Stupid question. This was meant to be a one-time only thing between them. She lived in Paris, and he was always getting on planes that took him to far flung places.
Cue the splash of cold water on his hopes.
Sophie set down her cup of cocoa, and lay back against the enormous pile of pillows. “Mama and Papa have declared this is a lightning visit. We will watch Cami’s show. Then we’ll be back on the jet and headed to Paris tonight.”
The Royal family didn’t travel by ordinary plane—no they flew in a private jet. Liam couldn’t begin to imagine what that sort of luxury looked like, though the hotel suite gave him a big enough clue. It would be amazing.
These people never had to sit in cattle-class. They didn’t line up for the one or two toilets which hadn’t broken mid-flight. And he doubted they’d ever heard those dreaded words ‘I’m sorry but we are fresh out of the chicken meal.’
“That’s a long way to come for just one night in New York,” said Liam.
“Yes, it is. But the seats on the jet convert to beds. So we will sleep on the flight home if we’re tired.”
She said it in such a matter of fact way that Liam had to bite back a laugh. He was still thinking of how different a life he and she lived, when Sophie plucked his half eaten cookie out of his hands. Picking up both the cups she disappeared out of the room.
Liam was still wondering what Sophie was up to, when she finally returned to the bedroom. One look at her naked body gave him all the clues he would need. She was ready for round three.
He was more than willing to deliver.
CHAPTER TEN
