Page 9 of All the Gossip from Paris
When he returned, Liam was carrying a large paper bag, and several bottles of water. He set the bag on the table. “Are you ready to go dance off some of this amazing food?” he asked.
Sophie glanced at the takeout bag, but said nothing. Hopefully their driver would be alright with them bringing the food into the car. Liam seemed pretty keen to take it with them.
I didn’t realize he was that short on money.
“There is a dance club called Neo, not far from here. It plays mostly 90’s with some more recent stuff mixed in. It’s the best I could find without having to travel too far in the city,” she replied.
Her American cousin Jordan, who used to be a regular frequenter of nightclubs, had personally recommended the place.
Wiping the last of the chicken from her fingers with a moist towelette, Sophie rose from her chair. She followed Liam out into the street. But instead of making for their waiting car, and the driver who was standing on the sidewalk, Liam keep walking.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
Liam flashed a grin over his shoulder. “Back in a sec. Just need to do something.” He disappeared around the corner and into a nearby alley.
Tempted as she was to follow him and find out what he was up to, Sophie’s security training stopped her. She stayed exactly where she was, in a well-lit area. Close to the protection of the Royal Resorts driver. Being a member of an international family of billionaires meant she never took her personal safety for granted.
Liam reappeared a couple of minutes later. Pointing back toward the way he’d just come, he explained. “When I took our unfinished meals to the counter, I paid for some rice, coleslaw, and a couple of bottles of water. The server bagged it all up. I just gave it to some people who were sleeping rough in the alley over there.”
Their food had gone to some homeless people. Whatever feelings she might have had about him wandering off leaving her standing on the sidewalk were instantly forgotten. Not only had Liam made sure that none of their food went to waste, he’d added in some extras to make a proper meal for those who were less fortunate.
“That was very kind of you,” she said.
Liam winced at the compliment. “Kind to them. But rude to you. I should have asked if you wanted to come with me. It didn’t cross my mind. I’m sorry.”
Sophie mustered a forgiving smile. “That’s ok. You did a nice thing.” She wasn’t about to mention that she was used to being forgotten about. That in her family she was often just a footnote in everyone else’s life.
Let’s not go with the self-pity Sophie. He doesn’t need to know you’re the family loser.
This was one night where she was determined to just be her real self. To shrug off the expectations of others. To have some fun.
She was with a great guy. He was hot, even hotter now that she’d seen he was a real person. Someone who cared about others. He’d done a wonderfully spontaneous thing for some complete strangers. Liam Collins was nice.
Nice men are sexy as fuck.
As they made their way over to the town car, Sophie started rethinking their plans for the rest of the evening. If they went to a nightclub, the music would be great for dancing. Not so great for talking. She wanted to get to know more about Liam.
Taking a hold of his arm, Sophie said. “We could just skip the 90’s dance nightclub, and go somewhere else. I’m sure New Kids on the Block won’t mind.”
They were in central New York City; she could ask the driver to drop them off at the Royal Resorts hotel in lower Manhattan. The mention of her family name and she’d have a room key in her hand within minutes.
“Are you sure? I mean if you still want to go to a nightclub, I’ll go,” he replied.
The driver opened the door for them, but Sophie lingered on the sidewalk. She wanted the decision as to where they went next to be settled before she got into the car. To her relief, the Royal Resorts driver took the hint. He went and got behind the steering wheel.
She stepped into Liam’s space. “I’d like to go someplace where you and I can relax. I know you have a big day tomorrow, so maybe we just take it easy for the rest of the evening.”
His brown bedroom eyes met hers. “Ok. Sounds like a plan.”
Netflix and hopefully chill, it was.
CHAPTER FIVE
He’d known that the Royal family were rich. Like seriously rich. But he still wasn’t prepared for the surreal experience of watching Sophie saunter up to the check in desk of the luxurious Royal Resorts hotel in Manhattan, casually offer them her name, and have a team of senior hotel staff suddenly appear out of nowhere. It was like magic.
Sophie smiled sweetly at everyone. Apparently, she knew one or two of them by name from when they’d done rotations at the Royal Resorts hotel in Paris.
For someone who was used to checking into the cheapest hotel in whatever city he was staying in, Liam found it more than a little intimidating. Within seconds of him setting his camera bag and satchel down on the foyer’s marble floor, a member of the concierge team had picked them up and whisked them away.
