Page 125 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

I ran back inside the suite and jumped on Tristan’s body. He grunted and opened his eyes while I beamed at him. I couldn’t stop myself from peppering his face with kisses, and he chuckled.

“You brought me to Paris?”

“Seemed like a great place for our first date,” he rasped.

“You brought me here for a date?”

“Yes.” He smiled, his fingers tracing my thigh gingerly.

“How long are we staying?”

“Twenty-four hours. We have kids waiting for us back in California.”

We’d spoken to the twins on FaceTime a few hours before we went to sleep. I was surprised Nana and Mrs. Sanchester had known nothing about the sudden trip when we spoke to them on the phone.

“I have a reservation at seven for our date, and then we have a flight to catch tomorrow morning,” he explained.

“We need the Parisian experience. Get up. We are going for a walk.” I dragged him to the shower with me.

After resisting not touching Tristan in the shower we shared, I dressed quickly, and we left the hotel. We took a stroll down the narrow streets, surrounded by sophisticated architectural structures and monuments. I wanted to explore every nook and cranny of the city. I wanted to sit outside the cafés and observe the Parisians going about their day. I wanted to listen to street musicians, visit a local restaurant, try every patisserie, and buy a baguette. I wanted the French experience, and twenty-four hours wasn’t enough to enjoy what this grandiose and enchanting city had to offer.

Tristan and I walked past a huge cathedral, where I took a few pictures and selfies. We strolled down the river’s edge and stopped at a gourmet food shop. Watching Tristan communicate in French to the food vendor was the hottest thing ever.

Our next stop was a patisserie. I was tempted to try every pastry. We had macarons, croissants, and coffee. We had enough time to walk down the banks of the Seine. I was the happiest person right now. Building these memories with Tristan made me want to scream my feelings for him to the whole world.

We’d made it late to our reservation because of me. Vina had forgotten to pack me a curling iron or a hairbrush, so I’d ended up styling my hair in a bun that made my forehead look shiny and big.

We had the best wine, and the food was sublime. We left an hour later, and Tristan took me on a yacht. I watched the city lights that blended so perfectly with the skyline. I felt like a kid about to unwrap her Christmas present as we drove past the Eiffel Tower. No words could describe my short moment here or the emotions coursing through my veins as Tristan wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my neck.

“I have always wanted to come here as a kid. I had this sticker of the Eiffel Tower on my dresser.” I laughed.

“Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you don’t have to fulfill a childhood need.”

“True,” I agreed. “How many countries have you visited?”

“I don’t know. Too many.” He shrugged.

“Which one was your favorite?”

“Mexico.”

“Really?” I turned back to look at him, not expecting that answer.

“It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen.”

He told me about his trip to Mexico, and I laughed at his attempt to pronounce some of the places he had visited.

We stopped by a store on our way to the hotel and bought a few gifts for everyone. I was already having withdrawal symptoms as we entered the elevator.

“Can you help me undo the straps on my heels? My feet are burning,” I groaned.

He went on his knees, and the sight brought heat to the apex of my thighs. Thank God we were the only ones inside the elevator. He looked up at me as he undid the first strap, as if he could hear the thoughts in my head. His eyes trailed up the sheer stockings hooked to the garter belt hidden under my dress.

“Make it quick before someone gets in and thinks something different,” I said, and he smiled a wicked smile.

He undid the second strap and took off the shoe, but he didn’t stand up. Instead, he trailed kisses up my thigh, his palms crawling up through my dress till he could feel the lace garter belt. He grunted.

“Tell me to stop,” he said, biting a spot closer to my crotch.

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