Page 55 of A Thirst for Franc

“You told him we had sex?” Every insecurity that had left me last night found its way back. I swallowed as the repercussions of our tryst played out in my head. People would talk. I didn’t think I’d care, but my past didn’t want me to get too comfortable.

“God, no. He knows about your car and what happened on Chicken Valley Road. He knows you had no choice but to stay the night.”

“Oh!” All the mind blowing sex made me forget why I was even here. “How am I going to get home? I need to shower and change and—” My eyes searched the room for a clock. “I don’t have time. You have to get to work.”

“I have it all taken care of. Relax.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead. His lips were like a hit of serotonin. “Now eat, and when you’re done, jump in the shower.”

“I don’t have anything to change into.”

“They already are washed and in the dryer. You can go home and change after, but at least you’ll be able to put clean clothes on.”

Gratitude slammed into me. “When did you have time to do that?”

“I’ve been up since six.”

“You should have woken me up.”

“Nah. You looked too damn peaceful. Plus, it’s nice to take care of you for once.”

“The difference is you pay me to take care of you and Gio.”

He moved the hand with the bacon away from my lips and kissed me. “You always go above and beyond. Like when you were cleaning and dancing.”

My hand landed on my face, an embarrassed rush of heat filling my cheeks. “Not my finest moment.”

“Oh, but it was. You were very sexy.”

“Then you should see me doing the macarena.”

“You know what that is?” He didn’t even bother to downplay the shock on his face.

“I’m twenty-seven, not an idiot.”

Franc held his hands up. “I never said that. It’s just you were… how old when that song came out?”

“I think it came out a year after I was born.”

“Jesus Christ.” Franc dropped heavy on the mattress and thrust his fingers through his hair. “Why the hell would you even want to be with me?”

I grabbed his wrist and lowered his hand to settle in my lap. “Whywouldn’tI want to be with you? You make me smile and laugh. You listen when I talk. You make me feel beautiful and appreciated. You make me feel like an equal and not someone you can or want to dismiss.”

“Have people dismissed you before? Because if they have, they’re fucking idiots.”

A smile tugged at the edge of my mouth. “And you say things like that. Not to mention the insane orgasms you gave me.”

He rested his forehead on mine, intent in his smoky eyes. “How about I remind you again?” His hand slipped beneath the sheet, cupping my breast, his thumb brushing across my already hard nipple. The slam of a car door radiated from outside, and Franc jumped away. “Shit. They’re here early. Finish eating.”

“Finish eating? I’m naked.”

“Don’t remind me,” he grumbled and hurried out the door.

I expected Gio to fly through the door before I even made it halfway down the stairs, so I was surprised when I walked to the porch, and Gio hadn’t zoomed past me. Laurent stood, arms folded over his chest against his BMW, key dangling from his hand. Off to his left, Phoebe sat in her car on her phone, probably dealing with some crisis at the resort. She waved when she saw me.

“Hi, Phoebs,” I mouthed as I approached Laurent. “Where’s my son?”

“Rose and Wyatt took him to breakfast. I thought it would be less confusing for him to see his nanny here before he was.”

“Thanks. Did you tell Rose?” I asked, knowing the minute one sibling knew, it was only a matter of hours before the whole damn clan was informed. Even if they thought nothing happened, they would insinuate something did. The fact that something did happen… they’d be as annoying as ever.

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