The Vintner and The Vixen

Chapter 15

Maya stretched. A girl could get used to this. Super-sexy man in bed next to her. A bevy of staff to cater to her every whim. Her days busy enough to keep her occupied without being overwhelmed or worrying about paying the rent. Yup, this was the life. Except she knew it wouldn't last.

Jacques had made no further mention of the future, but every day he seemed more relaxed, spent more time doing the things he enjoyed, including her, rather than being wrapped up in his business. He'd gone back to Paris for only three days since his return from Russia, and he'd come home each night, claiming he couldn't sleep apart from her. It was more likely that he was making the most of having an enthusiastic sex partner. But as she slept so much better spooned against his body after at least two rounds of lovemaking, she wasn't about to complain.

As enjoyable as lying in bed was, she had work to do. Today she wanted to finish the painting of Charles, Jacques, and Daniel that Jacques had asked her to paint weeks ago. He was going to present it to Charles at the festival.

Then there were a few last-minute details for tomorrow's event to tidy up. Jacques had insisted on hiring someone to deal with all the problems that would inevitably come up on the day so Maya could enjoy the party. She'd spent two days with the event planner and felt confident the woman would deal with any eventualities even better than Maya. Plus Michelle would be on hand to help as well.

Jacques had asked her several times about what she was going to wear, even offering to take her to Paris. But she wanted it to be a secret, a surprise. She wiggled away from him, trying not to wake him, but he stirred at the loss of her body heat.

"Where are you going? It's barely dawn." His sexy morning voice nearly made her crawl back against him.

"I've got work to do. We aren't all billionaire comtes-in-waiting who can laze in bed all day."

He sat up, the sheet dropping to his waist, exposing his naked chest. She licked her lips, and a come-here smile pulled his mouth upward. God, that smile could melt concrete. "You keep harping on about my title. I think you want one of your own." He said it teasingly, but his eyes had suddenly turned serious.

She laughed, but there was an edge of nervousness in it. "Can you imagine me with a title? Maya, the inked countess."

"Having tattoos doesn't disqualify you from being a countess. Especially when the eventual count able to confer the title is very fond of them."

She completely ignored the veiled implication. Because that was just too mind-blowing to contemplate at this hour of the day. "If you're so fond of tattoos, why don't you have one?"

"Maybe I'll get one. Maybe I'll have the name Maya tattooed over my heart."

"That will seriously limit your dating pool in the future."

"I'm afraid you've already done that. I've found I'm only drawn to auburn-haired, amber-eyed, Canadian artists with cupcake tattoos on their left hip bone."

"Well, that does seem to reduce your options." And increase her heart rate. What was he saying?

"Yes, it is rather restricting. But the heart wants what it wants."

This was too intense for this hour of the morning. She needed a strategic retreat. "If you start singing that Selena Gomez song, I'm going to video it and put it up on YouTube."

Jacques heaved a pretend sigh, throwing his hands in the air. "What's a man to do? He tries to be romantic and woo his woman and he gets threatened with Internet infamy." His crushed expression made her return to the bed.