Can't Buy Me Love

Chapter Twenty Three

Marina skipped out into the cold but crisp afternoon.

                “You all set for Paris Beaufort style?”

He laughed, “I can’t remember you ever being this enthusiastic about anything back in LA.”

Turning she grinned, “you’re right, I love Paris, I have great memories of being here. LA was nothing but bad news. Even without my father’s shenanigans. Come on!”

Though they held hands as they strolled through the city, they did nothing more, neither trusting themselves or each other to be satisfied with just a kiss. First she dragged him along the river, pointing out the Louvre, somewhere she promised she’d take him the next day, then cut up to the Eiffel Tower past the Ecole Militair where they paused to watch riders charge their horses over a series of jumps, then past there to the Parc du Champs de Mars, a beautiful park that was topped by the famous tower. There were huge queues to climb the lifts to the top, so instead they bought crepes and cheesy souvenirs, then climbed up the hill to the Arc d’Triomphe. They sat on a bench watching the crazy drivers trying to negotiate the ridiculously busy roundabout.

Nathan loved seeing the world through her enthusiastic eyes, her face lit up at every street corner, and stories accompanied everything they saw, and for a moment he began to fathom how hard the last two years had been on her. She’d been isolated from life, family, friends, and now he’d dragged her from Alex and her family to monopolise her time. He tried to talk to her as they walked, but she was so enthusiastic, so enamoured by everything Parisian that all he could do was enjoy things.

They punctuated the long stroll down the Champs Elysee with small detours to bars and restaurants hidden away in side streets. They were giggling and happy, albeit cold when they finally hit Place de la Concorde.

                “So how did you enjoy your whistle-stop guide to Gay Paris?” She asked swinging around to look up at him.

                “Whistle-stop?” He wound his arms around her and pulled her close, something he’d wanted to do all day. “I am absolutely bushed!”

                “Not got the staying power? Comes from being so old!” She laughed and made to flounce off.

                “Staying power? I’ve got that alright, I’m just conserving my energy...for later.”

She froze, stopped dead in her tracks, all day they’d avoided what may happen when they got back to the hotel, but every hand hold, every time her shoulder brushed his the ante had been upped a notch. Now those words had set alight the mountain of desire building inside her.

                “Come on,” he took her hand and dragged her towards a waiting taxi.

Nathan was lounging on the bed flicking through the TV channels via remote control and muttering his disgust under his breath at the solely French shows, when she emerged from the bathroom. She took his breath away, the knitted sweater dress she had on was simple, plum and black with the waist cinched in with a black belt, and stockings...were those fishnet? And knee high black boots. How the hell had she fit all that into her travel bag?

                “You look stunning!”

She paused in surprise, “really?” When he nodded and stood to join her, she assessed him and wasn’t disappointed either, he had on charcoal moleskin trousers that clung to his muscular thighs, and she could only imagine how great they’d look on his arse, and a v-neck black sweater, that was...er...snug, yep that was definitely the word, snug!