Daylight

Chapter XII - Lover

May 24, 2019

Paris is beautiful. She's been here close to a dozen times but this time it really takes her back. She stares out at the Seine from the hotel room window while Joe and the security team bring in the luggage. There's some French chatter in the back and soft talking between the head of her security detail and Joe before everyone clears the room and it's just her and the Brit. She hears him plotter about in the background before he shows up next to her, glancing over at her before pointing at the Seine.

"Gorgeous view," he grins, "do you fancy talking a walk along the river later on?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Taylor replies, "fresh air will help with the jetlag, too."

"Sounds like a you-problem," Joe nudges her, "London to Paris isn't too bad. You sure you don't want to take a quick nap or something? Want me to fetch you some food?"

"I'm good. Just need to keep busy, I'll be fine."

She's about to turn away when Joe's fingers clasp around her wrist. It's out of the ordinary; Joe usually trails along and stays in the background of whatever she is doing but this time round, she looks up at blue eyes that are studying her seriously.

"You need a break, love," the term of endearment lingering, "PR is going to kick off again next month and you've not," he pauses, "had an easy start to this month. If you ever feel like you want to talk about it -"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Darling, I talk more to your security people than you do." Joe sighs, "If someone comes to your flat and you have a fight, your team knows about it. And one of them told me."

Taylor knows it's Sam. It's always Sam. He and Joe have struck up some weird form of camaraderie and while it usually doesn't bother her, his loose-lipped behaviour ticks her off this time around. Oh shit.

"Has anyone told -"

"Nobody's told Tree, chill." Joe grins, "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Taylor," the blonde man continues, "I know that this," he points between them, "is not the most conventional arrangement, but I think after all this time, we are close enough for you to be able to talk to me, right?" He pauses, "You're important to me."

The fact she immediately has to think about a 6'1" model when Joe says important should be a giveaway that she is once again screwed. Joe seems to pick up on the fact she's drifted off into her own headspace again because he squeezes her wrist gently.

"Sorry," Taylor swallows, "I'm just... jetlagged."

"Have a nap." Joe states, not leaving room for any discussion, "I'm going to go check with security whether we need any of them with us when we walk around, I'll bring you back a croissant or something."

"Thanks Joe."

"Very welcome," he sighs, letting go of her wrist and walking over to the bed where he threw his jacket on earlier, "and the offer still stands."

"The offer?"

"If you ever feel like you want," Joe pauses as he zips up his jacket, "or need to talk about Karlie, you know," there's a small shrug and in another, Karlie-less, life, she'd find it endearing, "I'm here for you."

She closes the distance between them in three quick steps, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. He smells of shea and tobacco, a weird hybrid of him using her moisturiser when he can't be bothered packing his own and the sneaky cigarettes he has when it's just the two of them.