—
Hours and hours later, the knock came at my suite door thatI’d been waiting for all day. I darted around the flustered Aristide and opened it myself. “Hannah. You look…Comment ça se dit…” I sighed in appreciation.“Magnifique.”
Hannah wore a green top with thin straps that showed off her lightly tanned shoulders to perfection. It made me want to trace the delicate bones with my tongue. Right after I tossed up her flowy patterned skirt and got down onmy knees in front of her. Funny, most of my fantasies about Hannah involved her and my tongue and not much else.
Her cheeks darkened with her blush, and she fidgeted with a wisp of hair near her temple as my appraisal of her grew longer than polite. “You are a ridiculous flatterer, Luc.”
“Non,”I whispered in reply just before I leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss. Stepping back, I heldthe door wide. “You are gorgeous. Please, come in.”
Hannah walked through the doorway with wide eyes. “What did you say you did again? Because this suite is…” Hannah shook her head helplessly. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
I tipped my head at Étienne standing in the hall, then closed the door. Avoiding Aristide’s eyes, I turned to Hannah. “You don’t really want to talk about my work,do you?”
Hannah’s eyes darted around the spacious suite, and the more she looked, the more her shoulders rounded. “I just…I can’t believe…”
“It’s all a bit much, I agree. But fortunately, there are a few of us to share the space—which reminds me, let me introduce my, er, coworker, Aristide.”
Aristide didn’t bat an eye at my awkward introduction as he shook Hannah’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you.I was just leaving.”
“Oh, no,” Hannah murmured. “We’re not kicking you out of your room, are we?”
“Non,”Aristide demurred. Which wasn’t technically a lie, since this wasn’t his room. Christ, all this subterfuge was grating. Aristide turned to me and relayed in French. “The table is waiting. Staff have been instructed not to interrupt you for the evening. Please enjoy.”
“Thank you, Ari.” Istepped back so he could leave.
“Is everything all right?” Hannah asked, concern wrinkling her brow.
“Yes, I apologize for our lack of manners. Ari was just telling me that dinner had been set up while I was busy getting dressed. Are you ready for your surprise?”
“I’m pretty sure I already got one today,” she murmured as the door closed behind Aristide. “This suite is amazing.”
I laughed ather delight. I’d never felt that amazement at a hotel room before. The suite was in line with the kind of accommodation I’d lived with my entire life—outside of the military. Hell, even my house in France was ostentatious by most standards. Hannah’s wonder was intoxicating. I wanted to experience it, too.
“Come, let me show you around.” I took her hand in mine and lead her through the room. Fromthe bar, we each took a glass of champagne that Aristide had thoughtfully poured.
“Wow, you have a chandelier inside your room!”
“There’s another in my bedroom.”
Hannah turned to me and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, God. Don’t tell methat’swhere my surprise is waiting.”
“Non.”I laughed. “I wouldn’t be so predictable,mon chou. Besides, that’s not exactly a surprise.”
“Touché. I did get to fondleit a bit last night.” She gave me a naughty smile as she stepped closer to me until I could feel her body heat. “I hope he didn’t get too lonely today.”
“Non,he had five friends to keep him company this morning.”
Hannah frowned until I held up my hand and wiggled my fingers, then she snorted. “And here I was worried you were so rich and out of my league. But you’re really just as classy asme.”
“You have no idea.” I laughed down at her before I gave her a tender kiss that was full of laughter from both of us. After a beat, I pulled away with a smile on my face. “Come, let’s go enjoy your surprise.”
With an arm around her shoulders, I led Hannah out to the balcony where Aristide and the hotel employees had set up a romantic dinner, complete with white tablecloth and battery-operatedflickering candles. It was a cheesy scene, I admit, but I grinned like a fool when Hannah gasped with delight.
“Oh, wow, this is amazing! I take it back. You are too classy for me.”
I tapped the fake candle and laughed. “Not exactly the definition of class, but they wouldn’t allow us to have an open flame, so this was the best we could do.”
“No, it’s perfect. Every bit of it. Thank you.”
