And it had been just that easy. She and Cort had spent the day walking around the city, and sometimes taking the bus. They visited the Louvre Museum, several of the cathedrals, and the Palace of Versailles. When he mentioned something about seeing the botanical gardens, she suggested that he put it off for another day. She couldn’t risk going to the place she worked and have someone recognize her.
They saved the Eiffel Tower for last, since she’d told him how exciting it was to see Paris at night. Once they got up to the top and looked out, he agreed it was beautiful, but gently stroked the side of her face as he said it. The hand that had touched her, the same hand that at some point had begun holding her hand as they went from one sight-seeing attraction to another, felt strong and warm. And every time he touched her, she felt her heart beat wildly in her chest.
He suggested dinner at 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant, which offered them a breathtaking view of Paris at night. She was giddy with desire by that point, and would have agreed to just about anything.
Dinner was delicious and they topped it off with white wine. Everything was perfect…the time they’d spent sightseeing and now dinner. She loved how thoughtful he was, and how attentive. And although they’d just met, she felt safe with him. He was a man a woman could fall hard for, if she wasn’t careful.
When her phone rang, she knew who was calling. Sebrina had texted her several times that day and she hadn’t responded. She figured her cousin was worried about her, which was why she’d decided to call now.
“Your boyfriend calling?”
She shook her head. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Why? Because you have a girlfriend?” she asked, deciding to fish since he was.
“No, I don’t. Haven’t had one of those in quite some time.”
One of those? It sounded as if thought a girlfriend was a nuisance. Her phone stopped ringing. “It was my cousin. She hasn’t heard from me all day and is probably wondering where I am. She’ll call back, trust me.” No sooner had she said that, her phone began ringing again.
“I better get it this time, or she’ll send the police to look for me.” Then she added, “She doesn’t speak English every well, so I’ll need to speak in French.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
She was glad at that moment that Sebrina’s French was just as fluent as hers. Cort had told her he didn’t speak a lick of French, although he did know some Spanish. She clicked on the phone. “Bonjour.”
“Don’t ‘Bonjour’ me, Victoria Adele Bennett. Why haven’t you answered my texts? Where are you? Did you and that guy hook up? Why haven’t you sent me a picture of him just to be safe?”
Sebrina was throwing too many questions out there and Victoria wasn’t really in the position to answer them all. So instead, she responded in French, “I am fine. Don’t worry. Everything is going according to plan. I will call with details tomorrow.” She then ended the call in a happy tone saying, “Au revoir.”
“I hope you assured her that you were okay.”
She glanced over at Cort. “Yes, I did.” Now would be a good time to tell him that her cousin wanted her to take a picture of him, just in case. So why was she putting her phone away in her backpack?
The waiter came to their table, and Cort took care of their dinner bill. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome, Adele.” He didn’t say anything for a minute, then added, “It’s still early. Would you like to join me somewhere?” he asked after they’d left the restaurant. They were holding hands and she could barely think straight. But it had been that way since meeting him. Her body was receptive to everything about him. Even now, she was caught up in his scent. He smelled so darn good.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew what he was suggesting — a totally physical, emotion-free affair. One night. That’s all she needed. Not to seem anxious, she played coy and asked, “Join you where, Cort?”
“Someplace private, where we can really get to know each other.” He paused for a moment, then added. “My hotel room.”
He’d invited her to the very place she wanted to go. Yet for some reason, she suddenly felt unsure of not only herself, but of the situation. Although they’d spent a lot of time together today, they had avoided sharing any personal information. He thought she was a student — which she was — but she hadn’t corrected him when, more than once, he’d mentioned her attending the University of Paris. She wanted to believe he’d been truthful when he’d said he’d just finished law school and was there, waiting for his friends, to start celebrating. But what if he hadn’t been? Knowing what she wanted from him, did it matter?
No, it didn’t. Although she’d never been any guy’s one-night stand before, she desperately wanted to be his. “I’d like to join you in your hotel room, Cort.”
At that moment, the look in his eyes all but set her entire body ablaze. “Do you think your cousin will worry if you’re gone for a couple of days?”
She lifted a brow. “A couple of days?” How did a one-night stand move to a two-day one?
He reached out and took her hand, slowly running his fingers along her wrist and making her skin sizzle. “Yes. I want more than just one night with you, Adele.”
More than one night. She licked her lips, wondering what made him ask for more than tonight. But there was no need to pretend she didn’t want to spend as much time with him as she could. Still…
“Tell me exactly what you want, Cort.”
“Three nights.”
She swallowed. “That’s an entire weekend.”
He nodded as a broad smile touched his lips. “Yes, it is. So, will you spend the entire weekend with me, Adele?”
Three nights with him… The thought of being in his bed for three nights was more than she’d intended. All she’d wanted to do was lose her virginity, not have her mind blown in the process. And she had no doubt that would be the result.
Victoria had heard her cousins talk about sex and knew what to expect, but she had a feeling Cort would go beyond those expectations. He would test the limits of her endurance, push buttons she didn’t think she had. Yet, for some strange reason, she was more than a little tempted. Wasn’t it time for her to take a walk on the wild side? To swim in uncharted waters? To partake of forbidden fruit?
“The entire weekend? Are you sure?” she asked. That meant she’d be with him Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, saying goodbye on Monday morning.
That was the day he’d mentioned that his friends would be arriving. Did he only want her as entertainment while waiting for them to get here? So, what if he did? It wasn’t as if she was in love with him or vice versa. All it would be was a weekend fling — something she wanted as much as he did.
“I’m positive, Adele.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip as she saw the flash of passion in his eyes. She was feeling lightheaded just from the way he was looking at her. It was as if nobody else in the world existed but them. Never had she felt such primal attraction for any man… That was how she knew he was the one.
She’d spent the last five years at the university, first getting a bachelor’s degree and now working on her master’s. She could use a night to let loose, as well as a way to rid herself of her virginity. If she was going to take it as far as a one-night stand, why not enjoy Cort a few days longer?