Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 91767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Melody,” she snaps.
“Right.” Thomas smirks sarcastically.
Graham glares at him while Thomas smiles back. “Well Melody, tell us all the details, how did you two meet?”
“None of your business,” Graham replies.
“A dating app,” Melody says at the same time.
What?
They met on a dating app.
He was actively looking for another woman while still married to me.
Oh…this one hurts…and I don’t know why, we are already divorced.
An emotion flashes across Thomas’s face and I can’t tell if it’s anger or satisfaction.
“Well, not quite as romantic as our meeting, is it, darling?” He smiles over at me.
I drain my glass and look around for the waiter.
More alcohol over here!
“When was that?” Graham asks again.
“Our eyes met across a crowded room.” Thomas smiles dreamily. “We fought the attraction at first but in the end it was too primal to ignore.”
“Where was this?”
“We first fell in love in Hawaii, I was there working and Elizabeth visited often.” Thomas frowns as if thinking and then shrugs. “Well I was in love, Elizabeth was just in lust and using me for sex.” He gives me a playful wink. “I wore her down though.”
“That would have been fourteen or fifteen years ago now,” I chime in.
Ha!
He smiles lovingly over at me. “For years I begged her to move to Hawaii with me. Of course.” He rolls his eyes. “She had this stupid notion of integrity or something equally ridiculous. Thankfully she finally came to her senses. We live between her and my house in LA now.”
Graham glares at Thomas, a red glow is all around him and I want to jump off my chair and punch the air.
This is the best day of my life.
“Actually we’re going back to Hawaii next year to get married. You two should come.” He looks between them. “After all, your sordid affair finally set Elizabeth free to be with her soulmate. I owe you two…big-time.” He raises his champagne glass in a fake toast. “It was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
Oh…he’s good.
If I scripted this meeting myself I couldn’t have written it better. I glance over to see Melody looking like she’s about to vomit.
“What do you do?” Graham snaps.
“I’m a doctor,” Thomas replies. “What do you do again?”
“I’m in recruitment,” Graham all but spits.
“Ah, that’s right. Elizabeth’s business.” He sips his champagne. “You must be struggling without the brains of the business.”
Graham is turning red with rage.
“Can I take your order, sir?” the waiter interrupts.
“Nous n’allons pas rester, merci quand même.” Thomas smiles.
“You speak French?” Melody frowns.
“Oui, je parle français.” Thomas smiles over at her.
She smiles goofily. “Oh….”
“Let’s go, darling.” He stands and holds his hand out for me.
He turns to the two of them. “We have another dinner to get to, lovely to meet you both.”
I stand and Graham’s eyes drop down my body and to Thomas. Thomas puts his arm around me and kisses my temple as we walk toward the door.
“Oh my god,” I whisper. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“What a dick,” he murmurs as he kisses my temple again. “I should have fucked you on his table.”
That would work.
“Where are we going?” I ask as we get out onto the street.
“Somewhere better.”
Six Hours Later.
Somewhere better.
True to Thomas’s promise, he delivered. I have been wined and dined and laughed around Paris.
Somewhere better was so much better.
We’ve drunk champagne and eaten beautiful food. We made friends at a bar and laughed until our stomachs ached. Every woman in the world was green with envy as Thomas held me close on the dance floor.
We walk into the hotel reception hand in hand and get into the elevator and we turn toward the doors.
Thomas looks over at me, his eyes drop to my lips as the air between us changes.
Fake.
Date.
Cut it out.
The doors open and he walks me down the corridor. “Where is your room?”
“This way. Where’s yours?” I ask.
“Three floors up, I’m being a gentleman and walking you to your door.”
“Oh. This is me.” I smile as we arrive.
“I had a great time.” He smiles.
“Me too.”
He takes my face in his hands and kisses me, his lips lingering against mine as arousal swims between us.
My knees nearly buckle from beneath me.
“So….” he breathes against my lips. “Are you going to invite me in?”
3
Elizabeth.
My arousal fog instantly dissipates and I pull out of his kiss. “I….” My chest rises and falls as I grapple for air, a vision of the two of us getting hot and heavy and rolling around in the sheets flashes before me. “I just….”
We stare at each other for an extended beat, and then taking my cue he gives me a soft smile. “Good night, Elizabeth.” He kisses my cheek and then turns and walks up the hall. I stare after him, aroused and confused and damn it…why did I let him leave?
Because he’s an escort…that’s why.