Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“I think I’ve seen you around too.” He releases his hold on me. I should know better after him grabbing me by the wrist, but still I go on and run my finger along the small scar. “It’s familiar.” He swallows. His Adam's apple bobs.
“We were on the same flight,” he points out. Right, but still thoughts of seeing him before linger in my mind. There is something so familiar about his dark eyes. To many people, he might appear to blend in, but there is something very alluring about him. Different. I love different. My whole life has always been staged.
“Any of these yours?” He motions to the luggage that has started to drop down.
“That one!” I point, going to get it, but he beats me to it.
“It’s awfully big.”
“I might have a small thing for clothes,” I admit with a giggle. He rolls my bag for me.
“Where are you headed if you don’t mind me asking?”
“La Réserve.”
“Me too.”
“It must be really popular. You’re the second person to tell me that.” I smile at him. He really is handsome, and I don’t think it’s all the champagne I’ve had.
“Share a ride?” he offers, motioning to one of the taxis waiting outside. I really want to say yes. He leans in closer. “You’ve had a few drinks. A taxi is safe and straight to the hotel. I’ll rest better knowing you got there safely.”
“Okay,” I blurt out.
What if this is it? My Paris love moment? I can’t shy away from that. He starts to load our bags into the car before opening the back passenger door for me.
“I don’t even know your name.” I laugh.
“Call me Finn.”
“I like it. I bet it’s short for something.”
“Something like that. In you go, Georgia.” I slip into the back of the car not recalling if I told him my name or not but between the champagne and the altitude, who knows at this point? Finn gets into the other side and tells the driver where we’re going.
My eyes drift between the handsome man in the back seat with me and out the window. It’s late, but the city is still lit up. This is the part of traveling somewhere new that I love: seeing all the landmarks for the first time. But my eyes are drawn to him.
“Have you been here before?” I ask.
“Yes.” When I glance over to him, he’s watching me.
“My first time.”
“Really?” He sounds surprised.
“I guess I wanted to experience it with someone.” I don’t know why I felt the need to slip that in.
“How long are you here?”
“Until I’m ready to move on. I was thinking about Italy next. How about you?” I ask.
“Until my work is done. Then I’ll be on to the next job.”
“You never know where you might go?”
“No.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm?” he responds.
“It’s not scary not knowing where you might be going next?”
“It sounds to me like you're doing the same thing.”
“I suppose I am.”
“And a girl all alone.”
“I guess sometimes we have to walk some paths alone to find out who we are.” As much fun as I’ve had, it has been lonely at times.
The taxi pulls up to the hotel. A bellhop tries to help us with our things, but Finn isn’t having it.
“I’m sorry there has been some mix-up,” the receptionist tells us when we try to check in.
“I’m supposed to have a comped room.” That was the whole point of me being here.
“I see that in the note, but Mr. Finn’s is somehow connected to your booking. You're not together?” Her eyes bounce between us.
“No,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek. Do I look like someone who could be with Finn? I peek up at him. He towers over me.
“It’s a suite. It’s all we have at the moment, but I’m sure when our general manager gets here in the morning, we can work this all out.”
“I can find another hotel,” Finn offers, being a gentleman.
“No.” I stop him. He’s been so kind. “She said it’s a suite.”
“It’s the penthouse.” She encourages us to take it.
“If you’re okay with it, then so am I,” Finn says.
I nod my head, small butterflies lighting up inside of me. I wanted an adventure, and it looks like I’m going to get one. I wish Grams was alive because she would’ve gotten such a kick out of this little turn of events. What if Paris really is the City of Love?
Chapter
Five
FINN
“Wow this place is huge. I think it’s bigger than my apartment.” While Georgia inspects the suite, I pull her luggage into the bedroom. Most suites, even the presidential ones, only have one bed, and this is no different. I don’t know whether I should be cursing Mercy or thanking her for putting me in this predicament. I won’t have any problems keeping an eye on Georgia. No need to go to extraordinary lengths to place a bug in her hotel television. On the other hand, it’ll make it harder for me to take out my mark.