Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“Who are his friends?” I ask, interested.
“Let’s see, there’s Alexander York and Nicholas Anastas, Sinclair Montague, um, Jacques Vermont and Prince Theodore Chapelle.”
“How do you know them?”
“We have run in the same circles for years.”
“You run in the same circles as the Prince of Monaco?” I frown.
He gives a playful shrug.
“Oh my god.” My mouth falls open as I do the math. “You see women that they know?”
“One woman that they know.”
“Do they know what you do?” I ask.
“I’m assuming they will soon now that Prescott knows.”
“Oh crap, I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I?”
“Not at all.” He puts his hand over mine. “All I’m saying is to be careful. From what I hear, Edward Prescott is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”
“I’m getting the gist of that, but the thing is he hasn’t made an effort to get me. Sexual innuendo and flirting, sure, but there has been no effort to sweep me off my feet at all. It’s like I’m a big game to him, just because we slept together in the past he now has the right to treat me however he wants.” I sigh, I glance over to the guards and one of them points at Thomas’s hand on mine and I snap my hand back like it’s on fire.
“This is ridiculous.” I think for a moment about what else I want to know. “Does he cheat, is Edward a cheater?” I ask. “Because I really hate cheaters.”
“I don’t know.” He catches his bottom lip with his teeth. “I know women throw themselves at all of them and in the past they have been major players. Nicholas is gay and was married but his husband, Pierre, died in a skiing accident. His husband was a super-wealthy local and that’s how he met the others.” He frowns as if remembering something. “Actually, come to think of it, isn’t Edward going out with Princess Hermione?”
“He was.”
“They broke up?”
“Yes.”
“Because of you?” His eyes widen.
“I don’t know.”
“How did he know you were in Paris?”
“I told him I was coming.”
“So he followed you here?”
“I don’t think so. I thought he came here to meet Nel, a woman he works with, but now that he’s on a date with someone else I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Here you are.” The waitress puts our meals down on the table in front of us.
“Merci.”
We eat in silence for a while. “So what are you going to do?” he asks.
“I need to forget him. I know he’s bad for me.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because my heart is not safe. I have no defenses against him. If he broke me I wouldn’t recover because I am totally and utterly….”
“In love?”
I shrug as I try to articulate my thoughts. “In lust, in denial, in a fatal fucking attraction movie. I know I just need to forget him once and for all.”
“Somehow I don’t think you’re going to be able to do that.”
I exhale heavily. “What would you do if you were me?”
“Run headfirst into the fire.” He gives me a sad smile.
“Why?”
“Because what I wouldn’t give to feel like that about someone.”
“Even if you knew it was going to end badly?”
“It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you’re a hopeless romantic, Mr. Thomas Stone?”
“Maybe in another life.” He smiles as he takes a bite of food off his fork. “This one’s too fun as it is.”
An hour and a half later we walk back to the hotel with the guards trailing behind, it’s been the weirdest night, they haven’t tried to hide from us and only once interacted with me when Thomas put his hand on mine. But other than that they are just loitering around. We get to the corner opposite the hotel and we stop on the spot.
“I….” He looks over to the hotel. “I would offer to come in…but.”
“Of course.” I smile. “Thanks for being a great listener.”
“Anytime.” He smiles back. “So lunch next week?”
“I’d love to. Call me.”
“Okay.” He kisses my cheek.
“Move along,” a stern voice says from behind us.
“Yeah, yeah,” Thomas scoffs. “Bye, Alora. Good luck.” He turns and walks off down the street and I turn and scowl at the men. “We’re just friends. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Just doing our job, madam.” He shrugs as he gestures to the hotel. “This way.”
Great, now I’m being told to go to bed…. While Edward is off on his date.
I look left and then right, maybe I should just run for it and go and stay in another hotel for the night. But then my things are inside and I have to find another hotel at this hour, ugh it’s not even worth the drama.
I trudge across the road and walk into the foyer and get into the elevator. The doors close and I stare straight ahead. Thomas is right, this isn’t a healthy situation. Edward Prescott can bring nothing to me that would enhance my life; so far all he’s done is decimate it.