CHAPTER TEN
The rest of Megan’s week dragged on and she was still feeling the effects of her last meeting, but it was finally over and it was Friday, the day she would be going to Paris. She didn’t have a lot of money, but she did some shopping so she would look good while she was there. Tristan’s chauffeur pulled up to her apartment and waited for her as she hugged Lorena good bye and grabbed her bags she had packed and sitting by the door. Before she knew it, she was on her way to the Waterloo train station.
“Excuse me.” She said to the driver, his eyes visible to her in the rear view mirror. “Where is Tristan?”
“Mr. Crawford is in Paris, Miss Jenkins, awaiting your arrival.”
“Oh.” She wondered why he went without her. She watched the scenery go by and tried to keep her mind off Jensen.
When they arrived at the train station, she was escorted to the Eurostar train and led to first class where she sat in a large plush seat. A waiter came along and offered her something off a cart of appetizers and desserts. She opted for a small slice of cherry cheesecake and a glass of red wine. This trip would have been amazing with some good company, she thought as Jensen entered her mind again. She tried to enjoy the three hour train ride alone as she read through the brochures available to her. She had always wanted to go to Paris and even though it wasn’t too terribly far for her, she never had the means to make it.
A beautiful and sleek black limousine sat just outside the train station as they pulled in. She watched as people around her grabbed for their luggage and scurried off the train. She stayed in her seat until the rush was over.
A curly haired man dressed in oversized pants and a button up shirt with paint dried to its material, reached up over her head and pulled her bag down for her. His smile was dazzling and carefree and his eyes were piercing.
“Bonjour,” he said in his gorgeous French tongue. “Êtes-vous visiter Paris?”
“Um… I’m sorry,” she shrugged. “I don’t understand.”
The man smiled, nodded and translated for her in a thick french accent. “Are you visiting Paris?”
“Oh, yes. Well, no.” She giggled awkwardly. “I am here on business, for the weekend. My… my boss is waiting for me.”
“Zen I shall not keep you,” he said, moving out of her way. She smiled shyly and shuffled by the man, making her way to the door of the train. “Enjoy your stay,” he called out. She looked back before exiting and saw him still standing there, with his hand on the top of the cabinets, smiling and watching her. He nodded his head before she left the train car.
A driver dressed in a posh uniform was waiting for her, holding a sign with her name on it. She smiled when she saw that the long beautiful car was meant for her. Just before she got in, she looked back at the train car, flattered and giddy that someone paid such sweet attention to her. The driver shut her door and pulled out of the station. He drove her through the city where they passed the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. She wanted to stop and marvel in the beauty of the city, but she didn’t know if there were plans that might have been made for her. She saw several bakeries as well and made a mental note that she would try the delicacies of France before she left.
The car slowed as they approached The Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile and Megan looked up at the building, stunned at its beauty and elegance. She climbed out of the car and waited for the driver to get her bags out of the trunk.
“You made it.”
Megan turned quickly and saw Tristan coming out of the doorway of the hotel.
“Tristan,” she smiled. “Hello. I am amazed already,” she said. “This place is stunning.”
“You…are stunning.” He took her hands and held her arms out.
“Thank you,” she said, blushing. “When did you arrive? I thought we were going to be traveling together.”
“I had to take care of some things ahead of time so I flew in earlier. Did you get through everything okay?”
“Yes, thank you.”
A concierge took her bags and followed them through the lobby to the elevators. Megan stayed quiet until they reached their floor and walked into their rooms. She saw Tristan’s things on the desk and looked at him.
“Am I…staying….”
Before she finished her sentence, he interrupted to save her from embarrassment. “Yes,” he said walking toward a closed door. “This suite is yours.” He unlocked it and opened it, inviting her to take a look. She walked to the door and looked inside. It was an identical suite to his but in a different color. “I got adjoining suites so we could work together easier. I hope that is okay.”
She sighed a relieving sigh. “Yes, of course it is.” She walked into her own private suite and looked around.
“This is beautiful. Very elegant.”
The concierge entered behind her and placed her bags next to her bed. He opened up the bathroom door and the closet doors so she could learn the layout of the room.
“Will there be anything else?” he asked.
“That will be all,” said Tristan handing the man a folded bill.
Megan looked around the room and was mesmerized by the porcelain feel of the walls. The rich maroon accents in the carpet and along the tapestry on the walls gave it a royalty feel. A bottle of champagne sat in ice on her desk with some chocolate covered strawberries chilled next to it.
“Mmmm. Did you get some of these?” She picked one up and took a bite, relishing in the sweet taste.
Tristan walked to her and pulled the bottle, popping the top and pouring two flutes to the top. “Here’s to a successful working relationship, and much more.”
They clinked their glasses and drank the bubbly liquid. She finished her strawberry as she looked around the room more.
“Why don’t you get yourself ready and I will be back in a few minutes to escort you to dinner.”
She turned around and he walked up to her, keeping his eyes on her lips. “We will be meeting with some important businessmen, so dress for success.” When he stopped close to her, he reached up with his hand and slid his thumb along her lip. The corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile. “Chocolate.” He put his thumb into his mouth and slowly sucked the residue off it.
She giggled awkwardly and watched him turn and walk out of the room.
She sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what that was about. It was definitely a sexual gesture. She took a deep breath and opened her bag, pulling her clothes out and hanging them in the nearby closet.
After she put her things away and cleaned up, she changed into a conservative but fitted blue dress with matching shoes and walked to the balcony overlooking the city. She opened the glass doors and walked out to the railing, looking out at the Eiffel Tower in perfect view. “So beautiful,” she said.
“Yes, you are.”
She turned around and smiled at Tristan, leaning up against the balcony door.
“Shall we?”
She took his arm and they made their way to the elevators and down to the front of the hotel where the driver took them to a posh French restaurant. It wasn’t until they got inside and was led to a small table for two that Megan realised their dinner was not a business dinner.
She sat down and looked around at the romance of the room as waiters in black and white tuxedos served them appetizers and iced water. Soft candles lit the tables, soft music resonated from each corner, fresh flowers scented the air.
“Tristan? What is going on?”
“I hope you don’t hate me. I kind of played a trick on you, making you think we had a business dinner. I wanted to take you out, just you and I. I hope that is okay.”
“Um, yeah.” She was uneasy about dating her boss, especially since she was still quite upset about seeing Kristina at Jensen’s office. She knew Jensen was going to tell her some fictitious story about the whole situation, yet she let him manipulate her again.
“Do you have any qualms about dinner with me tonight?”
“No, not at all,” she said, not wanting to cause any issues or problems.
“Good. I wanted to surprise you.”
She smiled and picked up the menu. She was going to make the best of the situation. After all, she was in Paris. She looked at the items on the menu and her heart sank when she saw that everything was in French. Since she did not know French, she did not know what to order. Tristan kept his eyes on her and when the waiter approached their table he leaned in.
“May I?” he asked.
“May you…. what?”
“Order for the both of us?”
“Oh!” She smiled, thankful that he asked. “Of course, please do.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” She closed her menu and set it down in front of her.
“Bonsoir,” said Tristan. Megan watched his lips as he spoke perfect French, effortlessly and beautifully.
“Est-ce que vous voulez commander?”
“Oui. Champagne pour commencer?”
“Très bien.”
“Une salade, asperges vertes…uh… pigeon andré malraux et ananas rôti , de la mousse de noix de coco et au gingembre pour le dessert.”
“Et pour la dame?”
Tristan looked at Megan and smiled. “Elle aura le même.”
“Merci monsieur.”
The waiter walked away and Megan snickered as she unfolded the napkin and placed it in her lap.
“What?” Tristan asked, catching the little laugh.
“You’re cute.”
“Am I? How so?”
“The way you try to impress me with your multilingual skills. I have to say, it’s working.” She looked up at him, still keeping her head lowered and smiling seductively.
“I knew all of those years of lessons would pay off sooner or later.”
“What did you order anyway? Everything on the menu?”
He laughed. “No, I ordered us a bottle of champagne to start off with, a salad, of course, asparagus and pigeon with foie gras and wild mushrooms. Then for dessert I thought it would be nice to try roasted pineapple with coconut foam and ginger.”
“Sounds… interesting.”
“It will be good. They prepare things differently here. Just try it.”
“What is foie gras?”
“Liver.”
She crinkled her nose, silently thanking him for the salad and asparagus.
The waiter returned with their champagne and opened it, leaning in and pouring it into each of their glasses. He stood up and waited until Tristan took a sip.
“Très bien,” said Tristan, nodding in approval.
The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving the champagne in an ice bucket on a small cart next to our table.
“A toast,” he said. “Here’s to having fun in Paris.” Megan held up her glass and smiled, sipping the bubbly liquid. The sweetness took over her palate as she looked into the glass at the little bubbles sizzling their way to the top.
“Mmm. Very good. Thank you, Tristan. This is really nice.”
“My pleasure, Madame. Have you ever been here, in Paris?”
“No. Hell I’ve never been anywhere, really. What about you?”
“I’m here often, sometimes too often.”
“Why don’t you get an apartment then? You would save so much on hotel costs.”
“Honestly, I like hotel service. They treat me good. I wouldn’t get that in an apartment.”
“True.”
“Well, ‘ello again.” Megan looked up and saw the curly haired man from the train.
“Oh. Hello.” She immediately smiled her eyes bright as she looked at him. She noticed his waiter’s uniform and saw that his hair was a little more tamed than before. “You work here?”
“I do. How is your…” he looked at Tristan and the table with the champagne. “Business trip going so far?”
“It is going well, thank you. Paris is lovely.”
“Oui. Yes it is.” He reached out his hand and took hers, leaning down and kissing it. “Enjoy your stay. Perhaps we will meet again, no?”
“I look forward to it.”
He bowed his head, nodded at Tristan and left the room.
“Who was that?” Tristan seemed to have a hint of jealousy in his voice that Megan thought was rather cute.
“I’m not sure. I met him briefly on the train when I arrived in Paris.”
“Maybe I should have accompanied you.”
She looked at him waiting for him to laugh or smile or something, but his long hesitation before he finally smiled made her wonder just how serious he was being.
“So tell me,” he continued. “Where would you like to travel if you could?”
Megan pushed the negativity away and sipped her champagne before responding. “I have always wanted to see Italy. Tuscany looks amazing. I have only ever seen it in the movies thought. Switzerland also. I have dreamed of Geneva ever since I was small. I had a good friend who I grew very fond of as I grew up. He was the only person I trusted. His family moved away to Geneva and I never saw him again. But he would send me letters and pictures of Geneva,” she said, smiling at the memories.
“We will have to go then.” His insistence pulled her from her thoughts. “Do you like the arts? There is an art exhibit at Le Louvre we could check out if you are interested.”
“I’d like that.”
Their waiter returned with their salads and offered fresh ground pepper.
“Ce sera tout?”
“Oui. Je vous remercie.”
“Bon appétit!”
When the waiter left the table, Megan snickered. “They look like overgrown penguins in those uniforms,” she said quietly.
“I agree. I wonder if they would waddle for us if I asked them to?” he laughed.
Megan ate most of her salad, knowing what the main dish was. The next dish was the asparagus, which she also ate most of. When the pigeon came, she just looked at her plate.
“I don’t know if I can eat this,” she said, pulling a mushroom off the top.
“At least try it. If you don’t like it, then you’ll know.”
She took a small bite of the meat and quickly spit it out in her napkin. She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“No worries.”
She felt like she was disappointing him, but she really could not stomach it. She ate the rest of her asparagus and drank her champagne. As the waiter brought the dessert, Tristan poured their glasses full once more.
“La dame n'aime pas son repas?”
“Oui, oui. Elle est pleine. C'était très bon.”
“What?” she asked when the waiter looked at her before walking away with her dinner. “Did I do something?”
“No. In France, it is customary to compliment the waiter on the food they prepared for their guests. When a guest doesn’t touch the food, it comes across as an insult. I merely told them you were so full, that you wanted to leave a little room for dessert.”
She grimaced. “Thank you. Geez, things are so different here.” She nibbled at the dessert and tried to eat what she could.
“Too much?” he asked.
“Yes. Should I swipe the plate and hide it in my purse?” They both laughed.
“Let me pay the bill and we will get out of here.”
As they walked out, Megan thanked him for a wonderful meal. “It was a lovely surprise.”
“Next time, I’ll let you do the ordering.”
“I… um… we’ll talk about it.”
He smiled. “Do you want to take the car back or would a nice walk be out of the question?”
“I’d love to walk with you.”
He took her arm and they walked along the Paris streets. The night air was a little cool, but very nice. They did some sight-seeing and talked about work and what they liked to do outside of work. Before she knew it, they were back at their hotel.
“Would you like a night cap?” he asked, leaning in toward her.
“I think I should call it a night. Dinner was very good, but filling and the champagne kind of went to my head a little bit. Tomorrow is a new day, right?”
“Right,” he said with a smile. “Let me walk you to your room.”
They took the elevator up to their floor and when they got to her suite, they stopped. He slid his finger along her jaw line and looked into her eyes.
“I had a really good time tonight.”
“So did I,” she said. “Thank you again, for the date-like evening.”
“I would consider this a date. Even though I had to trick you into it.”
“Yeah.”
“You are a beautiful woman, Megan. You deserve to be taken out, wined and dined, sought after and treasured.”
She felt her cheeks heat up at the compliment.
“Somehow I think you don’t get that treatment too often.”
“I don’t, but I haven’t actually had the best life either,” she said, looking down.
He touched her chin, raising her face up until their eyes met. “It just got a lot easier.” He leaned down and pressed his lips into hers, offering her a kiss so tender that it should have caused her legs to turn to rubber. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, deepening the kiss. Her hands found his broad and muscular back and she pressed into him as she enjoyed his kiss.
“Let me come in, Megan,” he said between kisses. “I don’t want this night to end.”
She backed up a few steps and took a big breath. “Not tonight, not yet. It’s too soon.”
He wiped his lower lip with the side of his finger and for a moment, she thought he looked angry at her refusal, but a second look proved otherwise.
“Of course,” he said smiling. “How forward of me. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It is tempting, believe me. But, I just want to take it slow.”
“Until tomorrow then?” he asked, raising her hand to his mouth and kissing it.
“I will see you then.”
He stood by the door until she located her room key, opened the door, smiled at him one last time and closing it quietly. She leaned against it and smiled a big smile.