Chris stepped off the plane onto the jetway and took a deep breath. The Paris air was warmer than he’d expected. Warmer than he’d remembered. Of course, it had been decades since he’d been here, and it was June. At least the humidity wasn’t up to South Carolina standards.
He strolled onto the concourse and then looked for the signs directing him to Customs. The flight from Moscow had been mercifully short, which after the long days working on their feature, was a necessary respite. He didn’t need more stress in his life.
Except the stress you’re about create for yourself.
He grinned. Some stress!
An unexpected weekend in one of the world’s most amazing cities with two beautiful young women, both of whom wanted to sleep with him?
Most men would kill to have that kind of stress.
He couldn’t help grinning to himself.
He spotted the sign for Customs and quickened his pace.
The girls were staying in a simple old hotel in the Seventh Arrondissement, only a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower. They also weren’t there. When Chris finally walked in the lobby door in the early evening, tugging his suitcase behind him, he’d had the desk clerk ring their room and get no answer.
Not a surprise, Chris thought. I didn’t actually tell them I was coming. Because I didn’t know myself until a few days ago. But I’m here now.
That said, it had been a long flight and he was exhausted.
The hotel wasn’t completely sold out—a large suite on the upper floors was surprisingly available, though far from cheap. Chris paid for it, had the clerk leave a note for the girls, and went up to crash and catch up on his sleep.
The phone woke him up. He fumbled for it in the dark, before finally bringing it to his ear.
“Dad!” Leah said when he picked up the receiver. “Dad! You’re here!”
“Uh, yeah.” He blinked a couple of times and pulled himself more fully awake. “Do you want to come up?” He gave her the room number and she hung up almost immediately.
He flipped on the bedside lamp and rubbed his eyes. Midnight. He immediately thought about chiding Leah for being out late but stopped himself.
She’s an adult on vacation. She can stay out as late as she wants.
He fumbled through his suitcase for some boxers and had just pulled them on when knocks came from the door.
He opened it and stepped back. Leah and Erin nearly tumbled in. He smiled in delighted surprise.
They wore slacks and light jackets—sightseeing garb, not clubbing dresses. Leah threw her arms around him in a huge hug. Erin closed the door behind them.
“Dad!” Leah said as they pulled apart. “What’re you doing in Paris?”
“The first producer got in a car accident,” he said. “I took over for him on an assignment on the condition I got to spend a few days here. You don’t mind hanging out with your old man, do you?”
“Oh, we don’t mind at all!” Leah said.
Erin nodded in agreement, but there was a devilish look in her eye.
“How long are you here?” she asked.
“Two days,” he said. “I fly out of de Gaulle on Wednesday morning.”
“You were in Moscow?” Leah asked. “What all was the feature on?”
“Background work for the Olympics. Well, really the boycott. Plus trying to learn more about Chernenko.”
“Oh, you gotta tell me all about it.”
“You two,” Erin said, “with your political news.” She shook her head in amusement. “I’m going to bed. Don’t wake me up if you decide to come back to the room.”
“We won’t!” Leah said. “We’ve got two days to catch up. But first… I want to hear about Moscow.”
Chris chuckled.
Before she left, Erin came over and collected a hug from both of them. Her hands were cool against Chris’s bare back and for a moment, his dick twitched.
Plenty of time for that later, he reminded himself.
Once Erin had departed, Chris settled into one of the room’s fine chairs in the suite’s small sitting area while Leah took the adjacent one. He spent nearly an hour answering her excited questions about his interviews and the background material he’d collected. She was disappointed he hadn’t gotten to meet Chernenko, but nodded in understanding when he explained why. Only her own stifled yawns caused her to slow down. Finally she gave into one, and he paused, quietly waiting.
“So,” she said, “why are you really here?”
“To see you.”
“Oh?” She perked up and a knowing look filled her eyes.
His heart started yammering and it suddenly became harder to breathe.
“Yeah,” he said. “I thought, where better than… uh… Paris? You know, for our first time?”
“So…?” She let her question trail off, but the tone of hope lingered on.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m exhausted, but tomorrow, we can…”
He couldn’t quite get the words out.
“Oh, you goof!” Leah threw her arms around him in a big hug.
She pulled back, but then continued to hold his hand.
“I can’t believe…,” she said, “I mean… you came all the way to Paris? For me?”
That was a preview of Paris. To read the rest purchase the book.