Catherine bumped into Sophia as she went to step out of her room causing her daughter to squeak and drop something. She looked down and saw it was a pair of panties. She bent at the waist and picked up the dropped lingerie knowing full well that Chanel was getting a show from behind her in the room’s entranceway. She stood up and tugged her hem down once more and handed the panties to Sophia.
“Have a little fun did we?” Cat grinned at her daughter’s blush. She stepped out of the room followed by the detective and Sophia got a good look at her and Chanel’s outfits. Her jaw dropped.
“You both look gorgeous!” she gushed.
“Thank you sweetie!” Cat smiled at her daughter then the young woman rushed into the room to get changed as well.
Chanel stood close to Catherine. Smouldering dark brown eyes locked on her blue ones. “You play a dangerous game Catherine McGovern,” the raven haired beauty whispered to her. Cat swallowed and couldn’t look away. Chanel pulled back and a small smile slipped across her lips as she turned away to look at her cell. Catherine was trembling and recalled they had an audience. The two police officers standing guard outside Gabriella’s door were watching them with interest. The door opened behind them and Gabriella stepped out in a lovely royal blue dress that clung to her curves which definitely distracted the officers. Miriam and Daniel were right behind her.
Cat smiled at Miriam who was looking so mature in her new Parisian fashions… until she smiled as she was doing now. Then her youth came shining through and it made Cat’s heart ache knowing they grew up so quickly. Daniel was looking smart in his suit and had his ever present camera hanging at his hip.
Megan and Rachel joined them and everyone commented on how amazing Chanel and she looked in the matching black and white.
Ben stepped from his room and Catherine’s heart fluttered. He was such a gorgeous man! Dark grey dress shirt open at the neck and tight black dress pants with black leather dress shoes. His dark hair and that thrilling scar made her weak in the knees.
When he turned and caught sight of the group a huge smile spread across his face. Then he realized they had a new member in their group.
“Detective Babineaux? How? What?” he stumbled with his words.
“Please call me Chanel. I’m here on the advice of a smart man and woman who said I should go relax on a beach. I just happened to bump into Catherine on that beach so she invited me along.”
“That’s wonderful!” he smiled then noticed the absence of their new companions. “Where are Karen and Penny? Aren’t they coming?”
“Chief Inspector Favreau informed me that this would not be possible, for tonight anyway,” Gabriella reported.
“They can at least order room service. Can they move to my room? I told them they would be there. I can sleep on the couch,” Ben said. Gabriella and Catherine looked at each other then Gabriella nodded.
Ben turned to the officers. “We’re going to move them to my room, number 501.” The men nodded as Ben went inside to speak with the ladies. A few minutes later they came out of Gabriella’s room, each carrying a few large shopping bags. They waved at their new friends then went into Ben’s room with him. He came back out a minute later.
“They’re going to order some dinner and go to bed as they’re both exhausted,” Ben explained. Sophia joined them and they went downstairs.
Catherine leaned over to Ben. “That Shakir guy’s bodyguard was watching the kids on the beach for a couple of hours today. Daniel kept an eye on him in return.” Ben looked at her in shock. They stopped in the lobby.
“Why are we going out tonight? This lunatic could be out there!” he exclaimed.
“That’s why we are going out as a group. No one walks alone. We can’t hide in our hotel for the rest of the trip,” Gabriella said.
“Besides, you have an armed police escort,” Chanel said with a small smile on her lips. Ben gawked at her.
“What? You thought I was carrying this purse because it matches my shoes?” Chanel quipped.
Catherine felt a tingle shoot through her and she grinned at Ben. “Isn’t she hot?”
He smiled and nodded but there was still a little unease in his stance.
They headed out to the restaurant. Once they were on the street Catherine slipped her arm through Chanel’s who looked at her in surprise and caught Cat’s little self-satisfied smirk. The woman chuckled.
It was going to be an interesting dinner.
Ben walked at the front of the group with Gabriella and kept his voice low as he spoke. He let her know about his meeting with Margaux and what her proposal was. When he was finished Gabriella’s face wore a frown as she considered the woman’s idea. Then she looked up at Ben.
“The idea would work if her lifestyle doesn’t change. But if she were to find that these infrequent visits weren’t enough for her and needed to increase them, how well would she deal with not having control over your time. If she can get over her fear, if she sees it work, maybe. But if she can’t it will mean a great deal of pain for you Ben. That worries me. You know how we can get when we’re trying to protect you from that pain. Understand, my answers to you now are all filtered through that need to protect you.”
He smiled at her concerned look. “That’s exactly the kind of honesty that protects me the most. Thank you Gabriella. I’ll have to think more on this and I’ll bring up your points when I have dinner with her tomorrow night.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss.
“Get a room!” Catherine called out from the back and Gabriella chuckled.
Chanel looked over at Catherine. “So it doesn’t bother you when your man kisses other women?”
Catherine smiled at her. “For starters he isn’t ‘my man’ exclusively just as I’m not ‘his woman’ exclusively. I love Ben. He loves me. That hasn’t changed. When I’m with Ben it’s just him and me… except for that one time with Gabriella,” she murmured then looked up in dismay for having spoken aloud.
Chanel grinned at Catherine for her admission but Sophia and Rachel were looking back at their mother wide eyed.
“What? I love Gabriella!” Catherine said a little defensively. Her daughters smiled and looked forward once more.
She looked at Chanel with a guilty expression. “I speak out of turn… a lot.”
“But you are very cute when you do it so that makes up for it,” Chanel said and delighted in the blonde’s blush.