~Joan~
We arrived in Paris seven hours later. Aaron and I spent most of the time in silence, likely mulling over what I’d said back at my apartment.
Rhoda called me the moment my feet touched the ground. I glanced at Aaron, who was making his way to a black SUV. I trailed behind him at a slow pace, answering the call.
“Hi,” I muttered, hearing her annoyed huff in response.
“Seriously, where have you been? Your line’s been unreachable all day,” she snapped, and I raised an eyebrow. This was exactly why I’d been reluctant to come here in the first place. I was already keeping too many things from Rhoda, and now I’d have to add this to the list. But there was no going back now.
“Oh, I visited New Orleans. The reception here is pretty bad,” I lied effortlessly. Aaron glanced back at me, looking ridiculously handsome in the sunglasses he wore.
Let’s not even start on how good those jeans made his legs look or how broad his shoulders appeared. I noticed a few women gawking at him, and to my annoyance, I didn’t like how that made me feel.
I quickened my pace, linking my arm with his and shooting a glare at one of the women who was batting her lashes at him.
“What are you doing in New Orleans?” Rhoda pressed as I climbed into the car, Aaron following close behind. The vehicle started moving immediately. I stared out the window.
“I don’t know. Probably looking for answers,” I murmured, shutting my eyes to escape the guilt twisting in my chest. I hated lying to her. There was a crackling noise on her end before the call disconnected.
I frowned, trying to call her back, but the line wouldn’t connect. With a sigh, I leaned back in the seat.
“The city’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Aaron’s voice broke the silence. I glanced at him and nodded, aware that his gaze was fixed on me, even behind the dark shades.
“Don’t you want to take those off? It’s starting to feel a little creepy,” I muttered, and his lips quirked into an amused smile. Leaning forward, he chuckled softly.
“You think it’s creepy? My bad. I could’ve sworn I saw you glaring at that woman who was looking at me like I made of gold,” he teased, and I clenched my jaw. This infuriating man.
I shoved his arm lightly, and he laughed.
“That was disgusting. You’re not even that fine,” I retorted, rolling my eyes and turning to the window to hide the lie on my face.
He grabbed my arm, his fingers firm but not rough, and turned me to face him. Our faces were suddenly inches apart, and I forgot how to breathe.
“What did you say?” he murmured, his warm breath ghosting over my lips.
I narrowed my eyes, acutely aware of the path his hand was tracing down my arm.
“I said you’re not that fine,” I repeated, my voice soft and low. His hand slid to my waist, and I swallowed hard.
“Are you trying to seduce me, Thompson?” I managed to ask, though my voice came out breathy.
He smirked, pulling me onto his lap so I straddled his thighs.
“I’ll save the seduction for tonight, kitten,” he rasped, pressing a slow, wet kiss to my neck. I bit my bottom lip, painfully aware of the driver’s presence in the car.
“What do you mean, tonight?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” he muttered, his lips brushing against my cheek.
Shifting on his lap to find a more comfortable position, I brushed against something hard. Aaron groaned, burying his face in my neck. I smirked at the reaction.
“Whatever you’re trying to do just backfired,” I teased, chuckling softly as I noticed the muscle twitching in his jaw.
“If I were to slid a finger inside you right now, tell me I wouldn’t find you wet,” he dared, his voice low.
I froze, swallowing hard, refusing to give an answer. His smirk was infuriating.
The car rolled to a stop, and I scrambled off his lap, embarrassed at the idea of the driver noticing anything.
When I stepped out, I realized we were in front of a luxurious hotel that screamed wealth. Aaron spoke briefly with the driver, who glanced at me and gave a polite nod before driving away.
“How much did this place cost you?” I asked as we entered the lobby.
“Would it help you sleep better if you knew?” Aaron replied with a teasing note in his voice.
I narrowed my eyes. “So, it’s question-for-question now?” I muttered, choosing to admire the hotel’s elegant interior rather than press him further.
At the receptionist’s desk, a blonde woman greeted us with a wide smile, though it was clear her attention was fixed solely on Aaron.
She batted her lashes, and I instantly disliked her. Everything about her-from the fake lashes to her lips and breasts-grated on my nerves.
“We have a reservation for two suites,” Aaron said, and I turned to him, confused.
“Two?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice low. He arched a brow in response.
“Mr. Aaron Thompson and Ms. Joan Madison, I assume?” the receptionist asked, handing over two key cards with a suggestive smile.
“Enjoy your stay, and let me know if you need anything. Anything at all,” she said, emphasizing the last words.
I tapped the counter to draw her attention. “Can I reach out to you too? I already need a few things,” I said sweetly, feigning innocence.
Her fake smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. “How may I help you?”
I leaned in closer, dropping my voice to a low whisper. “See this man next to me?” I asked, gesturing to Aaron. She glanced at him and nodded.
“If I catch you anywhere near him again, I’ll make sure you regret it,” I said before straightening up with a bright smile. She turned red immediately.
Aaron wrapped an arm around my waist, chuckling as he led me away.
As we stepped into the elevator, I folded my arms and leaned back against the wall, watching Aaron through narrowed eyes. He looked far too amused for my liking, his lips curved into that maddening smirk.
“Why two suites?” I asked again. I’d thought we were going to atleast spend time with each other, but no, we were getting separate rooms.
He leaned against the opposite wall, hands tucked casually into his pockets. His gaze dropped to me, softening for just a second before his smirk returned.
“Because I can’t trust myself around you,” he said, his voice dropped to that dangerous low tone that always made my pulse quicken.
I raised a brow, feigning disinterest. “You’re full of yourself, you know that?”
“And yet,” he said, stepping closer as the elevator doors dinged open, “you’re the one who was glaring daggers at every woman who so much as looked my way today.”
Heat rushed up my neck, and I quickly stepped out of the elevator.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I just didn’t want to deal with their nonsense.”
“Sure, kitten,” he murmured, following behind me with lazy strides. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
We reached our rooms, and we stood awkwardly for a second.
“Separate rooms are for your own good,” he continued, his voice soft and quiet as he took a step closer. His breath brushed against my ear, making my fingers tremble as I slid the card into the lock.
“Because if we’re in the same room, I might not be able to stop myself. And trust me, kitten, you wouldn’t want that.”
I swallowed hard. I opened the door and stepped inside, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words affected me.
“Goodnight,” I said, glancing over my shoulder as I shut the door.
His grin was infuriatingly smug. “Goodnight, kitten.”
The door clicked shut, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. After I took a nap and freshened up, a knock came on the door.
I opened the door, expecting room service, but instead, a man in a waiter’s uniform stood there, holding a black box.
“This is for you, ma’am,” he said with a polite smile, handing it over.
I eyed the box suspiciously. “Who’s it from?”
“An admirer,” he replied with a grin as I took the box from him without saying another word, he walked away.
Admirer? I didn’t know anyone in Paris except-Aaron. My phone pinged, and I grabbed it from the nightstand, opening the message that had just come through.
Mr. big diick:Dress up. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.
The text was from Aaron. Of course. I glanced at the box, smirking as I set my phone down. So this was how he wanted to play.
Let’s play then.