Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Elle
As I sit across from Sebastian at the extravagant dinner table atop the Eiffel Tower, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. The grand gesture, the lavish display of wealth – it all feels so superficial, so contrived. I wanted something more...real. More like the diner this morning. Something that would show me he remembered the little things, the things that truly matter to me.
But as I glance around at the breathtaking view of Paris below us, I realise that maybe I had set my expectations too high. Maybe Sebastian doesn’t know how to be anything other than the charming, wealthy bachelor that everyone expects him to be. And maybe I don’t know how to let my guard down and truly be myself around him.
I take a sip of my champagne, the bubbles tickling my nose, and meet Sebastian’s gaze across the table. It’s so silly, but I don’t even like champagne. I just drink it because I’m supposed to like it. I once told my mother that I hated the taste and she looked at me like I’d grown another head. When I told my father I preferred a single malt, he enrolled me in finishing school to put an end to my ‘tomboy ways’.
Over a drink.
There’s a hint of vulnerability in his eyes that I hadn’t noticed before, a flicker of something genuine beneath the facade of wealth and privilege.
“Do you like it?” he asks nervously.
“The food is amazing,” I reply, honestly, because it is. Michelin starred cuisine and champagne private dining at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I should feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
“And the view?”
“It’s spectacular,” I reply, gazing out across the city skyline lit up in the dark. The lights are breathtaking, but you can’t see the stars in the city.
“And the company?” he asks, a teasing lilt to his voice.
“Below average,” I reply without missing a beat, then I grin at him and laugh.
Sebastian chuckles at my response, a genuine smile spreading across his face. For a moment, the tension between us eases, and I catch a glimpse of the person he might be when he’s not trying so hard to impress. Maybe we’re both just two people struggling to break free from the expectations placed upon us by our families, our fame, our wealth.
I set down my glass, suddenly feeling a surge of courage coursing through me. “Can I be honest with you, Seb?”
He nods, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
“This,” I gesture around at the opulent setting, “it’s all very...extravagant. But I think what I really want is just to get to know you. The real you. Not the Sebastian everyone thinks they know from the tabloids.”
His expression softens, and he reaches out to take my hand across the table. “I want that too, Elle. I want to show you who I am beyond the flashy dates and designer suits.”
“So, if you could arrange a second date for us, what would you do?”
“That’s a tough question,” he replies, taking a moment to consider. “I guess this is pretty hard to top.” I smile. “I don’t know. What do you like to do in your spare time when you’re not…working?”
“Well, I don’t date much.” Or at all really. “So, I’m not sure my hobbies would count as date material.”
“Do you still do all the activities your mother used to pack your after school timetable with?”
I pull a face and laugh again. “God, no. I dropped everything as soon as I was able to, when I turned twenty three.”
“That’s an odd age.”
“My parents wouldn’t let me move out before then. I’m pretty sure my mother thinks I still do everything.”
“Remind me how accomplished you are,” he teases.
“I speak four languages, play piano, violin and flute to concert level, and I’m a black belt in judo. I’m excellent at tennis, fencing and four different forms of dance. Honestly, the only thing I can’t do is ride a horse. My mother wanted me to be accomplished; I just wanted a life.”
“You can’t ride a horse?” Sebastian teases, smirking at me as he raises his glass of champagne to his lips. I shrug my shoulders and wait to time my response just right.
“No, mother didn’t want to risk my hymen,” I tell him sweetly, laughing when he spits his drink out in shock and surprise.
“Oh my god, Elle. You can’t say hymen in public.”
“We’re alone, relax.” I raise an eyebrow, because a lady never rolls her eyes – no matter how much she wants to – and I have to bite back my smirk.
“Good joke though. You got me.”
I stare at him. “You’ve met my mother. You should know better than anyone that I’m not joking. I do own a racehorse though, and I’m on the board of directors at my father’s company.”
Sebastian’s eyes widen, a mix of disbelief and amusement dancing in them. His laughter rings out, genuine and infectious, breaking down the walls between us even further.
“I didn’t know you were into horse racing.”
“I’m not,” I reply with a shrug. “My dad bought it for me when I graduated from finishing school. He thought it would be ‘refined’. It just stands around looking pretty and eating oats. Still…poops like a wild pony.”
“Well, since you’re such a woman of mystery, maybe our next date should involve something that truly reflects who you are,” Sebastian suggests, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“And what would that be?” I inquire, genuinely curious now.
“I happen to know two amazing accomplishments that you’ve missed off your list.”
“I have?” I frown, mentally cataloguing my collection of childhood ribbons and trophies, certificates and accolades. I don’t think I’ve missed anything.
“You’re amazing at bowling and a mean shot with a water gun.”
I laugh, too loud, real and unladylike, but I’m delighted by Sebastian’s reference to our early teenage years.
“How about I plan our next date around one of those activities?”
“You want to have a water fight?”
“I wouldn’t mind getting you wet.”
Sebastian’s remark hangs in the air, charged with a playful energy that catches me off guard. Heat rises to my cheeks as I try to decipher the intent behind his words. Is this just lighthearted banter, or is there a deeper undercurrent flowing between us? I clear my throat, attempting to regain my composure.
“A water fight does sound…refreshing,” I reply, a coy smile playing on my lips. “But maybe we should save that for a warmer day. How about we start with bowling instead?”
Sebastian’s eyes light up with excitement at the suggestion. I remember how competitive he used to be. I wonder if that’s changed. “Bowling it is, then,” he agrees, his grin infectious. “I’ll make sure to bring my A-game so I can impress you with my strikes.”
As we finish our meal and make our way down the tower, using the elevator thankfully, the night air feels crisp against my skin, the city bustling with life around us. We step into the cool Parisian night and I steal a glance at Sebastian walking beside me, his silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights. He’s ridiculously handsome, but beneath the veneer of wealth and privilege lies a person yearning for genuine connection and understanding. A person not so different from myself.
The car is waiting right where we left it, but just across the street is a couple of bicycle tuk tuks, horribly gaudy with their flashing lights, pink leopard print faux fur seat covers, and blaring music from the speakers.
As we approach the car, a mischievous glint appears in Sebastian’s eyes. Without warning, he grabs my hand and leads me towards the brightly coloured bike instead.
“Let’s take this instead,” Sebastian suggests, his smile infectious. Before I can even respond, he’s already negotiating with the tuk tuk driver in rapid French. The driver nods enthusiastically and helps us climb aboard the bicycle-powered contraption. I can’t help but laugh at his spontaneity and willingness to dive into an unexpected adventure.
With Sebastian by my side, the cityscape whizzes past us in a blur of lights and sounds. The cool breeze tousles my hair, as we speed through the streets of Paris, passing iconic landmarks and hidden alleyways alike. I feel alive, free from the constraints of my carefully cultivated image.
As we ride into the heart of the city, I steal glances at Sebastian, his profile illuminated by the glow of passing street lamps and the rapidly changing LED disco lights fitted to our carriage. I lean in closer, our laughter mingling with the night air, as we race through the City of Light on a whimsical tuk tuk ride neither of us could have predicted.
The driver suddenly accelerates, the wind whipping against us as we careen through the cobblestone streets of Paris. Sebastian’s laughter rings out beside me, his hand gripping mine tightly, as we navigate sharp turns and weave through traffic with a reckless abandon that both thrills and terrifies me. I inadvertently let out a mixture of screams and nervous giggles, feeling the rush of adrenaline course through my veins.
As we speed past the shimmering Seine River, I catch a glimpse of Notre Dame Cathedral bathed in moonlight, the scaffolding glinting and its ancient gables towering above like silent sentinels. The sight makes me sad and nostalgic for what once was, but serves as a reminder to enjoy the present.
The city seems to blur into a dreamlike haze around us, the vibrant energy of Paris pulsating through every fibre of my being.
Sebastian leans closer to me, his voice barely audible above the roar of the wind. “Hold on tight, Elle!” he shouts, his eyes sparkling with a wild gleam that mirrors my own sense of exhilaration. As we hurtle through the heart of the city on an impromptu adventure neither of us could have anticipated, I feel a newfound sense of freedom and connection blossoming between us.
When we finally screech to a halt in front of a quaint all-night café nestled in a secluded corner of Montmartre, we stumble out onto the cobblestones, breathless and flushed with excitement. The driver grins at us, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he accepts our fare and generous tip with a nod of approval.
Sebastian turns to me, his smile radiant in the soft glow of the street lamps. “Well, that was certainly a date to remember, was it not?”
“The best I’ve ever been on,” I tell him with a beaming smile, even though my cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much, and the wind must have whipped my hair into a bird’s nest. I sigh wistfully. “Is it wrong that I don’t want it to end?”
Sebastian’s eyes soften as he gazes at me, his expression tender and – I hope – genuine. “Who said anything about it ending?” he says softly, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
A sense of warmth blooms in my chest, spreading like tendrils of ivy weaving their way around my heart. I meet Sebastian’s gaze with unwavering certainty, despite the flutter of butterflies in my stomach.
His touch lingers on my cheek, and I lean forwards, rising onto my tiptoes a little to encourage him.
Sebastian’s lips meet mine in a gentle, hesitant kiss at first, as if testing the waters of our newfound connection. But as the seconds stretch into eternity, the kiss deepens, igniting a spark between us that blazes into a fiery passion. The world around us fades away, leaving only the sensation of his warm embrace and the taste of his lips on mine.