Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
EDWARD
PARIS.
“And this here.” Alora points to the plans. “That needs to be a monumental piece because it’s the first thing you see, so I want that to have a real wow factor.”
“I agree.” Nel studies the plans. “So over on this wall here.”
Their voices drone out. I’m sitting in the meeting about our hotel refurb, but I’m not in the meeting.
Too mesmerized by Alora’s beauty to be able to concentrate on a single word they’re saying.
Her long dark hair is swept up into a casual knot, she has her signature makeup-free face, glowing skin and red lipstick.
She’s wearing a black turtleneck woolen dress and boots.
So effortlessly chic, she has no idea how beautiful and stylish she is.
Honestly, how the hell did I ever get this woman to fall in love with me?
Photographers have started following her and commenting on her fashion sense, they’re calling her a modern-day Audrey Hepburn.
But to me…. She’s mine, the woman who has turned my entire existence up on its head. I can’t go a day without seeing her, I won’t travel unless she can come and I don’t do any after-hour events now unless she can attend alongside me.
Being in Paris this week is the very last thing I have time for, but she needed to come and that means so did I.
After this meeting we’re going saucepan shopping…. Yes you heard me right.
Not a sentence I would have ever imagined coming out of my mouth in a million years.
Alora is so excited about our new house and being able to have privacy that the yacht can’t offer us.
She’s mapping out furniture room by room and it will be just the two of us in our new home, no cook, no cleaner, no guards inside.
Normal is how she wants it, and I have to admit, after spending time alone in her house, I now find myself craving privacy too.
Having her run our house returns me to a simplicity that brings me a great deal of peace. I get it now….
While I read at night, she spends her time scrolling through recipes of things she wants to cook for us and apparently there’s some big kitchen catering place here in Paris that she wants to look at.
With anyone else I would just say buy whatever you want online, but not Alora.
No…it’s all about the tangible experience, touching things with your hands and being lost in the tactile moment. Buying with your heart and not your wallet.
I wish she got to meet my mother.
They are so much alike, glamorous and beautiful with the purest souls.
A heart full of love, the healer of all healers.
Sometimes I look at her and choke up with emotion, she truly is the biggest gift in my life. A love that I never knew I needed.
“Edward.”
I glance up as she pulls me from my daydream. “Yes.”
“Nel’s going.”
“Oh.” I nod, embarrassed. “Lovely to see you, Nel. Today was very productive.” I lean in and kiss her cheek.
“Goodbye.” She toddles off across the restaurant but I don’t dare look after her.
Alora’s temper is spicy as fuck and she has no problem ripping me a new asshole.
“Alone at last.” She smiles over at me as she takes my hand in hers; she lifts it to her lips and kisses the back of it. “Did you hear anything we were talking about?”
“Every single word.”
“You’re such a liar.”
I throw her a wink.
“Are you ready to go and buy saucepans, Mr. Prescott?” She widens her eyes in excitement.
“Yes.” I smile, her joy is infectious.
“Are you as excited as me?”
“No.”
She giggles. “Can you at least act excited?”
“No.”
“And then we can get some dinner on the way home.”
“I’ve booked a table at my favorite restaurant.”
“Okay.” She bounces out of her chair. “Do you think we should get new cutlery too?” She pushes her chair in.
“If you like.”
“Well, what would you like?”
“I would like to be naked.”
“Of course you would.” She rolls her eyes as she takes my hand in hers. “Find me the right saucepans and you might have half a chance.”
ALORA
“Doe,” Edward calls from the balcony.
“Coming.” I pull the fluffy white robe around my shoulders. The bathroom is steamy, we’ve just soaked in the sunken tub for over an hour. We talked and laughed, made sweet gentle love and after the dreamy three days we have just had, Paris may be my new favorite city.
We aren’t staying in the hotel, this time we’re at his penthouse.
My hair is in a messy topknot and I walk out onto the balcony to see Edward in his white robe standing at the rail looking out over the twinkling Eiffel Tower. His dark hair is messed to perfection and his broad shoulders make that robe hang in all the right places.
This man….
There’s a silver bucket with champagne sitting on ice and two crystal flutes and music is playing in the background.
“What are we celebrating?”
He turns and takes me into his arms, his big blue eyes hold mine. “Us.”
My heart swells.
“Oh, Edward,” I whisper. “I’m so in love with you.”
A new song comes on. Elvis Presley, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
“Dance with me.” He takes me into his arms and we sway to the music as he sings the words. Barefoot in our bathrobes, all alone on the balcony with the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the background, I fall in love with him all over again.
“Okay, so what happens here?” I say as I read the pamphlet. “Tell me the rules.”
Thomas, Helene and I are at the polo watching the Kingsmen.
We are lined up in fold-up chairs and wearing big hats.
Beautiful people are everywhere watching, and apparently this is our new normal weekend thing.
Edward has finally succumbed to having my friends come to the things that he wants me to go to.
I can’t do this alone, I need backup with these glamorous women everywhere.
“So….” Thomas points to the field. “As far as I can see, they all ride around on stupidly expensive horses and hit a ball with a hockey stick.”
“Right.”
“And let’s not forget look hot,” Helene adds.
“True.” The team are all wearing tight white pants and fitted red shirts.
“Fuck me dead.” Helene looks around. “There is some seriously hot man meat here today.”
“Right?” I giggle. “Okay. So they ride a horse and then what?”
“No, they ride like a lot of horses,” he replies.
“What do you mean?” I frown.
“What for?” Helene asks.
“They keep changing them out.” He shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“It’s like an hour?” I frown. “How tired can a horse be in an hour?”
“I don’t frigging know.” He opens the program. “Maybe they all just wank over their expensive horses or some shit.”
“That sounds about right.” I nod.
I look over to the other side of the field and see Edward walk out of the dressing room, he’s wearing his tight white pants and his red shirt, he has his polo mallet in his hand and is wearing a helmet.
I can see every muscle underneath his outfit.
He looks over, our eyes meet and he gives me the best come-fuck-me look of all time.
We stare at each other and I feel myself heat under his dark gaze.
His strapper holds his foot and lifts him onto his horse and he looks back at me again as he rides off in the other direction.
“God.” Helene fans herself. “The way he looks at you.”
“Right?” Thomas agrees. “You two must have some seriously good sex.”
I smile as I look back down at the program. You have no idea….
He is so getting laid tonight….
Hard.
“Pass me the sunscreen.” I hold out my hand and Helene passes the bottle over.
The sun is beating down on us as we lie on sun loungers on the deck of the yacht overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
“Can I offer you a drink?” Harmony asks us. “Any lunch?”
“Umm.” I glance over to Helene and Thomas. “You guys hungry?”
They shrug. “A little.”
“Sashimi?”
“I guess.”
“Can we have some sashimi, a garden salad and rice paper rolls please?”
“Shrimp rice paper rolls or lobster?”
“Guys?”
Thomas and Helene exchange glances. “Whatever is fine.”
“What would you like to drink?” she asks.
“I’ll just have a sparkling water.” I glance over to my gobsmacked friends. “What do you guys want?”
“Whatever is fine,” they reply, too shy to make an order.
“Can we have some Aperol Spritzes too, please.”
“Of course.” She smiles before disappearing.
“How the fuck is this your life?” Thomas shakes his head.
“Honestly.” I shrug. “I don’t even know.”
“Fuck. Please set me up with one of his friends.” Helene lies back down and puts her face up to the sun. “I need this life for myself.”
I giggle and I hear voices down below, I get up and walk to the edge to see Edward fully dressed in his suit, he’s walking out a man, they shake hands as the man leaves. Another Sunday business meeting.
“Edward works very hard for this life.” I watch him walk back inside to prepare for his next meeting, he’s got them back-to-back all day. “He never stops working.”
Thomas closes his eyes to the sun. “At least it pays well.
I hold the phone up so that Edward and I can see my family’s faces.
I’ve made a habit of FaceTiming them when he’s here every few days so that they feel like they are getting to know each other too.
I know it’s not the same as meeting in person but at this stage it’s all we have to work with.
He’s chatted to my sister, my brother and dad a few times and they seem to be getting on like a house on fire.
“Alright, Dad, I have to go. I have to get this packing done.”
“Have a great time in the UK, kids,” my dad replies.
Edward smiles and waves. “Bye.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.” I hang up and stare into my wardrobe as I look over my choices. “So what will we be doing all week?”
We’re going to the UK to meet the rest of Edward’s family.
“Not much, just hanging out with my family,” he replies.
“Yeah, but what does your family wear while they—” I air quote the word, “—hang out.”
He smiles as his eyes stay fixed on the screen; he’s lying on my bed with his hands behind his head as he watches television. “I don’t know, whatever.” He keeps looking straight ahead.