Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
T he reward can’t be right. No way. I mean, it’s amazing, but he must have got it wrong.
Heath has picked out a mighty fine restaurant in Cannes and a mega cool looking club to hang out in later. He shows us the pictures eagerly. But there will be one thing missing.
Him.
Heath isn’t planning on coming with us this evening.
What the holy fuck?
“I could easily get recognised,” he says when I raise my eyebrows. “Believe me, Ella, I don’t want that. I don’t want a hoard of paparazzi at the gates, and people out to take a snap of me wherever I turn. It’s one thing in London, but out here…”
“You could go in disguise,” I say. “Nobody would have recognised you yesterday, not a chance. You barely even looked like you.”
He smiles. “That was at a vineyard in the middle of nowhere with about ten members of staff present. Not in town on a Friday night while the masses are out to play.”
I look at Josh. He has pitted brows, staring at Heath as though it’s a travesty.
“Ells and I can head out to a fancy restaurant and a club whenever we want to, Heath. And I don’t want to sound ungrateful, not at all, but we’re here for you . We want to be with you. ”
I nod along, because Josh is spot on, and I couldn’t emphasise that enough. I’d adore a night out in swanky Cannes, don’t get me wrong – strolling hand in hand with my boyfriend. Eating fine cuisine, and dancing the night away. But we get the opportunity for that kind of thing plenty in London. We could fly out wherever we wanted for a luxury retreat, just the two of us. Just not with Heath.
The idea of being away from our amazing client for the evening tears at my heart strings. It actually hurts.
“We’ve only got two nights left,” I say. “Then we’ll be back on a flight without you. Please, just think about coming with us. Downgrade the meal to somewhere more obscure, pick a nightclub that isn’t so prestigious. Whatever, Heath, just come with us!”
Heath looks torn. “I wanted to give you the chance to experience the incredible vibe of Cannes at night. You deserve it.”
“And we thank you for that, so much.” I reach over the breakfast bar to grip his hand. “But honestly, we’d rather spend it with you.”
He smiles. “Thank you, that’s a lovely sentiment.”
“It’s true,” Josh says. “Come on, Heathy baby, take a risk for once, will you? Are we not worth it? Stick on a cap, and we’ll play it down. You’ll just be a guy out with a regular couple. No big deal.”
My stunning idol laughs at that.
“Josh baby , have you seen your girlfriend lately? You may be able to play down your incredible physique, and tone down your hair a little, but Ella? She’s never going to be able to shield her beauty from the public. The tour guide was eyeing her up all the way through the vineyard yesterday.”
I blush at his words. The way he looks at me with such adoration gives me a fresh lurch.
He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it.
“You two go. Have a wonderful evening.”
He grabs his orange juice and wanders out towards the terrace in his swim shorts, but I hold Josh back before he has chance to accompany him.
“We’re not going,” I say, with a shake of my head. “No way, Josh. I’m not going out and leaving Heath here, not while the clock is ticking so fast.”
His eyes lock on mine, and he ruffles my hair.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m not intending to. We have plenty of hours left before the booking, just let me lead, ok?”
I don’t know what plan Josh has up his sleeve, but I’m prepared to trust him on it. He knows Heath far better than I do.
We all relax together with pastries and banter, like usual, and I take a dip in the pool as the guys sunbathe. Wow. This place truly is fucking amazing.
I fold my arms on the side of the infinity pool, and look out onto the sea, and the gorgeous sandy beach down below. Bright blues, and creamy whites. Such beauty with the full beam of the sun overhead.
I’d love to feel the sand between my toes, but more than that, I’d love to have Heath’s feet walking along beside me. His toes in the sand along with mine.
If only we could break him out of his reservations, just for a while. I suspect there’s more to Heath’s fears than I know about, and Josh will never share that information with me. It will come from Heath, and Heath alone, when the time is right. If it ever is.
I get a horrible, horrible pang at a fresh realisation that nothing whatsoever is concrete with Heath Mason. He’s a client. No matter how much I crave him, and want him, and adore him, he’s just a client.
I try to push that thought aside as best I can.
We haven’t been down through the gate to the beach yet, at the bottom of the villa grounds. It’s been on my mind for a few days now, but the desire has been surpassed by a whole host of other activities. Maybe now could be the time?
I swim back to the other side of the pool to suggest a saunter, surprised to see both guys sitting upright on their loungers, their hands expressive as they engage in some kind of serious conversation. I almost turn around and swim away again, but they see me coming.
“Come on out for a second, Ella,” Josh says, and I do as I’m told, scooting up the pool steps and grabbing my towel from the floor on the way.
“What is it?” I ask, and sit down beside him.
“Josh is on my case,” Heath says. “He’s trying to tempt me with the wonders of hitting the town with you tonight. Appealing to my more… rational side, as he calls it.”
“One night isn’t going to hurt,” Josh tells him. “Seriously, will you just trust me? You’re simply a guy from the TV, heading out with a couple of friends. A couple of friends. We won’t even touch you. We’ll be all over each other.”
I don’t know what to say, so I don’t say anything at all.
“How long is it since you’ve been out in town?” Josh asks. “You used to enjoy it. I remember your tales.”
“They were a long time ago.”
“Yes, exactly! So let’s make some new ones. Just for a night or so.”
“Two,” I butt in. “We have two nights.”
Heath rolls his eyes. “Two now? So you’re not just trying to wrestle me out of the villa for one night in the public eye, it’s now doubled.”
“Fine,” Josh holds his hands up. “We’ll be thinking of you.”
I go to speak again, but Josh flashes me a glance. I know that glance. It means stay quiet.
I move to my own lounger and towel myself off, soaking in the tension between the two guys. It’s burning hotter than the sun – like magma under the surface – even though Josh reaches over to pat Heath’s thigh with a grin on his face.
As for Heath. He can’t stop looking at Josh. He tries to relax, but his eyes keep flitting. Staring.
“What?” Josh asks, after a while.
“Nothing. I was just admiring my beautiful curvas in the sun.”
“Sure.” Josh smirks. “Keep admiring us, then. Let us know if you want some dick or pussy from your beautiful curvas, and we’ll be more than happy to serve.”
Josh sounds so cocky. So alive. Mesmerising in that addictive way my boyfriend behaves.
It’s no surprise that Heath can’t keep his eyes off him. I’m with him on that score.
We have another few glasses of orange juice and a fruit salad, and the topic of our upcoming reward isn’t raised again for hours. Not until Heath gives a sigh as Josh takes a dip in the pool.
“Damn him,” Heath says to me, then shoots me a grin. “And damn you, too.”
“What for?”
He leans back, his arms folded behind his head.
“I want to come with you tonight. I really fucking do.”
“Well, I’d hope so, since we’re going somewhere so amazing.”
“It’s not about somewhere so amazing. It’s coming with you.” Heath pauses. “I want to do it.”
I shuffle on my lounger.
“For real? Oh my God. Are you going to do it? Are you going to come?”
He sighs. “I shouldn’t.”
I use my opportunity as Josh swims a length.
“I know things must be crazy for you, Heath, being a huge celebrity and all that, but I’m sure Josh is right. We can keep it low key.”
He looks right at me. “I hope so, because there’s no way I’ll be able to watch you walk out of the door without me. It would be too fucking hard.”
“What’s that?” Josh asks, arriving back at our side of the pool.
I can hardly contain my excitement.
“Heath says he’s coming with us tonight! He’s coming out in Cannes with us!”
Josh is straight over to the steps, not bothering to towel himself off before he races over and launches himself on top of Heath on the lounger. He peppers his cheek with wet kisses, and Heath laughs with an easy, tiger! But Josh doesn’t go easy. His cheek kisses turn to lip kisses, his smile beaming as he brushes our client’s hair away from his face and looks him straight in the eyes.
“I knew you could do it. I’m so proud of you, Heathy baby. ”
“Fuck off,” Heath groans. “It’s not a scout’s award, Josh. I just said I’m heading out for a meal.”
“And a club. You are coming to the club, aren’t you? If you think we’re gonna wave you off in a cab while we hit the party scene, you’re going to have to wrestle us away from you before you go.”
“We’ll see,” Heath says, then lands a kiss on my boyfriend’s mouth. “No promises.”
“Sure. No promises. Cool, ok, whatever.”
Josh grinds against Heath, cocks clearly straining through their swimming shorts, and Heath moans, urging Josh on a little until he pushes him off with a fuck .
“What?” Josh asks, as Heath gets up from the lounger.
Yeah, his dick is hard. Really fucking hard.
“Hold off,” Heath says. “I have things to do first.”
“Things that trump getting your cock out?” Josh laughs. “They must be high priority.”
I want to play with the pair of them myself, right fucking now, but Heath holds up a hand.
“Since I’m now coming along, I have some amendments to make. Urgent ones.”
“To the booking? That’s cool,” Josh says. “We’ll go wherever you want. No problem.”
Heath shakes his head, a smile lighting up his gorgeous face.
“No, my darling curvas. The locations can stay as they are, I’ll just add a plus one online. I’m about to amend the proposal.”
The proposal.
My heart races.
“Don’t even ask,” Heath says and raises a finger before I start to quiz him. “You only have yourselves to blame for this. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I sure hope his warning is as ominous as it sounds.
I’ll be ready for it.
The atmosphere is buzzing beyond belief as we get ready together. So much for Heath binding his hair up under a cap and hiding behind sunglasses. He’s gone all out for the occasion. His hair is sleek and smooth, hanging perfectly down his back, and he’s suited and booted like a dream. Black suit, white shirt, and a dark burgundy bow tie symbolic of the Count. Josh is wearing a black suit and purple tie, looking gorgeous with the purple streak in his hair on display, and as for me?
I’ve gone all out to impress both my client and my adoring boyfriend.
I’ve chosen my red satin number, figure hugging, with drapes to the floor and a lovely long split to my thigh. I have stilettos that complement it perfectly, and black elbow length gloves that accentuate my gothic makeup just so. Yeah, this will cut it in Cannes. At least, I hope so.
We are one hell of a trio when we get into the back of the cab together. I’m between the two guys and feel Heath take a deep breath when we leave his drive. He really is out of his comfort zone, no doubt about that.
And he’s doing it for us.
What a gesture.
But his demeanour changes somehow when the sprawling modern villas disappear behind us and the heat and life of Cannes swallow us up in the cab. Heath loosens up and comes alive beside me, scoping out the view from the cab window like he’s a kid at a fairground.
“You alright?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I forgot how incredible the place is.”
“Good job you’re about to get a reminder then, isn’t it?”
He’s smiling when he looks at me.
“Yes. Maybe it is.”
Heath doesn’t look half as awkward or terrified as I expected him to when we pull up outside the restaurant – Café Belle époque. It’s almost as though his public persona has taken control as he steps out of the cab and helps me up. But there’s more to his persona than the regalness of the perfect smile on his face, and his Count-like demeanour. He’s still got the regular, down to earth Heathy baby sparkle in his icy-blue eyes as he looks at me and Josh. The undertone of him sounds loud and clear to me as he presents the door to the restaurant.
“Let’s get dining,” he says.
I take Josh’s hand as the server shows us to our table, in the back corner of the eatery – making it clear that we are a couple out with a celebrity friend of ours, and nothing more. No dodgy business. No threesomes. No curvas out with their client.
People look at Heath as we walk along, sure, talking in hushed whispers as they gawp, but nobody jumps out with a squeal and a Count, I love you! Not like they would at a Nighttime Whispers convention or a night out in Camden.
We are sitting happily in a corner booth, sipping on champagne and perusing the menu when a figure steps up to us and clears his throat. I smile politely, having no idea who the hell the old guy is, but Heath clearly does. He leaps up from his seat and pulls the man into a hug with a Clément!
“I didn’t expect to see you still working here!” Heath says as he pulls away, but the man nods.
“Oui, oui. I have never left. I have been waiting for you. I thought that maybe my escargots de Bourgogne had scared you away.”
“No, never. They are delicious!”
The warmth in Heath’s eyes as he sits back down knocks the wind from my lungs. It’s weird, to see him so alive and buzzing outside of the villa walls. I squeeze Josh’s hand under the table, and his fingers grip mine in response – the silent gesture conveying unspoken words.
I’m so glad Heath came.
And I’m also so glad that Clément put in an appearance. The pair of them talked like true old friends.
Heath’s eyes look almost watery as he grins across at us, and then he laughs.
“Thank you,” he says. “For making me come. Tonight, not just in general.”
“We’re the ones who owe you, not the other way around. Cheers to us,” Josh says and raises his glass.
It’s a cheers from me, too. I’d give all the cheers in creation for moments like this. Amazing doesn’t even come close to cutting it.
Heath leans across the table towards us, his eyes full of delight.
“You must try the escargots de Bourgogne. They are out of this fucking world.”
“Can’t wait,” Josh says.
“Me, neither,” I add.
“Seriously, guys. Those snails are truly –” He does a chef’s kiss. “Magnifique! You are in for a treat.”
A waiter appears from nowhere.
“Your cocktails, monsieur.”
From the tray he’s holding in one palm, he places three huge bowl glasses on the table, filled with yellow liquid, and pineapple chunks, and what looks like gold flakes swirling about. They’re topped with crushed ice and a cherry.
“Merci,” Heath says and the waiter bows and walks away.
“Ordered in advance,” Heath says and picks up a glass, eyeing its contents. “It’s Krug champagne, limoncello, pineapple pieces, and they’re real gold flakes. It’s called Liquid Gold . Rather fitting, I thought. And rather special, since they’re five hundred euros a pop. Bottoms up!”
He takes a sip, so does Josh. And so do I.
And I get a tingle all the way up my spine as I savour the suited Heath Mason truly coming into himself. Magnifique kinda sums him up.
“Wow,” Josh says, “that’s really good shit.”
Heath chuckles. “I have to agree. Maybe we’ll just stick to these all night.”
“Honestly, Heath,” Josh says, “this is a real treat. Cheers!”
“Cheers!” Heath says, clinking glasses. “This is just the start, my friends.” He turns to me with a grin. “Bottoms up, Ells. There’s lots more treats to come.”
“Cheers, my friend .” I lift my glass and take a sip.
Holy hell, there is so much I can’t wait for tonight.
The meal.
The magnifique snails.
The club.
The magnifique company.
And last but not least – the amended proposal…