by J. S. Cooper
“So what do you think, Lola?” Xavier’s voice interrupted my thoughts and I nodded eagerly.
“Yes, I agree.” I smiled at him hoping that my answer made sense.
“You agree, do you?” He licked his lips and moved in closer to me.
“Uh yes.” My smile fell a little.
“So you’re willing to go into the restroom with me and bend over?”
“Wait, what?” My eyes nearly popped out as my voice rose. I saw the woman from earlier giving me a dirty look as she tried to get her rowdy kids to pay attention to her little speech.
“I said, are you ready to ...” Xavier whispered in my ear and I pulled away from him quickly.
“Pervert,” I hissed at him and walked to the other side of the room, my face flushed and red. I could hear Xavier laughing behind me and I closed my eyes for a brief second. I knew that I was going to have to keep my distance from him. Even though I didn’t want to, I was starting to fall for Xavier. He had a way of making me feel special. But I knew I couldn’t allow myself to fall under his spell. He might be a prince, but he was definitely no Prince Charming.
***
His View
I froze as I looked out of the window. There was my ex-fiancée standing looking in the window with a sly look on her face. Shit, what was she doing here? I frowned to myself as I saw Viola. Viola de Haviland was the woman my parents had intended me to marry. The woman whose heart I had broken. The woman who had made me distrust all relationships.
As soon as she saw me, she walked away, but I knew that she knew that I’d seen her. I stared at Lola and frowned slightly. All of a sudden, a plan came into my mind and I laughed. My plan was perfect. I’d be able to have my fill of Lola and I’d be able to finally get Viola out of my life forever. I just hoped that everything went according to plan or I was going to find myself in more trouble than I was now. Lola wasn’t the perfect woman to carry out my plan, but she was the one I wanted. Now all I needed to do was put the plan into action.
Chapter 9
“We’re going to go to Giverny.” He stopped by my desk and handed me a credit card. “Make the bookings.”
“What bookings?” I took the card in confusion. “Where’s Giverny?”
“France, of course.”
“Why are we going to France?”
“To see Monet’s gardens and make preparations for the class trip.”
“What class trip?” I repeated, feeling very much like a dummy.
“The one we’re going to plan.”
“But I’ve never heard of a class trip before...”
“Lola, are we going to go back and forth all day?” He frowned. “Please just make the booking.”
“Fine.” I frowned annoyed. “So nice of you to ask politely.”
“I was very polite.”
“What exactly so you want me to book?” I sighed and stared at the black American Express card in my hand. Of course he’d have a black American Express card!
“The trains, the hotels, whatever.” He walked to the door.
“When are we going? And who else is going? Is Sebastian going?” I asked hopefully.
“We’re going this weekend and no, Sebastian is not going.” He paused and looked back at me. “It will just be us.”
“Oh, yay.” I said flatly, though I was actually pretty excited inside.
“I have to go out right now.” He looked at his Rolex and then back at me. “Call me if you have any questions.”
“Yes, sir,” I muttered, annoyed at myself for being disappointed that he was leaving the office.
“That’s what I like to hear.” He laughed and walked back into the room and toward me desk.
“What are you doing?”
“Something I’ve wanted to do since this morning.” He grinned and then leaned down to kiss me. His lips were warm and firm against mine and I parted my lips waiting to feel his tongue inside my mouth. His eyes laughed into my disappointed ones as he pulled away from me. “Have a good day, my dear.”
“You too,” I mumbled, too stunned to feel annoyed or snap at him. I watched him walk out of the door and listened to his footsteps as he made his way to the front of the house. I released my breath when I heard the front door close behind him and rested my head on the table and groaned.
“Argh.” I moaned as I lay there feeling sorry for myself. I was so confused and I didn’t know what to think. “This is why you don’t sleep with men the same weekend you meet them,” I muttered to myself as I remembered the feel of his lips against mine. If I sniffed gently, I could also smell his cologne. And if I concentrated really hard, I could still feel the warmth of his palms on my skin as he made love to me. I groaned again as I remembered the feel of him. Why wasn’t he as affected as me? I felt like a bumbling idiot around him, yet he continued to act cool, calm and collected. I suppose it helped that he was a handsome, rich prince and he had the world at his disposal. He could get any girl he wanted with his title alone. Add to that his athletic body, handsome face and sparkling green eyes ... He wasn’t known as one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe for nothing.
I clicked back on the computer screen and brought up the page I had just been reading before he’d walked by and given me his credit card.
***
“Have you booked the hotel yet?”
“What hotel?” I frowned at him as he walked back into the room.
“The hotel in Paris.”
“Uh, yeah. I’m doing it now.” I quickly pulled up a website and clicked through without looking properly.
“I expected you to do it as soon as I left.”
“I expected you to be gone for a longer amount of time.”
“Why do you talk back to me, Lola?”
“Why do you treat me like your slave?” I snapped back. Xavier had a way of getting under my skin.
“I don’t think you should throw that word around.” He gave me a solemn frown and I felt very much like he was telling me off. “However, I think I can forgive you if you want to bend over and give me a little show.” His lips twitched and my eyes narrowed.
“Excuse me?”
“For what am I excusing you?”
“You’re a pig.”
“Is that higher up or lower than an ass?” He smirked.
“Can I go now?” I quickly typed in his credit card information and grabbed my bag and stood up. “My boss just told me I have to go on a last-minute trip for work and I’d like to go home and pack.”
“What if your boyfriend decided to take you on a last-minute trip? Would that have been better? Would you have been more excited?”
I stared at him for a moment, not sure if he was asking me to be his girlfriend or what. A feeling of hope surged through me, and I was about to answer when his expression changed to a look of horror.
“Oh shit, I don’t mean if I was your boyfriend and asked you. I just meant if you had a boyfriend and he asked you. General random boyfriend, not me boyfriend.”
“None of your business.” I turned to the table and sorted out some papers so he couldn’t see the embarrassment burning on my face. Trust Xavier to get my hopes up for a minute. Not that I wanted him to be my boyfriend. He’d make an insufferable boyfriend. He was someone I had no interested in dating. Not at all. Not even if he paid me one million dollars. Okay, maybe if he paid me a million dollars. Or even ten thousand. Or even if he didn’t pay me. I sighed inwardly. I was falling for Xavier. I couldn’t help it and I didn’t want to. He was such a pig. But he was so handsome and so funny when he wanted to be.
“So what do you say?” Xavier’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Huh?” I turned around feeling flustered, not knowing what he’d just said.
“I asked if you wanted me to take you shopping, Pretty Woman-style?” He cocked his head and laughed gently.
“Is that meant to be funny?”
“Lola, you do know that I’m joking with you, do you not?”
“I don’t
think it’s a joke.” My eyes narrowed. “How many times are you going to suggest I’m a prostitute?”
“I would never even suggest that. High-class escort at worst.”
“I guess you’ve dated a lot of them.”
“One doesn’t date an escort.”
“One doesn’t screw an asshole.” I grabbed my bag and walked to the door. Then I turned around and smiled at him sweetly and continued, “A second time. Smart girls learn from their mistakes.” I walked to the front of the house and out of the door with a smug smile on my face. I pretended to ignore his loud laughter as I walked out. I preferred to believe I’d stuck a knife in where it hurt, even if that wasn’t the case.
***
“You’re so lucky.” Anna sat on my bed as she watched my pack. “I wish I was going to France.”
“We can go when I get back.”
“With what money?” She sighed melodramatically and leaned back on my bed. “Why does nothing awesome ever happen to me?”
“Anna, we’re in London. Something awesome has already happened. Plus, if we stop eating out so much, we can definitely go to France. The train tickets weren’t that expensive.”
“Oh, I wish I was going on the Eurotrain.” She sighed again. “And to Paris. Gay Paris, where have you been all my life?”
“I’m going to work.” I rolled my eyes at her as I packed my underwear.
“With your lover, who’s a prince?” Anna sat up on my bed and grabbed the underwear out of the bag. “You cannot take these granny panties. Take some pretty things.”
“First off, we slept together once, that doesn’t make him my lover. Secondly, I’m not taking a thong with me to Paris.”
“You do not want to get down and dirty with a prince in granny panties.” Anna threw them on the floor. “No way am I letting you go to Paris with grey and green striped panties.”
“There’s nothing wrong with them.” I bent down and picked them up.
“There’s nothing right with them either.” She grinned and looked at me. “Okay, fine, answer me this question. If Xavier makes a move on you and sneaks into your bedroom for some midnight fun, what would you say?”
“I would say ‘hell no, it’s time to go.’” I grinned, pleased at my little rhyme.
“Really?” Anna raised an eyebrow at me.
“Well ...” It was my turn to sigh. “I would say that at first, but if he decided not to leave I wouldn’t make him.”
“Exactly.” She grinned. “What if he pushes you down on the bed and rips your PJs off and then he sees your panties. You’d be so embarrassed.”
“That’s not going to happen.” I shook my head, but I did go back to my wardrobe and pull out three black silky thongs.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” She grinned and lay back down on the bed. “This sucks. What am I supposed to do this weekend?”
“Why don’t you hang out with Jason?”
“I wish.” She made a face.
“What about Sebastian?”
“Who?”
“You know, Sebastian that we met at the pub. Xavier’s brother?”
“Oh, him.” She made a face. “He’s not really my cup of tea.”
“But at least he’d be someone to hang out with.”
“I suppose I could hang out with him if he really needed someone to chill with.”
“I don’t think ...”
“Fine, fine, tell him I’m willing to spend time with him on Saturday. He can take me to lunch or something.”
“Anna, I don’t even know if he’s free on Saturday.”
“If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll be free.” She jumped off of my bed and laughed. “Okay, I’m going to go and have a Jammie Dodger, want one?”
“No thanks.” I laughed. “You’re addicted to those cookies.”
“You mean ‘biscuits.’” She faked a British accent and we both laughed.
“You’ll be okay this weekend, right?” I gave her a small smile as she left the room and she nodded.
“I’ll be fine.” She smiled back at me. “I’m a big girl. I’ll find something to do.”
“I’ll buy you something nice in France.”
“Just bring me back a hot French man who knows how to French kiss and make pastries.”
“Sure, I’ll bring one for me and one for you.”
“You don’t need one. You have Xavier.”
“Anna, I don’t have anyone, let alone Xavier.” I rolled my eyes at her. “Plus, I don’t want him. He’s an ass.”
“An ass that’s good in bed.”
“Well, he wasn’t that good.”
“So you’d say no to seconds?”
“I don’t know.” I giggled and gave her a quick hug. “I’m going to miss you this weekend.”
“I’ll miss you too, but I expect you to have lots of fun and to tell me all about it. Even the orgasms.”
“Anna!” I exclaimed, shocked, and she just laughed. I sat down on the edge of my bed and closed my eyes. I had no idea why I had agreed to the trip so easily, but I did know that I was excited. I enjoyed spending time with Xavier and I was hopeful that this weekend would see us growing closer. I wanted to get to know the real him. The man behind the mask.
***
His View
I hung up the phone with the hotel and grinned to myself. Everything was going according to plan. All I needed to do now was call the press. I groaned as I thought about what I was doing. When did I ever call the press to alert them where I was going to be? But desperate times called for desperate measures. I needed the paparazzi to be there, if my plan was going to work.
“Max,” I spoke into the phone slowly wanting to make sure that he understood exactly what I was going to say.
“Prince Xavier, I wanted to apologize once again about what happened.” He began but I cut him off.
“I need you to get in contact with the press. I’m going to France. I’m staying at a small hotel in Giverny. I need you to make sure the paparazzi are there on Friday night.”
“Prince Xavier?” He sounded shocked. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not out of my mind, Max.” I closed my eyes and Lola’s face appeared. “At least, I don’t think I am.” I groaned.
“So you want me to call the press?”
“Yes.” I paused and took a deep breath. “And I need another favor.”
“Yes, sir?”
“I need you to get someone to barge into the room on Saturday morning. They need to pretend they are room service and they need to have a camera.”
“Sir?”
“Don’t question me, just do it.”
“Yes, Prince Xavier. Anything else?”
“That’s it for now.” I smiled as I hung up the phone. If everything went according to plan, I’d have Lola in Romerius before she knew it. Then I’d finally be able to get her out of my system. All I needed was a week. One week and I could go back to the way my life was before she came into it.
Chapter 10
“So this will be your first time on a train?” Xavier was surprisingly jovial when he picked me up on Saturday morning.
“On the Eurostar, not a train, period.”
“This will be my first time on the Eurostar as well.” He winked at me as we got on and took our seats.
“You’ve never been on the Eurostar before?” I looked at him in surprise.
“Oh, of course I’ve travelled on it before. This will be my first time having sex on it.”
“Sex?” My jaw dropped and I noticed an older lady giving me a disapproving look.
“Don’t advertise it to the world, Lola.” Xavier winked at me as we settled in.
“Advertise what?” I hissed at him.
“That this will be our first time.”
“I’m not having sex on the train with you.”
“Oh?” He leaned over and ran his fingers down my arm. “I thought that’s what we were talking about.”
“You are so inappropriate.
” I shook my head at him. “You are my professor and my boss. You should not be making such comments.”
“What comments?”
“Comments suggesting that we’re going to have sex on the train.”
“Don’t you want to?” His fingers moved to my leg and I stilled.
“No, I don’t.” I whispered.
“I’ve always thought it would be an exhilarating experience to make love on a train.”
“Xavier!” I exclaimed loudly as his fingers ran up and down my thigh.
“Relax,” he laughed and pulled his fingers back. “We shall not break our train-ride cherries today.”
“You’re disgusting.” I shook my head at him. “And wildly inappropriate.”
“I’m just a man who likes to have fun.” He smiled at me. “And we’re not in the classroom now.” He winked at me and leaned back in his seat. “I think I’ll have a light nap. Wake me up if you change your mind.”
***
“The hotel looks ...” Xavier paused and looked around the lobby of the hotel we’d just entered, “... nice.”
I cringed at his sentence. The hotel looked like a dump and I knew it. The wallpaper was peeling and the floors were dirty and old. This wasn’t the place for a prince, and I wasn’t sure that I would have stayed here either.
“It’s fine, you can say it’s a dump. I can look for somewhere else if you want.” I asked hopefully.
“It’s fine.” He shook his head. “We won’t die from a little shabbiness.” He walked up to the front desk. “I’m here to check into the Presidential Suite.”
“The what, monsieur?” The man behind the desk frowned slightly as he spoke in a heavily accented voice.
