Her First French Kiss: An Exotic BWWM Romance

by Lacey Legend

  “What was his response?” Diamond asked.

  “He grunted. But it wasn’t the usual, sour grunt. It was a compassionate grunt.”

  Diamond started laughing at the very thought of it.

  “I had never heard him grunt like that before.”

  “You cracking me up, Jaques,” Diamond said, keeling over.

  “Angelique told me to bring this,” Jaques said, taking something from his pocket. “It is a necklace I suppose.”

  “Oh my God, why is everyone so nice?” Diamond asked, taking the necklace into her hand.

  “She informed me to tell you that it’s a mauvais œil.”

  “What the heck is that?” Diamond asked, not managing the translation.

  “And evil eye necklace,” Jaques explained. “It is supposed to ward off bad people.”

  “Shoot, I’m putting this on right now,” Diamond said, quickly clasping the necklace around her neck. “I just can’t believe how nice everyone is being.”

  “Here in Veules-les-Roses, we take care of one another,” Jaques said dreamily.

  “Yah, I’m starting to see that,” Diamond said, looking off into the distance and sipping her tea.

  “Well, I must be going,” Jaques said, hoisting himself out of his chair with a huff.

  “So soon?” Diamond asked. Even though she had only spent an afternoon alone at the estate, she was starting to enjoy the company.

  “Oui. There is an important anniversaire this evening for which I must make cupcake au chocolat. One hundred of them,” Jaques said, his tone expressing that he was annoyed.

  “I didn’t know that French folks ate cupcakes.”

  “They don’t,” Jaques said with distain. “But it is becoming a trend, as they say.”

  “Well, I can’t thank you enough.”

  “You take care of yourself, cherie,” he said, kissing her upon both cheeks again and making an exit.

  “I have competition now, no?” Diamond heard a voice say, and looked over towards the veranda to find Baptsite, suit and tie immaculate.

  “Oh, Monsieur,” Jaques said, raising his hands in the air. “I assure you that I’m poor competition.”

  “He brought me a cake!” Diamond exclaimed giddily.

  "C'était très gentil de votre part,” Baptiste said to Jaques as he left.

  “Prends soin d’elle,” Jaques replied.

  “Bien sûr.”

  “What did he say?” Diamond asked as Baptiste reached her in the garden.

  “He said to take care of you,” Baptiste said, seating himself and inspecting the cake.

  “And what did you say?” Diamond asked, desperately wishing that she could speak French fluently.

  “I said that it’s too much of a burden,” Baptiste replied casually.

  “Oh,” Diamond replied, a bit defeated.

  “You silly goose, I was trying to tell a joke.”

  “Oh!” Diamond said with a laugh.

  Baptiste put his hand on Diamond’s cheek and gazed into her eyes.

  “Of course I’m going to take care of you,” Baptiste said tenderly.

  “Well, it’s my duty as an independent woman to tell you that I can take care of myself.”

  “And it’s my duty as an independent man to tell you that I’m not going to let you take care of yourself without assistance.”

  Diamond couldn’t help but lean over and place a gentle kiss on Baptiste’s mouth. The kiss was met with appreciation, and a deep hunger. It had been days since Baptiste and Diamond had made love, and if he had a choice, he’d take her upstairs that very moment. Unfortunately, he did not think it was right while Diamond was in such a fragile state, and also, there was far more work to be done on that day. Baptiste fleetingly thought of how wonderful it would be to one day put all the business behind him and live in domestic bliss.

  “Before you go, you must try the cake,” Diamond said, cutting a slice.

  “That is not a bad idea,” Baptiste said, loosening his tie.

  A servant spotted Diamond cutting the cake, and they rushed in to be of assistance, but Diamond shooed them away.

  “I got this,” she said, cutting Baptiste an enormous slice.

  “You take that piece,” he said.

  “You kiddin’ me? It’s the size of my head.”

  “Good, you could use some more meat on your bones,” Baptiste said teasingly.

  Diamond involuntarily froze as a memory overtook her. She recalled how mean Malik used to be about the very same subject, judging her food choices and always saying ‘keep it tight keep it right.’ It made her so self-conscious when he did that.

  “What is the matter?” Baptiste asked, noticing the change.

  “Nothin’,” Diamond replied, taking that enormous piece of cake and placing it in front of her. “Nothing at all.”

  Diamond smiled to herself and took a big bite.

  *******

  Diamond got bored. She was stir-crazy. Funny how one’s mood could shift so quickly. She wanted to get out, walk through town, be around other people. She didn’t have a phone any longer, so there was no way to call Baptiste and tell him. A little walk wouldn’t hurt, she told herself.

  Unfortunately, to get out of the estate, Diamond was going to have to be sneaky. She pretended like she was going for a walk in the garden and when no one was looking, she slipped away, through a gated fence and out towards the coast. She’d walk on the beach for a few minutes and would be back in no time. At least that is what she told herself.

  “Bonjour,” a man said as Diamond passed, tipping his hat.

  “Bonjour,” she replied back. Everyone in Veules-les-Roses seemed to be so polite, and have such nice manners. Diamond was actually starting to get used to it. She had no idea how she’d reacclimatize to Chicago; if she ever did return to Chicago.

  There were a handful of people walking on the beach in the late afternoon. The sun still hadn’t shown its face, so Diamond took care to wrap herself in one of Baptiste’s warm jackets which she found in the closet. The wind blew ever so gently, and the waves crashed one after the other, filling Diamond’s ears with their relaxing sound.

  She looked out towards the horizon. It seemed to go on and on. How wonderful it would be to just get on a boat and sail towards that horizon. Then maybe all her problems would really melt away.

  “Bonjour,” another passerby said.

  “Bonjour,” Diamond repeated.

  If she kept walking for another twenty minutes she’d be back at her apartment. She was tempted to do so, because then she could gather some of her things and bring them back to the estate. On second thought, she considered that it wasn’t a good idea because Baptiste would see those things and know that she put herself in danger, without informing him.

  No, she’d just have to make do with what Baptiste gave her, and by making do, she was really living in the lap of luxury.

  Diamond sat on the sand for a bit and clutched her knees to her chest. The breeze blew against her face and she closed her eyes, tasting the salt from the sea on her lips.

  “I had a feelin’ I’d find you here.”

  Diamond didn’t even have to open her eyes to know who it was. A horrific wave of fear penetrated her entire body. She jumped back instinctually and got to her feet.

  “Malik,” she said breathlessly.

  “You happy to see me, baby?” he said.

  “No, Malik,” Diamond replied.

  “Why you actin’ so afraid?”

  “Why I actin’ so afraid?” Diamond repeated. “Malik, have you lost your mind?”

  He continued to walk towards her as Diamond stepped backwards.

  “Yah, I lost my mind. Why you think I lost my mind?”

  “You shouldn’t be here,” Diamond said.

  “Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you.”

  There was a ferocity in his eyes and it scared Diamond to the core. She didn’t know what to do. She looked around and there were only a few othe
rs on the beach. Should she call out to them? Should she just start running? Diamond felt as though her legs were frozen, like a tiny animal that has been caught by a predator.

  “Malik, please go away. You know this is over between us.”

  “Now calm down. We just gonna talk like adults, here.”

  “Talk like adults? You tore up my apartment, Malik. You stole from me.”

  “What, you mean dis?” Malik said, pulling the Diamond earrings from his pocket.

  “Yes, dat. Why did you do that?” Diamond asked, her heart pounding.

  “Cause, I just wanted a little momento to remind me of my Diamond.”

  “I ain’t yo Diamond. Stop saying things like that.” She was still backing away.

  “You see this,” Malik said, holding the earrings up to the light. “This here is property. Man own some diamonds that property be his. And you, why, I see you as property as well. I can hold you in my hand, just as I hold these. And when I do, I know you mine.”

  “Malik, please stop this. You’re frightening me.”

  “Am I scaring you?” he asked, stopping and putting his hands in the air.

  “Yes, Malik, you are scaring me. I beg you to stop.”

  There was silence between them and both stood firmly upon the sand. Diamond could tell from the look in Malik’s eye that he was gauging his next move. He was either about to back away or pounce. Any second, Diamond was gonna see which one it would be.

  “Okay, den. I feel ya,” Malik said, backing away. “I don’t want to do nothin’ to ruin your trust.” Diamond audibly laughed at this.

  “Oh, Malik, you done so much to ruin my trust I can’t even tell you.”

  “Is that right?” he asked.

  “Yah, that’s right,” Diamond said.

  That’s when Malik pounced. He jumped in quickly, taking Diamond in his arms and holding on tight while she struggled.

  “You mean you don’t trust me when I do this, huh? This don’t inspire trust in you?”

  “Malik, let me go!” Diamond cried.

  “I been trying to let you go, Diamond. I been trying to let you go for a long time but it ain’t working.”

  “Please, please,” Diamond said, tears rolling down her face.

  “Now, I don’t like this any more than you do,” Malik said.

  “Please,” Diamond said one more time, her legs giving out. She was falling towards the sand and Malik was holding her up entirely.

  “Mets les mains en l’air,” a voice said. “Put your hands in the air.”

  Malik looked up to find Officer Dubois, no more than ten paces away.

  “Shoot, really?” Malik said, still holding onto Diamond.

  “I said, put your hands in the air,” Dubois said again, holding a gun and pointing it at Malik.

  “You gonna fire that while I got her?” Malik asked. “I don’t think so.”

  “I will say it one more time, Monsieur. Put your hands where I can see them and let her go,” Dubois repeated.

  “Yah, okay,” Malik said, dropping Diamond in the sand. She was sobbing. “You even know how to use that thing?” Malik said, walking towards Dubois.

  “Stand still,” Dubois replied.

  “I stand where I want to stand,” Malik said, still approaching. “You know, I don’t even think you got bullets in there.”

  Malik jumped at Dubois to try to retrieve the gun. The two men got into a scuffle, falling into the sand and fighting for the gun. Dubois was not strong enough to keep it from Malik, and the struggle went on for several moments until Diamond heard a shot and screamed.

  “No!” she cried.

  Diamond turned in the sand to find Dubois laying there, blood trickling from his shoulder.

  “Dubois!” she cried, crawling to where he lay. Malik was nowhere to be found, and neither was the gun. “Dubois,” she said again, finally reaching him.

  “I’m alright,” he said breathlessly.

  “We gotta get you to a hospital. I ain’t got a phone,” Diamond said in desperation.

  “There is one in my left pocket,” he said.

  Diamond rifled through his pocket and got his phone. Panic came over her as she realized that she didn’t know the number to call.

  “I don’t know 911. I don’t know 911!” she cried.

  “It’s 112,” Dubois said with a little laugh.

  “You seriously able to laugh right now?” Diamond said, still in tears.

  “I suppose. There was something funny about that.”

  The fact that Officer Dubois found anything humorous in that moment was heartening to Diamond. She felt, for a brief moment, that everything was going to be alright. She dialed 112 and was informed that they’d have someone on the beach in ten minutes. From Dubois’s demeanor, she knew that he could make it that long. Diamond lay down on her back in the sand and looked up at the sky, desperately trying to catch her breath.

  It was bad news that Malik not only got away, but he took the gun with him. As Diamond stared up at the clouds she had to wonder what he was going to do next. Was Malik going to kill her? It then dawned on her that Baptiste was going to become all too aware of what happened, and how she left the estate without telling him. If Malik didn’t kill her, then maybe there was a chance that Baptiste would instead.

  Chapter14

  When Diamond made her way back to the estate, it was late at night. She had stayed at the hospital with Officer Dubois for hours, and she was exhausted. Luckily he was seen quickly, unlike the hospital in Chicago where it would take a lot of time to even be seen by a doctor.

  Diamond was hoping that perhaps Baptiste was asleep, so that she could crawl into bed silently. At the very least, she would sleep in a guest room so that she didn’t disturb him. This plan would prove to be ineffective, because Baptiste was waiting for her.

  She tiptoed into the living room on her way to the stairs, and that’s where she found him, sitting silently in a chair and sipping some kind of dark liquor. He was smoking again.

  “You betrayed me,” he said without looking at her.

  “I’m sorry, Baptiste. It was innocent, really. I just wanted to go for a walk,” Diamond explained.

  “There was nothing innocent about it. I gave you express orders not to leave, and that’s exactly what you did. And look at what happened because of it,” he said, taking a sip from his glass.

  “Baptiste, you need to be sensible.”

  “I don’t not need to be sensible,” he said, finally turning towards her. There was pain in his eyes.

  “Okay, listen. Now, I gotta say something here,” Diamond said, finally losing her cool.

  “What have you to say?” Baptiste asked. Diamond walked towards him and stood in front of him where she could be seen.

  “If you wanna be like this, then you no better than he is. You don’t own me, Baptiste. We have shared a number of wonderful days together but that doesn’t give you the right to start behaving like I’m some kind of property,” Diamond said, standing up for herself.

  “This isn’t about owning you or being property, Diamond. I care for you. I took charge over this situation because I knew that it was emotional for you and perhaps you wouldn’t be able to make the right decisions for yourself.”

  “Not make the right decisions for myself?” Diamond said, becoming indignant. “Why do you think that I can’t make the right decisions for myself?”

  “Because, you fell in love with this man to begin with. That wasn’t the right choice, was it? How am I supposed to know that you won’t do something stupid again?”

  Diamond backed away and threw her hands in the air. She could understand what Baptiste was trying to say, but she still couldn’t stand for it.

  “You know what, I gotta go,” Diamond said, turning to walk away.

  “No, listen to me,” Baptiste said, putting down his drink and stepping towards her. He placed his hand on her arm. “Don’t do this.”

  “I’ll do what I want to do, Baptiste. That
’s the point that I’m trying to make.”

  “But I can’t allow you to continuously do things that put you in danger, do you understand me!” he said, raising his voice.

  “Oh, and why is that?” Diamond asked, turning towards him.

  “Because I’m falling in love with you.”

  Diamond fell silent. It was hard to argue with that, yet still, she couldn’t wrap her head around it. Even if love was in the mix, did that give Baptiste any right to tell her what to do? Just because he dropped the L bomb, did that mean that she had to obey him in some way? It seemed preposterous.

  “Listen, I don’t know what your response to that is, but please understand that as a man it is my duty—”

  “Your duty to tell me what to do?” Diamond went on.

  “It’s my duty to protect you. I’ll go to any lengths to do it. What you did this afternoon utterly filled me with rage, and there were ways that I wanted to respond to that rage which I had to repress,” Baptiste said, sadness in his eyes.

  Diamond thought back to what Bernice had said, when they were in the kitchen drinking champagne. She had mentioned that Baptiste had problems with anger in the past, and that he was trying to turn a new leaf. Diamond heaved a sigh.

  “Well, I respect that,” Diamond finally said.

  “There are things that I want to say and do right now which I will ignore, because it’s no longer who I am. But please, at least give me one concession and allow me to protect you. I’m not asking you to obey me like a servant, I’m asking you to trust that I have your best interests in mind.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Diamond said in a huff.

  “You’ll think about it,” Baptiste finally said with a laugh.

  “Listen, I’m sorry that I strayed today, and didn’t listen to your advice. But I’m just a person that needs to be free, you know? I gotta go my own way and I gotta have space,” Diamond explained.

  Pain returned to Baptiste’s expression. He was never one to not let a woman be independent, but it was killing him that he didn’t have the force over Diamond that he so desperately wanted to have.

  “I’m tired,” Diamond said, turning away.

  “Go on,” Baptiste replied, at least content enough that she was safe and under his roof.