“You’ve got our baby in there. Just sit back and enjoy this. Let me do everything for you,” he says.
“I have to move some. I can’t just sit here on my computer all day.”
“You can quit your job. You know I make more than enough for the both of us.”
“I know, but I like it.”
“The first moment that changes, you stop immediately. You know I’ve got you,” he says handing me a glass of water.
“I know,” I say, puckering up and getting one of his sensual kisses that are the best part of working from home.
So far my new job couldn’t be better. The perks are amazing, and that includes the French maternity leave laws. According to the rules you get sixteen weeks paid congé maternité, as they call it, which equates to three to six before the expected date of birth and then another ten to thirteen after. Where it really gets interesting is if you have twins, which jumps to total allowance up to thirty-four weeks. And if you have three bundles of joy then you can be out all the way up to forty-six weeks.
Gabriel jokes that we should have a new age doctor figure out a way to engineer triplets next time so we can take the whole forty-six weeks off and just move to the Tahiti, where we can speak French all day and just eat fruits under the shade of a palm tree in-between dips in the Southern Pacific Ocean and raise our kids in the most relaxed environment ever.
In reality we’re not into bio-engineered birth or anything like that, but if we do manage to have twins or triplets it’s a real possibility.
And that’s been the best thing about this whole experience. After the workday ends, and when Gabriel is home we often just sit around looking at pictures on the Internet of all the places we want to go together.
Everything and everywhere is truly a possibility, but for me right now…I’m still completely in love with being in love with him in Paris.
Once you get to experience all the little hidden places that only my terrific tour guide seems to know about the city really shines. Sure we’ve checked out all the major attractions, most more than once, but it’s those hole in the wall places where the artists and free thinkers hang out, or better yet no one at all so we can have the places all to ourselves, that really make me want to never leave this place.
It’s that ‘je ne sais quoi’, as the French say, which means literally means ‘I don't know what.’ A more apt definition being an indefinable quality that makes something distinctive or attractive.
It’s how I would describe the city and also how I would describe my man.
There are so many things that I can describe about him, from his honesty to the way he looks at me and all the physical and mental things. The way we stay up late at night and challenge each other in a fun way with conversations that range from everything from the sea to the stars…nature versus nurture…and so many other things.
But it’s those things I can’t put a finger on that make all the difference. He truly has that je ne sais quoi, and that’s what makes me feel the most love for him.
“Can I get you a piece of chocolate cake?” he says, looking at the antique clock on the wall. “The bakery on the corner should have a fresh one coming out of the oven right about now.”
“Add mind reading to the list of things I love about you,” I say.
“I think that qualifies as us being on the same page. I haven’t had a baked sweet in months.”
“What other kinds are there?”
“You,” he says, leaning in and kissing me again. “Nothing is sweeter than you, and what we made together,” he says putting his hand on my belly.
“What about after I have our baby and I look so much different?” I say giving him the puppy dog face.
“Are you kidding me? That’s going to be the sexiest thing ever. I won’t be able to be inside you after the delivery, but knowing that incredibly beautiful body of yours just carried my child? Forget about it. Let’s just say you better be ready for an insatiable appetite for you like you’ve never seen before.”
“Your appetite for me already is insatiable.”
“That’s what I’m saying!” he says, tickling me with his fingers before kissing me again. “Be right back.”
He throws on a jacket and I watch as he steps out of our home and into the cobblestone streets of Paris.
I can’t wait until he does the same in half a year from now but he won’t just be running out for cake…he’ll be running out for diapers, and baby food and all the things that will make our little person grow, keep it safe, and show it just how much we love it.
It’s so exciting not knowing if we’re having a boy or a girl, but there’s one thing for sure. I got the man of all men, and he’s mine.
Forever.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Gabriel
Five years later
“You can take your hearing protection off now, buddy,” I say to my four-year-old son, Victor, who stands by my side.
“Cheer for mommy,” I say to Vivienne, our three-year-old, as I hold her up just behind the victory presentation stage of the Monaco Formula One race.
This is Marie’s last assignment before her resignation becomes official. What started off as a short contract turned into five years of working with clients she loved, but with twins on the way and both us wanting to grow our family even beyond that, we decided it’s time for her to take a break.
I hope it’s permanent.
Not so far from here along the coast is a quiet stone home just around the corner from St. Tropez that I’ve had my eye on for months now. Parisian Airlines is offering buyouts to their senior pilots, which means I could walk out the door with a cool half million euros. It’s just enough for the home and the property we need to raise our family the way we want.
And the best part is that because of my savings, and the five plus years my woman put in as an advertising exec, we’ve got a million euro saved up. If we can hit the average of seven percent returns from the U.S. stock market that’s seventy thousand euros a year. Taxes will take it down a bit, but it’s still more than enough for us to live, especially considering as part of my exit package I’ll have a family flying deep discount plan and we can grow everything organically at home. It’s not even about saving money though. It’s about providing our kids the best food and lifestyle we can. And there’s even a great school not far away.
I’m ready to pull the trigger and am looking forward to sharing the idea with Marie after her exit interview and for when the babies arrive…if I can wait that long.
And apparently today’s race champion can’t wait to celebrate his win.
My eyes narrow as I watch him shake up a bottle of champagne and spray it on the crowd.
Through gritted teeth I snarl, watching my wife take a step back. She spent a lot of time getting ready for this event, knowing she would be representing herself, and her company, on televisions across the world.
And more important than that is she’s carrying twins. This celebration is not getting out of hand and my family is not getting injured.
No fucking way.
Suddenly the driver goes to kiss the two promotions girls standing next to him on stage.
“Who’s next?” the young man says, if man is even the right word. This youngster needs to be taught some manners.
“Stay here, Victor,” I say. He nods, as his body tightens like a soldier showing me he understands.
I don’t order my child around, but he knows when things are serious we Gaultier men operate as a team, and with military precision…and he is most definitely my little man.
I step forward as the driver eyes my wife.
She raises a hand to say no, but he just sticks his arms out for a hug and takes a step toward her.
She’s at the edge of the podium with no place to go as he closes in, but the asshole picked the wrong person to fuck with today…or any day.
With my baby girl Vivienne safely cradled in my one arm I extend my other and stiff-arm him right in
the face like an NFL running back.
My fingers grab his face, my hand palming his entire head as I swiftly send him right into the floor of the podium in front of the entire world.
The crowd looks stunned as I feel adrenaline shoot through my veins, grabbing my woman and pulling her back from the edge of the platform and to safety.
Without thinking I dip her with one hand and kiss her right on the mouth in front of the world, letting everyone know she’s mine and no one else’s. I don’t care who you are, how much money you’ve got, or if you’re the hottest ticket in town right now.
She’s mine.
I keep my lips locked on hers as I feel my baby girl lean in my arm as she kisses her mom on the cheek while I keep my woman in a lip lock.
The crowd erupts and I carefully straighten back up, raising my wife’s hand high, showing the world she’s the real champion…today and everyday.
I turn back looking to my son and with both hands full I motion with my head for him to join us.
This is a family moment and when I say family I mean all of us. One for all and all for one is how we roll.
He stands next to his mother as I taught him, one man on each side always, to protect our women.
“Family first, dad. Just like you said,” he says without moving his mouth. The little guy’s going to be one hell of a special ops agent, or racecar driver, or whatever the heck he wants to be when he grows up. I’m so proud of him already, just like I’m proud of his sister and his mother.
And next to his mother marrying me, and our children’s births, it’s the biggest honor of my life to stand on this stage with the Monaco royal family behind us as the whole world sees my royal family. My queen and our little prince and princess.
We step back into position and I pull my wife in close.
“Thanks for watching out for me.”
“Always. You know that,” I say, and she melts into my side.
“Are you able to stay awhile after the ceremony, Monsieur Gaultier?” a voice from behind asks me. I recognize it as the king’s as he’s leaning in speaking in my ear so the microphones don’t pick it up.
“I have to get the kids back to Paris and to bed.”
“Can you give me fifteen minutes? I promise it will be worth your while, and something that your entire family cherishes forever.”
The mention of the word cherish is all I need to hear. The man has earned his royalty as far as I’m concerned.
“We will stay. Thank you.”
After the crowd starts to clear out, the queen of Monaco takes my queen off to the side to speak privately.
Not five minutes later we’re in the king’s chambers and he’s pulling out a sword. What the heck?
But once he begins to speak it all makes sense.
He taps me once on one shoulder and then on the other, my wife holding our daughter in her arms and my son standing strong by her side, just behind me.
The king says a few words, but I’m barely paying attention. I’m just watching the pride my family is showing with me in this, another event in our lives, that we are sharing together.
“And as the people gathered here today are our witnesses, I dub the Gabriel Gaultier a knight of the sovereign city-state of Monaco, from this point forward and forever he shall be a part of the royal family. Hip, hip…horray! Hip, hip…horray! Hip, hip…horray!”
He nods and I proceed forward to thank him and accept my sword.
“You’re a part of our family now, sir,” the king says.
“From my family to yours, as we unite on this day that we will cherish forever, just as you promised…thank you.”
“I just wish there were more men like you,” he says.
We shake hands and as I turn I see a tear roll down my wife’s cheek.
I sheath my sword and motion for my boy to come to me.
He runs his hand along the sword and even as disciplined as he is, he can’t fully control himself. He’s definitely going to have the best “what I did last summer” story come fall.
And that’s what life’s all about. Giving my family the memories that we’ll never forget, and those memories are always experienced the same way…together.
“Come my queen,” I say in a dramatic voice that brings a smile to her face as I hand the gigantic sword off to my son and take my daughter from my woman. “To our castle!”
The king and his wife are good people, and they cheer us as we leave…including my attempt at a bit of humor which was honestly just something that sounded like something I had to say and something I would regret if I didn’t.
I get the family in our SUV and we take off for Paris.
“Dad, are you really a knight?” Vivienne asks.
“Yep. And you know what that makes you?”
I turn and look in the rear view and watch as she counts her fingers in the backseat. It’s too cute.
“Three?” she says.
“Yes. And?”
“A princess!” she says clapping her hands together.
“Good job!” my wife says.
“You know what the knight’s first decree is?” I ask.
“What?” my woman asks.
“A kiss from his fair lady,” I say.
As we approach a stoplight I lay into a kiss from my wife.
I turn around and look at my boy who is still staring at that sheathed sword. We put it on the floorboard and tied it up so it doesn't accidentally slide out.
It doesn’t matter. He’s fascinated.
And one day it will be his, just like everything.
Because that’s how families do it. From father to son lessons and possessions are passed, and the most important is teaching my boy to protect the woman of our family.
I pray he never has to use that sword, but if the time comes he will be ready, because he knows…
“Family first, right buddy,” I say reaching a hand back and putting it on his knee.
“Family always, dad. One for all and all for one.”
I kiss my lady again and the light turns green.
I give our “chariot’ some gas. It’s a long way to our castle tonight and I want to get home as soon, but as safely, as possible.
This knight’s got something special in store for his lady tonight…his one and only lady of a lifetime.
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad
Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Possessive Parisian Pilot: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 90) Page 10
