The Texas CEO's Secret

by Nicole Foster

  “You won’t, but you will see it from down there. We’re staying in the Latin Quarter. The cathedral is close by. I opted for a small, elegant Parisian boutique hotel over one of the overblown tourist draws.”

  Katie laid her head on his shoulder. “Mmm…sounds perfect to me.”

  The plane landed smoothly and like clockwork Jean-Paul was on hand to gather their luggage and whisk them into the limo. On the drive to the hotel, Blake held her close to his side, pointing out historical and architectural markers, punctuated here and there with a kiss or an intimate touch, making it difficult for her to keep her mind on Paris.

  “They drive here like they do in Rome,” she said as they swung around a roundabout and she landed halfway onto Blake’s lap.

  “Ah, but there can be benefits to that.” He took the opportunity to graze his fingers over her thigh, fully bared when her skirt followed the car’s sharp turn.

  “Is this why you asked for Jean-Paul?” she asked, pretending modesty by putting a few discreet inches between them, “because you enjoy the benefits of his driving skills?”

  Blake laughed. “You have to admit, it makes the drive more interesting.”

  “I can tell I’m not going to be seeing much of the city,” she teased, laughing herself. She glanced outside at the passing scenery. One after another, each more charming than the last, the small, quaint restaurants were just beginning to show signs of preparing for the evening service with waiters, clad in dark clothes and white aprons, changing table linens and candles, putting out handwritten menus for passersby to peruse. “This is a maze of streets. I could never find my way out of here.”

  “Good. Then I know if I decide to keep you here forever, you’re stuck with me.”

  She answered with a nod, the implication of forever one she didn’t want to contemplate right now.

  “Here we are.” Blake nodded ahead to a stone building several stories high, each level boasting colorful window flower boxes and royal blue awnings. “Hôtel Saint-Jacques, one of my favorites.”

  As Jean-Paul organized the luggage, a liveried servant greeted Blake personally. He introduced Katie and the concierge bowed. “We are at your service, mademoiselle. Anything you desire, you have but to ring down for me.”

  Katie smiled at the dashing older gentleman who stood about four inches shorter than she. “Merci, monsieur,” she said, then complimenting him on his charming-looking hotel, delighted him with her perfect French.

  “I didn’t know you spoke French,” Blake said as they followed a bellman to the front desk.

  “Part of a proper lady’s education, or so my mother insisted.”

  He leaned close to her ear. “I’d like to be your teacher for an improper education.”

  Her lips curved in a seductive smile and she murmured back, “Who says it wouldn’t be the other way around?”

  “If it involves learning about your champagne fantasy,” he commented just as they were about to step into the elevator and loud enough for the bellman to overhear, “then you’re got my complete and undivided attention for a lesson.”

  The bellman smirked and Katie shook her head at Blake, although her heart wasn’t in the reprimand. Instead, she had a sudden explicit image of them together and all the creative ways she could change his mind about not liking champagne.

  The heat between them flared as they squeezed into the tiny elevator, her breasts pressed to his chest, the two of them, the bellman and their luggage barely fitting as the ornate iron door closed. By the time the bellman opened the door to their top-floor suite, the passion between them was palatable.

  “Oh, Blake, this is wonderful,” Katie breathed, taking in the lavishly appointed rooms, decorated in rich jewel-toned fabrics and priceless-looking antiques. She walked over to the window. “And look at the view, the river—I can’t imagine anything more beautiful.”

  “I can.” The bellman gone, Blake strode to her side and pulled her to him, running his hands over her body as though he’d been starving for her.

  “You’d think we’ve been waiting for weeks for this,” she said, already yielding to the delicious pleasure.

  “It feels like it. I can’t seem to get enough of you.” Cupping his hands on her bottom, he lifted her until she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her skirt scrunched up, revealing black lace thigh highs and slender legs. Blake carried her to the master bedroom, kissing her feverishly as they moved.

  Gently he bent and laid her back on the bed, long legs partially spread where they met his thighs. “You’re just too beautiful,” he said, his expression almost reverent as his gaze swept her body.

  “I didn’t know that was possible.”

  “Neither did I. Until I saw you like this.”

  Katie started to sit up, to touch him, but Blake bent over her, and taking her wrists in his hands, carefully opened her arms at each side and laid her back onto the comforter. “No, let me.” Sliding off his jacket, he moved over her and with torturous deliberation, unfastened each button of her blouse, kissing every new appearance of skin as he went.

  Her instinct was to reach for him, for his shirt, follow his lead, but again, when she lifted her arms to do so, he took her wrists and pressed them back onto the bed. “Not yet.”

  Heat tingled through her, an excitement in letting herself be guided by him, of giving herself up to his explorations, unable to respond or return his touch. It was a delicious frustration, growing by the moment as his hands found her waist and pulled her blouse from her skirt, exposing her breasts to him. With a slow, teasing tongue and skillful teeth, he drew back the layer of satin and lace covering one breast, giving him access to her soft flesh. At the same time, he stretched out his arms, laying his hands atop hers, palm to palm and lightly pressing them to the bed.

  Katie sucked in a ragged breath and he moved to lavish her other breast with similar attention. All the while, his body hovered over hers, just out of reach. His thighs against the end of the bed kept her legs separated, in a position that left her craving more, aching for him to lie fully on her and take her to heights she knew they could reach together.

  But Blake was determined to continue his now wonderfully agonizing seduction. Unclasping the front fastener on her bra, he inched his way with light flickering kisses, across and around her breasts, down her chest and to her belly, where he paused to take longer tastes of her skin.

  She moaned in anticipation of what he would do next. “Are you trying to kill me?” she managed, gasping as his tongue flicked a particularly sensitive spot.

  “Don’t worry,” he promised with a wicked smile, “I won’t let you die unsatisfied.”

  Lifting himself farther from her, he released her hands, then cupping his hands beneath her back he brought her off the bed far enough to remove her shirt and bra. All that remained were her skirt, shoes, stockings and underwear and she itched to sit up to rip them off.

  Blake, however, made it clear he intended to do that for her. Easing his palms down her hips and thighs, to raise her skirt up so he could remove her stockings, he continued all the way to her feet. There he bent and knelt at the foot of the bed, carefully slipping the straps off her black heels, one by one, then removing first one shoe then the other and tossing them with exaggerated finesse to the side of the room.

  Katie laughed and so did he. But when she began to rise off the bed to wrap her arms around him, his hands found hers, entwining their fingers and pressing her back down slowly, softly into the comforter. “Didn’t they teach you that patience is a virtue?”

  Her body sensitized now to his every movement, each brush of his hand or lips, she felt herself softening for him. “There’s nothing virtuous about you, or this. You’re not playing fair,” she said breathlessly as he slipped one stocking down her thigh, tracing after it with his tongue.

  As he flung the stocking out to land on a nearby chair, he smoothed his hands slowly along the length of her leg, from her toes, feet, ankles, calves and thighs all the way und
er her skirt to lightly grasp her bottom. Repeating the ritual with the other stocking and leg, this time when he reached her backside, he continued on to find the zipper of her skirt. In one fluid motion, the skirt fell open and slid from her body, leaving only her black lace thong to cover her.

  He stood over her, an appreciative but hungry look pooling in his eyes. With painstaking slowness, he unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it from his waist and tossed it aside. She lifted her head to look at him, marveling once more at the ripples in his chest and abs, yearning to clasp his arms and pull him down onto her.

  But, then again, Blake’s game did have its rewards, and watching him as he started stripping off his clothes was definitely one of them. When he’d finished, he surprised her, moving back a step, and taking her thighs in his palms, switched places, opening his legs to move hers together between his thighs. He pressed her legs close as he again began a taunting exploration, with lips and this time hands, of her breasts, belly and below,

  “I am going to die, you know,” she panted, unable to stop herself any longer from squirming with desire. Still, he held her legs closed, anchored between his.

  She reached for his neck, trying to pull him down to her, but he flattened her palms to the sides at the same time unexpectedly, he suddenly reversed his legs, moving one knee then the other between hers to open her thighs to him. All the while, the rest of his body balanced above her, just out of reach.

  He stayed there, obviously enjoying her pleasured torment, until finally leaning close enough for her to feel the intimate brush of him against her wet heat.

  “Now, Blake, please—”

  He ignored her, toying with her, going no further than a teasing touch, drawing back and repeating the motion.

  “You’re going to pay for this.”

  “Is that a promise or a threat?”

  Lifting her legs, she wrapped them around his waist and, locking them, pulled him to her with all of her strength. “Definitely a promise.”

  “Touché,” he said, with a sexy laugh and finally, he gave them what they both wanted, joining them together, loving her with the passion that had been building since they stepped onto the jet hours and hours ago.

  The tension between them, stretched to the breaking point by Blake’s sensual play, found release in their lovemaking, and when she finally fell apart in his arms, calling out his name, Katie decided an eternity in Blake’s arms wouldn’t be enough.

  When he awoke, tangled in the sheets, clothes strewn everywhere and forgotten, their room was dark. Sounds of laughter and the glow of gas lamps and restaurant lights filtered up to their window and Blake had to remember where they were.

  “Paris,” he whispered to a still-sleeping Katie, “the city of love.”

  With a tender kiss to her cheek, he brushed a curl of dark hair from her beautiful face and watched, smiling, as she sighed and snuggled closer, marveling at how she’d changed him. She’d saved him from himself and loving her was no longer enough. He wanted more. He wanted her with him, not for a few stolen weeks, but always.

  They were in Paris and in love, the ideal circumstances to convince her they belonged together. He’d pulled off plans against stiffer odds. And he’d never been more determined to succeed now.

  Katie stirred, her eyes fluttering open, her lips rounding into a contented smile as she focused on him. “Good morning,” she murmured.

  He smiled back, bending to kiss her. “Actually, it’s good night.”

  “Guess I lost track of the time.”

  “Me, too, but my stomach didn’t. I’m starving. How about you?”

  “I’m not awake enough to know yet, but I’m sure once I get up I’ll feel it.”

  “What do you say we throw on some clothes and go grab dinner while they’re still serving?”

  “Well…” She stretched languorously. “That would involve moving from this bed.”

  “And—?”

  In a quick motion that belied her seeming lack of motivation, she sat up, sliding a leg over him so she straddled his hips. “And I’ve decided I’m hungry. If you’re still serving, that is.”

  “For you, always,” he vowed and for a long time, dinner was forgotten.

  The next morning, though, Blake promised himself he wouldn’t let anything—Katie included—distract him from his plans. He wanted everything to be perfect for her.

  He called for room service and they finally abandoned the bed to breakfast at a small café table near their window, people watching below as they ate croissants and cheese and fruit and drank espresso.

  “I thought we’d visit a few landmarks today,” he said as they were finishing. “Notre Dame in particular, since that’s first on your list.”

  “Weren’t you supposed to be here on business?” she reminded him, her eyes bright with mischief.

  “Tomorrow,” he said, dismissing work in a word. “Today I want to spend with you.” He leaned across the table to briefly touch a kiss to her lips. “Everything I want to show you is pretty close by and we could take the limo, but you’ll get a better feel for the city if we walk and take the trains. Unless you’d rather drive.”

  “Now I’m getting worried.” Katie eyed him over the rim of her cup.

  “Worried?”

  “Yes, because I think I left the real Blake McCord in Dallas. It’s been two weeks, you haven’t cared about business, and I’m pretty sure if I asked, you’d agree to stay here indefinitely. Not that I don’t like the change, mind you,” she added and he could tell from the twitch of her lips and the light in her eyes she was teasing him, “but I’m wondering what brought all this on.”

  He didn’t have to wonder. “I love you,” he said simply.

  All the amusement went out of her expression and she looked directly at him and pronounced softly, “I love you, too.”

  That brought him out of his seat to take her in his arms and kiss her, slowly, a caress layered with passion and tenderness and the promise of many more to come. When it ended, he held her close for long moments before at last she tilted her head back to smile at him.

  “If we’re going to do all this sightseeing, I’m going to take a shower. No, you don’t,” she warned at his motion to follow her. “If you go with me, we’ll never get out of this room today.”

  “If that’s a threat, I’ll take my chances.”

  Laughing, Katie pulled out of his grasp. “Later,” she said, and with a kiss that promised a private sightseeing tour for later, disappeared into the bathroom, leaving him almost regretting making any plans that included leaving their bed.

  Paris. Flowers in every window box, posh little cafés lining cobblestone streets, stylish people bustling to and fro, unforgettable works of art and architecture at every turn, ancient towering cathedrals and historic stone arches, the Seine river meandering through the city, smells of freshly baked pastries and aromas of expensive perfumes wafting through the air—all of it lived up to and exceeded Katie’s expectations.

  And all of it paled next to the sheer happiness rioting through her because she was with Blake. It felt like a dream, so flawless and wonderful she was afraid to examine it too closely for fear she’d wake and find it couldn’t possibly be true.

  Hours after they’d started their explorations, Blake stopped at a street corner on a busy intersection and took her hand. “There it is,” he said, pointing in the distance to the most gigantic cathedral Katie had ever seen. “Notre Dame.”

  “Oh, I never imagined…It’s amazing.”

  “Come on.” He tugged her and she joined him running across the street to avoid the onslaught of tiny, speeding cars, scooters and bicycles. “I want to get there at sunset.”

  Just as they approached the entrance to the gothic cathedral, a wedding party began to flood out. They stood aside to watch the spectacle of gorgeously dressed guests, a dozen or so bridesmaids and groomsmen and finally the bride and groom. Blake wrapped an arm around Katie’s shoulder and drew her to him.

  �
�She’s stunning,” she said, captivated by the dark French beauty wrapped in a flowing alabaster gown.

  “Not as stunning as you.” Lifting her chin with his index finger, he smiled into her eyes.

  A warm glow touched Katie’s heart and she kissed him sweetly. They stayed there holding each other, exchanging a kiss now and then until the wedding party found their way to the waiting limos and the sun had begun its hazy, saffron descent.

  She couldn’t help but wonder, as she watched the bride and groom sneak a kiss, if she would ever be that woman in a white flowing gown, married to the man of her dreams. A little sigh escaped her, and she inwardly smiled at her romantic musings. She was with the man of her dreams and she wanted to savor every moment, instead of focusing on what might or might not be.

  Resting her head on Blake’s shoulder, she turned her thoughts to watching the cathedral transform. Earlier, she’d been awed by the magnitude of the imposing mass of gray towers, huge round stained glass windows, spires, flying buttresses and portals. But now, softened by the glow of the magic hour of dusk, the entire cathedral lit up in reflected gold beauty created one of the most deeply profound visions she had ever seen.

  Blake moved to stand behind her, his arms around her waist, his breath close and warm on her neck. “See why I wanted to get here by sunset?”

  “Oh, yes, it’s unbelievable,” she murmured, leaning back into him, mesmerized in thought and vision as together they watched the spectacle of dimming rays of sunlight create magnificent shadows that recalled lifetimes of history, countless loves lost and found, centuries of pain and moments of glorious triumph, all reflected in the unyielding majesty and spiritual prowess of this unequalled monument.

  When a shimmering tapestry of changing light encompassed all they could see, church bells began to ring throughout the city, creating a magical fantasia and wrapping them in an ethereal aura of timelessness, Blake gently turned Katie in his arms and backed a step away.

  “Blake, what…?”

  “I’ve never been this happy as I have these last two weeks,” he said, taking her hand in his. “I don’t want it to end once we go back home.”