Havoc

by Autumn Grey

  I sucked in a breath, halted mid-step, and turned around to come face-to-face with Remington, leaning on the wall behind me with his feet planted firmly on the floor. He was wearing black jeans, which hugged his strong thighs quite nicely. I glanced up to find him studying me. If he noticed me ogling him, he didn't show it.

  "I wasn't avoiding you."

  I totally was.

  He chuckled, low, dark, and dirty. "Yet, here I am, waylaying you in the hall ten meters from the bathrooms. Lovely session by the way."

  "Glad you approve." I smiled. "How long were you in there?"

  "Long enough." He took a step forward. I didn't step back. For some reason, I was curious to see what he was going to do. He dipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out the letter I'd given to Adele. "I got your note from Adele. I did all that because I wanted to, and I want you to keep the suite for as long as you are in France."

  "That's a bit too much—"

  "Selene, please." He was in front of me in a second. "Let's not argue about this." His eyes were intense, the heat pouring off his body blasting mine. Such a simple word chipped at my resistance. I had a feeling him saying “please” was rare. Besides, I still had a date with the bathtub.

  "Okay, I'll stay. Only because of the tub," I said, teasingly, surprised by how natural it was to tease him, especially when he was being this cordial. "Thank you."

  He laughed. Whoa! He should do that often. "It's such a beautiful thing, isn't it?” He lifted his hand toward my face but stopped inches from my cheek, staring at me as if he were waiting for my approval. I couldn't utter a single word as I waited to see what he wanted to do. His fingers first brushed my cheek, and then slowly sank into my hair to untie the scarf I'd used to keep my hair off my face. He set my curls free, and then flashed me an honest-to-God happy smile, one similar to the one I saw when he was chatting with his son.

  "Have a coffee with me."

  "W-what?" I stuttered, his request catching me off guard.

  "You want to thank me. Have coffee with me."

  There was just something in the way he was staring at me right now that if he asked me to sprint up Mt. Everest wearing a camisole, I probably would.

  Oh, wow, Selene, back the hell up. These were very dangerous thoughts.

  I finally broke away from his potent energy, and took a step back. "How is that a thank you? It doesn't make sense."

  "Unless you're scared of being alone with me." He smirked, eyebrow raised in challenge. Oh, he was in a playful mood. This side of him was new, and I liked it probably more than I should. "Besides, I want to show you I'm not this arse of a man you met two days ago. Call it a do-over."

  "A do-over," I said. "You're convinced this will change my mind about you?"

  He cocked his head to the side. "Yes." This man wore his confidence so effortlessly it was quite appealing. "Adrien and I are leaving for Provence later this evening. I'll feel much better knowing I didn't leave you with a bad impression of me. Unless you have other plans."

  My plans included heading to town, doing some sightseeing, or visiting a museum or two. It took about one second to make up my mind. Remington had me curious.

  "All right, I'll have coffee with you."

  His eyes lit up, even though his smile was brief, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. "I'll meet you outside." He turned and strode away.

  I headed for the bathroom and when I returned to the hall, Remington, Andrew, and a tall, burly man I had never seen before were speaking in low voices. Remington handed Andrew a piece of paper. Andrew frowned, and it only got worse as his eyes scrolled down the paper. He glanced up, said something to Remington before handing him the paper. As if he sensed me, he looked over his shoulder in my direction.

  Three things happened. Andrew tucked his hands into his pants' pockets and cleared his throat. The new guy shifted on his feet, mumbled something, and left. Remington's eyes narrowed as if gauging how much I'd heard of whatever they'd been talking about.

  What the hell is that all about?

  Pretending I wasn't bothered, I smoothed my skirt and stepped forward.

  Remington's lips curled deliciously to one side. "Andrew, if you'll excuse me?" He folded the letter, slipping it inside the inner pocket of his coat, but not before a small piece of paper slipped and fluttered to the floor.

  "Have fun, kids," Andrew said, winking at me as he shoved my handbag into my hands.

  "You planned this, didn't you?" I murmured in his ear as I hugged him. He leaned back, placing a hand on his chest, wearing a wounded expression.

  "Oh, drop the act already. Don't ever take up acting because you suck at it, Andrew." He laughed.

  Taking a step back, I dropped my handbag right where the tiny snippet of paper was on the floor. "I'm such a klutz," I said, leaning down to pick up my bag along with the tiny piece of paper, which I quickly slid into the side pocket of my bag.

  "I'll drop Selene at the hotel," Remington said, his palm cupping my elbow to steady me.

  Andrew's smile was smug as he turned to face Grace as she approached. She mouthed “call me” and waved.

  As I walked down the stairs, Remington's hand pressed lightly on my arm, guiding me toward the Phantom parked a few feet away. He waited until I was safely seated and buckled before rounding the car and sliding into his seat.

  My fingers itched to touch the dusting of hair on his arm. God, it was sexy. Most men I'd seen shaved most of their body hair, so the fact Remington maintained his was devastatingly sexy. I turned my gaze to his fingers on the steering wheel, long and strong with clean, well-kept nails. And when I imagined them tugging my chin up for a kiss, I pressed my thighs together as the image flashed inside my head repeatedly.

  I was attracted to Remington. I couldn't deny it. It wasn't only because of his looks. I was drawn to his elusive, mysterious nature. I wanted to know what made him tick. Maybe I didn't need a Prince Charming after all.

  "WANT TO eat outside?"

  "Sure." I glanced around, enjoying the warm fall weather. "I thought we were having coffee."

  He flicked his wrist to look at the time. "We could have an early lunch." He jerked his chin, indicating to cross the street. He'd parked the Phantom close to the Hyatt, Hotel du Louvre, and we were walking toward Place du Carrousel.

  My stomach chose that moment to announce how hungry I was. Heat crawled up my cheeks as I clutched my middle¸ my head snapping up at the dark chuckle from my right.

  "Come on," Remington said, pointing me toward a brasserie to our left. He didn't seem as eager to touch me as he had when we left Saint Bernadette, but rather preferred to keep his hands clenched loosely at his sides.

  Twenty minutes later, Remington was guiding me down a path flanked by trees in the Tuileries Gardens with our lunch in a bag. Red-orange leaves crunched under our feet as we strolled toward an empty bench close to a fountain. It was a beautiful day, and I was glad he'd suggested eating outside. I wasn't sure I was ready to be in close quarters with Remington just yet.

  He handed me the lunch bag, strolled toward some chairs in front of the Octagon Basin, and dragged three of them toward me. Then he grabbed the bag and laid out our meal in one of the seats while I stood back, enjoying the view of him preparing our lunch.

  "How am I doing so far?" Remington asked as soon as we sat down. He leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees, hands hanging loosely between them.

  "Hmm, let's see. I'm sitting in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and you're feeding me. So far so good. You're earning some very good points." I smiled, shoving a piece of rotisserie chicken in my mouth, following it with roasted vegetables. "As long as you feed me, we'll be friends."

  He laughed, his eyes lingering a second too long on my mouth before he switched his focus to his food. "I'll definitely keep that in mind, Selene."

  There it was again. The inflection in his voice on the last two letters on my name. His knee brushed mine, and even though we had clothing separating
us, it didn't stop a shiver from scuttling down my stomach, and settling between my legs. There was just something so intoxicating about him. Just a look from him, or a touch made me feel lusty. I had been out of this flirting game for a very long time. James and I had dated since high school so I had never dated anyone other than him. I obviously hadn't thought this through when I made the decision to jump back into the dating pool.

  My stomach clenched and I shifted on my chair. What if I said the wrong thing? But I was an adult, a single woman who hadn't had sex for ages, and was looking to have some fun.

  We ate in silence, pausing to ask or answer questions. I told him I was having a good time in Paris so far, how long I'd been modeling. We talked about Adrien, conveniently skirting his mother. Adrien attended a preschool both in Paris and in Provence depending on where he was during the week. He spent at least a week every three weeks with his grandmother. I watched Remington, fascinated by how his face softened whenever he spoke about his son.

  "Andrew told me you are an artist. Who's your inspiration?"

  His eyes lit up further as he sipped wine from his plastic cup then put it back on the chair between us.

  "Caravaggio." I must have looked clueless because he pulled out his phone and after tapping a few times on his screen, he handed it to me. He continued talking, his gaze never wavering from mine, making me feel like I was his only point of focus, and I completely forgot where I was.

  God, this man was good and beautiful, especially with his face relaxed like that.

  I returned his phone and dropped my gaze from his; suddenly feeling as though he could see what was going on inside me. How my resistance was slowly slipping away, how the thought of the sweet boy made my heart ache. Suddenly, the kind of loss I hadn't felt in a long time slammed into me. The months of therapy hadn't done anything to dull the pain. It had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for a trigger. And bam!

  Blinking hard, I placed my plastic cutlery on the paper plate and snatched my cup of wine, drinking deeply, hoping to erase the ache right now wrenching my stomach.

  "Selene?"

  I couldn't look up. Dear God, I couldn't. If I did, I'd end up bursting into tears.

  Gah! I hated when this happened. The sudden shifts in my moods were rare, but there nonetheless.

  Strong fingers cupped my chin, and gently tugged it up to meet those vivid green eyes up close, darkened with worry. His ability to read me was quite frightening.

  "I drank the wine fast," I said, laughing and gently wiping the tears from the corners of my eyes.

  "Wine, huh?" He cocked his head to the side, and I just wanted to hide from his searching gaze.

  Something vibrated nearby, and I leaped for my bag eager to distract myself, but Remington dropped his hand from my chin and pulled his phone from his pants’ pocket.

  "Mother." His face softened marginally as he listened to the person on the other side of the phone. The conversation went on, shifting from French to English and back. Remington looked happy, occasionally laughing at something his mother said.

  "I'm out for lunch. Can I call you back when I get home?" He leaned back on the chair, his eyes locked with mine. "Yes, Mother, a woman, and her name is Selene." Pause, then. "Yes… No, you can't talk to her… Yes, in time." He rolled his eyes, suddenly looking young and full of life.

  A few minutes later, he hung up, sliding the phone in his pocket, and ruffling his hair before resting his hand on the nape of his neck.

  "Mommy giving you trouble?" I teased.

  He chuckled. "She has been pushing me to find a woman for a while now. Whenever my mother hears I'm dining with a woman, her mind jumps ten feet ahead, and she wants me to put a ring on the woman's finger."

  I laughed. This wasn't the Remington I first met, rather the one Andrew told me about.

  "Don't you ever date?" Where is Adrien's mother? I bit back the question. We'd been having such a great time the past hour and I didn't want to destroy the mood.

  Something flashed on his face, and before I had time to decipher the expression, it was gone. "Occasionally. Ready to leave?" He changed the subject and stood up, collecting the plates, tossing them in the nearest bin, and corking the bottle of wine before holding his hand out to me. All I could do was stare until he raised one eyebrow in question, or maybe a challenge.

  I was going to touch him. Really, touch him.

  Pulse fluttering in my ears, I picked up my bag. When my hand touched his, I closed my eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the feel of his palm on mine. The strong way he held my hand made me feel safe. Stupid, I know, but true.

  As soon as I was on my feet, he squeezed my hand before letting go. I wanted his hand back, holding mine, but I couldn't just grab it.

  "Is Adrien's mother still around?" I finally asked.

  "No." His voice dropped about twenty degrees, giving me a chill. "She passed away."

  I froze mid-step, swiveling around to face him. "Oh my God, I am so sorry."

  He studied me, before shaking his head, and laughing bitterly. "No apologies needed."

  Shit. I didn't like that I was the one responsible for the dark look on his face.

  Heading back to the car, we walked in silence, while I nibbled my bottom lip and Remington brooded silently at my side.

  "I lost my points again, didn't I?" he asked.

  I shook my head. "I think I lost mine. Thank you for lunch. And I'm truly sorry for asking you about her."

  He waved a hand, brushing it off, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  There was a candy shop ahead of us and I suddenly craved something sweet. I hoped I could find some kind of peace offering in there.

  "Could you please wait for me? I need to buy something inside."

  He nodded and I left him standing under the shade of a tree.

  After I placed my order for cotton candy, I stood back to wait, and then remembered the piece of paper I picked up from the floor earlier. I dug it out, stared at the newspaper cutout of the letter C, and frowned.

  What the hell is this? And what does the letter stand for?

  I glanced over my shoulder at Remington before placing it back in my bag. He, Andrew, and the burly man had seemed worried, and when they realized I was hovering nearby, they seemed overly eager to discontinue their conversation.

  "Got what you wanted?" Remington's sexy voice close to my ear snapped me out of my thoughts. His light scruff brushed lightly on my skin as he looked over my shoulder.

  I nodded, pointing to the cotton candy being twirled into a huge ball.

  "Cotton candy is the answer to every single problem." I took it from the man's hand, and once I paid for my purchase, I pinched a small piece, and shoved it in my mouth. Remington's eyes followed my fingers, as the candy disappeared into my mouth.

  He dragged his gaze away from my lips, and laughed. "For world problems, too?"

  "Especially world problems. If anyone ever took time to listen to me, the world would be a better place." I grinned, pinching a wad of candy and holding it out for him. "Want some?"

  Before I could move my hand, his mouth, warm and wet, closed around my fingers. He twirled his tongue around them, his eyes dark and playful.

  Oh. My. God. "Good?" I asked hoarsely when he finally freed my fingers from their delicious prison.

  "Perfect." He licked his lips while staring at mine, his face much closer than before. I could see every single golden speckle in his eyes.

  My head angled automatically as his did. Were we about to kiss? Wasn't it too soon for this? Oh my God. Why was I questioning everything? Right now, a hot guy looked like he wanted to devour me alive and I was thinking?

  He pulled back slightly, studying me, and I kicked myself mentally. My eyes shifted to his jaw, trying to scoop up my thoughts, now splattered at his feet. I'd been so absorbed by him I hardly noticed what was hidden behind that sexy scruff.

  "Is that… a dimple?" My finger was suddenly all over the dimple. I found
myself doing things without a second thought when I was around Remington. Before I could pull my hand back, he snatched it, bringing it to his mouth.

  Again.

  "If one little dimple drives you insane, wait until you see the second one." He turned his head.

  God, I think I just came.

  He swirled his tongue around my finger, nipping the tip gently. I groaned, struggling to pull my hand away before I embarrassed myself in front of the people littering the shop.

  My heart was racing, and I was out of breath. All he did was show me his dimples and suck my finger.

  Oh, shit, I am so in trouble.

  "You're a dangerous man, Remington St. Germain."

  He laughed, and everything seemed right in the world again. "Is that a bad thing?"

  "No," I said, thinking how wonderful it'd be to live dangerously for once. Not care what anyone would think. "It's a very good thing."

  As we walked toward his car, our bodies seemed to gravitate toward each other, our shoulders touching slightly with the occasional brushing of fingers.

  At the hotel, he stopped in front of the elevator. "Have I earned my full stars yet?"

  I shook my head, enjoying the twinkle in his eyes. "Almost. Can I ask you something? And you'll promise to tell me the truth?"

  "Anything. I will always endeavor to tell you the truth."

  "You seem shocked when you saw me the first time."

  His expression shuttered closed. "Is that a question or a confirmation?"

  "Both I guess."

  "Yes. You reminded me of someone from my past."

  Someone from his past? Who? A girlfriend, a wife?

  "And now?" I asked. "What changed?"

  "I realized you were as different as day and night. You're so full of light and kindness. Any other girl would be shoving something up my arse for how I treated you. But you, you amaze me."

  "And you, sir, are good for my ego." I laughed, but he maintained the serious look on his face.

  "I'm truly sorry for behaving like I did, Selene. Forgive me?"

  I nodded, wondering what really happened to Adrien's mom to make him go from hot to cold in one second flat when I asked a few minutes ago.