His condescending tone didn’t go unnoticed by me. “Stop, Ryan. I’m sorry about that. But I do think it’s for the better. We really shouldn’t be spending the night together. It is inappropriate.”
Ryan smirked and then pulled me into his arms. “So that’s it, huh? I’m just your bodyguard now?”
My heart beat strongly. I should say yes, that was all he was. That was the honorable thing to do.
But I didn’t want to be honorable; I wanted to be bad. “No, Ryan, that’s not it.” I tilted my head, offering myself to him, and he didn’t hesitate to kiss me.
He slammed the door shut and pressed my back against the wall, kissing me like he had been dreaming of kissing me all night.
Had he?
He hiked up my dress, and his hand gripped my thigh. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
This passion and heat were unreal. I had always believed this kind of chemistry only existed in movies.
I was glad I was wrong.
Ryan’s hands were sneaking up my dress when there was another knock at the door.
“Room service.”
Ryan grunted and then released me. I straightened out my clothes and peeped in the mirror—I had lipstick smeared on my face—the truth about my bodyguard written all over my face. How embarrassing.
Ryan opened the door, grabbed the trays from the guy, and placed everything at the table.
His eyes widened when he saw the food. I had ordered almost everything on the menu because I wasn’t sure what Ryan liked. I hoped he didn’t think I was showing off—I didn’t know how else to repay his kindness.
Ryan shoveled some eggs on his plate and doused them with hot sauce while I poured him coffee.
After a few bites of food, he seemed to relax. He winked at me. “So what do you want to do today, babe?”
“Oh, I booked a tour of the Normandy beaches. We have a chauffeured limousine and a private guide. It will be great.”
Ryan raised his eyebrow. “A limousine? A private guide? No thanks. I’d prefer to just go low key.”
My chest constricted. Had I made a mistake? I was just trying to do something nice for Ryan, and it had backfired on me. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought it would be nice to go with an expert.”
“It’s really not my style, but thanks. I appreciate the thought.”
I knew I shouldn’t push, but I couldn’t help myself. Ryan was so stubborn and prideful. It was difficult for him to accept kind gestures from anyone. “Are you sure, Ryan? The guide is a war historian. Very knowledgeable. Could you at least try for me since I already paid? I promise you will have a great time. But, if not, I understand.”
Ryan’s eyes met mine. Maybe he wasn’t used to people doing sweet things for him. “Hmm. Well, in that case, let’s just take the tour. Since you already booked it.”
Gotcha. “Yes, it would be easiest.”
We finished our meal and then headed downstairs to meet the limo. Ryan checked the limousine driver’s identification and made sure it matched the itinerary. Wow. It must be exhausting to be that thorough and paranoid.
I climbed into the back of the limo, Ryan raised the divider and put his arm around me. I nestled against his chest. It was nice. Very romantic but very chaste. I had spent my life traveling around the world, but usually only accompanied by my chaperone or parents. I enjoyed having someone by my side with whom I could share new experiences.
The drive was breathtaking, and the beauty of the French coastline mesmerized me. I imagined honeymooning here, with a view of the ocean.
But when I closed my eyes, I pictured Ryan by my side, not Miguel.
I was clearly irrational. Ryan would most definitely not be going on my honeymoon.
I looked over at Ryan, who didn’t seem to be having the same reaction toward the view that I was. His eyes were red and watery.
I placed my hand on his thigh. “What’s wrong?”
“I just imagine all those young men seeing this coast as they rushed off the boats, knowing they were going to die.”
My chest constricted. I had always considered myself so worldly, but Ryan saw the world through a completely different lens, one I could never understand.
How could I lead my own country if I didn’t understand the hardships of the world?
I kissed him on the cheek. “You are amazing, do you know that? I’m so glad I met you.”
He cupped my face and kissed me back. “I’m glad I met you, too. And I need to thank you. I have never in my life traveled like this—the château, the limousine, the private tour. It’s really nice to have someone to experience this country with.”
And with that, we melted into each other and made out like we were teenagers.
Chapter 14
Ryan
MY EYES BEGAN TO TEAR WHEN I stared at the ten thousand perfectly aligned crosses. They were placed in formation, like little soldiers, on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach.
The crosses were pointed toward America.
I choked up. Though I had read many books about the war, being in the cemetery rattled me. I knew that I risked my life every day as a SEAL and that I, too, could end up sacrificing my life for the freedoms of my country.
Just like Giselle was sacrificing her happiness to protect her own country. The irony about what we had in common was not lost on me. I loved my country; she loved hers. And this love would ultimately keep us apart.
The escort was incredibly knowledgeable, and despite my initial reluctance to take a guided tour, I was grateful that Giselle had hired him.
As Giselle and I walked hand in hand through the memorial, I saw an old man wearing a cap that had the words “D-Day Survivor” stitched on it.
I extended my hand to him. “Sir, I’m so honored to meet you. I’m a Navy SEAL, and I’m completely in awe of how brave you were here. Thank you for your service.”
He smiled and shook my hand. “Thank you, young man. I appreciate your kinds words, but it still feels strange to be thanked for the worst day of my life.”
His reaction caused me to pause. I saw him as a hero, and even though he was revisiting his past, the pain of his memories was evident in his sad eyes. How many friends had he lost here that day? What had he seen?
“I understand, sir.”
He glanced at Giselle. “Is this your beautiful wife?”
I winced. He must’ve seen her ring. “No, sir. Unfortunately, she is not.”
He placed his hand on my back. “Son, I fell in love with a girl once. She was beautiful. A nurse. Hair the color of sunshine and eyes the shade of rain. But I didn’t want to get married while I was in the Army. When I returned, she had eloped with someone else. I never forgave myself for letting her go.”
I nodded. “Thank you, sir. It was night to meet you.”
His words seared me deeply. Would I regret letting Giselle go? But unlike this man, I didn’t have a choice in the matter. Giselle was engaged.
But even in the few days since I had met her, I realized that I wanted more out of life.
Maybe I would like to have a girlfriend.
Too bad it would never be Giselle.
Giselle placed her hand on my chest. “I’m sorry about that. I should take off this ring, but I keep it on in case I get pictured. I hope you understand.”
Right. Those pictures could be explained away. After all, I was just the bodyguard. “I get it.”
My heart was overwhelmed with death and sadness. We finally left the memorial and headed back to the hotel after an exhausting day. I felt satisfied that I had paid my respects to the men who had sacrificed their lives for freedom. The greatest generation.
We were both wiped out after our long trip.
Giselle stood in front of her hotel room door. “Would you like to come in? We can order dinner and watch a movie.”
I exhaled. Normally, yes, of course, I would. But I wasn’t in the right mindset. I needed to be alone.
“I’d love to, Princ
ess, but I’m going to call it a night. Today was rough for me. I just need to be alone.”
She looked down at her feet. “I understand.”
I lifted her chin and kissed her. “Good night, Giselle.”
“Good night.”
I surprised myself by telling her no, but I wanted to think about the day we had just spent. I went to my room and ordered room service and liquor. The more I drank, the more the nightmares came. I could feel my stepdad’s hand around my throat, smell his tobacco spiked breath, hear my foster sister’s cries for help. The cocktail of alcohol and death consumed me until I passed out.
The next morning, I woke with a wicked hangover. I felt a little better and brighter and pulled myself together.
I hated myself for not sleeping in Giselle’s room last night. We only had a few more days together. What had I been thinking?
Now that I had achieved my goal of seeing Normandy, I wanted to have some fun with Giselle. This was my vacation. So far, she had been mugged, we went on an emotional picnic, she received a lecture from her daddy, and yesterday we took a trip to a cemetery. Man, I really knew how to show a girl a good time.
I knocked on her door, and she opened it.
She smiled when she saw me. No one ever smiled when they saw me. “Did you sleep well?”
“No. But I feel better. What did you want to do today?”
“I was thinking we could walk around town and see the Bayeux tapestry.”
I loved that she finally was making plans and not going along with what I wanted to do. “Let’s go.”
I was eager to finally explore Bayeux. We stopped for breakfast at a local café. Giselle ordered for us in perfect French. A few people seemed to stare at us, and I wondered if they recognized her, but no one said anything to her, and I hadn’t seen any more paparazzi.
After breakfast, we walked to the museum.
Giselle took my hand. “The Bayeux Tapestry shows the events up until the Norman Conquest of England. It’s simply gorgeous.”
I was in awe of the vast cloth which depicted epic battles. Swords, shields, and soldiers stitched in remembrance. To think this was the way these warriors’ lives were immortalized warmed my soul. It was truly a stunning piece of art.
And I was grateful to see it with Giselle.
We strolled through some more exhibits with Giselle narrating as we went.
“How do you know so much about art?”
“Oh. I studied it at college.”
“Right. You went to the Sorbonne?”
“Yes. It was glorious. J’adore Paris.”
“I’ve never been.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, we must go. The nightlife, the food, the museums; it’s my favorite city.” She bit her lower lip. “I mean, you must go. Someday.”
Her words weighed on her. I wanted to go to Paris. I wanted to go with her. But our time was running out.
After our day date, Giselle went back to her room to freshen up. I ordered a bottle of champagne, flowers, some strawberries and chocolates, and a cheese tray and knocked on her door.
She greeted me wearing a sexy dress.
I was obsessed with her body. This was the longest I had ever been around a woman romantically and not slept with her.
I was starting to see the problem with my past. I had always figured that I was just a player. Keeping people away from me ensured that I didn’t get hurt.
But, and I hated to admit it to myself, I actually enjoyed being around Giselle. I liked the way she asked how I was feeling. She had tried to do something nice for me with the tour, and I had a great time at the museum today.
This was her last vacation before her marriage—I needed to do something great for her as well.
She beamed. “Hey, handsome. You brought me flowers?”
“Yeah. I wanted to thank you for today and yesterday. It was really nice of you to arrange the trip for me.”
“Don’t mention it. It was nice of you to offer to be my bodyguard and not ditch me after you met my father.”
“Well, it wasn’t completely altruistic.”
She smirked. “Oh, really? Why is that?”
“Because I’m crazy about you.”
I put down everything I was carrying and pushed her against the wall. She didn’t resist and met me kiss for kiss, stroke for stroke. I felt the edge of her panties through her dress, and I was dying to rip them off and taste her pussy, but I held myself back.
Why was I so drunk on her? Why this girl? Why now?
Fuck. I pulled myself off her. “Sorry. I can’t resist you.”
“Don’t apologize. I love kissing you.”
But I wanted more.
I brushed her hair out of her face. “Hey, why did you say we should go to Paris?”
She pursed her lips. “Forget it. It was a slipup.”
“Wait, now you don’t want to go with me?”
“No, I do. It would still be fun. But…”
I took her hand and gazed into her eyes. “But what? Tell me.”
“This may seem silly, but I have always wanted to go to Paris with a boyfriend. I’ve never had a boyfriend, and I know I’m engaged, and it’s weird and all, but I’d love to go to Paris with you. We could stroll along the Seine, dine at a romantic bistro, visit the Louvre, kiss at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Well, maybe not that since there are a ton of paparazzi there. Still, I think we could have fun.”
Paris is for lovers.
I didn’t know even where I’d heard that phrase, but it rang in my head.
And maybe, if I took her to Paris, we would become lovers.
At first, taking her virginity seemed like a sleazy goal, even to me. But now, there was more to it. I liked her . . . I cared about her.
I wanted to know what it would be like to sleep with someone I had feelings for. I hadn’t even known that I was capable of having feelings for a woman; back in San Diego, I was deployed continuously. Even if I wanted to start a relationship with a girl, I never had the time.
Well, I still didn’t have the time. We had less than a week together.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. “Let’s go.”
She bit her lip. “To Paris? Now?”
I leaned in and kissed her again. This time more intimately, slower, lovingly. My cock was so hard it was painful. I needed her.
“Tomorrow morning. With me. Let’s go fall in love.”
Chapter 15
Giselle
PARIS! I COULDN’T BELIEVE RYAN was taking me to Paris. This was my dream come true. How did I get so lucky?
Getting mugged was a blessing, not a curse.
I booked a romantic hotel in the heart of Paris. Ryan had wanted to find a bed-and-breakfast, but he quickly relented when I emphasized the security in Paris. I found his Achilles’ heel quite useful.
I called my father and informed him I would be heading to Paris. He seemed slightly annoyed but didn’t say anything else. I assured him that Ryan was behaving like a perfect gentleman, and we would be getting two rooms, all of which was true.
The next morning, Ryan insisted on renting a car and driving to Paris. I would’ve preferred to take a limo, but I wasn’t going to argue.
After a quick stop for lunch, we finally arrived in Paris and checked in.
“So, where do you want to go first?” I’d been here before, so I wanted Ryan to take the lead. This was his vacation, after all.
“I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant with Eiffel Tower views. I hope it’s up to your standards.”
Ah, he was so adorable. “You don’t have to impress me, Ryan. I’m just happy that I’m here with you.”
“Babe, I need to run an errand. I’ll be right back. Don’t leave this room or open the door under any circumstances.”
Again, with the paranoia. “I’m fine. Why are you so convinced I’m in danger? No one knows I’m here.”
“Don’t start with me. Kim Kardashian was robbed in Paris, and you are a princess. And you wer
e mugged. Just listen to me. Please. I’ll just be downstairs.”
“Fine. I will stay put.”
He kissed me. “Lock the door behind me.”
“Yes, bodyguard.”
And now I was alone. Time to get ready for my date.
I spent some time picking out an outfit—a sexy dress and high heels. I laid it out on the bed and decided to bathe.
I drew myself a warm bath and added some bubbles. Before I stepped into the hot water, I looked at my naked body in the mirror. My entire life, I had been self-conscious; my thighs were too big, my tummy wasn’t flat. But for the first time, I felt not just beautiful but sexy. Ryan couldn’t keep his hands off of me, and he was gorgeous. It didn’t seem to be an act; he truly wanted me.
Maybe I should lose my virginity to him.
I slipped into the bubbles and allowed my mind to roam. Ryan’s words rang in my head. Why did Miguel get to have all the fun? Why couldn’t I enjoy and explore my sexuality?
I soaped myself up and pictured Ryan. A raw pang filled my belly. I wanted him. He wanted me. Why didn’t I go for it? No regrets. Just enjoy myself for the little time we had left.
I rubbed my nipples and began to feel a throbbing between my legs.
Then I heard a knock on the door.
“Babe, open up.”
I knew what I should do: hop out of the tub, dry myself off quickly, throw on some clothes, and answer the door.
But I didn’t want to.
I climbed out of the bath, naked, and raced to the door. I peered through the peephole to make sure it was Ryan.
It was.
“Babe, are you there?”
You can do this, Giselle. There is nothing wrong with wanting him. Miguel didn’t deserve your virginity.
I took a deep breath—and opened the door.
Ryan’s jaw dropped, and his eyes bulged as he took in my naked body.
Ryan stunned me as well.
He was wearing a designer suit and carrying red roses.
One look at me, and he dropped the roses, slammed the door shut, and carried me to the bedroom. “Are you playing with me, Princess?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not. I want you.”
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