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“You do not want to practice in front of the crowd? Or you do not want to practice in front of your boss?”
Anne glanced over her shoulder to where Gherring was glaring. “Honestly… both.”
Henri smiled, his green eyes dancing. “Come. I will take mon bel ange to a place where there is no crowd and…” He glanced back at Gherring. “And no boss.”
He quickly tucked her arm into his and led her across the ballroom and out the door. As she departed, Anne thought triumphantly she hadn’t lost her balance the entire evening. No trips, no falls. But then she recalled she had indeed felt off balance one time—in the arms of Steven Gherring.
Anne left the ballroom with Henri and, to her surprise, he led her into the hotel elevator. She watched him nervously as the elevator rose higher and higher. “Where’re we going?”
Henri grinned and raised his eyebrows. He spoke in a sultry voice. “We are going upstairs to my room, of course. There, it will be private. No crowd, no boss.”
Anne’s face turned ashen, but Henri laughed. “Non, no. I am kidding you. We are going to the top. There is a private club, a bar. It is a quiet place. You will like it, I think.”
Anne pummeled Henri in the arm playfully until he begged for mercy, even as she sighed in relief. The elevator doors opened on the top floor. They entered a large lounge, and Henri asked to be seated by the windows.
As they took their seats Anne exclaimed breathlessly, “It’s Times Square! We can see Times Square from here!”
Henri looked pleased by her response. “You like it?”
“I love it. This is amazing. I’ve never seen Times Square at night—it’s so beautiful.”
“It is beautiful. I love to show you beautiful things.” They looked out in silence over the busy scene below them. “Paris is very beautiful. I would like to show Paris to you.”
Anne’s eyes lit up and then her face fell. “Henri, I’d love to go to Paris. I’d love to see Paris with you, but I don’t see how that would work.”
“It is simple. You will fly to Paris. I will pay for your ticket, and I will pick you up at the airport. You will stay at my home. My home is very large, très grande. You will have your own room. Everything will be very proper.” His green eyes searched her face hopefully. “Will you come to Paris?”
She hesitated, her voice apologetic. “Henri…”
“Non, wait! Do not say no. Please, mon ange, not yet. Do not say that it is not possible.”
“But Henri—”
“Wait! You said to give myself chance. I am giving myself a chance with you. I say we make a bargain.”
“What bargain?”
“You cannot say no until we try.”
“I don’t know. What does that mean?”
“I mean you must come one time to Paris. Then you can say no if you want to. But you may say yes, if you give me a chance.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but Henri touched his finger to her lips. “Wait! Please wait. If you come to Paris one time and you still think it will not work between us, I will let you go. I ask only for a chance.”
“I just don’t know, Henri. I’d like to say yes, but I don’t know.”
“What do you lose if you try?”
“I don’t want to break your heart, Henri.”
“It is too late—I have opened my heart to you.”
Anne felt like running away. She couldn’t handle this kind of pressure. How had she managed to lead Henri on? She thought she’d been so careful.
Henri touched her arm. “It is a good thing, I think, to give my heart to you. I have played and flirted, but I have not given my heart. Because I do not want to hurt again, I have not given my heart. For five years I have protected my heart to keep it safe, so I will not be hurt.”
He spoke fervently. “But without hurt, I have no chance for love. Mon bel ange, with you I am willing to risk my heart again, so I can feel. Oui? No chance for hurt means no chance for love. I am forty-five years old. I want real love in my life. I am glad to risk hurting.”
