AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jordan waved his hands left and right. “I’m assuming you now know a bit about my background. These people are various members of the Royal family. Brits, Americans, French … you name it. My German cousin, Leon, who you saw the other night at the club is somewhere in one or two of these photos.”
At the end of the hall, he stopped in front of the very last picture. “That’s my mom, dad, my older brother Bryce, and mypain in the assyounger brother Matthew. Oh, and me of course.” He laughed. “The New York branch of the family.”
Chloe studied the photo. It seemed to have been taken on an idyllic island somewhere. There were palm trees and clear skies. In the background, on a crystal blue sea, sat a luxury yacht. Everyone was smiling. Everyone looked happy. Chloe didn’t care about the yacht or the stunning location. All she saw was a family, people who loved one another. People who cared. Something she had never experienced.
She’d noted Jordan’s casual remark about his brother Matthew. “Why is Matthew a pain?”
Jordan shrugged. “We’ve spent most of our lives as rivals, but I’m pleased that over the past couple of years we have been working on our relationship. Tried to be more grown up about things. Then again, I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t take the chance to get one over on Matthew if it presented itself. And he would likely do the same to me.”
“But you love him?”
“Yes of course I do, and if anyone ever tried to hurt him, I would be the first to go into battle for my brother.”
A real family. Wow.
At the end of the hall, the apartment opened onto an expansive living space. Chloe slowed her steps. To her right was a long kitchen bench, made from what appeared to be solid marble. On the top of it stood two ornate porcelain vases filled with beautiful white and red roses.
Oh, My favorite. They are stunning.
An antique dining table came next. Its wooden surface bore a graceful patina of age. Chloe could just imagine all those various members of the Royal family gathered together around the table at some point or other. A family sharing and creating precious moments. Her heart ached with longing.
Her gaze now settled on a large glass platter which sat at the nearest end of the table. On top of it was with a gorgeous array of cheeses, fresh fruits, and— “Oh my god, is that French pâté? Yum.” Chloe took two hurried steps toward the cornucopia of delights, then stopped. “I really shouldn’t but— you went to all this trouble. Maybe just tonight.”
Jordan came to stand alongside her. “One night enjoying the delights of Paris won’t ruin you. I promise.”
Chloe’s stomach rumbled as she picked up a piece of thick sourdough bread, she couldn’t wait to slather it with a liberal helping of the rich pâté. She reached for one of the short flat bladed knives.
But her hand fell away as another marvel caught her eye. The view out through the floor to ceiling glass doors of the rooftop apartment. The bright golden lights of Paris’s famous Eiffel Tower filled her vision. “Wow,” she whispered.
“The French call herLa dame de fer, the Iron Lady. She is gorgeous. But then again so are you.”
Chloe turned from the stunning view of the Parisian icon and gave him a shy smile. “Did you rehearse that line?”
He had the good grace to sheepishly nod. “Was it too much?”
“A little, but this is Paris, and you do have pâté. And when you look at me that way, with your wicked, promising smile, I could probably forgive you a thousand corny pick up lines.”
Jordan slipped his arm around her waist. “I’m glad you came.”
Kiss me like you did in the limo in Berlin. Then tell me you want me to stay tonight.
CHAPTERNINE
She was here and she’d dismissed her security detail. The size of her overstuffed tote bag confirmed Jordan’s hopes; Chloe intended to stay the night. He hadn’t needed to use his terrible pick up line on her, but it had broken the ice.
Just calm your nerves and be yourself. She came here because you asked her.
Jordan pointed to the table. “Let me get you some pâté and a drink. You must be starving after the show. I know I would be if I’d put that much energy in over three hours. I don’t think you stopped moving for more than a minute at any one time. Your stamina is incredible.”
She playfully narrowed her eyes at him. “So you did come to my concert?”
“Yes, I did. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and decided I had to see the show.”
“I’m glad you came, but how come I didn’t see you back stage? No one mentioned your name.”
Jordan shook his head. “I didn’t come back stage. I was alone in one of the private boxes. I wanted my first Chloe concert to be special. It might sound ultra-cheesy but when you were up on stage, I pretended that it was just me who you were singing for, no one else.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “Not cheesy at all. Just lovely. And how was your first Chloe concert, Jordan? Did I reach out and touch you?”
