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He'd gone to all the trouble of getting freshly baked croissants and coffee, it would be churlish for her to refuse his hospitality. “They sound delicious. Thank you, Jordan. Let’s eat, I’m hungry.”
He threw back the duvet and leapt out of bed. “Come on, let’s have coffee and croissants on the terrace while we stare in wonder at the Eiffel Tower.”
Her back and hips protested, but Chloe did as he asked. She caught the thick, fluffy gown he casually tossed her way. When she left the bedroom a few minutes later it was with a grin on her face.
She padded into the kitchen and took a seat at the island bar. Happy morning vibes bubbled through her. The scent of freshly ground coffee beans and the heady aroma of warm butter, and freshly baked pastries filled her senses. The delicious man pouring her a hot brew had her mouth salivating.
I wish we could go back to bed. Spend the rest of the day hiding away from the world.
He pushed a croissant ladened plate toward her, then took the seat next to Chloe. “The bakery next door opens at five am and I called them and asked the delivery boy to bring us up these buttery goodies.”
Jordan sipped his coffee. Black, and strong by the look of it. The nearby sugar bowl looked untouched. Her strict touring diet meant she wasn’t allowed sugar or dairy, but as she reached for the small unopened carton of milk on the countertop, Chloe decided this morning she was going to break all those rules.
While she filled her cup, Jordan brushed a hand over her cheek. His touch was soft and caring. “So how much longer are you in Paris, Chloe?” he asked.
“We are due to leave for home late tonight, but that can always change. My assistants want to go shopping on the Champs-Élysées, but I think I might just go back to my hotel and get some more sleep. For some strange reason I find myself utterly exhausted this morning. Besides, I can’t really go out in public like they do. I tend to do my shopping after hours or online.”
She’d love to be able to go wandering through the stores, aimlessly window shopping for bits and pieces. The glamourous Parisian mega store Galeries Lafayette had a private service for celebrities and on her next world tour Chloe intended to have a night arranged for herself and her entourage to go shopping. Without the crowds.
Jordan broke off a piece of his croissant and held it up near to her face. Chloe opened her lips. Her heart gave a little flip as he fed it to her. And it was so delicious. Butter and carbs. Yum.
If only every morning could be like this, my life would be complete.
The gods clearly had ears. The second that thought popped into her mind, her phone buzzed. With a resigned sigh, she slipped off the chair and hurried back to the bedroom to retrieve it. The message from Marta was brief, but it spoke volumes.
Where the hell R U?
With a friend. I’m fine.
Three dots appeared on the screen. Then they disappeared. Wandering back into the kitchen, Chloe set the phone down on the countertop, giving Jordan a tight smile as she did. She almost jumped out of her skin when the phone rang.
Steadying her nerves, Chloe hit the receive button. “Hi, Marta. How are you?”
“What friend? You disappear without telling any of us. You lied to Stixxluv about a business meeting, and no one knows where you are. What’s going on?”
She turned from Jordan and moved toward the terrace doors. Her hand settled on the handle, but it was locked.Damn.There went any hope of her discretely slipping out of earshot. He might not be able to hear exactly what was being said, but Marta was loud enough that her angry shouts would have echoed their way across the River Seine.
“Martin knows where I am,” Chloe calmly replied.
“Huh, Martin. He doesn’t count. He’s just your hired muscle. We are the people who really care about you. Aren’t we?”
“Yes, you are.”
“The only ones who love you. Aren’t we?”
Chloe lowered her head. She knew this scene and its script all too well. “Yes, you are.”
* * *
Even from where he sat a good ten feet or so away, Jordan could still make out most of the conversation. What he couldn’t get his mind around was why one of her employees was yelling at her. Chloe paid these people’s salary—where she went after hours and with whom was none of their goddam business.
You don’t know Chloe or her people. Marta might well be family.
But being family didn’t give someone a free pass to treat others poorly. The way Marta spoke to Chloe set Jordan’s teeth on edge.
“Yes, I won’t be long. No I haven’t eaten anything bad. I will see you soon.”
Marta ranted on, ending her piece with a half yelled, “I love you.”
