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“That’s a beautiful name.”
His accent. The way his words rolled off his tongue so easily. French? It was difficult to focus on anything but him. His skin was a beautiful shade of brown that made me want to lick him all over. His eyes seemed sad, and I wanted to hear his story, whatever it was. The trail of hair that made you take notice of his mouth was an immaculate and defined goatee. That amiable smile of his couldn’t be ignored, either.
“Thank you.”
Raphael opened the door to the car and stood waiting for me to enter. He nodded his head slightly for me to climb inside, and a small part of me warmed. Chivalry wasn’t dead and wasn’t that nice to know. He closed the door and entered from the other side. The driver began driving as soon as he heard the door shut.
“Where are you from?” Raphael asked.
“New Orleans. What about you?”
“Paris.”
“Paris?! No kidding!” Points to me for guessing the correct country.
Raphael chuckled while nodding his confirmation. “Oui. Paris.”
“My French is so rusty. I only remember a few phrases.”
“Like?”
“Eh…” I thought back and searched my brain for something more than ‘je m’appelle Anise.’ “My favorite is ‘je ne sais pas’.”
Raphael chuckled. “Why is ‘I don’t know’ your favorite?”
“It’s not the meaning, it’s the way it rolls together when you say it. It’s almost too perfect.”
“Pourquoi?”
“Why is it too perfect? Some French words and phrases flow nicely, and some of them sound harsher. I like the sweet flowing ones. It captures that language of love feeling.”
“Hmm… I see. So, you probably also think that Paris is ‘the city of love’?”
“Absolutely! Is there another theory?”
“I like ‘city of lights’ better. Paris has lots of bright lights and historical sites that are always lit up and ready for show. There are dark parts, but it’s more flashy than full of love. I think that’s more for the tourists than natives.”
“Don’t you believe in love?”
“I believe in passion. It burns hotter and colder during the different seasons of relationships. I reserved love for something deeper.”
“Like marriage?”
Raphael literally laughed so hard that he wiped at his eyes. What was funny about that?
“No, not like marriage. I’m not sure that I could be with just one woman for the rest of my life.”
“Man?”
“I see nothing wrong with same-sex relationships, but it’s not an interest of mine.”
“Do you believe in multiple partners in a relationship, like a polyamorous thing?”
“Thing?”
“Relationships?”
“No. That still implies that you’re serious about all parties.”
