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He shook my hand. “Hello, Nadia,” he said with a French accent.
I was happy to meet Andre, but I felt comfortable with Laurence. Paul insisted I have something to eat, so I ate a strawberry crepe before heading to the car. There, I couldn’t help but tease Laurence. “What are you doing here? I thought this was a walking city?”
He took my handbag. “It is when someone doesn’t sleep all day. She’s missing Paris, Paul.”
“That’s what I told her,” Paul said.
Our first stop was the Eiffel Tower.
“We could skip, but I feel it’s a scene people dream of their whole lives. I won’t ruin it.”
My heart jumped beats.So considerate.
Paul took my hand, and we joined the line with the rest of the tourists. It was exciting to hear all the different accents around us. Some were dressed up in wedding attire, while others were in shorts. Some gawked at Paul with shock and admiration. Laurence’s large presence kept them from approaching—or maybe it was the fear of losing their spot in line.
As we queued and the line slowly moved, I worried it would take hours to get in front. I checked my phone.Forty minutes?
My body tensed.Am I keeping Paul from his schedule?
I squeezed his hand. “Paul, we can visit another time.…”
“We’re invested now. Right, Laurence?”
“Yeah. I need to see the top of the Eiffel Tower.”
I laughed at them, and Paul hugged my shoulder assuredly. Then, after another thirty minutes, the elevator finally opened for us, and we climbed in with a group.
My pulse picked up from the rush of the lift. I swallowed to stop my ears from popping as we climbed. When we reached the top, I was surprised at how open it was. There was a mesh barrier, but the wind was chilly.I could fly away.I trembled and moved toward the door.
Paul wrapped his arms around me, which grounded me from my slight panic. My insides warmed at his protectiveness and how in-tune he was with my reactions.
I closed my eyes.
“You’re not even looking at the view, Nadia.”
I took in the view of Paris. It was everything and more. But I knew being in his arms was what I wanted to remember most.
Back on the ground, Paul had Laurence drop us off at the corner of a small cobblestone street. He held my hand as we walked past the busy, brightly-colored shops with hand-painted signage. Like NYC, there was a variety:fromageries,patisseries, cafés, and tiny boutiques. Each one drew me.
“We can go in and get anything you want.”
I tried a few sample pieces of cheese and a tart before he pointed at a shop with a window display of chocolates dressed up as presents. The shopkeeper came to us, and Paul ran off his request in French. “A sampler,” he told me.
The shopkeeper returned with a porcelain plate with six pieces of chocolate. Each one looked like art.
He picked one up and brought it to my lips. “Let me feed you.”
I couldn’t contain the swoon that had my heart thudding. I opened my mouth, and he placed the disc of chocolate on my tongue.
“Oh, my God.” My moan was loud, and the patrons turned and laughed. I covered my mouth.
Paul grinned and kissed my cheek. “We’re definitely getting more of those.”
“It’s the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted in my life.”
“Enjoy it.”
He placed each one on my tongue, and I gave in to the experience of the richly sweet, delicious taste of praline and ganache, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate. He ordered boxes.
