Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
I kiss him like I am starving… and he is food.
The kiss says everything. It tells of my desire. My forced restraint. Our mutual longing for things to be different. The kiss holds a history of moments that Paris held, of stolen nights, and shared memories. In that moment, I let the world fade away, forgetting time and distance and logic for the briefest of moments. But I have to come back to reality. Before the animalistic side of me takes over and I can’t stop myself, I pull back, my breath catching in my throat.
“Goodnight, Axel,” I whisper, my voice trembling, betraying how close I came to losing control.
And I move, hurrying down the hall before the weight of reality, of consequences, can break me entirely. I feel his eyes watching me as I run down the corridor. I reach my suite and close the door behind me, leaning back against it for a moment, my hand pressed tightly to the wood.
Dammit. I was never meant to fall for Axel Rhodes. Paris was supposed to be a bit of fun. Light, thrilling, ephemeral. Nothing more. I close my eyes, drawing a deep breath.
I remind myself again that I am here for my father’s collection. For restoration. For the work I came to do. Nothing else. Starting tomorrow, I will focus solely on that. On the paintings, on the provenance, on the delicate brush strokes and hidden details. I will spend every waking moment in the vault, getting as much as I can ready to use to catch our art thief.
I will think about nothing else. Not Axel. Not love. Not whatever Paris did to me.
I open my eyes and straighten up. Resolve settles over me like a mantle, heavy but necessary. Tomorrow, I will start again. I will wipe Axel Rhodes from my mind completely, and I will stay the course. No more distractions. No more getting into messy situations.
Just the work.
Chapter
Thirty-Six
JO
We have been back from Paris for over a week now, and I have spent that time holed up in the vault, working my ass off. I’ve got three paintings completely restored and one more almost finished. But more importantly, I have been doing my best to avoid Axel, which has actually been pretty easy considering the long hours I am putting into restoring and the fact that I know he has been doing the same at the office.
It’s not that I don’t want to see Axel – I desperately want to see him – but it’s so hard to be around him and not touch him or kiss him. We tried the ‘being friends’ thing on our first night back from Paris, but it was too soon, and so of course we ended up kissing in a way one definitely doesn’t kiss a friend. I think we just need some time to let the dust settle. At least, I hope that’s all we need anyway because I don’t want to spend the rest of my time here avoiding Axel. Or pining for him like some lovesick fool.
Today is the first day since Paris that I am dressed in something other than my overalls or my pajamas. I am wearing black leggings and a long, cream jumper. I check the time and see it’s about time to leave. I hurry down the stairs and go to wait by the front door for my cab.
I’m not tense about today. Curious, maybe. That’s all. Sheldon called me unexpectedly this morning and asked to see me. He said it was important, and I admit, I’m interested in what it could be, so I agreed, and he gave me his address and asked me to come to his apartment. It will be nice to get out and about and breathe in fresh air and still have something different to focus on and keep my mind occupied with something tangible, whether that’s paperwork, secrets, or just conversation, rather than the memory of a taboo weekend in Paris.
I jump when I feel a hand on my arm.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Betty says.
I laugh softly. “It’s ok, I was a million miles away.”
“Are you alright?” Betty says, “I feel like I haven’t seen you since you came back from Paris.”
Betty doesn’t know about the stolen painting. She thinks, like everyone else, that Axel and I went to Paris to talk to some art experts about a tricky bit of the renovations. I hate lying to her, but it had to be done. I will tell her everything as soon as I can.
“I’m fine,” I say, smiling at her. “I’ve just been working a lot.”
“Anyway, it’s good to see you above ground,” Betty laughs. “Are you off anywhere nice?”
“I’m just going to see Sheldon. He called this morning and asked to see me.”