by Rachel Lacey
“About six months.”
“That’s a long time. I hope you like it there.”
“I do too.”
“I’ll be glad to get back to Rosemont Castle,” she said, a wistful note creeping into her tone.
“I bet.”
She finished her sandwich, and he leaned over to kiss her before helping her tug the mask back into place.
“This thing is such a mood killer,” she murmured from behind it, her eyes full of heat but also humor.
“It is,” he agreed. “But also necessary.”
“Well, at least you’ll have the Switch to keep you company in Dubai,” she said, eyes crinkling behind her glasses as she smiled.
“And I did beat you at Mario Kart that one time, which means I’m not completely hopeless.”
“You’re pretty good at Zelda, actually,” she told him. “With a little more practice, you might even catch up to me.”
“I quite like that one.” He hadn’t gotten the hang of all the games she’d shown him, but he liked the adventure quest format of Zelda. “I’ll definitely keep playing.”
“I’m glad. Where will you go after Dubai?” she asked, leaning back on her elbows to look up at the Eiffel Tower looming over them.
“I don’t know yet. There’s talk of sending me to San Francisco to oversee renovations to the location there.”
She was quiet for a long minute, staring up at the tower. “Maybe I could come out for a visit.”
“As a friend?” he asked, his chest filled with a combination of lust and longing and regret.
She turned her head to meet his eyes. “If that’s what you want me to be.”
“It’s not what I want you to be,” he said quietly, “but it’s the only thing you can be. I wander the globe with Exeter. It’s what I do and what I enjoy. And we both know this thing between us was never meant to be a ‘casual hookup when I’m in town’ kind of relationship. You’re meant for something so much more than that.”
“So are you,” she murmured.
“I don’t know that I am.” The thought of getting married, of settling down had always frightened him. What if he lost interest in his wife the way he seemed to do with everything else?
“You are,” she told him with absolute certainty in her voice. “I’ve seen you, Flynn. The real you, not the version of yourself you show your parents. Have you ever considered that you live up—or down, more like—to their expectations when you’re around them? They shuffle you around because they think you’re flighty, so you always hold something back, you let yourself wander because you don’t see any point in building anything permanent when you’ve always got one foot out the door anyway.”
“I—” He shook his head.
“Just make sure you aren’t underestimating yourself.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. After all, Ruby had only known him for a few weeks and under special circumstances. Then again, he was who he was, even in small doses.
They sat on their blanket for a while, talking and people-watching while they soaked up the nice weather and scenic surroundings. When they finally packed up, he texted their driver, who met them at the curb. They spent the afternoon touring Paris that way, driving by most of the locations Ruby had wanted to see. They got out of the car to take pictures, but they stayed outside where the air was fresh.
They saw the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and any number of other landmarks. At the Saint Chappelle cathedral, Ruby insisted they go inside so she could get a taste of the history before she left Paris. He went ahead to pre-purchase their tickets so she wouldn’t have to wait in line. Inside, they climbed a spiral staircase to reach the sanctuary of the church, taking in the steepled ceiling overhead, light filtering in soft hues around them from the vivid stained-glass windows that reached far above their heads.
“It’s so gorgeous,” she murmured, tugging her mask down for a moment so he could take a picture of her standing at the center of the cathedral. She’d resurrected her #RubyGoesRogue hashtag earlier this week, at first just posting photos from the park near their flat and even a few of them playing video games together. “Putting my hashtag to good use today,” she said as she posted the picture.
“I’m glad.”
After they left Saint Chappelle, Ruby fake-pouted in the back of the car, thinking they were returning to the flat for dinner. “What do you want to pick up tonight?”
“We’re not going back to the flat,” he told her with a wink.
“Ooh, a surprise!” She grinned at him. “Does it involve dinner?”
“It does.”
“But not at the flat?”
He shook his head, watching the delighted expression on her face as she processed this information. It filled him with something warm and light, an impossibly pleasant sensation.
“Well, whatever it is, I already know I’m going to love it,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss his cheek.
The car drove across downtown, pulling to a stop in front of a classic stone-fronted building. The sign out front had the restaurant’s name, Coquette, in white on a royal blue background. Inside, he could see more color, each wall a different hue. The look and feel of the place had originally drawn his attention, reminding him of Ruby’s personality, but the private room upstairs had sealed the deal.
“Oh, Flynn,” she whispered as they got out of the car. Ruby hadn’t had a single meal outside of the flat—apart from their picnics—since she got sick.
“Don’t worry. I made sure this would be safe for you.”
“I never doubted that,” she told him as she followed him toward the front door. She stood back, allowing him to open the door for her, not touching anything.
He gave his name to the hostess, and she led them upstairs to the room he’d rented for the evening. In this case, the pictures he’d seen on the internet hadn’t done it justice. The walls up here were a warm golden yellow, and the night sky had been painted on the ceiling above, giving the impression that they were dining under the stars.
A table for two had been set up in front of the window, a candle gleaming in its center next to a small vase filled with red flowers.
Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes as she sat across from him. “You’ve really outdone yourself tonight.”
“Well, let’s wait and see if the food’s any good,” he told her playfully.
“I’m sure it will be. I haven’t had anything yet here in Paris that I didn’t like.”
Their waiter came to check on them, and they ordered a bottle of wine and two cups of soup to start. Ruby excused herself to the bathroom to wash up before she ate, always responsible despite her desire to seize every opportunity for adventure that presented itself.
“I feel a little bit underdressed for this place,” she told him as she sat across from him, hands still pink from their recent scrubbing. She had on a blue floor-length sun dress and black sandals.
“You’re perfect,” he told her, and he didn’t just mean her outfit.
The waiter brought their wine and soup, and they ordered entrées. Ruby got a seafood dish while he went for steak. She lifted her wineglass and tapped it against his. “To dinners out, with wine, because your sickly date finally finished her antibiotics.”
“If you mean my incredibly strong, resilient date who just kicked pneumonia’s ass, then yes, I’ll drink to that.” He lifted the glass to his lips and sipped.
Ruby did the same, a happy sigh escaping her lips. “The wine is so good here. Everything is so good here.”
And he didn’t think she meant just the food either.
“I’m really glad you’re coming with me tomorrow,” she said, reaching out to take his hand across the table.
“I am too. You know, I’ve known Theo my whole life, but I’ve never been to Rosemont Castle. I’d say I’m overdue to visit, wouldn’t you?”
“Definitely.” She sipped her wine, a thoughtful look on her face. “Elle told me Theo’s putting together a dinner for us all
tomorrow night.”
“Is he?” Flynn was glad for the chance to sit down with his and Ruby’s mutual friends, although it might make his departure even more difficult when the time came.
Their entrées arrived then, and they chatted casually as they ate. Outside the window, sunset fell across the Parisian sky, bathing it in deep blues and purples behind the endless network of buildings that spanned the skyline.
“It’s so pretty,” Ruby said, following his gaze.
“It sure is.”
“Virginia’s pretty too. In fact, you should be just in time to enjoy peak foliage in the Appalachian forest. There are some great trails around the castle grounds. I can’t wait to show you.”
“I’ve seen photos of the kind of foliage you get in America, but I haven’t seen it for myself.”
“Perfect,” she said. “You’re in for a treat.”
After they’d finished their meals, he asked for a dessert menu.
“Who says I have room for dessert?” Ruby asked with a twinkle in her eye that said she’d never pass up dessert on a night like this and loved that he already knew this about her.
“Just a hunch,” he told her.
In the end, they shared a plate of macarons as they finished off their bottle of wine.
“Mm. Okay, now I’m stuffed.” She wiped a pink crumb from her bottom lip and rubbed her stomach dramatically. “I’m so glad I got to go out for one nice meal while I was here. It was everything I could have wanted for my last night in Paris.”
Outside the window of the Langdon private jet, the sun shone blindingly bright. Below them, puffy clouds drifted over the endless expanse of the ocean. Ruby leaned back in her seat, relaxing into the soft leather as she stretched her legs out in front of herself. “I could get used to this.”
Flynn gave her a knowing look. “Flying commercial has been ruined for you forever.”
“You still do, though, right?” She remembered him saying he’d taken a commercial flight from London to Paris to meet her.
“But I fly first class,” he said, raising his eyebrows at her.
“Ugh, you’re so annoyingly rich,” she muttered, but there was no heat to her words, because they both knew she didn’t find anything about him annoying, rich or not.
“And yet, it’s not my private jet we’re flying on today,” he commented.
She smiled. “Right. It’s actually my connection with the Earl of Highcastle that got us this flight.”
“I could have asked him too,” he reminded her.
“But you didn’t. I did.”
“Details.”
She turned her head and kissed him, sliding her tongue over his bottom lip to taste the salty flavor of his skin. His hand cupped the back of her head, drawing her closer as he deepened the kiss. She and Flynn had kissed a lot during their time together in Paris, mostly chaste kisses, expressing affection more than desire while she was sick. This wasn’t a sickbed kiss, though. This kiss was full of fire and passion, fingers grasping at fabric and tongues tangling.
They hadn’t had sex since that first night in London, although tonight she hoped that might change. She wanted an amazing night of farewell sex, and this kiss left little doubt that Flynn wanted the same thing.
His hand dropped to her breast, finding and pinching her nipple beneath the combined layers of her dress and bra. “How’re your lungs?”
“Pulling in more air than they have in weeks,” she whispered, sucking in a deep breath as his hand wandered down her stomach.
“That’s good news.” His voice was deep and gravelly, the way it sounded during sex, igniting a throbbing ache between her thighs.
She gasped as he cupped her through her dress. “Flynn…”
“Tell me what you want.”
“You, in my bed tonight.”
“Yes.” He captured her mouth for another blistering kiss. “Anything you want, as long as you’re feeling up for it.”
“Oh, I’m up for it.” She glanced over and saw the tent in the front of his pants. “And I don’t think I’m the only one.”
He chuckled, stroking her through the thin cotton of her dress. “Definitely up.”
“Tonight feels like a long way off,” she grumbled, hearing the whine in her voice. Her friends would be all over them when they got back to the castle, and then dinner…
“Who says you have to wait?” Flynn’s fingers grew more insistent.
She moaned softly. “What?”
“We’re the only ones on this flight, if you hadn’t noticed,” he murmured as his hand slid beneath her skirt. “But tell me if this makes you uncomfortable.”
She glanced around the interior of the Langdon jet, taking in the empty leather seats, the bar to their left, the partition separating them from the cockpit. There was no flight attendant, as they had access to a variety of refreshments in the bar. Flynn was right. They were, for all intents and purposes, alone. “It doesn’t.”
He pushed aside her panties, bringing his fingers against her bare skin.
“Oh my God.” Her voice had gone impossibly high pitched.
Flynn rested his forehead against hers, leaning in close as his fingers began to work. His thumb circled her clit as he pressed two fingers against her opening, teasing her, testing her. She whimpered, spreading her legs wider to encourage him, and he took full advantage. His fingers stroked and plunged, giving pressure and friction everywhere she needed it.
“Yes,” she whispered. “More. Please.”
“Anything,” he answered, capturing her mouth as he stroked harder, faster, and her whole body convulsed in the seat. She ground herself against his hand, and then she was flying…literally and figuratively. The orgasm ripped through her, fast and fierce, leaving her panting and dazzled.
She grinned, eyes closed as aftershocks of pleasure drifted through her like the fluffy white clouds below. “Does this mean I just joined the mile-high club?”
His eyes crinkled in a wide smile. “I’d say it does, love.”
“Talk about ending my trip with a bang.”
13
Ruby felt slightly off-balance as she walked down the steps from the Langdon jet and crossed the tarmac to the car waiting for them. James, Rosemont Castle’s driver, tipped his hat to her with a warm smile.
“Welcome home, Miss Ruby.”
“Thanks, James. It’s good to be home.”
“And a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bowen,” he said to Flynn, shaking his hand before loading their luggage into the trunk of the Bentley.
“Very nice to meet you too.” Flynn opened the door for her and motioned her inside.
She’d sat in this car dozens of times, hundreds maybe. It felt familiar, comforting. And yet different somehow, with Flynn sitting beside her. Two worlds colliding, her real life with her fantasy vacation. It was just past three here in Virginia, but to her body clock, it was after nine, and she was absolutely wiped from the trip.
She rested her head against the glass as James drove them to the castle, watching the Appalachian Mountains unfurl outside the window, dotted now with liberal amounts of red and gold. Fall had officially arrived here at home while she was playing house with a fancy Brit in Paris. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Flynn stared out of his own window, seemingly fascinated with the scenery. “It is. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”
“We don’t really get foliage like this in Florida either, or maybe it’s just that we don’t have mountains like these. This is only my second fall in Virginia, but I think I’m in love. It might even replace spring as my favorite season.”
“I can certainly see why.” He looked over at her. “You look exhausted.”
“I may need a nap before dinner.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea.”
She couldn’t shake that weird, off-balance feeling as the Bentley drove down Rosemont Castle’s winding drive. She was home. Everything looked exactly as it had when she left—except the foliage
—but she felt different. No, that wasn’t quite true either. She was the same person she’d been when she left, but her solo adventure across Europe had become so much bigger and longer and more meaningful than she’d ever expected.
She’d seen and done and experienced things that would forever color her worldview. And she’d brought one of those things home with her. Flynn looked at ease next to her, taking his first look at Rosemont Castle a lot more calmly than most, but then again, he’d grown up amongst castles and estates and all sorts of grandeur in England.
“It’s really something, isn’t it?” he commented as the Bentley pulled up in front of the guest house where Ruby lived now. “Looks like a bit of classic England right here in America.”
“Probably the only one like it,” she agreed. “Oh geez.”
Elle and Megan were sprinting across the lawn in their direction. Flynn chuckled as he got out of the car. “Eager to see you, aren’t they?”
“Just a bit.” But Ruby was awfully glad to see them too. In fact, as she stood, she couldn’t contain the huge grin that had overtaken her face.
Megan and Elle swooped in, grabbing her in a group hug so enthusiastic that both of her feet actually left the ground for a second. “Boy, are we glad to see you,” Elle said, one arm wrapped securely around Ruby’s waist as she made sure she had her footing.
“It’s good to see you guys too. Really good.” She squeezed them back, as her throat tightened and her vision blurred. These women had been her best friends since they were kids, the kind of friendship that lasted a lifetime. They’d been by her side through just about every illness she’d ever had. When she’d been too sick to have visitors, they’d sat outside her bedroom window and passed her notes to keep her up on all the gossip from school.
And she’d missed them. A lot.
“Hi, Flynn,” Megan said as she disentangled herself from their hug to shake his hand. “I hear we owe you a huge thanks for taking such good care of Ruby for us.”
“It was my pleasure,” he said, seeming somehow even more British now that he stood on American soil.