by Summers, MJ
“If I told you I wished you were here right now, would that be breaking any rules? You just look so cozy to me right now.”
“I would consider it well within the rules of our agreement. Besides, I already knew it. You just gave me that look that tells me you want to tie me to the bed and have your way with me.”
Megan grinned at him, blushing a little at the memory. “I might.”
“Maybe next time it will be my turn to tie you up?” he asked.
Meg laughed, feeling both a little shy about talking like this and excited that he was mentioning a next time. “My schedule is pretty full, actually. I’m starting my own business as a dominatrix. I can add you to the list, though.”
Megan watched as his face tightened briefly. She could hear his knuckles crack as he stared back at her for a moment. He quickly recovered and asked, “Oh, is that the case? I don’t think I like the sound of you with other men. I might have to pre-book all of your openings.”
“Why, Luc, are you jealous? Because it sounds like you’re jealous,” Megan teased.
Luc shook his head. “Certainly not. I just don’t want any other men coming within one hundred metres of you. It’s perfectly normal.”
“Well, that would make it rather difficult for me to run my dominatrix business. I might have to shut it down.”
Luc smiled now, feeling foolish for his temporary possessiveness. “Maybe you could be a photographer instead? I hear there’s good money in it.”
“I suppose I could give it a shot. Hold off on the dominatrix thing until you’re back in town.”
“Do you have an opening in three weeks? I can be back then.”
Megan’s heart thumped at the thought of him back so soon just for her. She tried to look casual, as though she had to consider it. “Hmm, three weeks? Let me think . . . You know, I can probably squeeze you in.” She used her best sultry voice on the last few words.
Luc raised his eyebrow at her and gave her a little half smile. “You are very tight, but I know you can squeeze me in if we try.”
“This is fun,” she replied.
“It is. You’re very sexy. Now I don’t want to sleep. I want to get on a plane right now so I can run my hands all over every part of that gorgeous body of yours.”
“So, this call really wasn’t as helpful as you thought it would be.”
“Not one of my better ideas, I’m afraid. Apparently, you are only soothing when I’ve had about five hours in bed with you. Right now, you’re waking me up.”
“But you should get some sleep.” Megan gave him a look of pure adoration.
“I should, I have a long day in the office tomorrow, and I have to be up in four hours. Let’s do this again tomorrow night?”
“It’s a date. Good night, Monsieur Chevalier.”
“Bonne nuit, mon ange.”
* * *
As Luc lay in bed, waiting for sleep to come, he thought of Megan. She was fun and sexy and he couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms again. Even just to talk with her on the phone again the next day was something to look forward to. Everything about their relationship was a completely fresh experience and thoroughly enticing for him. For the first time, he knew what it was like to live just to see the look in a woman’s eyes when she saw him, or to hear her voice as she spoke his name. For the first time, the thought of another man touching the woman he was with was enough to make him lose his mind. For the first time, none of this seemed like nonsense to Luc, even though every now and again, it caused a twinge of fear to build in his chest. Somehow, for the first time, he was able to push that feeling aside, knowing that to fight through it, for Megan, was worth it.
NINETEEN
Paris—Two Weeks Later
“Harper? It’s Luc,” he said into the phone.
“Hey, Luc! I take it you’re calling to talk about my best friend?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I’m planning a special date for us and I need your help, if you don’t mind. . . .”
“I’m intrigued. What do you need?”
“Can you talk to Megan’s mom and see if she can stay with Elliott next Saturday night? I want to fly her to San Francisco for the night to see the ballet. I thought she might like that.”
“The ballet? She’ll love that! Send me the details about when you need her to leave Boulder and when she’ll be home, okay? I have to run into a meeting right now. I’ll call Helen this evening.”
“I will. Thank you, Harper. Oh, and can I ask one more favour?”
“Sure.”
“Can you give me her dress and shoe size? I want to buy her something special to wear for our evening.”
“Wow, Luc! If I had known you would be like this, I would have slept with you myself.”
“I am quite the catch, no?”
“Yes. Yes, you are. I’ll send you her sizes and a few wardrobe ideas as well. Talk to you soon,” Harper replied. As she walked into her meeting, she grinned to herself at the thought of her best friend being spoiled like this.
Boulder
“An overnight date? In San Francisco?” Helen asked, surprised.
Harper winced. This was not the easiest phone call she’d ever made. “I know. He’s quite the romantic. He wants me to get her sizes so he can buy her a dress and shoes for the date.”
Helen’s voice was full of concern when she replied. “Well, do you think Meg will want to go? It all sounds a little too serious, don’t you think?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think she’ll like it. He’s really putting in a huge effort for her, and I think it will make her feel really special. She could use that for once.”
Helen’s voice was tentative. “Well, I agree that she deserves to be spoiled, but I don’t know about this Luc fellow. He doesn’t even live on the same continent. And a bar owner? I can’t see this going anywhere.”
“Try not to think of him as a bar owner. Business mogul would be more accurate. As for your other concerns, I had the same conversation with Meg a few weeks ago. She insisted that this is exactly what she’s looking for right now. Nothing serious—just some romance and fun.”
“Well, what do you know about this Luc? Is he a decent man?”
“I wouldn’t be helping him if I thought otherwise, I promise. I’ve known him for a lot of years. He’s thoughtful and kind. I trust that he wouldn’t ever want to hurt her. Having said that, he isn’t the type to settle down. If Meg wanted to get married again anytime soon, I’d try to persuade her away from him, but you know, she really doesn’t want all of that right now.”
“Alright, I’m not sure that I like any of this, but I’ll look after Elliott this weekend. I want Meg to have some fun in her life. She’s given up everything to pick up the slack for that SOB back in Florida.”
“She certainly has, Helen. I’m hoping that maybe being with Luc will remind her of what it’s like to let someone into her life. Maybe she’ll get back in the game when things fizzle out with him.”
“Either that or she’ll be put off men for even longer,” Helen answered firmly.
“Let’s hope not. She’s a responsible person. She’s not going to do anything stupid or let this go too far. She knows how this will end.”
“Maybe, but it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking something doesn’t mean that much until it’s over.”
Harper sighed, feeling suddenly worried about her friend. “I know. It’s not an ideal situation. Tell you what, I’ll call Luc back and tell him that you’re willing to babysit, but I’ll also scare him a little, okay?”
Helen laughed. “Okay! That sounds more like it. Tell him I know people who can hurt him.”
Harper giggled at the thought of Helen as a tough guy. “I will. I’ll tell him you’ll break his kneecaps if he hurts Megan.”
“I’m sure I have a crowbar around here somewhere.”
* * *
Megan rode in the back of a limo in what seemed to her to be the direction of the airport. She sipped champagne and nibble
d on some chocolate-covered strawberries that had been waiting for her when she got in. She had no idea where she was going, only that she was to have packed an overnight bag. She had dressed carefully, deciding to go with her long red coat and jeans for now. Underneath, she wore an off-the-shoulder cashmere sweater in a cream colour. Watching the sights of Boulder go by under the soft glow of the late-day sun, Megan could feel excitement building in her. It had been three weeks since she had seen Luc, and every inch of her filled with desire at the thought of being back in his arms.
As the limo neared the airport, Megan’s curiosity overtook her. She sent a text to Luc.
I’m almost at the airport. Where are we going? And where am I meeting you?
All in good time. For now, enjoy the champagne and strawberries.
Come on, give me hint, at least! I’ll make it worth your while . . .
No hints, Megan. That would ruin my carefully planned surprise. BTW, you look beautiful.
What? Can you see me right now?
No, but you always look beautiful. Now relax and enjoy the ride.
Minutes later, the limo pulled up to a gate at the airport. A large PRIVATE sign affixed to the chain-link slid slowly to the right as the gate opened. Megan sat up in her seat, watching for Luc, her heart beating fast in her chest as the limo stopped in front of a small jet.
There he was, standing on the tarmac in front of the plane, exuding that power and confidence that had drawn her to him in the first place. He was dressed casually in jeans and the leather jacket he had worn on their date in Paris. Megan sucked in a sharp breath at what was happening, ready to run and jump into his arms. She had never imagined anything like this would ever happen.
Luc beat the driver to the back of the car to open the door for her. “Bonjour, mon ange,” he said in a low voice as he reached his hand in to help her out.
Megan was speechless as she took his hand. When she got out of the car and stood before him, he pulled her close and gave her a kiss that heated her entire body. It was the kiss she had been yearning for, and it was everything she remembered. His lips were warm and soft and the feel of them made her knees go weak. She caught a whiff of his cologne, which by now would forever be imprinted on her brain as his scent.
“Mon Dieu, you taste delicious.” He rested his forehead against hers for a moment before taking her hand and turning to the jet. “I thought this would be a fun way to travel. Are you ready?” he asked, smiling at her.
“I am. But what are we . . . ?” she began, then, seeing his expression, she stopped. She could tell she wasn’t going to get any closer to finding out what his plans were. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“Not yet. You’ll see in a little over an hour.” Luc’s eyes shone with excitement as he spoke.
The driver handed her bag to a member of the flight crew as Luc led her over to the steps. She walked ahead of him, not sure what to expect. When she stepped into the plane, she was met by a lovely flight attendant in a blue uniform, who smiled broadly at her.
“Welcome aboard, Ms. Sullivan. I’m Sheila. I’ll be looking after you and Mr. Chevalier today. Can I take your coat?”
Megan removed her coat and handed it to Sheila, thanking her as she peered around the corner to see the rest of the plane’s cabin. It had four large armchairs—two facing forward and two backwards, with a table in between them, as well as a couch, all in creamy leather.
Megan selected a chair and sat down, still in shock. She pressed her palms to the cool leather, trying to determine whether this was a dream or reality. Gazing up at Luc, she bit her lip. “I hope this is really happening.”
Luc nodded. “It is, I assure you,” he replied as he took a seat next to her.
Sheila returned to make sure they were buckled up and to go over the safety information with them quickly before making her way to the front of the plane, leaving them alone.
“I thought we would have a light dinner now and then go for a late meal later tonight, if that’s okay,” Luc said.
“I’m completely in your hands. It seems like you’ve got the perfect evening planned. I’ve never been on a private jet before, obviously.”
“It’s not something I’ve done very often, either. Oh, and I’ve never done this with a woman before, just in case you were wondering.”
Megan winced. “Thank you for telling me that. I wasn’t wondering, though.”
The engines started up and the plane moved toward the runway. Luc took Megan’s hand in his, then held it up to his mouth. He pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist and sighed happily. “I’ve been waiting to be back with you.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to come back,” Megan said, turning her body toward his and lifting her knee to rest it on the arm of her chair. Luc leaned in and they kissed, drinking in the feeling of each other for a few delectable moments as the plane took off.
Sheila brought a bottle of champagne and some hot hors d’oeuvres, setting a plate in front of each of them.
“Mmm, so good,” Megan moaned as she bit into a crab puff. “Luc, thank you. This is the most romantic night of my life.”
“But how can you say that? You don’t know where we are going yet.”
“I just know,” she replied.
“Well, I hope so,” Luc said, taking a bite of shrimp. “You know, it’s been surprisingly hard for me to keep this secret from you. The whole time I was planning it, I wanted to tell you about it. It’s strange, but in a short time, you have become the person I want to call about everything—even the most irrelevant things.”
Megan tilted her head to the side a little and gave him a questioning look. “Is that strange for you?”
“Yes, definitely. It’s unusual for me to want to bore anyone with the details of my life.”
“Uh-oh, Luc. It sounds like you might be getting attached to me. . . .” Megan teased.
Luc shook his head. “Certainly not. It’s just that I am only now realizing how fascinating I am for other people. I want to give them the pleasure of hearing about my every move.”
Megan laughed hard, covering her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from propelling food at him. When she recovered, she swallowed and replied, “You’re so full of shit, Chevalier. You like me.”
Luc rolled his eyes, pretending to be uninterested. “Maybe the tiniest bit. Mostly only because I want to see you naked in those tall boots again.”
“Really?” she asked, giving him a sultry look. Letting her hand roam, she rubbed his thigh, then moved up his lap. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Leaning in, Luc let his mouth hover over hers, just shy of touching her lips. “I’ve missed you too. All of you.”
Their lips met hungrily as urgent hands explored each other, just short of indecently. Luc pulled back, moving Megan’s hair aside to kiss her neck.
She moaned a little, feeling her eyes roll back in her head as every fibre of her body responded to his touch. “Too bad there wasn’t some way we could—”
The sound of a light cough from behind had them straightening up quickly. Sheila cleared their dishes and offered them more refreshments.
“No, thank you. We’re fine. Actually, we were thinking of having a quick rest before we get to San Francisco. Our plans for this evening are rather involved.”
“Of course.” Sheila smiled. “I’ll be back with pillows and blankets. If you’re resting, I think I’ll sit up front with the pilots. The captain, Mike, and I are getting married in a few weeks. I can use the time to pick his brain about all those little details he’s been avoiding.”
Megan grinned at her. “Get him while he’s a captive audience. Good thinking.”
Sheila gave her a little wink. “Exactly.” Returning moments later, she handed them each bedding and left, turning down the lights before going into the cockpit and shutting the door behind her. If she was onto them, she had the grace to make it undetectable.
Luc fanned out one of the blankets, covering them wit
h it as Megan hurried to lift the armrests between them before unbuckling both of their seat belts. “Can we really do this? Because I really need to do this,” she murmured as he tugged at the button on her jeans.
“We can do this. We just have to be quiet,” Luc warned.
“And quick. This has to be more like a sprint than a marathon.”
“I can sprint. I only hope you can keep up with me,” Luc answered, his voice thick with emotion.
“I was almost at the finish line when I saw you standing in front of the plane.” Boots were kicked off, socks went flying, jeans were discarded and shirts were pulled over heads between frantic kisses.
Staring into each other’s eyes, they both laughed for a moment, giddy with what they were about to do, knowing that they could get caught but deciding together that the pleasure was worth the risk. Megan took Luc’s hand, lacing her fingers through his for a moment while they kissed and caressed each other. Her other hand dove for his boxer briefs, rubbing along the smooth fabric, reacquainting herself with what was underneath.
“You’re so hard,” she whispered. “And so big.” She brought his hand down to her panties, letting go of his fingers and covering his hand with hers. She pressed his hand into her firmly, showing him exactly where she wanted him.
“You’re so sexy, Megan. Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap, gripping her hips and dragging her over him, causing soft moans of desire from both of them.
Megan wriggled out of her panties and turned so she was now facing him, straddling him. Yanking at his underwear, she freed him with one quick move as his fingers parted her, finding her wet. Gliding his hand in and out of her sex, he readied her for his thick length.
“Now, Luc. I want you right now,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything.” She kissed him hard before pulling back with a gasp. “Condom?”
“Pocket of my jeans.”