Page 81 of Ace My Heart

Joel turned his blazing eyes to me as he hailed down a taxi to take us to the Eiffel Tower.

“You know, Mel, since I started spending every day with you,I’ve been having a lot less than usual. The … Rome was the first in … months.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“Oh, sorry, am I taking up too much of your valuable fucking time?” I asked in a sarcastic whisper.

Joel snickered. “No, Stink. I’ve just re-prioritised my life a little bit, that’s all. Don’t get me wrong, sex is still up there, but at the moment helping you with your career is more important to me.”

The closer we got to the tower, the more my excitement grew. I forgot about the conversation with Joel and sat staring intently out the window as the tower loomed closer and closer.

Joel asked the taxi to stop a little way out, where there was still a great view along the broad avenue towards the tower, shining like a beacon in the night.

“It’s so beautiful,” I whispered. Joel took my hand. I was so shocked that I didn’t try to brush him off. His fingers linked through mine, warm and strong. I realised I didn’t particularly want to let go.

As we arrived at the base of the tower, the line for the elevator was relatively short. We took our place behind a couple who had their hands in each other’s back pockets. I recognised them as the couple I’d been trying not to look at back on the bridge – the ones who hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other. As I watched they turned to each other again and kissed, their tongues slipping into each other’s mouths.

I peeked up at Joel, finding him smirking down at me. I let my gaze slide away from him as if I had just been glancing around.

“What’re you thinking about, Mel?” Joel asked, his breath tickling my ear. I jumped and turned to face him.

“Nothing really. Just enjoying being here,” I lied, gazing up towards the top of the tower.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually enjoying hanging out with me, Stink,” Joel said in a mock scandalised tone.

I pursed my lips while I thought of an appropriate come back. “Well, it could be worse, I guess.”

Joel chortled. “Admit it, you’re loving every second you spend with me.”

I huffed. “Maybe you should admit that it’s reallyyouwho’s enjoying being withme.”

Joel leaned closer. “Can’t we both … maybe … just admit that we like hanging out with each other?”

I’m sure that I would have come up with some incredibly witty retort, but at that moment we reached the front of the line for the elevator, and I was saved from having to reply as we stepped inside. We shared the ride with a few other people, including the canoodling couple.

I scowled at Joel as the elevator inched its way towards the top of Paris’s most famous landmark. He grinned back and reached out to pinch my chin gently.

“I’ve told you before how cute you look when you’re cross, haven’t I, Stink?”

I really couldn’t stay mad at him, even though he drove me nuts. I bit my lip to try and stop the smile, but it broke free anyway.

“You look cute when you’re smiling too,” he murmured, his fingers straying towards my cheekbone. I stopped breathing for just a second – long enough that the parts of me that I didn’t want responding to Joel started aching with desire.

The elevator doors clinked open, and I realised that I hadn’t even been paying attention to the views – I’d been so focussed on Joel. But it turned out that we were only on the first observation level, and we had to change elevators to get up to the very top.

Joel led me over to the other elevator, the canoodling couple following us.

I stared out at the twinkling lights of Paris below as the lift took us higher and higher, but my head kept wanting to turn to where I could feel Joel watching me.

When the doors clinked open at the top, I rushed out. My heart was hammering, I hoped from the excitement of being at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and not because of Joel.

“Oh, myGod! It’ssooobeautiful!” the canoodling girl exclaimed in a strong British accent. They headed straight to the edge, staring out over the city. I moved to the edge also, gazing down at the glowof Paris, spread far below. Joel stood beside me, his arm just brushing mine.

“Not as beautiful as you are,” the canoodling guy replied to his girlfriend. I smiled. What a clichéd line.

“Oh my God, oh myGod!” the girl shrieked. I turned, wondering what she had seen that was so exciting.

Canoodling guy was kneeling in front of his girlfriend, holding out an absolutelyginormousdiamond ring, while she fanned her face and looked like she was about to pass out.

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