Page 10 of A Royally Fake French Menage
“Sir. Shall I have your bags brought to your usual rooms?” A deep voice echoed along the empty foyer hall. “And the armor in its cases?”
I closed my eyes and squeezed Genie’s hand tight without looking back. Too tight.
I did see him.
My voice obeyed me when I opened my mouth by some blessed miracle, holding my own facade up for the barest minutes when I needed the world to perform to my whim away, even away from the eyes of others.
Only before the ones who mattered to me most, at least in this moment.
“Yes, Jacques. That would be lovely. Thank you. Who will be looking after Genie? I sent word to the— To Monique that she would accompany me.” I only stumbled once, but fortunately this was company where I could stutter and stammer all I liked.
Because he liked it when I floundered.
Flushed. Became flustered.
When I stumbled and couldn’t hold myself together when he?—
Fuck, not here.
I couldn’t let those memories hit me here or I wouldn’t make it past the damned foyer.
“I believe she is letting her own maid look after your…friend, sir,” Jacques murmured the picture of pure etiquette and decorum as always.
Genie swallowed, looking up at me when my hand flexed on her waist.Former lover?she mouthed.
Her comment made more sense now. Perhaps this was how I behaved around a certain Rippton U dark prince when he flirted, too. Though Jacques hadn’t exactly started flirting. I’d be on my damn knees if that happened, and?—
Damnit.
I gave her an imperceptible nod, knowing my features were too strained. My throat tightened. All I wanted was to rake a hand over my face and douse myself in the fountain out the front. Actually, that wasn’t such a bad idea. Maybe I should.
Genie flashed me a flirtatious, imp like smile. She spun on her heel, took the decision right out of my hands and placed it squarely in hers. “I know I’m breaking all the rules but us Yanks can do that, can’t we?” My petite little kitten threw on a thick Southern accent and sashayed her way straight at Jacques.
My six and a half foot tall ex-lover flinched. I didn't blame him.
“Genie,” I admonished her softly. Sweetly.
In reality I was delighted to see someone other than myself raise hell in a life I should be living but refused to have.
She shot me the bird behind her back and sauntered right up to Jacques, placing her hand in the middle of his chest. He never moved as she toyed with the buttons on his shirt the way she had done to mine in the car. The man swung both ways as much as I did, though that was because in his place and with his looks, guests expected it of him. He had trained himself to want women but I knew he preferred men. That practiced little move, however…
My eyes narrowed, and Jacques caught the expression before I could erase it from my face.
“My services are to my lord,” he murmured, using the tips of his fingers to push her pale wrists away with his much largerhands. His head lowered and he hissed sharply in her ear just loud enough for me to catch his words from a dozen paces away. “I don’t do females.”
Genie beamed up at him and didn’t back off an inch. “Then I guess we’re sharing.” She held her pose a moment longer, then leaned further forward into the alpha male’s space and flicked invisible lint from his sleeve. “I suppose we’ll see you up there?” She waited for a name my frozen valet seemed unlikely to ever provide.
“Jacques,” I said helpfully, sliding one hand into my pocket. I adjusted myself at the impossible show playing out before me.
Hells, seeing the two of them going at it made for the perfect sex sandwich… If I could talk either of them into sharing a space after this.
“Jacques,” she purred, trailing her fingers along his breastbone through his pristine white shirt. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a liar.” His eyes narrowed as his gaze left me and focused on her. She giggled, dropping her hands, and shrugged. “But that’s okay. I am too.”
She swiveled on her heel like a catwalk model and sauntered back to me, looping her hand through my elbow. Genie chattered softly at my side about nothing at all as she towed me up the stairs without missing a beat. I steered her in the right direction, my mouth agape at how well she’d pissed off the one person in the household that it was almost impossible to get a rise out of.
“What did you just do, you little hellion?” I murmured, still in awe of her skills and more than a little aroused.
“Nothing.” She gave me wide eyes and flicked her tongue at the corner of her mouth. “He is fun. I see why you like him.”
