Page 25 of Enemies to French Kisses
“See you then, Nicolas.” I hang up and the apartment bursts into giggles. “Have you been holding that this whole time?”
“The whole time.” Annelise gives a great big belly laugh. I haven’t heard her do it in ages, and it’s music to my ears. That girl worries me sometimes.
“Laura’s got adaaaaaaate.” Chrissy giggles.
“Laura and Nicolas sitting in a tree,” Jess sings. “K—I—S—S—”
“Okay, okay!” I wave to bring them back under control. “I get it, you’re all pleased for me. The least you can do is show it in the French way.”
“Cheese?” Natalie lifts an eyebrow.
“Wine.” Annelise points to the door. “Off we go to Veronique’s place.”
I climb down the ladder. “I’m going to need to shower first.”
“Me first!” Jess shouts and I saunter over to her with my arm raised.
“Sniff, and tell me I can’t shower first.”
She takes half a breath. “You first, you first. Good heavens above, you first.”
That sends us all back into a fit of giggles.
CHAPTER10
Marc
Sleep is overrated.Cuddling with a cat is underrated. And wishing I woke up next to Laura is sigh-inducing. When I think of her I get this inexplicable pain... or maybe it’s that thing they calllonging.
I run the vacuum around the living room, trying to let its loud humming drown out the thoughts of her that kept creeping up in my head. I take my time wiping down the counters and straightening up the furniture in a desperate attempt to distract myself from my racing mind. But it’s impossible. My imagination is full of her. Imagine if we finally broke through this wall and I could wrap my arms around her the way I've dreamed about. Imagine if she smiles at me in the morning and lights my fire in the night. Imagine I ask her to marry me, to spend the rest of my life with her. That thought alone makes my heart skip a beat. I slump onto the couch and close my eyes, letting out a deep sigh. Maybe I should just give up on her. Maybe it’s time to move on and put Laura into the box of professional contacts and nothing more.
I can think of a thousand reasons why changing the nature of our relationship would be a terrible idea.
But there’s one reason why it has to happen…
Because I want it.
I wanther. I want to see her when I go to sleep and when I wake up. I want to see her sitting across the table from me and I want her lounging on my sofa. I want to talk to her into the early morning hours and take in the sight of Paris at sunset.
But these feelings are completely out of line with reality. I can’t think this way about her. I hardly know her. She’s exotic, not just because she’s American, but because I absolutely do not understand her one bit. And yet there isn’t a word out of her mouth that isn’t inspired, not a smile that doesn’t make me melt. How much longer can I pretend I don’t have these feelings?
And how much am I risking if I do try to take us to the next step?
Considering that I just imagined proposing to her, I may have already crossed an invisible line. And I don’t feel sorry about it.
My phone rings putting an exclamation point on my guilt.
“Guillaume. You told me to take today off.”
“And I meant it. Which is also why I called.”
I know where this is going.
“You have to get out there, Marc. You’re becoming too shut in. An old man before your time.”
“Not now, please. I just busted my butt to get this RFP in for you—"
“For Innov’ Biotech.”
