Page 51 of Kissing for Keeps
“Really?” It’s a relief not to have my brain the only one on the task. After all, I’ve never been to a bachelor party, and even though Jack may not know the guys who’ll be coming to it, he’s got the perfect personality for this. He makes everything he does fun, he knows how to put people at their ease, he’s hot…
That last part, while true, is completely beside the point.
“I’m thinking a Moulin Rouge themed night,” Jack says as he pushes the greenery aside for me to pass through. “Hire a few dancers, play some music, raid the chateau’s wine cellar.”
I stop under the arch, staring at him with a look that conveys how I feel about his idea. “You are officially fired, and our deal is off.” I brush past him to head back the way we came.
“Wait…” He catches my hand and tugs me backward until I face him. “I was just teasing. I’m sorry. I’ll be serious now. Promise.”
I meet his gaze. To his credit, he looks genuinely repentant.
I pull my hand from his and cross my arms. “Prove it,” I say, like we’re third graders.
Jackdoesprove it. Before we’ve even made it to the pool and ruined part of Vidal, he’s come up with an idea that, reluctant as I am to admit it, is perfect. Rémy specifically requested his bachelor party be focused on enjoying time with the guys rather than being disgusting specimens of male promiscuity. He didn’t say it quite like that, but that’s what he meant.
Jack’s idea is for them to hold the party at a chateau we passed on our first day. They had a sign out advertising jousting, archery, and other medieval pastimes, but the bachelor party hadn’t even crossed my mind when I saw it.
“I can call tomorrow to see if they have availability,” he says.
“And if they don’t?”
He lifts his shoulders. “I’ll come up with another brilliant idea. Easy peasy.”
I roll my eyes, but I secretly believe he’d manage it.
“And now,madame,” he says, “it’s time for you to hold up your end of the agreement.”
I pull out my phone. “It’s 10:15. I’ll set a timer for—”
Jack swipes my phone from my hands. “No phones. That’s part of the deal.”
I try to grab it back, but he hides my phone behind him and steps away.
“That was most definitelynotpart of the deal,” I say.
He shrugs as I walk toward him threateningly. “Should’ve read the fine print.”
I smile. He’s stepping closer and closer to peril without even realizing it. But my smugness fades; if Jack steps into the unlit pool right now, my phone is going with him.
He notes my shift in expression and glances over his shoulder. He doesn’t stop stepping backward, even though there are just a few feet between him and the edge.
“You sure you want to pursue this, Sheppard? Or are you ready to relax?”
My hands itch to shove that stupid attractive smile into the pool and take the phone loss. But reason wins out, and I stop where I am.
So does Jack. “Good choice.” Keeping my phone out of reach in one hand and the carton of strawberries in the other, he glances at the pool. The inhabited part of the chateau is far enough that not even the window lights reach here, making the water look dark and cold. “Want to go for a swim?”
“I hesitate to state the obvious, but the pool’s closed—”
“Looks open to me.”
“Andsecurity makes the rounds every half hour. If you’d listened to Philippe’s tour, you’d know that.” Immediately I know I made a mistake mentioning Philippe.
He cocks an eyebrow. “Oh, ze tour? You mean ze tour when he invited you to see ze ruins wiz him?” He does a showy gesture and spins around, putting out a hand toward the tower on the opposite side of the pool. It’s completely dark, but I can make out the sign hanging across the doorway telling people to keep out.
“He didnotinvite me to see the ruins. And again, if you’d been listening instead of practicing your ridiculous accent, you would remember he specifically said the ruins are off-limits.” I slip off my sandals. “I’m going to dip my feet in the pool.”
“In theclosedpool? Siena Sheppard,” he says, “you shock me.” But he’s setting down the strawberries and my phone behind him, then taking off his shoes as he says it.
