Page 29 of Rosé with My Fake Fiancé
Finally, I find my keys, which were somehow kicked under a chair last night, and head downstairs, stepping onto the street. I know that Tessa’s flight isn’t until later, but a sense of urgency fills me anyway. She might check out early or catch some last-minute sightseeing with her friends.
I run, which is ridiculous because I have to wait for the metro, and now I’m sweating again, but once I emerge back onto the street by her hotel, I break out into a run again, all the while thinking about how I can convince a smart, driven, career woman to take a chance on me.
When I round the corner and can see the hotel, I slow down. The burst of air conditioning that hits me when the doors open feels refreshing but brings into relief that I’m sweaty again.
I ask the front desk to call her room since I don’t have a key card to get into the elevator, but there’s no answer. It’s early enough that perhaps they haven’t checked out yet, so I sit in a chair in the lobby and pull out my phone.
Luc
Thank you for helping with the clothes yesterday. I’ll come by this afternoon and leave them at the cleaners near your house.
Mémé
Anything for you. How was your date last night?
Luc
Great.
I smile, thinking about Tessa last night. Her trip to Paris didn’t come out as she expected at all, but she stood up for herself and has amazing friends who supported her.
Luc
You’d like her a lot.
Mémé
Do I get to meet her?
I don’t have an answer for that, not ready to admit that I may never see Tessa again, so I exit the app and distract myself with a game until I hear familiar voices at the door.
Tessa and her friends stride in, sunglasses on, and everyone but Tessa is dressed casually. She’s still in that dress, the black dress that I pushed up last night and revealed that G-string...
I snap my thoughts out of the gutter and stand, putting my phone into my pocket. The group hasn’t noticed me yet, so I move to intercept them on their way to the elevator.
Jade spots me first and breaks into a huge grin. Her focus draws the attention of the rest of them, and I get to see surprise and pleasure flash across Tessa’s face.
It gives me hope.
“Luc, what are you doing here?” She’s rosy from the warm day, and there’s a flush creeping up her chest. It’s from the heat, but I can only think of last night.
Emma herds the other two women toward the elevator to give us some privacy, but Jade stretches onto her toes to call out, “Good job last night!”
Tessa blushes. My grin can’t be contained, and I pull Tessa toward me with my hands on her hips. “I want to see you again.”
Her smile fades. “What?”
I repeat myself. “I want to see you again. We have great chemistry and connection. You feel it too, no?” A little wrinkle has shown up between her eyebrows, and her mouth has parted in surprise, and I smile even harder at her confusion.
It would be enough to make other men doubt themselves, and I know that there are a lot of hurdles to overcome to see her again, but I’m also an optimist.
“That’s...” She laughs in disbelief. “I wasn’t looking for anything else. I’m not... I don’t want romance.”
“Ah, Tessa,” I say, leaning into her and letting my teasing words whisper over her cheek. “Did you think this was a weekend fling? I am your fiancé, after all.” I pull back and affect a look of mock hurt.
“Stop it. You know exactly what this was.” She shakes her head, but she’s still laughing. “We can’t be a couple.”
“Why not?”
