Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
But we go a week like things are normal. The days continue, life moves on.
There’s flirting, of course. I mean, fuck, of course there’s flirting. I can’t get the memory of her body in that hotel room out of my mind. She’s gorgeous, sensual, intense. I can’t pretend like that didn’t happen.
But we don’t act on the flirtations. We keep a respectful distance…
Mostly, anyway. There are moments where we come closer than we need to, where I brush against her just to see her blush and shiver with delight.
The simmering is still there and the heat is still on, but I think we both know it’s better if we wait until it’s boiling again. Until the tension can’t be ignored.
Things change abruptly one week later when I get a call on my personal cell from a number I don’t recognize. Normally I’d ignore it, but it’s a foreign number, and it could be any one of my overseas partners.
I should’ve known who it would be, though.
“Leon!” Maxime’s voice is bright and shiny like he’s the happiest person in the world. “So glad to hear from you.”
“Hello, Maxime,” I say, smiling a little. He’s acting like I’m the one who called him, not the other way around.
“How are things?”
“Things are good, Maxime. I’ve been wondering when I’d hear from you.”
“Yes, well, you know. Always busy, always making deals.”
“Where are you calling from?”
“The homeland!” He takes a loud, deep breath. “Ah, can you smell it? The crisp, clean air? Monaco, my friend, it’s a beautiful country. Much better than that city of yours, that New York. So smelly, so crowded, and the people? Disgusting.”
I sigh. “Maxime. We can’t all live in some rich person’s paradise.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” He chuckles, almost to himself. “I know how you New Yorkers take pride in your city. I did not mean to offend.”
Yes, he totally did mean to offend, but I don’t press him on it.
Better just to let it slide.
“What can I do for you?” I ask him.
“I am calling about our deal, yes? Our arrangement.”
I can feel myself getting impatient, but I spot Paige walking past my office. I snap my fingers at her, catching her attention. She steps into the room and I motion for her to sit, putting the phone on speaker. She frowns at me for a second until she gets up to speed.
“Of course, Maxime,” I say to him, nodding at the phone for Paige’s benefit. She smiles and leans back in her chair to listen. “I assume everything is moving along? We’re just waiting on the proper permits.”
“Yes, yes,” Maxime says and I hear a hint of stress in his voice. “The permits, of course.”
I glance up at Paige and I think she understands. In this case, the permits are really just permission from the royal family.
“There’s no problem then?”
“Ah, well. We have been trying, yes, pushing paper, bribing officials, that sort of thing.”
I wince. “I didn’t think you needed bribes.”
“No, well, we don’t, but you know how it goes. Monaco is a city built on money and so everyone wants a little taste.”
“But you’re related to the monarchy.”
He’s silent for a second and part of me wonders if any of that is actually true.
“I know I am,” he says quietly, sounding like a different man. “Unfortunately, blood matters little in business these days.”
I frown at Paige and she’s frowning right back. I feel like the project is teetering on a cliff after finally deciding that it’ll really work out. Years of my life, years of hard work, suddenly…
About to go up in smoke.
“Maxime, what can I do?” I ask him.
“Ah, well now,” he says, sounding more himself. “There is something you can do after all.”
“Spit it out, please,” I say, getting impatient. Paige gives me a look, but Maxime just laughs.
“I love that phrase, you Americans, so crass.” He laughs again. “Very well, I will spit. They want you to come to Monaco.”
I hesitate for a second. “Who is they?”
“The monarchy. Prince Albert himself, though I doubt you will meet him, more likely some distant cousin such as myself, but more in favor with the court.”
I feel a jolt run through me. A trip to Monaco…
“I can do that,” I say.
“It will have to be soon. Immediately, in fact.”
“Immediately? I have business here, plans to finish, meetings to attend.”
“My friend, you do not understand. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and all this deal needs is a little push in the right direction, yes? That is the saying?”
I clench my jaw. “When do I need to come?” I ask.
“Immediately,” he says again. “They want to meet you in two days.”
I blink rapidly and look up at Paige. She just shrugs and shakes her head, like, What else can we do?
“I’ll come,” I say. “I’ll charter a plane this afternoon.”