Holy hell.
Before I get a chance to respond, the lift doors ping open, and on seriously wobbly legs, I follow Jake out and find myself in the foyer of a restaurant.
There is a waiter here to greet us.
“Mr. Wethers, Ms. Bennett. My name is Adrien and I will be your server for the evening. Please follow me to your table.”
Jake takes hold of my hand again, and we follow Adrien into a large dining space.
I audibly gasp in shock.
The place is clear. I mean clear. Nothing except for a table for two positioned by the window, and when I say window, I mean the place is wall to wall glass all the way around, so wherever I look all I can see is Paris at night.
And draped around the whole place are white, twinkly fairly lights, and Jeff Buckley is mid-way through singing ‘Lilac Wine’ softly in the background.
I feel like I’ve just stepped into Heaven, and it stops me in my tracks.
Stopping too, Jake turns to me.
“You hired the Eiffel Tower?” I breathe.
“I don’t have that much pull, Tru – well I don’t think I do.” He gives me a cheeky smile, pushing his hand through his hair. “I just hired the restaurant for the night – you know.” He shrugs like this is an everyday thing, downplaying himself like always.
My heart is bumping clumsily around my chest.
“Jake, this is…” I’m struggling for words. “How did you manage to pull this off?” I ask, feeling breathless.
“Stuart. He can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be. Especially with my money in his corner.” He rests his hands on my shoulders, running his fingers into my hair. “Do you like?”
“Mmm, just a bit.” I bite down on my smile.
‘Lilac Wine’ ends, and ‘Hallelujah’ begins to softly lilt into the air.
“You ready to sit down?” Jake tilts his head in the direction of our table, which Adrien is waiting by.
I shake my head, no. “Dance with me.”
He smiles and it lights his whole face. Jake turns to Adrien. “Give us five.”
“Seven,” I say, knowing the song hits just about that length of time.
“Seven,” Jake corrects.
Adrien nods, and disappears off through the door to his right.
Jake takes my hand in his, putting his arm around my waist, he pulls me close. I lay my hand against his chest, as he starts to move us, dancing together.
“You are so getting laid tonight,” I say, looking into his blue eyes.
“I’m holding you to that.” There’s this intensity in his gaze which makes me shiver from my head to my toes.
“Do,” I whisper, as I rest my head against his shoulder.
I can hear his heart beating up through his chest, his heat caressing me, his special Jake scent soothing me.
And I know unequivocally this is my happiest moment with him so far, and I just know there’s going to be so many more to come.
“Te amo,” I murmur quietly.
“You too baby, and I will, forever,” he whispers, kissing my hair.
And we stay here dancing for much longer than our seven minutes, with Jeff Buckley and the lights of Paris as our only other company.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I let myself in my flat, lugging my heavy suitcase in behind me.
Simone’s at work. She came home a few days before I did. Her work is a little stricter on holidays than mine; I guess that’s the awesome part of having a boss who is also one of my best friends.
I just couldn’t bear to leave Jake, and he wasn’t so keen on letting me go either.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I stare down at his last text; the one I received the moment I was settled in my first class seat on the plane to bring me home:
Just think about it please. I love you so much. I want you in my life, permanently. I want to wake up every day with you beside me.
…
“Don’t go,” Jake whispered, holding my face in his hands.
“I have to. I’ve got work to do at the magazine, and you’ve got promo for the tour to do … and I’m sure you need to go into the office to check up on the label … baby, it’s only for a week and then we’ll be back together,” I added, staring up at his sad eyes.
“It’s one hundred and sixty eight hours without you,” Jake sighed.
“Did you just work that out in your head?”
He nodded.
“Smarty pants.”
“Stop changing the subject.”
I hooked my fingers into his T-shirt. “It’s not a long time and then we’ll be back together.”
I don’t mean that. It feels like it’s going to be forever, especially when he just broke it down into hours like that.
But we’ve been in each other’s pockets far too much recently, and I don’t want Jake to get bored with me. The distance will make him miss me, make him want me more.
Or get lonely and go looking in search of comfort elsewhere.
I quickly shut out that thought, and my stupid irrational side.
The time apart will be good for us.
Jake stared into my eyes, his blue ones caressing my soul, and I could feel myself faltering, weakening to his plea.