Page 56 of The Daddy’s Girl

We stare at each other for so long I’m sure it’s going to happen. His head even lowers and inches toward me, and my eyes start to close.

But I must have been dreaming or delusional, because before I get to feel the softness of his lips, he pulls away and clears his throat. “I should get you home.”

As he moves toward the other side of the bridge, I stand deflated. How much longer can I really do this? This constant unending push and pull between us. It’s exhausting, and I only have myself to blame.

Relenting with a sigh, I follow him. I stride up to his side, following him through the streets toward my house.

“I have one more stop for you,” he whispers as I link my hand with his again.

“Where?”

Instead of answering, he pulls me along the river. “Follow me.”

When we reach the wide, open platform that overlooks the river beneath the shadow of the tower, Matis stops. The grand iron structure is long past lit up, so it stands in quiet darkness like a sleeping sentinel protecting the city. It stopped sparkling hours ago, but it’s no less magical at this hour.

Trocadero has the best view of the tower in the city. Unfortunately, everyone knows it now, so during the day it’s congested with tourists, trinket dealers, and pickpockets. But right now…it’s serene and romantic.

Standing on the steps, I watch as Matis marches into the middle with his arms outstretched. “Dance with me, Trouble.”

I chuckle, biting my lip. He looks so suave and handsome out there it makes my chest hurt to even look at him. How can he keep doing this to me?

“But there’s no music,” I complain.

“We don’t need music, mon trésor.”

A soft gasp escapes my lips at the sound of that pet name. Calling me his treasure like it’s not earth-shattering for me. Like it doesn’t set my soul on fire. Like it doesn’t give me far more hope than a girl like me needs.

I have no choice now but to step down to where he’s stationed alone. He puts out a hand, and I slip my fingers into it. As he pulls me to his body, pressing his cheek to mine, I feel that determination to be free of this crush dwindle into a puddle of ash at my feet.

With only the stars above to watch us, Matis starts moving us slowly around the empty platform. The only sound is our feet shuffling against the stone bricks…that is until he begins to hum “La Vie en Rose” gently in my ear.

My eyes close as I let him sway me round and round. In all the romance novels and all the love stories ever told, not a single one of them could possibly portray a moment even half as romantic as this one.

Matis and I are the only two people on this entire planet at the moment, and we are here under the stars, silhouetted by the Eiffel Tower, dancing to the most iconic and romantic song ever hummed. My heart beats in time with his, and I squeeze his hand, hoping it conveys just how much I love this.

How much I love him.

He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t have some sort of romantic feelings for me, would he? Surely, he must know the effect he has. This can’t possibly be some harmless moment of innocence.

“Matis,” I whisper, no louder than a breath.

Still dancing, he turns and gazes down into my eyes.

If I don’t take this moment and try to get what I want, I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life. Here goes nothing.

“Would you…kiss me?”

His feet stop and his eyebrows furrow.

I’d like to jump into the Seine with how humiliated I am for a split second. Before he can toss me in himself, I quickly add, “Only because…I didn’t get a kiss at the end of my date. And I really wanted one.”

Well, that is the dumbest reason I could have possibly come up with for asking for a kiss from my godfather, but I didn’t have a lot of time to brainstorm anything better.

“Amelia,” he replies, and I’m sure there’s a perfectly rational refusal about to leave his lips. He’s about to tell me how incredibly inappropriate that would be. Instead, he licks them, letting his gaze affix to my mouth. “Close your eyes.”

Heat floods my nervous system as my heart stops beating altogether. I have to remind myself to breathe as I let my lids drift closed and my lips part.

When Matis’s soft hands cup my jaw, I could weep with how perfect it feels. Slightly calloused warm hands hold me like I’m something tender and adored.