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A taxi stopped for him almost immediately. In rapid French, Paul rattled off where he wanted to go. However, even with my limited French, I knew the wordsPont de Bir-Hakeim.
“The Last Tango in Paris,” I said with a smile.
“Yes.” Paul squeezed my hand. “Are you familiar with the film?”
“I’ve seen it before.”
The story was a tragedy, and a bit ironic, about how a couple started an intense sexual affair that couldn’t withstand the cold barriers of the lack of emotional engagement.
“It’s noisy, crowded, and has one of the city’s best views at night.”
Paul was right. The roar of the traffic passing on the road below, passengers waiting for the metro, and noisy tourists made it more of a shared experience than the privacy that I thought we might have. Still, as Paul asked the taxi driver to wait and took me up the stairs to the footbridge, I immediately understood why he chose this place. Paris was a sea of lights dazzling with a life of its own. It shone like the Emerald City with the Eiffel Tower standing tall like a great beacon. At the same time, the obsidian tide of the Seine River streamed below. The view, like so many in Paris, enthralled me.
I gasped as I pressed my hands to the fast beats in my chest. “It’s glorious, Paul.” My gaze lifted and found his warm smile. I touched my face. “You’re not looking at the scenery, but I suppose you’ve seen it all before.”
“Not the way you look at it, Nadia. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of watching your eager openness to life.”
My chest fluttered at his compliment. “How many times have you been to Paris?”
“Many. According to my mom, the first time I came here, I was two. She loved to travel.”
“What about your dad?”
“He was always working. But when he came here, he always loved it. He comes now with his wife and child. I always wanted a trip alone with him.… After the divorce, he and I came here a few times, but he took his lady friends along with us. They were so annoying.”
“Like me?” I half-joked.
“No. You’re easy compared to them. But I could go and do whatever I wanted to. I had a lot of freedom. When I was fifteen, Mom gave me a map and told me to find my way around on my own.”
“Were you scared?”
“No. Mom was a hands-off mom, more like a friend. In some ways, I enjoyed her confidence in me. It made me stronger. I found I had to play a role in other ways and never show any weakness. Sometimes, I wanted to be the one to have the space to be emotional, relaxed, and easy. It was always my duty and responsibility to prepare to become the head of the Crane empire.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him without speaking a word. He had shared so much of himself, and I had a rare glimpse into the child that became the powerful man I know now. While Paul had the money and independence, he also had vulnerabilities. My family had no money, but we were rich in support. I had the space to share all of my feelings. That made me wealthy in another way.
Paul squeezed my waist. “I enjoy Paris much more with someone to share it with. Hell, being alone these last two years has been the loneliest I’ve ever felt. I’m so happy to have you here with me, Nadia.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my head against his chest.
A gust of wind rose, and I laughed as we tried to remain together. He turned me around and held me tight. When the wind passed, I gazed up at him and our eyes locked. My heart pounded as his hands took my face. His touch had a sweet tenderness that made my pulse rush. But then he kissed me. His mouth covered mine in a deep, penetrating kiss, with his tongue strokes sending a shock wave of heat racing through my body. The kiss was so raw and passionate that it felt cruel when we broke apart. His gaze was as soft as a caress. He didn’t want tobreak away from me either. But he kept his arm around me as we walked across the bridge, then returned to the taxi.
“One more stop.Pont des Arts.”
It was another beautiful footbridge, but my body felt warm and heavy. The passion from Paul’s kiss compelled a shiver of want to course through me.
“Can we return to the house?”
“Paris and passion never fail,” he mused.
For me, it wasn’t Paris, but Paul. He had a sexual allure like no other.
Paul asked the driver to take us to his place, and the taxi swiftly changed direction.
We made it back to the duplex and up to the balcony for the last view.
Paul kissed me, and as it was with Paul, one kiss was never enough. He removed my shirt, took my thong off with my jeans, then walked me back inside.
“You stripped me. Can I strip you?”
