me and I think you caught my body and mind off guard.”
“Well, if you cannot keep up, I can slow things down, you know.”
“Nah, I’ll catch up fine.”
Chapter 3
After our morning romp, he allows me to soak in the moment by leaving me alone in my room while he gets dressed. When I get out of the shower, a note lies on the bed next to his selection of French lingerie for me on the first day.
“I’ll be at the Camélia café getting ready for the day and I’ll see you there by seven-fifteen. I’ll be waiting impatiently all day knowing that under your suit, you’ll be wearing these. I haven’t seen you in black underwear yet and I’m getting hard just thinking about it. I’m sure you brought a lot of beautiful clothes from New York, but I took the liberty of getting you a few new pieces. Hope you like them. See you soon. Bryce.”
He’s selected a black lace bra with a motif of butterfly wings. Each wing covers a nipple and only when I snap the front closure can I appreciate the full effect. I take time to apply my makeup and sleek back my hair. I want to embody the perfect executive assistant. I look at the black suit Bryce selected for me and gasp when I see the label: Dolce & Gabbana Milano. When I slip into the perfectly tailored suit, I’m shocked at how well it fits my petite and curvaceous body.
He has me all figured out, it seems.
Bryce is already sitting at a table at the Camélia café located at the lobby of the hotel and at precisely ten past seven I walk inside the café to meet him. Bryce immediately gets up, smiles and takes me in. Instantly I know I’ve hit the mark.
“Yellow high-heel shoes with a black suit? Sexy.”
I bought these yellow Louboutin shoes when I was out shopping for the gala. I figured since he wired so much money, I might as well grab a few extra items for future evenings with him.
“In Paris, you can be this daring,” I say, secretly proud of the effect I have on him.
We have a brief meeting over a scrumptious French breakfast before heading out to our first meeting. I’ve never navigated the streets of Paris by car during rush hour—I’ve relied on their efficient public transportation or taxis—and this is a new experience for me as we relax at the back of a chauffeured Mercedes Benz.
We arrive at our first meeting at precisely eight-thirty am to meet with a trio of young heads of a widely successful high-tech start-up. After shaking hands and touring their impressive modern office, we sit down inside the meeting room to talk business.
“Thank you so much for inviting us to your office. My assistant and I are looking forward to this day.”
“Quel plaisir de faire votre connaissance, Messieurs. C’est un honneur pour Monsieur Van Der Linden et moi-même d’être invités dans vos bureaux.”
The tech trio is as surprised as the chauffeur and the bellhop at the quality of my French. I can see how pleased that makes Bryce.
It’s a long, grueling morning of number-crunching, fact-sharing and analysis. We stop at one pm for lunch and this is the first time since arriving that I can rest my voice.
“Vous permettez que je fasse un petit tour à l’extérieur question de respirer un peu?” I desperately need some air. I’ve spent the last four hours translating every single word back and forth and I have a headache.
“Mais bien sûr. Nous avons une superbe terrasse sur le toit, vous pouvez vous y reposer quelques instants. Ce doit être épuisant de traduire pendant quatre heures d’affilée.” I nod in agreement and thank Gabriel, the tallest of the tech trio, and head to their rooftop terrace for some fresh air. As I pass Bryce, I offer a feeble smile and mouth, “I’ll be right back.”
This is magnificent!
The terrace looks like a little oasis. The walls are lined with cozy-looking grey sofas and it’s so charming how they’ve been paired with marble top tables and bistro chairs.
There’s a peaceful pond right
Glimpses of Louisa (v2.1)