would never have been caught dead at a musical, and now he was willingly taking his fiancée and had probably splurged on premium seats. Brianna was thrilled that her brother and Zoe had hooked up, and although she’d lost faith in love years ago, she wished them nothing but happiness. “Have fun, and let Mom and Dad know I’ll be back in a couple days.”
“Will do. Stay safe and take care of yourself.”
Brianna slid her cell phone back into her purse. She looked up just in time to see Collin leave the reception desk.
He was headed toward her, and his gaze was so intense, so piercing, it felt like they were touching. Since her divorce, she’d been on a handful of dates, but this was the first time Brianna had met someone she was this attracted to. Someone she couldn’t stop fantasizing about making love to. Just that morning, she’d woken up with an image of him in her bed, kissing her passionately and driving her insane with his tongue....
Oh, God, I’m turning into a desperate sex fiend.
Brianna told herself to stop, to quit envisioning Collin shirtless and covered in chocolate, but when he flashed his pearly whites at her, her thoughts went straight back to the gutter. Collin was as handsome as he was charming, and there was no doubt in Brianna’s mind that they were going to have a great time together. The expression on his face proved it. His eyes held a mischievous gleam, and his grin was undeniably sexy.
And when Collin slid a hand around her waist and ushered her out the hotel’s sliding-glass doors, Brianna decided her brother wasn’t going to be the only one having fun tonight.
Chapter 4
“You’re lying!” Brianna accused, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside her. Le Jules Verne, the five-star restaurant in the Eiffel Tower that offered spectacular views of the city, was not the place to bust a gut. The patrons were as refined as the decor, the gentleman playing the baby grand piano looked as stern as a military commander and everyone in the dining area spoke in hushed voices. Brianna didn’t want to draw attention to their cozy table beside the window, but it was hard not to crack up at Collin’s outrageous stories, and the innocent expression on his face only fueled her laughter.
“I don’t believe you crashed the Woman’s International Sex Show in New York last month. I think you just said that to make me laugh.”
“If the organizers didn’t want men there they should have locked the doors of the grand ballroom,” he said with a dismissive shrug.
“No one asked you to leave?”
“No, in fact, I was a huge hit. The organizers forced me to stay!”
“I bet they did. So, did you learn anything or did you just stroll around the room flirting with attendees and pocketing phone numbers?”
“I learned a little somethin’ somethin’.” Collin winked at her. “The conference was a real eye-opener, and my only regret is not crashing it earlier. I would’ve loved to see the dominatrix do her thing.”
Brianna sucked in a quick breath. His gaze was intense, moving over her skin like a caress. Her flesh was tingling, prickling with the heat of her desire, and she had the sudden urge to kiss him. To lean across the table, slip her tongue into his mouth and taste him once and for all.
But instead of acting on impulse and getting them both tossed out of the upscale restaurant, she asked Collin about his job. It was a safe topic, and listening to him talk shop would give her body time to simmer down. Brianna hoped she could finally get her act together. The problem was, she’d been like this all day. Giddy, short of breath, battling lustful thoughts.
Since leaving the hotel that morning, they’d walked from one museum to the next, strolled along the bustling, tree-lined promenades and taken in the marvelous sights and sounds of the most romantic city in the world.
But the best part of the day had been laughing with Collin.
He possessed more knowledge than a French tour guide, and he led her through world-famous cathedrals and art galleries, sharing surprising information about the history and architecture of each building. Brianna had been to the Sainte-Chappelle before and always enjoyed admiring the stained-glass windows, elaborate carvings and wall paintings, but that morning, as they’d ambled through the building, she couldn’t take her eyes off Collin. She loved hearing his voice, loved staring at his mouth and lips even more. And as she sat there listening to him talk, she found herself wondering what it would be like to touch him. To stroke him. To feel his body pressed flat against hers....
“I admire the relationship you have with your family.”
Brianna forced her thoughts back to the present. “Are you and your brother close?”
Collin cleared his throat. “We used to be.”
“What changed? Did you guys have an argument or something?”
“No,” he said, tapping his fingers absently on the glass table. “I think he might be having marital problems, but he refuses to talk about it.”
“It’s hard when you can’t help someone you love, isn’t it? I’m dealing with some family issues of my own, and I’m finding it hard to be strong for everyone else when all I want to do is cry.”
The words were out of Brianna’s mouth before she could stop them, and when she saw the sympathetic expression on Collin’s face, she wanted to die. What did I say that for? Brianna thought, cringing inwardly. I shouldn’t be talking to Collin. He doesn’t know me or my family.
But as Brianna sat there, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, she realized Collin was the perfect person to talk to. He didn’t know who she was, and after Saturday, they’d never see each other again, so why not tell him how she was feeling? Brianna didn’t know if it was the fact that they’d spent the past six hours together wandering the streets of Paris, or all those apple martinis she’d had with dinner, but she found herself revealing things to Collin she hadn’t planned to.
She told him about her past relationships, about the enormous pressure she was under at work, about her nonexistent social life. Brianna didn’t know Collin’s last name or where he lived, but tonight none of those things mattered. He was intelligent and cultured, opinionated and outspoken, and Brianna liked that he didn’t judge her. And because Collin didn’t know her true identity, she didn’t have to worry about him having ulterior motives. She was able to let her guard down, be herself and just enjoy his company.
“Tell me more about your overseas travels,” Collin said, downing the rest of his wine.
“I better not. Once I start talking about my favorite vacation spots, I just can’t stop.”
“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know.” Collin leaned forward and studied her intently for a long minute. “I think you’re fascinating, Brianna, and I want to learn more about you.”
As they talked, the minutes slipped into hours. The more they laughed and joked, the more comfortable Brianna felt with Collin. He gave her his undivided attention, asked her thoughtful questions and ignored his cell phone when it rang. Didn’t even take it out of his jacket pocket. That was a welcome change. Her ex-husband used to jump every time his iPhone rang and would answer it at the dinner table, in church and even in bed. It felt great being with a guy who was not only a gentleman, but fine as hell.
Although
