Page 93 of Blue Gold

His brows knitted close. “Chased me?”

A cocky smile spread on my lips because clearly, he was the innocent one between us. “Oh, Daniel… I couldn’t care less about learning English.”

His eyes grew big while his lips slightly parted.

“Then you lied?”

I pursed my lips, pretending to think it through. “Lie? No… I would say I played my cards right.”

He then tried moving up when I forced him down by pushing his shoulders. “What’s more—” I ducked down, my lips ghosting the shell of his ear. “—I would do the same all over again, Mr. Williams.”

I cocked my head so now we were face-to-face, and I could see the desire in his eyes.

“You are a dangerous man, Mr. Dufort,” he said with a crooked smile, a second before he kissed me.

Dangerous? Or just… in love?

30

DANIEL

Sitting on the balcony of our suite, a glass of scotch in hand, I gazed at the beautiful view. The nearby town gleamed like fire as its warm lights reflected on the dark water of the Mediterranean. Mesmerized, I continued admiring the flickering lights, carrying out like fireflies through the night, while taking another sip from my drink. The expensive liquor went smoothly down my throat, and I brushed a hand over my lips. As I did, the thickness of my stubble reminded me that tomorrow I’d finally have to shave, as tonight was our last one in this paradise. It was a pity since I enjoyed my scruff quite a bit. And not just me, but Elliot, too, who for the last three days made sure to mention it at every opportunity. Unfortunately, my job and position required me to maintain a neat appearance, which didn’t include a five-o’clock shadow.

The thought of leaving this heaven and going back to NYC gnawed at my stomach and clouded my mood. Upset, I placed down my glass with a heavy sigh. The reason for my struggle was parting ways with Elliot, who would go on a monthlong modeling stint around the world from here. But another reason, almost as troubling, was going back into hiding.

From standing proud under the sun, I’d be forced to move back into the shadow of the Big Apple, and not just metaphorically. If the monster in my life was my family, then New York was the monster’s lair. With all their friends, connections, and assets, I’d be forced once again to play the role they assigned to me.

Now, in need of another glass, I got up from the chair and walked back inside the room. Going straight to the bar cart, I placed my empty glass down and reached for the scotch when Elliot walked out of the room’s closet, dressed in a black tux that matched my own. But unlike me, he was breathtakingly beautiful. He truly was a supermodel, and not just because of the sharpness of his jaw, impeccable face, and remarkably blue eyes. It was the elegance with which he carried himself that truly turned him into a living masterpiece.

With my drink all but forgotten, I strode toward him, my heart beating eagerly in my chest until I had him in my arms.

“You’re stunning,” I said quietly, unable to grasp that he was mine to admire.

Elliot’s sapphire eyes lit up before his lips stretched into a smile so beautiful that Aphrodite herself would be jealous.

“Am I a sight for sour eyes?” he teased in English, unaware of his mistake until I chuckled. “Why are you laughing?” he pouted when I brushed my finger under his eye.

“It’s sore eyes, not sour.”

His frown deepened. “That is what I said, sour.”

“Sore.”

Upset, he huffed and whooshed his hand in the air. “You American and your stupid language. Why make word that all sound the same?” he muttered in the so-called stupid language.

My amusement only grew, which seemed to deepen his frustration, and when he tried to look away, I cupped the back of his nape and pulled him into a kiss. He accepted me with a willing mouth, his hands sliding to my shoulders as he moaned around my tongue.

“Sore or sour, you are the only sight I ever want to see,” I admitted over his lips, worshiping the blush that reached his cheeks soon after.

“You are so greasy,” he chuckled.

“You mean cheesy?”

He rolled his eyes again. “You’re intolerable.” He switched back to French before grabbing my wrist and bringing it up to look at the time on my watch. “We’ll miss our restaurant reservation.”

Despite wanting to have another taste of him, Elliot had a point, so I dropped my hand from around him. But as he walked toward the door, I remembered something important.

“Hold on,” I said, going to fetch something from my suitcase.