𝘉𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘥𝘦 #1

17. L'Atelier des Lumières

Fallingforyou - The 1975

"Are you sure you're okay?" Alek asked for the fifth time in under ten minutes. This time, I remained silent, aware of the sound of water hitting the floor in the bathroom as Jack took a shower. I took a deep breath because my best friend hadn't needed more than a couple of exchanges to know something was off, and I couldn't talk about it yet because it was still impossible to digest. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to.

"It's..." I sighed and stood up, stepping out onto the balcony. The view we had was stunning, unlike the first time: now the Eiffel Tower was visible in all its glory, majestic before our eyes; the neighborhood we were in was surrounded by green spaces, and we could also see the Champ de Mars clearly from this height. I leaned against the railing as Paris's luminosity shone; a shiver ran through my body, and I shuddered as it traveled down my spine. "Complicated."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I can't" I murmured, turning back to face the room. "At least, not for now."

"Is it that serious?" I could imagine Alek making a face, because I did too.

"Enough, but as soon as this is resolved, I'll need you."

I was on the verge of tears, but I didn't want to cry because I didn't want Jack to see me like this.

"I'll always be here, Jules."

"I know, and thanks for understanding."

"You don't have to thank me," she said. "You more than anyone know I'm not one to share things easily, and you've been there for me even when I'm stubborn and keep everything to myself." I laughed and nodded.

"You're right, but I wanted to say it anyway."

"When are you coming? Or when can I come? I wanna see you."

"I'm in Paris now; we can coordinate when I get back."

The bathroom door opened, and the Londoner appeared in my line of sight. I smiled when he did, also gesturing to my phone, and I delighted in watching the soccer player walk around, taking his suitcase to put it on the bed; his muscles tensed, making them noticeable from this distance.

I felt my body temperature rise, and I had to part my lips to breathe normally: his tattooed arms made me want him to take me in them and do whatever he pleased. My eyes followed his movements, taking out a few clothes to arrange them, and I inhaled deeply again when my gaze devoured him, imagining removing the towel secured at his hip in less time than I could imagine. My mouth watered.

I imagined hundreds of things in that fraction of a second where time stood still, and everything promised to be too good. I moved my eyes over his chest to his face and met his green eyes and smile; my lower abdomen contracted with a familiar, exquisite sensation. I licked my lips without looking away until Alek's murmuring voice and a shout with my full name broke the almost trance-like state he had me in. However, I didn't lose sight of him as I responded.

"What were you saying? Sorry?"

"That if you're there for work."

"For pleasure." Because even without sex, what a damned pleasure it was to look at Jack Butler. He removed the towel and winked at me before turning around, intentionally, to put on his tight black boxers. God...

"I demand you fill me in on everything, Savanah Julianne." Alek raised her voice slightly, and I forced myself to stop fantasizing about putting my hands on that man's butt and pulling him deeper into me, but the tingling between my legs wasn't helping enough, so I turned away again, with my heart racing, and looked at the tower.