Aurélie

Chapter Seventeen

Aurélie wanted to thank Blake for the book. Alright, she really wanted to see him again and saying thank you was just an excuse. They hadn't swapped numbers and she'd kicked herself when she realised.

Feeling bold she called the hotel he'd mentioned he was staying in. She asked the receptionist to pass a message on to meet him outside Notre-Dame at midday, she wasn't quite confident to call his room number and plus, a message from a receptionist was way more mysterious than a slightly over eager phone call and she didn't trust her voice not to betray her impatience.

Standing outside Notre-Dame she took in the full scale of the impressive building. As the bells rang twelve, a shadow appeared over her shoulder. Grey eyes under a fringe of tousled dark blonder hair greeted her as she turned around.

"We meet again!" He gave her a kiss on each cheek, sending a blush across her face.

Oh!" she gasped in mock surprise "What a coincidence!"

"The double kiss is a well know French trait, I thought you would have known that, with a name like Aurélie."

"Ha, yes well noted Blake. Actually it was my great Grandma and Grandpa who were French. They moved to London for work and my maternal Grandma grew up in west London. Not a trace of French in her bar the odd word and her maiden name which Mum chose to revert to when she divorced my father," Aurélie explained.

"So a piece of the puzzle is put in place! I'm still not clear on why you're here in Paris. Are you studying here?"

"No, I graduated from a postgrad degree at UCL last year. Lena, the woman teaching you, bought the house here in Paris, she's my mother's best friend and my godmother."

"Oh, so you're here to stay with her?"

"Yes in a roundabout way. She needed a hand doing up the house, it wasn't always like how you see it now. It was a tip three weeks ago and I came over to help her get it ready for the school. I needed to get some space from London and this seemed like a happy answer."

"Gotchya, I understand all about needed space," he nodded in agreement.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Aurélie was intrigued, it seemed like she should be asking more of the questions instead of just answering them.

"It doesn't matter. I'm happy to be here. We'll walk shall we?"

He placed his hand at the base of her back sending sparks shooting up her spine and turned her gently to his side as they joined the flow of people crossing the bridge. They walked in no particular direction letting the tide of people carry them along.

Blake made observations of the people they saw. They stopped for a coffee in a cafe off rue de Edith Cavell. A red canopied cafe with seats outside so they could enjoy the early August sun. Aurélie ordered a cappuccino and Blake got a latte. Conversation was so easy and topics bounced between them from universities, to home towns and Christmas traditions. Blake's family only got together for Thanksgiving and had a smaller immediate family get together for Christmas. While Aurélie's extended family always descended on her mother's sandstone cottage just outside of Bath.

They played Aurélie's favourite game of giving unsuspecting passers-by back stories and agendas. She used to play this game with Lucille when they'd stop by a tea house in Bath after Aurélie had been picked up from school. Blake made her roar with laughter at the outrageous situations he gave people.

"That woman with the yellow t-shirt is trying to get across town to her Turkish lover. She must see him before he leaves. Her husband is away on a business trip. She doesn't even suspect that he's actually at a gimp convention. Poor sweetheart. She's desperate to get laid. Look at her scurrying along!"

Aurélie was glad they had got a corner table outside. She'd be horrified if anyone heard what they were saying but it was so much fun, and what harm could it do?

"Times getting on, I should probably head back, I'm meeting some old buddies from college that are over for a vacation."

"Yeah of course, I should probably head back and help Lena. It's why I'm here after all!" Aurélie tried to keep a lightness to her voice, worried that her disappointment would betray her.

"I'll walk you back, my hotel is only across the river" Blake offered.

"Thanks, that'd be lovely!"

They turned down the narrow side streets that tourists tended to avoid but that actually stitched the material of Paris together. Here the houses were residential and the towering rooftops blocked the city noise from the neighbouring main streets. Blake took Aurélie's hand and pulled her into an alleyway. She jerked her head up to look at him and caught his grey eyes looking at her with an intensity that was hard to avoid.

"I wish I'd kissed you the last time. I've been regretting it since. Would you mind?"

"I," Aurélie faltered, thrown by the formality of someone asking to kiss her rather than the awkward lunges and face bumps that had happened in the past. "Please."

He delicately placed two fingers under her jaw and tilted her head up to face him. She closed her eyes and enjoyed that blissful second that precludes a kiss. She felt his warm breath and then the kiss came.

Gently but firmly.

His lips were warm and pleasantly dry. His hand moved through her hair and curled around her neck. Aurélie's hands pulled at Blake's waist, pulling him in closer. He tasted of coffee and, surprisingly, cinnamon. All too soon it was over as the door they had been leaning against opened, causing them both to jolt sideways. A lady with a small white terrier who was yapping at their ankles came out of the doorway, tutting and giving them disapproving looks.

"C'mon Aurélie let's go," he took her hand and pulled her out into the street. It wasn't until they got around the corner and found themselves on Lena's street that they both whooped with laughter.

"Oh my god, that was so embarrassing!" Aurélie shrieked.

"Ah – no, it was awesome! I bet that woman's never had such a scandal on her doorstops. We've given her gossip to last for a week at least!" Blake grinned, tiny lines spreading out from the corners of his eyes, indicating years of good times.

They slowed their pace as they reached Lena's front door. The stone angel in the archway about the door peering down at them in an unsettling manner.

"Today was lovely, thank you for not standing me up," Aurélie said.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"I guess I'll see you back here soon?" she asked, failing to seem too keen.

"Bright and early. One last thing."

"Yeah?" Blake put his hands on her hips and drew her towards him, bending his head down and kissing her deeply and quickly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, twisting a curl of hair between her fingers and pushing her lips up into his.

"Bye then."

"Bye then."