Once Upon a Time in Paris

2

The next day was quiet and empty for a Friday. Casey had gone out to the living room of the suite to drink coffee and eat lunch. She settled on room service and some of the fruit she bought yesterday, along with some of the honey from Nico. Brandon came in around 4 last night, so Casey wasn't expecting to see him for a while. He was going to be gone again for most of the evening and night tonight, and during the whole day tomorrow.

Knowing that this day could very well be another day wasted, Casey wrote Brandon another note and left the suite. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she was going to get out of that hotel. Grabbing a map from the lobby, Casey exited the hotel and began heading down the street. She didn't mind walking, and after a few minutes she came across the Jardins des Champs-Élysées. It was currently cherry blossom season, and the blossoms were blooming on many trees. There were other people and couples out and about, not letting the day go to waste either. Casey wandered around the gardens and admired the nature for a while that afternoon.

Once she left, Casey walked around in no particular direction, seeking some kind of adventure. She eventually came across a famed bookstore. The inside was whimsical and filled to the brim with all kinds of books. Casey closed her eyes and picked a random one out. To her surprise, of all the books in the store, her fingers chose "Gone with the Wind". Remembering that she was watching the film the other night, Casey took it as a sign and sat in a chair in the corner and immersed herself in the novel.

Casey was about a fourth done with the large book when her phone went off, notifying her of a text message.

Brandon: I left a while ago and am at work now. I'll see you tomorrow.

She replied with a simple text and looked at the time. It was about 8 o'clock, and the day was fixing to turn into night. Casey was too involved in the book to just leave it, so she paid for it and then left the store to hail a cab. The cab dropped her off at the hotel and she went into her suite.

Casey ate some leftover lunch and then decided to change into a bikini for swimming. She was in the mood to take a swim in the indoor pool. Once she got to the top floor, she entered the pool's premises and was relieved to see no one else there. It was a huge area, the ceiling went up very high and the room was enclosed by floor to ceiling windows, allowing the moonlight to shine through. Aside from the city lights and moon, the only other source of light were the pool lights flashing from inside the pool. Casey dived into the pool and did a few laps before just swimming around for a while. She got out and went into the hot tub, admiring the change in temperature.

After a few moments, Casey heard the main door to the pool open. Through the steam of the hot tub, she saw a man walking in alone. She turned her attention to the window next to the hot tub to admire the city, and let the man be. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard him walking up to her. Turning her head, she saw that of all people, it was Nico.

"Oh, hello," said Casey, facing Nico. "Funny running into you again."

Nico chuckled, with a beer in his hand. "I promise I'm not a stalker. I was just coming in for a swim and I thought I recognized you over here in the hot tub." He was only in swimming trunks, as he had already taken off his shirt before coming inside the pool room. Casey couldn't help but notice that he had a toned and defined body.

"No, you're good. I don't think of you as a stalker," Casey laughed. "Want to join? Temperature is really nice in here."

Nico obliged and joined Casey in the hot tub. "How long have you been up here for?" he asked her, taking a sip from his beer.