vantage point, but it appeared as if he kissed her back. I became very interested in studying the condensation on my glass of water as Julien returned to my side.
“ Je suis désolé, Chérie, Marla needed some oil.”
I looked at him wide-eyed, unsure how I was supposed to react to his kissing another woman in front of me. After all, I had only known this man eight days. I had no hold over him. He didn’t owe me an explanation.
“Marla is a friend of your mother?” was all I could think to say. I was irritated at how meek my voice sounded.
“ Oui .” His eyes were wary, searching my face for signs of upset.
“And are they very close? Your mother and she?”
“ Sí... ” Uh oh. He had switched to Italian.
“But I’m guessing you don’t call her Auntie Marla .”
He laughed nervously at my quip. “No. Marla and I do not share a familial bond, that is true.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I didn’t like the way he was skirting the issue. “And what kind of bond would you say you two do have?”
He gave me a lopsided smile before answering with an apologetic shrug, “ Siamo amanti. We are lovers.”
I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly. He seemed so composed and matter-of-fact as if he had said ‘I deliver her groceries’ or ‘she collects my mail when I’m on vacation’. Surely I wasn’t the only person that would take pause at their unconventional relationship. She was twice his age! She was his mother’s friend! She had been watching the two of us canoodling on her yacht for over a week now!
I opened and closed my mouth several times before managing to finally make sound come out. “You are lovers? But doesn’t she mind? You and me...? Doesn’t it bother her...?” I didn’t even know what I was trying to ask. Julien took pity on me and flashed me his hundred-watt smile. “Marla’s not the jealous type. She’d never begrudge a man some fun.”
“Some fun?” I frowned with indignation.
He was quick to soothe my ire. “Is that not what this is, Chérie ? Two strangers stumbling upon each other while on holiday. Sharing passion, the beauty of the Mediterranean, and the finest accommodations? Forgive my words, they have clearly upset you. How would you prefer me to label our time together?”
Suddenly I felt very foolish. He was right. We were strangers. I meant nothing to him. Why should I? I was just a cheap girl he met in a nightclub for all he knew. No wonder Marla looked at me with such condescension. I was no threat to her. I was but a temporary amusement for her pet.
I took a steadying breath, not wanting to appear petty or heartsick. My bruised pride wouldn’t be able to handle the humiliation of being found out to be the starry-eyed virgin that had fallen for the rich woman’s gigolo. I tried my best to smile reassuringly. “No, you’re right. Of course. ‘Fun’ is an accurate label...”
He took my chin in his fingers and held my face to meet his gaze. I was momentarily distracted by the coconut scent of Marla’s oil on his hand as he said, “Come Chérie , let us go to your cabin. You must allow me to make amends for upsetting you so.” My heart skittered at his suggestion, and I knew even before I let him help me up that he was forgiven.
“Why didn’t you call me when you realized you were enceintes? ”
I raised my brows at his question. “I did. I left several messages. The only response I ever got was a text.”
Julien frowned in thought. “I never received any messages. You’re sure you had the correct number?”
“Absolutely. It was the number you called me fro-” My memory flashed. A text from Julien telling me he had changed his phone carrier. I quickly dismissed the thought as another occurred to me. “It was your voice on the outgoing message of your voicemail. “
He shook his head. “No one had access to my phone to erase any messages...”
I scowled with contempt, angry with myself for having been so stupid. “Julien, did you
“ Je suis désolé, Chérie, Marla needed some oil.”
I looked at him wide-eyed, unsure how I was supposed to react to his kissing another woman in front of me. After all, I had only known this man eight days. I had no hold over him. He didn’t owe me an explanation.
“Marla is a friend of your mother?” was all I could think to say. I was irritated at how meek my voice sounded.
“ Oui .” His eyes were wary, searching my face for signs of upset.
“And are they very close? Your mother and she?”
“ Sí... ” Uh oh. He had switched to Italian.
“But I’m guessing you don’t call her Auntie Marla .”
He laughed nervously at my quip. “No. Marla and I do not share a familial bond, that is true.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I didn’t like the way he was skirting the issue. “And what kind of bond would you say you two do have?”
He gave me a lopsided smile before answering with an apologetic shrug, “ Siamo amanti. We are lovers.”
I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly. He seemed so composed and matter-of-fact as if he had said ‘I deliver her groceries’ or ‘she collects my mail when I’m on vacation’. Surely I wasn’t the only person that would take pause at their unconventional relationship. She was twice his age! She was his mother’s friend! She had been watching the two of us canoodling on her yacht for over a week now!
I opened and closed my mouth several times before managing to finally make sound come out. “You are lovers? But doesn’t she mind? You and me...? Doesn’t it bother her...?” I didn’t even know what I was trying to ask. Julien took pity on me and flashed me his hundred-watt smile. “Marla’s not the jealous type. She’d never begrudge a man some fun.”
“Some fun?” I frowned with indignation.
He was quick to soothe my ire. “Is that not what this is, Chérie ? Two strangers stumbling upon each other while on holiday. Sharing passion, the beauty of the Mediterranean, and the finest accommodations? Forgive my words, they have clearly upset you. How would you prefer me to label our time together?”
Suddenly I felt very foolish. He was right. We were strangers. I meant nothing to him. Why should I? I was just a cheap girl he met in a nightclub for all he knew. No wonder Marla looked at me with such condescension. I was no threat to her. I was but a temporary amusement for her pet.
I took a steadying breath, not wanting to appear petty or heartsick. My bruised pride wouldn’t be able to handle the humiliation of being found out to be the starry-eyed virgin that had fallen for the rich woman’s gigolo. I tried my best to smile reassuringly. “No, you’re right. Of course. ‘Fun’ is an accurate label...”
He took my chin in his fingers and held my face to meet his gaze. I was momentarily distracted by the coconut scent of Marla’s oil on his hand as he said, “Come Chérie , let us go to your cabin. You must allow me to make amends for upsetting you so.” My heart skittered at his suggestion, and I knew even before I let him help me up that he was forgiven.
“Why didn’t you call me when you realized you were enceintes? ”
I raised my brows at his question. “I did. I left several messages. The only response I ever got was a text.”
Julien frowned in thought. “I never received any messages. You’re sure you had the correct number?”
“Absolutely. It was the number you called me fro-” My memory flashed. A text from Julien telling me he had changed his phone carrier. I quickly dismissed the thought as another occurred to me. “It was your voice on the outgoing message of your voicemail. “
He shook his head. “No one had access to my phone to erase any messages...”
I scowled with contempt, angry with myself for having been so stupid. “Julien, did you
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