Love & Loss (53 page)

I sat in the Mercedes looking out of the window and felt my worries floating away. I’d been more and more convinced that I was been watched or followed lately, but Gabe had taken such massive steps in his recovery that I didn’t want to worry him or cause him to have a relapse. Getting away for a city break was just what I needed. Riley dropped us at the airport, with Gabe still grumbling that I wouldn’t tell him where I was taking him for his birthday, as well as the fact that I was paying for it.

‘God you don’t half whinge,’ I laughed as I held his hand as we toured the departures lounge and he looked longingly at the executive entrance.

‘We could have been in that massage chair with a smoked bacon sandwich instead of fighting our way through these crowds.’

‘Well I don’t have a super duper Amex card with benefits.’

‘I’ll get you one on my account,’ he volunteered.

‘I’m fine thank you, I don’t need one.’

‘You will if you keep spending on all of that money on interior design stuff for the club.’

‘You want high end clients, it needs to look high end Gabe,’ I objected. We’d had an interior designer around to run through my ideas. I wanted it classic, clean cut and masculine and suggested tones of black, white, gold and silver, with chandeliers and antique effect baroque mirrors. Tom had already worked out a floor plan that we’d approved, with a two offices and a staff room and store room behind the long bar. I’d suggested high backed booths for groups of guys to have some privacy if they’d come to talk business while enjoying a night out. I’d also suggested that the booths have a sliding screen to seal them off, so lap dances could be carried out without the view of other guests to make it feel more intimate and personal. The other side of the building had been sectioned off with the rear as the dancers dressing room and large dance studio with poles for the girls to practice. Then at the front, with the benefit of the backdrop of the city lights, were ten individual rooms, for private lap, pole or table dances and a main stage for the pole dancing.

‘I know baby, people are going to be queuing to get on the waiting list for membership.’

‘How are you doing with the promotional side?’

‘Dad’s pulling in a load of contacts. He has loads of wealthy clients, with wealthy friends, so don’t worry about that. You need to focus on getting a team of girls together.’

‘Well I’ve already poached Cindy, Max and four other dancers from Peppers,’ I grinned. ‘Can we not talk about work for the next five days please? I want to enjoy being away with my boyfriend in the most wonderful city in the world.’

‘Which city?’

‘We’re going to Paris,’ I grinned. I hadn’t let him see the tickets when I’d done the electronic check in.

‘It’s really that good?’ he smiled.

‘
Gabe.
It’s the architecture, the squares, tree lined avenues, the cheese and wine. I love it and I hope you will too.’

‘I’ll love it because I’m with you and you’re happy baby.’

‘Old smoothie,’ I giggled as he kissed me.

‘Hmmm, twenty in two days, you’ll be trading me in for a younger model.’

‘I’d need three or four younger models to make up for your sex drive baby,’ I replied with a smile, which got me a beaming one in return.

I was so happy that Gabe loved my choice of accommodation. Instead of a hotel, I’d rented a quaint old eaves apartment in the seventh arrondissement district, on the left bank with unobstructed views of the Eiffel Tower and Champs de Mars gardens. I was lucky as it was the last rental they were taking as it was going on the market for sale. It was all painted in white, with exposed painted floorboards, beautiful chandeliers and white furniture. There was a large open plan room which housed a small kitchen with a bistro table and chairs and the lounge with a log burner, then there was a separate small bedroom with an adjoining wet room with a small claw foot bath.

Each room had tall French windows that led onto a small balcony that ran the length of the building, with another set of table and chairs outside and a rattan outdoor sofa. It was just as pretty and romantic as I’d imagined it from the few photos and descriptions and I had all these ideas of us strolling hand in hand to the open air rue Cler markets and picking up fresh bread and croissants, camembert, brie, pate, fruit and wine and lazing about in the evenings, taking advantage of each other over and over. I didn’t have to wait long, as soon as Gabe dropped our cases on the floor in the bedroom, he grabbed me and threw me on the bed and I squealed with delight as he advanced on me ripping off his shirt.

I lay on my side facing him, so excited waiting for him to wake up to his birthday. It was hard to believe how well he slept nowadays, he told me that it was because of me, that I was chasing away the nightmare’s he used to have about his Mum’s death, but I was sure his weekly sessions with Dr Jarvis were helping too. He finally seemed to be accepting that her accident wasn’t his fault, which had made Robert and I so happy. He lay on his stomach, his right hand laced with my left one up on the pillow, his face turned in my direction. His lips were parted as he gently breathed and I sat happily studying the angles of his face as the sunlight bounced off them through the open windows. It had been gloriously hot since we arrived, and was due to last for the next couple of days we were here. I hated air conditioning in the bedroom so we’d slept with the French windows open and shutters pulled back, gazing at the bright moon and Eiffel Tower as I’d fallen asleep in his arms. I watched as he smacked his lips together and made a slight contended sigh. I couldn’t wait any longer, I wanted him to open his presents. I’d even cut down on my luggage to fit in his gifts from his Dad, Lexi and Doug as well. I leaned over and kissed him and he stirred, so I did it again.

‘Mia?’ he groaned. ‘What time is it?’

‘Six thirty, happy birthday baby.’ I giggled with a smile as he opened his eyes to look at me in amazement.

‘You woke me up at
six thirty
? On
holiday
? After a seriously late night?’

‘Yes,’ I nodded with another giggle. I’d taken him for dinner up the Eiffel Tower and we’d gone up to the viewing platform after to see the sparkling city mapped out below us, there was a reason it was called “The City of Lights.” After we’d come back and had sex in the lounge, then the bathroom and finally the bedroom,
twice
. ‘It’s your birthday, I’m all excited to give you your presents.’

‘I don’t need any presents, I have everything I’ve ever wished for lying right here in front of me,’ he smiled as he squeezed my fingers.

‘I told you,
old
smoothie. O my God, I’m not dating a teenager anymore, you’re a
man
.’

‘All man baby, you thought you felt dizzy at the top of the tower last night? Well wait until you’re on top of my cock.’

‘So coarse,’ I laughed with a slap to his arm.

‘Are you saying you don’t want to make an old man happy on his birthday?’

‘But presents,’ I objected as he scrambled up, pushed me on my back and settled himself between my legs.

‘I told you, you’re the best present I ever had, last birthday when I first saw you and now every birthday for the rest of my life,’ he whispered sincerely and I felt my eyes fill up as I nodded permission for him to sink into me as I grabbed his face and kissed him.

I laughed as I caught him looking at his new watch again and he grinned at me over the cheese fondue we were sharing for lunch, outside on the busy pedestrian street. He passed me a mouthful of the delicious cheese, wine and garlic mixture on crusty bread, dangling from the end of the long fork.

‘I love it baby.’

‘You’re not just saying that?’ I asked, he had a thing about watches and had a collection already, but this designer black leather and stainless steel skeleton watch just looked so masculine and …
Gabe.

‘I’m not, I love how you can see all the mechanisms.’

‘Good,’ I grinned and passed him a forkful of food back. ‘So how are you liking France Mr Austin?’

‘Well I don’t know about the rest of France, but Paris is just amazing. I can’t believe Dad and I have never been here before. What’s on the itinerary for tonight?’

‘That would be telling,’ I smiled. I’d booked us a dinner cruise on board the luxurious Don Juan II yacht, which only seated 12 people and served gourmet cuisine and wines as it cruised up the Seine. I’d planned it months ago. I’d packed my white and gold feather dress and gold Jimmy Choo accessories, with a new white lace Basque and matching
tiny
lace shorts to surprise him with. He leaned over and offered me the last of the fondue. ‘You do realise that we’ve not actually eaten a bite ourselves?’

‘I do,’ he laughed. ‘It seemed more romantic to feed each other.’

‘It is. We’re going to get even more romantic in a while and go up to the Sacre Couer and wander the artists streets so you can chose a piece for the wall between the sash windows in the bedroom, above my mirror.’

‘You’re very in charge this holiday baby,’ he observed as he sat back and dropped his sexy mirrored aviators back down off the top of his head. I was sure it was so I couldn’t see him roll his eyes as I paid the bill. He wasn’t amused that I’d insisted the whole trip was on me. We’d done some of the usual touristy things, the open top bus, the Louvre, Notre Dame and tomorrow we were going shopping on the Champs-Elysees, where I was sure he wouldn’t let me pay for anything. I stood and dragged him up and flung my arms around his neck and kissed him.

‘I am in charge, but I still love you old man.’

‘I love you too baby, but less of the old,’ he laughed. ‘You’ll be leaving the teens to join me in a few months. Do we have to go sightseeing? Your tits look amazing in that maxi dress, I’m feeling horny as hell.’

‘You’re always horny as hell,’ I laughed as I pulled my sunglasses on. ‘We can have sex when we get back later, you can’t come to Paris and not see all of the sights.’

After the most romantic meal I’d ever had, cruising up the Seine on the yacht and seeing all the glittering lights, Gabe took my hand to help me down the gangway and we strolled along the embankment back to the apartment hand in hand, surrounded by other couples doing the same. It took us ages as he kept stopping to hold me close and kiss me and I kept catching him smiling at me as I looked up at him from under my fringe.

‘Why are you so smiley?’ I asked as he grabbed me and dipped me for an old fashioned romantic Hollywood kiss.

‘Because I’ve had the most amazing birthday ever and you look so beautiful tonight you make my chest hurt.’

‘You’ve really enjoyed it?’

‘I have,’ he nodded as he planted another kiss on my lips and turned to put the key in the door to the inner hall of the building. ‘I’m really going to have to step up with the romance factor for yours.’

‘No you don’t, you already do romance like no one else Gabe. This was special as it was my first birthday with you, that I remember,’ I added quickly. He grinned and led me to the lift. As we stood outside the entrance to the apartment, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the silk blindfold. I looked at him and bit my lip, excitedly. He hadn’t used the blindfold in sex for a while, and when he did it usually meant a
long
few hours of pleasure for me. I eagerly turned and he chuckled as he did it up then took my hand and led me inside. I sniffed the air, it smelled different, I was sure I could smell some burning and …
roses
. I heard him opening a set of French doors and heard some beeping. I wobbled on my heels as he suddenly spun me around. ‘Gabe,’ I giggled.

‘Ok, eyes closed while I remove the blindfold,’ he ordered.

‘Ok,’ I nodded and squeezed them shut, wondering what he was up to. I shivered as he brushed his lips over my neck as he leaned forwards and undid the silk and pulled it away, then it went all quiet. ‘
Gabe?
’

‘You can open them baby,’ he said, quietly. I did and blinked a few times to readjust to the light and smiled, I was facing the Eiffel Tower in all its lit up glory, but I suddenly gasped and turned my head to look around the apartment. It was full of white roses, hundreds of them on every surface with sparkling fairy lights entwined all around the displays and tea lights flickering on the remaining surfaces. I was so stunned, wondering when he’d organised all of this, that it took me a moment to realise that Gabe was in front of me, down on one knee. He grabbed my left hand before it had a chance to join my right one, which had flown up to mouth as my eyes filled with tears. I’d secretly been hoping he’d propose in Paris, but when he hadn’t on top of the Eiffel Tower last night, I’d assumed it wasn’t going to happen, so I was completely shocked.

‘Mia Page, you fill my life with indescribable happiness, you made me fall in love and open my heart again, when I didn’t believe it was possible. I want to go to sleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning, because every day with you is an adventure and I fall even more in love. I’ll never love anyone the way that I love you baby, you’re
my
best friend, soul mate and the love of my life. Please will you do me the honour of agreeing to be my wife?’

‘Yes,’ I nodded without hesitation and dropped to my knees in front of him. ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ I whispered as I clasped his face and kissed him between each word. ‘Everything you just said I feel too Gabe and I’d be honoured to have you as my fiancé and husband.’