The waitress gave me a small smile but couldn’t help but give fuck-me-eyes to Leif. I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes, because frankly, I felt like I was usually doing the same to him. Leif Montgomery was attractive, sweet, and slightly possessive. We’d only known each other a week, and I knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye to him. But having him for these few moments had to be worth it. Right?
When the waitress walked off, Leif settled back in his seat and smirked. “What is that face for? I want to know what you were thinking about earlier?”
“No, you don’t.”
“Oh really? Did it have to do with how you helped me figure out my shower this morning?”
“Oh yes. Because you are so inept when it comes to working the shower in your tiny apartment. Poor you.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to reach that lever without you.”
I pressed my lips together, trying not to burst out laughing as the waitress handed off our coffees. She spilled mine a little, her gaze only for Leif’s drink, but he stared at me.
“Is lever a euphemism here?”
“Well, you did help me with that too.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are ridiculous. But I’m glad that you have the afternoon before you have to go back to class.”
“We’re doing an all-night session, and I am excited for it, but I’d rather be with you.”
My heart thudded, and I had to wonder why these lines were working. Probably because they weren’t truly lines.
“Leif—”
He held up his hand, his gaze penetrating. “Take a sip of your coffee, and don’t stress. We’re just in this for the moment, right?”
“Right,” I whispered. My stomach flipped. “Just enjoying Paris together.”
“Exactly. Now, where are you and your friends going tomorrow?”
“We’re heading to Versailles.”
His eyes widened. “Really? Which tour group are you taking?”
I named the tour group, and he nodded. “My professor recommended that one. The place is gorgeous. So much gold.”
“We paid for the extra tour so we could learn more about Marie Antoinette. The history always plays her as such a terrible person. And while she was still royalty who probably didn’t care about those below her, not in the way that we would want to romanticize, she was still just a kid when they groomed her. A woman without any ability to defend herself or have autonomy.”
“I didn’t take that extra tour, and now I feel like I missed out.”
“I would invite you, but the girls promised they wouldn’t bring their guys, so it’s just a girls’ trip.”
His lips tipped into a smile. “So you can’t bring your guy?”
“Fishing, are you?” I ignored the butterflies in my stomach.
“Sip your coffee, and I’ll tell you.”
I sipped the lavender honey latte and moaned.
“I realize it’s sacrilege for some places to add flavoring to coffee, but this is brilliant.”
“Let me have a taste.”
We were at a small table, cramped in the corner, so I didn’t have to lean far to hold out the cup for him. He wrapped his large hand around my wrist, steadying me, as he took a sip. But his gaze didn’t leave mine and I let out a breath.
“Beautiful.”
