Page 130 of The Heart You Kept

“So you’re sleeping with him obviously?”

“No. That’s the thing, not at all.”

He frowns. “I’m confused, explain this situation to me.”

“Where do I even start?” I sigh.

“The beginning.”

“Okay…we met at a…club three years ago.”

“What sort of club?”

My eyes hold his.

“I’m a male escort, I’m pretty sure nothing you say could ever shock me.”

“I guess.” I blow out a defeated sigh. “We met at a kink club.”

“Oh.” He smiles, surprised. “Look at you.”

“Anyway.” I roll my eyes. “At this resort you’re matched with a person for the weekend and you are not told their names or any personal details.”

“So it’s an anonymous thing.”

“Exactly.”

The waitress arrives and pours us a glass of wine each.

“Merci.” She leaves us alone.

“Go on.” He takes a sip.

“And we were matched and we met and immediately had a huge fight.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” He rolls his eyes. “He is pretty infuriating.”

“We ended up having the most incredible weekend together…and….” My voice trails off.

“You fell in love with him.”

“No, not at all.”

“Really?”

“That’s impossible.” I shrug. “It was just sex, and you can’t fall in love with someone in only a weekend.”

“Improbable yes, impossible no, I don’t think so.” He watches me for a moment. “What happened next?”

“Nothing. I didn’t see him for over three years.”

“But you thought about him?”

“Every day.” I glance back to the guards, who now have soft drinks in front of them. “I live in Nice and….”

“You live in Nice?” He puts his hand on his chest. “I have a place in Antibes.”

“You do?” I laugh in surprise. “That’s like half an hour from me, are you there full-time?”