His Paris Affair (The Albury Affairs) Read Free

That should warm you right up.”
    She glared at him. “I wouldn’t be so cold if you hadn’t left

so early in the morning taking your body heat with you and not turning up the

heat.”
    He was man enough to look ashamed. “No wonder the room was

so chilly when I came back. Why didn’t you just get up and turn up the heat

yourself?”
    She hugged the pillow to her chest. “Too cold and the

thermostat was too far.”
    “You’re kidding!”
    She shrugged, leaned her head on the top of the pillow she

hugged and closed her eyes.
    He chuckled. “You look so cute so disheveled. I should take

a picture—”
    Her eyes shot open and she turned to him. She jumped when he

pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and held it up. “No! Okay, I’m up, I’m

up no pictures.”
    “Sure? Riana and Loraine would love to see you look a mess.

Especially Riana since she’s huge, uncomfortable and always disheveled. Come

on, let me take just one to comfort the pregnant lady.”
    “No!” she yelled, running into the bathroom and shutting the

door behind her. She even made sure the lock was in place just in case he got a

not so bright idea. She glared at the door when she heard him laugh. He’d

thought he’d won. Well, she was just going to annoy him back—by taking an hour

in the bathroom and another hour getting dressed. Ruiz hated waiting for her as

she got ready. He said watching her pick an outfit then discard it before she

decided on another was torture no man should have to endure.
    Two hours fifteen minutes later, they were finally out of

the suite and apparently she had failed in her revenge because Ruiz had spent

that time working. He must have figured she would try to punish him for the way

he woke her up. She pouted for a while until they got to the Ile de la Cité in

the heart of Paris. She hoped Ruiz was taking her where she thought he was and

wasn’t sure until they passed the Palais de la Cité, now known as La

Conciergerie. She’d always wanted to see the Sainte-Chapelle church, run up the

Grand Degres—the grand ceremonial staircase —and exit through the north flank

and eastern apse, but there was never any time left in her previous trips. She

would always save it for last, but whenever she was almost out the door to

finally do it, Allan would get a call about some business that he’d have to fly

back home or wherever to attend to immediately. She would beg for him to leave

her behind, but he would adamantly refuse, even when she pouted and put on her

best crying performance.
    He always said he didn’t want what happened to the Larson

girl to happen to her. It was only recently she found out the Larson girl was

Loraine. Her new best friend was under the impression that no one except her

immediate family knew what had happened to her, but somehow Melody’s brother

found out too. But then again Allan always found things out no matter how well

people thought they had hidden them. It served him well in business

negotiations, especially when he took over or bought a company. He never told

Melody what really happened to Loraine, just that she was alone in Paris with

no one to help her when she got attacked. It only clicked that it was Loraine

he was talking about when she told Melody of her ordeal—what she called her

nightmare in Paris.
    Once in front of the church Ruiz turned to her. “Forgive me

yet?”
    She nodded. “I’ve always wondered how much attention if any

at all you paid to me when I spoke. Now I know that dazed look is you paying

intent attention. Thank you.”
    He chuckled. “That and your brother called me this morning

and told me to make sure I bring you here but you’re still welcome.”
    Melody went on her toes, pulling him down to meet her half

way so that she could kiss his cheek. “A lesser man would have taken credit for

it.” Then once fully on her feet she pinched the back of his neck.
    Ruiz jumped away from her. “Ouch! And what was