Page 8 of Falling for the Wife

They had obviously been on the lookout as they waited for me to make an appearance.

Vivienne spoke first. “He’s been waiting outside. Why’s that?”

“I told him to wait for me—I mean, Lexi did. He invited me to his room at the Four Seasons.” My eyes averted to the entrance, guilt washing over me as I wondered if I made the right decision of not indulging in another romp with him. “Should I go say hi?”

Vivienne paled at my suggestion. “Are you crazy? What if he recognizes that it was you fucking him dirty at the pond?”

I just wanted to see him off for the last time. God knew when it would be until I saw him next. “We won’t know unless we test it, right?” My decision was set.

“You’re insane,” Blair blurted out, wickedly grinning.

“That I am, my dearest friends…that I am,” I murmured as I strode towards the foyer.

They had a grand entrance reminiscent of Versailles in the designer’s mind. The moment I spotted him, my heart lurched then ached in the span of a minute. It had been over fifteen minutes, and yet, he was here still, waiting. It was so out of character for him to wait for anyone at all. I supposed Lexi had made quite an impression then.

“Jared! Hi,” I called out to him as I descended the steps.

The love of my life spun to see who was calling his name. His eyes lingered on me as I approached him. With the way I was sauntering, one wouldn’t guess the inferno in my crotch. But I had a performance to finish. The inferno could wait to be doused later. He and I never did the customary cheek on cheek kiss, so I stood a good three feet away.

“Gisele, good evening. Always good to see you.” His eyes quickly noted my dress. There was no spark in his eyes, not the way he had eyed Lexi tonight. There was no feral hunger. He simply eyed me like one would if they saw something unimpressive and unappealing to their sight. The vast difference was striking. And as much as it pained me to admit it, my chances with him as Gisele were never going to be more than nil. Might as well bury it now before I continued my hopeless quest.

His black Aston Martin DB11 drove up, and the valet attendant rounded the car to hand him the keys. Jared graciously thanked him after giving him a hundred-dollar bill.

“You’re not leaving already, are you?” I mustered enough enthusiasm to faintly smile at him.

He distractedly glanced at his watch. “I’m waiting on my date to come out; then we’ll leave for the night. It’s been a long day, and I have to oversee the new project your dad and I have been working on tomorrow.”

He wasn’t too exhausted to commit to a fuckfest all night long, though.

Shifting my stance, I cleared my throat as I longingly regarded the gorgeous man before me. “How is he? Papa, I mean. He hasn’t been home, and each time I call, he doesn’t pick up.”

Something crossed his face. “He’s been busy; we both have been. Do you want me to tell him to call you?”

“No.” I vehemently shook my head. “Uh, tell him to take care and that I miss him, though, will you?”

“I will.” He nodded, staring at me for a moment before catching himself. He shrugged as if dispelling a horrid thought. “You can go to the headquarters and see him yourself, you know.”

“I doubt he’d be pleased. I get how eccentric he can be when he’s on the verge of completion. I’ll let him be the great genius that he is.”

He glanced at his watch again before blowing out a slow breath, his patience evidently running thin.

“Where’s your date?”

Pressing his lips, he shrugged, clearly perturbed. “I have no idea.”

I could’ve stood there, staring at him until he left. But I’d done it so much over the years that ogling him like a morsel with people milling around clearly was out of the question. “Well, it’s good seeing you, Jared. Have a good evening.”

“You, too, Gisele.”

Walking away from him then shattered something inside me. He was waiting for Lexi, who would never show up again. The only reminder I’d have of tonight was the memories and the epic soreness in between my thighs. Apart from that, it was as if it had never happened; it had never existed.

Like an aberration. A momentary relapse that would eventually be forgotten.

CHAPTER3

Gisele

We were baskingin the bright sun, sunbathing on the vast white glossy deck after enjoying a hearty lunch consisting of Jambon-Beurre, roasted chicken, pasta niçoise, classic croquet monsieur, green salad, strawberry crepes, lemon macarons, an endless supply of rosé champagne, and finishing off with a tasty grand cheeseboard. We were moored off the coast of the French Riviera a little off Monaco before sailing towards Capri then Sicily to Malta and Corfu to Croatia then to the Greek islands before rerouting back to the French Riviera. Some of these places we’d be staying for a day or two, and then we’d be off to the next destination.