Page 13 of All the Gossip from Paris (Royal Fashion #2)
CHAPTER TWELVE
Paris, France
Camille’s parents had paid for the First Class tickets. The cost was likely small change for the members of the billionaire Royal family, but it was a generous gift by anyone’s standards.
During the eight hour flight, Liam had indulged in the luxury that only a First Class ticket could offer. French champagne. Gourmet meals served on fine china.
Stepping off the plane, his complimentary pair of Air France PJs were neatly packed in his inflight bag.
At the end of the airbridge the Collins family was greeted by two gentlemen. They both wore crisp black business suits. Within a matter of minutes Liam and his parents had been VIP fast tracked through French immigration.
From customs they were ushered straight through arrivals and toward the front door. When Liam gestured toward the bank of baggage carousels, he was politely informed that their luggage had already been collected.
Outside arrivals, a long black Mercedes Benz limousine was parked at the curbside. One of the VIP team members hurried to open the door. Liam waited while his parents climbed into the back of the vehicle, before following them.
Brenda and Pete were busy fiddling with their seatbelts and getting comfortable. “I can’t believe we are in France,” said Pete.
“I know. How amazing will it be when we see the Eiffel Tower for real?” replied Brenda.
While Liam was glad that his parents were so excited over their first international trip, he held off on joining the conversation. His mind was elsewhere.
The limousine’s soft leather seats had reminded him of that warm night in September. To the town car which had taken him and Sophie to the Royal Resorts Manhattan.
One thought quickly led to another, and soon he was grappling with the memory of how it had felt to hold Sophie in his arms. Of the long hours they had spent in that big bed talking, eating cookies, and watching TV. But mostly he thought of her soft cries of pleasure as he’d brought her to orgasm.
And soon he and Sophie would be seeing each other again. How were they going to be around one another? Was this a ‘hey, how are you?’ situation, where both of them did their best to pretend nothing had happened in New York?
That made logical sense.
He kept reminding himself that this trip to France wasn’t about him or Sophie—it was about the union of their respective siblings. About the future parents to be.
Damn. She and I are going to have to cross paths again once this baby is born, what with all that uncle and aunt stuff. Christenings. Birthdays. Christmas.
He could just picture Sophie’s father, BBQing steaks on Bastille Day, while he sunk a cold beer or two.
Liam chuckled at the thought of the stiff and proper Frenchman necking a Modelo Especial while wearing an apron which said, ‘kiss me I’m the chef’.
Then again maybe billionaire families didn’t do family gatherings like his did.
His thoughts returned once more to Sophie.
I really don’t know how I’m going to handle being around her.
He’d be a fool to say no if Sophie wanted to hook up with him again. He’d also be a damn fool to say yes. There could be all sorts of horrible complications if it ended badly between them. Not to mention making things awkward around Ryan and Camille.
They don’t know about New York. So they wouldn’t have a clue as to why Sophie and I were acting weird with each other.
As the limousine sped through the Paris traffic, Liam made himself a promise. From today until the time he set foot back on US soil, he would just be another wedding guest. He would be polite and friendly toward Sophie. Nothing more.
Last summer he’d made a mess with the reality tv show and put Ryan in a serious legal bind. He was determined not to put a foot wrong at his brother’s wedding.
Yep. Friendly. Polite. And nothing more.
“Will Ryan know we have arrived?” asked his father.
Liam stirred from his scattered thoughts. “I’ll let him know.” He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and tapped out a message to Ryan.
Just landed. In car heading into Paris.
His brother replied within seconds.
How was the flight? Did mom and dad enjoy it?
Liam grinned at the message, then quickly answered.
Flight amazing.
Like two kids at Christmas X 100
Ryan would be relieved to know that his family had arrived in France, and that their parents had enjoyed the flight. He’d been so apologetic over the whole business of sending his folks commercial rather than on a private jet. It was good to be able to set his mind at ease.
Meet you at the hotel.
Driver will make special trip past Eiffel Tower.
Their folks would be thrilled to see the Eiffel Tower up close. Ryan as always had thought of everything.
C U soon.
“Ryan is going to meet us at our hotel, but first we have to go somewhere,” he said.
His parents were too busy looking out the window, to pay him much attention. If they’d been acting like two children on Christmas morning last night, this morning they were the picture of excited school kids on their first field trip.
They are such a cute pair.
It was great to see them enjoying every moment. He suspected they were nervous about meeting Camille’s extended family. He also knew the way Ryan worked. His super organized brother would already have plans in place to make sure their parents felt at ease.
Now all he had to do was play the part of the well-mannered brother, and not mess anything up.