Page 5 of All the Gossip from Paris (Royal Fashion #2)

CHAPTER FOUR

Sophie messaged the car service. By the time they hit the street, a sleek black Mercedes town car was already parked at the curbside.

How the driver had managed to get a spot right out front of the building was anyone’s guess.

Even at this late hour the traffic in New York City was still bumper to bumper.

The suited driver held the passenger door open. Liam noted that his partner for the evening barely checked her stride as she stepped into the car. This was a woman used to having someone opening doors for her. Sophie lived a life of wealth and luxury.

When Liam reached the car, the driver held out his hands. “Let me take those for you Mister Collins. I can have them safely stowed in the trunk until you need them again. I promise they will be returned to you in perfect condition.”

He reluctantly handed over his precious equipment. “Thank you. Just be super careful with the camera bag.”

When he travelled on assignment Liam rarely let his equipment out of his sight. But he’d promised to go eat with Sophie, so he couldn’t really lug all his gear with him.

Free of his bags, Liam slipped into the back seat of the Mercedes. The cream colored, leather passenger seat was so incredibly soft. If he’d been a cat, he’d have purred. “Oh, this is nice.”

Crossing her long legs, Sophie lay back in her own seat. “I do appreciate the extra room which comes with a large car.”

Liam’s gaze remained fixed on her fit, shapely legs. He could imagine running his hands over her smooth as silk skin. He’d follow the delectable path all the way up until he reached the hem of Sophie’s pink and white paisley patterned skirt.

That skirt.

It barely covered the top of her thighs. She made no attempt to tug the hem of it down. When their gazes met the message was clear. He was welcome to look all he wanted.

I am in so much trouble. Or so much luck.

He wasn’t entirely sure which it was right now.

Most women he’d encountered in his travels tended to be a little less forward than Sophie Royal.

It usually took an evening of talking and sharing a couple of drinks before the inevitable ‘want to come back to my hotel’ conversation took place. This woman was well ahead of the game.

Then again, she did come from a family of billionaires. The thought of being shy might not be something which ever crossed their minds. They simply snapped their fingers and got whatever they wanted. Everything was handed to them on a silver platter.

He couldn’t begin to imagine living in such a world. A world where finding the money for next month’s rent was rendered a meaningless concept. Where black credit cards ruled.

Liam pushed the thought away. Tonight was for having fun. For keeping things uncomplicated.

The driver climbed into the car. He turned the engine on, then sat staring out at the passing evening traffic as the motor quietly idled. It took a minute for Liam to realize what was happening. The man was waiting for orders.

“Do you like Korean food?” asked Sophie.

He was completely in the thrall of her soft French accent. It was the vocal equivalent of melted truffle butter, being drizzled over a perfectly cooked steak. Liam couldn’t help but lick his lips. Hunger and lust vied for his attention.

“Um, yes. But to be honest, I haven’t eaten much beyond Korean fried chicken,” he replied.

She’s all French and sophisticated. While I sound like a hick.

Sophie’s face lit with joy. She clapped her hands together. “Oh, fried chicken is my absolute favorite Korean food. I swear I could eat it until I passed out. The crunch. The spice. It’s beyond perfection.”

Then she rolled her eyes, and sighed. “Patrice flatly refused to eat it. He once told me that loving fried chicken made me nothing more than a basic bitch.”

Who the hell was Patrice, and where did he get off on calling Sophie a basic bitch? He’d only met her an hour or so ago, but already Liam was prepared to go and have words with this Patrice guy. Set him straight on the culinary magnificence that was Korean fried chicken.

Tugging his phone out of his jeans pocket, Liam checked the time. It was almost nine. KX Chicken, the best Korean chicken place in the city would soon be closed. But The Seoul of Chicken Manhattan, his second favorite Korean food joint, would still be open for another hour.

“If its Korean chicken you want, then let’s ask the driver to take us over to 6 th Avenue. The Seoul of Chicken does an incredible chili cheese chicken. The place isn’t anything fancy, but the food is great.”

Sophie, the billionaire heiress who was dressed to kill in her skirt and light linen blazer, grinned at him. Picking up her cell phone, she tapped away on it for a minute, then slipped it back into her tote. “I’ve dropped a pin on the address for our driver.”

The car pulled out from the curb and into the late evening traffic. “I hope you’re extra hungry tonight, because I intend to sample every chicken dish they have on the menu.”

* * *

Six boneless chicken wings later, and Sophie was starting to regret having worn a skirt with a waistband. But she’d set the challenge, so she couldn’t back down. She was determined to sample everything on the menu.

The genius who’d invented snow cheese boneless chicken deserved the Nobel Prize— for everything. Chicken and cheese was the perfect combination. Adding crisp chips took it to a near godlike level.

Liam was right, the Seoul of Chicken restaurant wasn’t anything like the places she usually frequented.

It was small, not much bigger than a hole in the wall.

It had a mere handful of tables for diners to sit at, but what it lacked in elegance it more than made up for with its food offerings.

If the steady procession of food delivery drivers coming in and out the front door was any indication, this place had quite a solid reputation.

Across the bright blue laminate table from her, Liam had just polished off his ninth, or was that tenth, piece of chicken.

When he glanced at the still untouched plate of spicy soy garlic boneless chicken he let out a whimper.

Sophie broke into a fit of giggles. “Hey, you were the one who ordered those. So you have to eat them,” she chuckled.

“Says the woman who claimed she wanted to try everything on the menu, but looks like she’s just about ready to cry ‘uncle’,” he replied.

The gentle tease in his voice had Sophie’s thoughts moving to the other part of their agreement. Of seeing where things ended tonight. The chicken pieces weren’t the only hot and spicy things which sprang to mind.

“I can’t eat another thing,” she pleaded, pushing her plate away.

“Snap. I think we might want to look at getting a doggie bag,” replied Liam.

“A what?”

“A doggie bag. When you take your leftovers home from a restaurant.”

She’d never heard of such a thing. Then again, she wasn’t normally in the habit of overordering in restaurants or cafes. This was a New York City Korean fried chicken, one-time only thing.

Sophie frowned at the unfinished plates of food. “It does seem a terrible shame to waste it. Though I’m not sure if our driver would appreciate us bringing a bag of hot fried chicken into the back of his town car.”

Liam nodded. “Yeah. It would be a crime, what with those nice cream leather seats.”

Picking up one of the platters of uneaten chicken pieces, Liam rose from his chair. He quickly made his way over to the nearby counter.

When he returned, Liam was carrying a large paper bag, and several bottles of water. He set the bag on the table. “Are you ready to go dance off some of this amazing food?” he asked.

Sophie glanced at the takeout bag, but said nothing. Hopefully their driver would be alright with them bringing the food into the car. Liam seemed pretty keen to take it with them.

I didn’t realize he was that short on money.

“There is a dance club called Neo, not far from here. It plays mostly 90’s with some more recent stuff mixed in. It’s the best I could find without having to travel too far in the city,” she replied.

Her American cousin Jordan, who used to be a regular frequenter of nightclubs, had personally recommended the place.

Wiping the last of the chicken from her fingers with a moist towelette, Sophie rose from her chair. She followed Liam out into the street. But instead of making for their waiting car, and the driver who was standing on the sidewalk, Liam keep walking.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Liam flashed a grin over his shoulder. “Back in a sec. Just need to do something.” He disappeared around the corner and into a nearby alley.

Tempted as she was to follow him and find out what he was up to, Sophie’s security training stopped her.

She stayed exactly where she was, in a well-lit area.

Close to the protection of the Royal Resorts driver.

Being a member of an international family of billionaires meant she never took her personal safety for granted.

Liam reappeared a couple of minutes later.

Pointing back toward the way he’d just come, he explained.

“When I took our unfinished meals to the counter, I paid for some rice, coleslaw, and a couple of bottles of water. The server bagged it all up. I just gave it to some people who were sleeping rough in the alley over there.”

Their food had gone to some homeless people.

Whatever feelings she might have had about him wandering off leaving her standing on the sidewalk were instantly forgotten.

Not only had Liam made sure that none of their food went to waste, he’d added in some extras to make a proper meal for those who were less fortunate.

“That was very kind of you,” she said.

Liam winced at the compliment. “Kind to them. But rude to you. I should have asked if you wanted to come with me. It didn’t cross my mind. I’m sorry.”

Sophie mustered a forgiving smile. “That’s ok. You did a nice thing.” She wasn’t about to mention that she was used to being forgotten about. That in her family she was often just a footnote in everyone else’s life.

Let’s not go with the self-pity Sophie. He doesn’t need to know you’re the family loser.

This was one night where she was determined to just be her real self. To shrug off the expectations of others. To have some fun.

She was with a great guy. He was hot, even hotter now that she’d seen he was a real person. Someone who cared about others. He’d done a wonderfully spontaneous thing for some complete strangers. Liam Collins was nice.

Nice men are sexy as fuck.

As they made their way over to the town car, Sophie started rethinking their plans for the rest of the evening. If they went to a nightclub, the music would be great for dancing. Not so great for talking. She wanted to get to know more about Liam.

Taking a hold of his arm, Sophie said. “We could just skip the 90’s dance nightclub, and go somewhere else. I’m sure New Kids on the Block won’t mind.”

They were in central New York City; she could ask the driver to drop them off at the Royal Resorts hotel in lower Manhattan. The mention of her family name and she’d have a room key in her hand within minutes.

“Are you sure? I mean if you still want to go to a nightclub, I’ll go,” he replied.

The driver opened the door for them, but Sophie lingered on the sidewalk. She wanted the decision as to where they went next to be settled before she got into the car. To her relief, the Royal Resorts driver took the hint. He went and got behind the steering wheel.

She stepped into Liam’s space. “I’d like to go someplace where you and I can relax. I know you have a big day tomorrow, so maybe we just take it easy for the rest of the evening.”

His brown bedroom eyes met hers. “Ok. Sounds like a plan.”

Netflix and hopefully chill, it was.