Page 25 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

‘We should go together. News is already trickling out online about us after yesterday evening at the opera, so it’ll shore up our position. I think news of Niko is going to break any day now. Apparently someone, somewhere, has leaked it. To be honest I’m surprised he’s been a secret for this long.’

The thought of Niko being subjected to a barrage of cameras like Tara had experienced earlier made her go cold. But as Dion said, it was inevitable.

As lightly as she could, Tara asked, ‘And what happens when we’re no longer…a thing to shore up ?’

Dion’s face was impassive. ‘We’ll issue a brief announcement stating that we’re no longer in a relationship but we’ll continue to co-parent our son.’

Co-parent. It sounded so…reasonable. And perhaps it would be possible. If Tara could ever come to look at Dion and not be filled with desire and those tumultuous emotions.

Surely, she thought a little desperately, this couldn’t be it? Her first lover, ruining her for all other men?

‘What will you do today?’ he asked, clearly taking her silence as acquiescence to go to the event with him.

Tara blinked. She hadn’t even thought of that and she suddenly had a feeling of weightlessness. She was in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with all the time to explore it. Her spirits sank a little. On her own.

She forced a bright smile. ‘I’ve always wanted to see the Mona Lisa painting so maybe I’ll do that.’

‘Sounds good. It’s definitely worth it.’

‘You’ve seen it already?’

A look Tara couldn’t decipher crossed Dion’s face and he just nodded. ‘Years ago.’

He put down his cup and said, ‘I’ve arranged for a team to come and help you get ready for the event from four p.m. I’ll meet you there. I won’t have time to come back here first.’

Tara immediately thought of the photographers but Dion said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll meet you at the car.’

Tara’s trepidation eased a little. ‘Okay.’

When Dion had left, Tara hated the hollow feeling his absence evoked and went and got her phone.

She would video-call Maria and Niko and check in with her family.

By the time she’d done that it was mid-morning and she rushed to get ready to head out to sightsee, pushing all intrusive thought of one very tall, very handsome and very disturbing Greek man out of her head for as long as she could.

* * *

That evening Dion waited near the start of the red carpet where the cars were stopping to let their passengers out.

He’d changed into a tuxedo at his offices.

He knew Tara was almost there—she’d been texting him.

He felt unaccountably nervous. All day he’d thought of how she’d looked a little crestfallen as he’d left the apartment and then he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her wandering around Paris, on her own.

He’d wanted to drop everything and go find her. He wanted to see her reaction to things.

He’d missed her.

No. That was unconscionable. It was just the sex effect. Dion did not miss people, or things.

He’d missed Niko.

That was his son. That was understandable.

And it surprised him, how much he was missing him.

He’d bonded with his son more in the last week than he had in the last six months.

The fact that it was the arrival of Niko’s mother that had precipitated that bonding was something Dion couldn’t continue to deny.

And on that thought, a car pulled up beside him and he saw the flash of bright red hair and pale skin and gold. He stepped forward and opened the door before the driver could do it.

Dion put his hand out and Tara’s hand slipped into his.

An electric jolt went straight to his groin.

He gritted his jaw. She stepped out and the breath left his body as he took her in.

Her hair was pulled back and up in an elegant chignon.

Smooth. She wore a strapless gold dress, fitted bodice and then falling in layers of tulle over silk to the ground.

She looked like a princess. Dion felt strangely humbled.

Tara’s eyes went wide. ‘What is it? Is it the gold? I thought it might be too garish but the stylist insisted.’

From somewhere Dion found the capacity to move and shook his head. ‘No…you are utterly perfect.’

A flush came into her cheeks. ‘Thank you.’ She looked at him, and then said a little shyly, ‘You scrub up pretty well, too.’

Dion had taken his physical looks for granted for so long. He was surprised at the little glow of pride to bask in her approval.

He was really losing it. He took her hand. ‘We should go in.’

Tara took a deep breath. ‘Okay, I’m ready.’ Her fingers gripped his tight and as they proceeded along the red carpet he had to battle with the urge to just bundle her up and run back to the car and drive far away from here, just the two of them.

Paris was veering way out of his control and there didn’t seem to be much Dion could do about it. He assured himself that when they got back to Athens, he would be able to put the necessary distance between them. He had to.

* * *

Tara had thought she’d seen it all, at that party in Athens, where she’d met Dion first. And then the open-air opera amidst centuries-old ruins.

But this…blew her mind. The Grand Palais, built over a hundred years ago for an exhibition, was a vast open space designed like a nave with an intricate glass roof, thronged with possibly the most beautiful people in the world.

After being served aperitif cocktails while being serenaded by a small orchestra playing classical music with a modern twist, they were directed to where a long banquet table was laid out with gold cutlery and crystal glasses.

A centrepiece of wildflowers ran down the centre, and as the sun set outside the Grand Palais, candles were lit, imbuing the surroundings with an even more magical glow.

Tara was afraid to touch the food, it looked so perfect. She was also afraid she’d drop something on the exquisite dress, so she took just a couple of mouthfuls.

Dion was talking to someone on his left but then he turned to her. ‘So how was the Mona Lisa ?’

Tara couldn’t hide the lingering disappointment. ‘I’m sure it’s amazing but I’m afraid I couldn’t get near her. It was too packed and everyone was so tall. The guards were moving people along and by the time I went past, all I caught was a tiny glimpse. I didn’t realise how small the canvas was.’

And then, afraid she must sound unbearably ungrateful, she said, ‘But just to be near it was amazing. And I saw a lot of other exhibits. Maybe I’ll go back when it’s less busy.’

Dion looked at her for a moment and then his attention was taken by the person on his left again.

He apologised before turning away. The person on Tara’s right touched her arm lightly and she turned to them, smiling, grateful for the distraction.

So what if she’d wished Dion had been with her earlier? This trip to Paris wasn’t a date trip.