Page 188 of Risks of Temptation

"I'm here with you. Nothing happened. They did not break us."

Malin strokes my hair and sighs. "You are my wife."

"And happy to be it."

His lips twitch. But his smile looks tired. I've not noticed the lines around his eyes before. "I want our life to be how it was in France."

"Me, too."

"You do?"

"Yes. Why do you sound surprised?"

He hesitates.

"Malin? Tell me why you are shocked."

"I wonder if I will be enough for you. If danger is not around..." He peers out the window then back at me. "Will you be happy?"

My pulse increases. I tilt my head. "Is that what you think? I am only capable of happiness if we are playing our role?"

"I... I don't know."

"The happiest I've ever been was in France. With you. In the house I want to live in. Where I committed to spending every last breath I have, devoted to you."

He exhales.

"What have I done to make you question my desire to be with you always?"

"You haven't done anything, except be yourself. You're fearless."

"I'm not."

He palms my head. "You are, ma belle. You have more strength than many men I know. Danger looks good on you. You make it into a challenge to conquer. Others flop in it, and you thrive."

"I'm sorry."

"No. Don't you dare apologize. I love that about you. Just like I adore everything else about you."

I turn and glance at the others. The plane is dark, with only the light outlining the wall. I assume it's past midnight. I ask, "Why are you and Gustave not talking?"

"I don't want to discuss it right now. I just want to forget about tonight for a few hours."

I caress his head. "I don't want to forget about everything."

He raises his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

I lean into his ear and stick my hand in his pants. In French, I whisper, "I told you to find a dark corner. I think this is it."

His lips twitch. He responds in French, and we continue speaking it. "How quiet can you be, ma belle?"

I unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. "Lift your hips, drop your pants, and let me show you."

His hand slowly unzips my dress. "If my pants come off, it's only fair this dress does." He bunches it and pulls it over my head and tosses it on the seat next to us.

"Your pants are still on," I whisper.

He lets them drop to the floor. His finger traces the edge of the leather strap over my nipple. "Did you order this? I didn't."