MADISON

He has another surprise already? I knew he would, but not in the same day! He's being too adorable! I want to do something for him. I need to gussy up...I can start by changing into another dress. Maybe a more form-fitting one. Thank God for Lil for buying me shapewear. I wiggle out of the red dress and into the garment. I've actually slimmed down some...I wasn't really eating when I was sad. But my muffin top and fupa won't give.   

"Hmm...what color?" I lay out six dresses from my suitcase. Blue? Pink? Yellow, purple, or orange? I judge each one. Hmm...sleeves, halter, tube, or handkerchief style? None of them are giving a sexy treat vibe. I want to surprise him. My mind can't decide which to choose, so I go to the bathroom to work on my makeup. I add light foundation and some eyeliner.  

I wonder how far away Jace is? I'm so impatient to see my gift...and hear him call me bunny. My gut knots up when he calls me that. I wish I had a cute pet name for him. It has to be animal-based like mine is. Let's see...what animal does he remind me of? He's protective and confident. Lion wouldn't be as adorable. Also, it doesn't fit his warm and affectionate side. A bear is what I'm getting. My bear??? No...that's not as romantic. My panda? Hmmm...not quite. I need more options.  

"Why is your thinking cap on?"

I nearly drop the eyebrow pencil I'm holding. "Geez!" I eye him through the mirror. Jace's cream trench coat is unbuttoned. The matching turtleneck and white jeans set off the look. "Were you walking on air? I didn't hear you!"

"No...just my robot feet...air pressurized. You humans are so lame."

"We are," I smirk.

"You're wearing shapewear." He scopes out my snatched waist.

"Yeah, I'm trying to look my best tonight."

"You always look your best."

I blush. "You have to say that."

"No, I mean it, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. It's only fair you wear something that matches." He withdraws a long gown from behind his back. It's nude and silver and has a leg slit. Dangling from his hand are glittery earrings, necklace, and heels.

I squeal. "That's gorgeous!"

"I knew you'd love it."

"You should go into fashion."

He grins. "Right? I wasted 8 years on a tech degree...should've done fashion."

"It's your calling." I take the dress from him. "Thank you. I love it. I'm not sure if I can go horseback riding in this, though."

"We have two days; we can do that tomorrow. Plus, there's a riverfront restaurant nearby."

"Fancy! Let's do that."

"Let's." He kisses me passionately, sweetly. His perfect lips are so careful and soft. "I'll be waiting in the limo."

"I'll be out soon." I notice a scent from him I've never smelt. A rocky, icy scent. As if he's taken a walk on a mountainside. It's enchanting and addictive. I'm upset when he leaves because the scent goes away. I hurry to get dressed, just to encounter the cologne again. I spray on Chanel and slide into the heels and jewelry on the way out.   

A Lamborghini limousine idles outside. It's pure whiteand reflective. The doors open automatically for me as I approach.

The interior is styled like a club bus. The classic black-and-white theme never gets old. There are windows the size of skylights and a transparent roof where ombré blue lights shine. I love the motion of the sky as the limo moves. An SUV escorts us from the hotel to the street. Jace stands. "Tu es si belle."  

I swoon in response to his lovely French accent. "Merci, monsieur. Tu es belle aussi." I compliment his beauty as well.

"You sound so sexy."

"I know, right? I might have used google translate to impress you."

"I'm glad you did." He gestures to the white seats, indicating that I sit down.

I follow his command. "So...you know how to row a boat?"

"No...we'll have a rower."

"Wow...I discovered something you can't do. I'm shocked."

"I'm bad at golf." He sits, pulling me against his side.

"Huh?" I raise my brows. "But...you were at the country club golfing?"

"I was...only to appease my investors, not because I enjoyed it."

"That sucks."

"Yeah..."

"It's so boring. My dad used to watch it; I always went to sleep." I chuckle.

"I'm waiting to dirt bike and skydive again. We can do that on our next trip; it's fun."

"No!"

"Yes."

"I'm not jumping out of a plane or riding a death machine!"

"Are you allergic to fun?" He laughs.

"Only when it leads to death."

"I'm not dead, and I've been doing those things since high school."

"That's because you're not human. You can gather up all your parts after you crash to the ground."

"Domo arigato misuta Robotto." Jace moves his arms like a robot. The android voice is scarily convincing. "Domo arigato misuta Robotto." He sings the iconic song from the 80s.

"See! You admit it...I have proof! I'm going to the media to expose you!"

"I dare you."

The limo rolls past the impressive city. I ogle at the iconic landmarks I've only ever seen on TV. Arc de Triomphe. The Louvre. Grand Palais. Notre-Dame Cathedral. Opera Garnier. Place de la Concorde. Champs-Élysées. Beautiful stone monuments that have been standing for centuries. The Seine River is far from the city of Paris.   

When we left, the sun was high; now, it's close to dusk. The sky is starburst. A small town surrounds the mellow body of water. There are castles...actual castles with domed tops and towers. This is so unbelievable! Jace takes me by the arm like a prince and walks me out. Hmm...maybe I can call him my prince....or is that too on the nose? 

A wooden riverboat awaits us down a flight of stairs. The boat is dark oak and lined by orange candles. A perfect oval of fiery lights. It's the most romantic thing I've ever seen. My stomach buzzes like a pack of bees. My heart quickens.I'm in love with this moment...I'm also nervous. Jace is going to ask for myhand.  

I keep my cool...knowing that I can't act insane over what I just concluded. I breathe deeply as we step down the stairs. I spot the bodyguards step outside of the SUV and post at the top of the steps. Instead of black suits, they wear cream ones. 

The rower has a suit on. The wardrobe seems planned out. Jace has on the color too. I think more thought went into this than I assumed. I size up his pockets...all three, including the napkin one on his chest. I don't see a lump to indicate that he's hiding the enormous ring. Maybe it's in his back pocket...hidden by the trench coat. Jace helps me into the boat. I plant my feet down firmly, so I don't topple over. "This is perfect." 

"I knew you'd love it." He lowers me down onto a built-in bench.

The rower bows to us. "Bonsoir mademoiselle et monsieur, bonne balade ce soir." I'm guessing he's telling us to enjoy the ride. I wish I had more time to practice French before our trip. The host begins rowing with two oars. The river reflects the sky like a double mirror. The ripples from the swaying boat tempt me to place my hand over the water and create my own.

"I can't wait to see where we're eating. Will it top this?"

"I can't tell you...."

"Another surprise?"

"Yes."

I raise my wet hand and flick water at him. "Tell me, or it'll get worse."

"I'm not scared of water." He titters.

"Oh, yeah?" I use both hands to scoop up a puddle of water. I daringly lift my cupped hands.

"C'est peut-être à propos du mariage."

I halt. I don't know what he just said...but it sounded important. My palms relax...the river water sprinkles from them. I try to decipher the words, but have no luck. I know little French.

"Huh??"

"Veux-tu m'épouser?"

"Say that in English..."

"No."

"Come on, that's not fair."

"Je vous aime."

I know what that means...it's the first one I practice. These three strong words sound so much more appealing in French. I love you. "Je vous aime," I reply softly. "Now tell me what you said...or text it so I can translate it."

Jace rubs his lips across mine to tease. "No."

I roll my eyes and stare ahead. "You're being annoying...and you're ruining the mood."

"I know what to do to make you forgive me." He reaches a hand into his coat pocket. My heart hammers. Is this it? It has to be. My eyes cling to his pocket. It must be the ring. I watch him withdraw it. There, in his hand...is not what I was expecting. It's a diamond bracelet. It shares the same shade of rose gold as my dream ring. It's gorgeous...but I thought this was the night. I hope my disappointment is only in my mind...not written on my face. Jace leans forward to latch it onto my wrist. I grin and stare down at it. "Do you forgive me?" 

"A little," I say, hiding my disappointment. I read the night wrong...and this whole trip. It seems we're just having fun here in Paris. Plus...I think I'm still on punishment. No way he'll reward me that quickly after hurting him. I need to stop trying to work out something that's not happening anytime soon. I just need to enjoy this trip. 

The boat sails for miles down the river. It's impressive how far it stretches. Two hours in the water goes by fast. We cuddle, watching the sky; of course, I randomly splash him...and kiss and hug him too. The soundtrack of swaying watereases me enough to stop expecting a proposal. I'm a little tired. I guess it's jet lag. The river noise is working better than sleep aid. I'm scared to say I'm exhausted. Jace has more in store for me tonight. I don't want to ruin that...so I keep quiet. The restaurant Jace mentioned is back in the city but runs along the same river. It's a diner cruise, not an actual restaurant.  

The view of the Paris skyline is illuminating and magical. I get a lot of looks from the guest. It's the dress. I must look like a famous star, especially with this bracelet on.

Our table is far from the public dining areas. I'm sure Jace paid to grant us privacy. As I take a seat, I notice that the Effie tower is completely gold, like a giant Christmas tree. I can't get over the beauty. I barely register that a waiter is at our table. "Bonjour, Monsieur Harrison. Comment puis-je vous servir?" 

"Bonjour. Nous allons commencer par la chair de crabe au fenouil."

"Boisson?"

"Eau minérale."

"Très bien, Monsieur. Votre commande est notre priorité."

"Merci."

My eyes glue to the elongated glass surfaces...I don't think of them as windows because of how massive they are. I don't even care about what Jace ordered for me. I zone out on the busy city as if I've never seen one. This feels like a fairytale. The sound of a violin completes this dream scene. A violinist serenades our table. I double-take once I realize this. I feel like I'm in a movie. Everything is too romantic to be true. I'm lost for words. I give a sweet grin to Jace.  

The gorgeous melody turns me mushy. The player is fluid with their bow. I can hardly tell when they switch chords. Their arm is one with the strings. The sound enchants me. I enjoy the show until our food arrives. Our meal is crabmeat, accompanied by leafy greens and limes. When I bite in, I detect a fishy taste, much like tuna, but it's overtaken by an oceanic flavor. I've never tasted the sea in my mouth before. "Wow..." I chew. 

"Wait until you try lobster." Jace sips whatever is in his glass.

It's clear. Is it champagne? Are we doing more drinks tonight?"

"No...it's mineral water. You've had enough fun for one day."

"Did I?" He nods. "How did I act?"

"Hot and goofy."

I lean forward. "Tell me exactly what I did?"

"Well...you thought the clouds were cotton candy...and ate them."

I crack up. "I did what??"

"You asked what it feels like to be inside a woman. Then you said, you wanted my fingers in your dick."

I shake my head. "You have to be making this up."

"Nope...it's on video if you don't believe me."

I freeze. "You filmed it?!"

"All my vehicles have security cameras...but I think I'll leak our hump session."

"I knew it would get freaky. I guess no more drinking for me."

"You'll just have to drink less; you're a lightweight."

I squint a dare his way. "Not for long..."

Jace returns the challenging gaze. "We'll see."

I slowly raise my glass to seem badass. "We will." I arch my brow. The music silences all conversation. My mind is swept on a journey of sound for the rest of our dining.

JACE

I saw how disappointed Madi was. I sort of felt like a bully, knowing I have something she wants. I don't mean to be. She tried her best to hide it, but the dispirited response stained her eyes. That hurt her. I wanted to apologize and explain why. But that would have made me seem bad at arranging, which is ironic since I do this on a daily basis. I didn't want her to see this flaw. I'd rather her think I'm a jerk than incompetent. It's not my fault. Tonight wasn't spontaneous enough. It's too orchestrated. Too obvious. 

 I'm hoping tomorrow will gift me with the perfect moment. Maybe horseback riding will be the time and place to ask. That may be a unique way. I'll see tomorrow. It has to happen tomorrow. This business trip could have been anywhere. Instead, it's in Paris, the city of love. I've never brought a woman here before; in the past, I just hooked up with French women. I only saw the city as a sex fair. Now I'm here with a woman I love. 

I think the universe is giving me a sign to follow through already. It's wrong to deny fate. We lay on the limo's sofa. Madi dozed off from a stuffed stomach, just like a child. Her arms are wrapped around my neck, and her head rests on my chest.  

So cute. I curl her hair behind her ears, then kiss her forehead. The darting lights from outside the windows highlight her tiny nose and cheeks. She looks amazing tonight...so perfect. Maybe I should have proposed, so her beauty didn't go to waste.