Chapter Fifteen
Candace
Although the encounter with Dominic left an awkward tension in the air, Jacques and I carry on a light conversation in the back of his limo.
I wasn't expecting the limo. I thought we'd just venture into town or one of the nearby coffeehouses.
When the limo branches off the road and we head toward Bel Air, my nerves spike and I know he has other plans in mind for me.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"You will see, mademoiselle." He gives me a lopsided grin that does nothing to soothe me.
As we proceed down the road the scenery changes to state-of-the-art mansions and million-dollar homes.
When we pull up in front of a mammoth-sized gate that opens for us, my suspicions are confirmed and so are my fears.I’m at Jacques Belmont’s home.
"Your house?" I ask, trying to tamp down my nerves.
"My home. Relax, I don't plan on showing you the bedroom just yet." He winks at me.
"What do you plan on showing me?"
"The scenery," he answers, brushing a finger over my cheek.
We drive down a long driveway and the vision of his house is the kind to make you want to stare forever.Like most houses in this area, his is beautiful and carries that cosmopolitan edge.
When we come to a stop a butler comes out to greet us and Jacques ushers me into his lavish home where we walk down a long elegant corridor with endless chandeliers and gold and cream walls.We end up outside on a grand terrace where a table has been set with a continental feast.In the center is a bottle of expensive wine, a decanter, and two wine glasses.
"This is beautiful," I muse. I look from the table to the scenery before us and find myself getting lost in it.
When I return my gaze to Jacques his smile brightens.It's a smile that belongs to a man in charge.One who’s taking back the control I thought I had.He’s taken it back by luring me into his home, no doubt with the hope of doing the same for his bed.
"I'm glad you like it."
"I do, I just wish I knew I was coming here." I can't help it.I'm going to admit right now that I don't trust him, so it's going to be hard to relax.
“Mademoiselle Ricci, you can’t blame a guy for trying.We never said where we’d meet.So I took advantage. Please sit.”
He motions for me to sit in the seat opposite his so I do.
As soon as I sit a waiter comes out to pour our drinks then Jacques tells him we’re okay for the moment, which I take to mean he’s not to come back out until he’s sent for.
When the man leaves my awareness increases.
I’m all alone with Jacques doing something I wouldn’t do on the regular let alone with a man I really don’t trust.I suppose though that if I’m going to be selling myself to him for thirty days and thirty nights I’m going to be here a lot.Unless if he plans to keep me in a hotel or something.
“You have a beautiful home,” I compliment.
“I’m glad you like it,” he answers, sitting back against his chair.“I always have a home where I work.”
“Everywhere?”
“Everywhere and they all look like this.”
“I believe you.”
He laughs. “What can I say? I’m a man who likes good things.Exquisite, sophisticated, delicious-looking things.” He stares at me like he wants to eat me as much as he does the meal.