Sizzling Nights with Dr. Off-Limits

“Well, that’s just sad.”

A wry smile played on his lips. “There goes my image of a childhood full of privilege.”

“Oh, that image is still there,” she didn’t hesitate to point out. “Now, I just wonder how many educational gaps were there, too.”

“Educational gaps?”

“Things like trips to the Statue of Liberty. Poor, poor Lucas.”

“I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower, does that count? It’s French, too.”

The Eiffel Tower because he truly did come from a background of privilege. He’d once told her that the year after he’d graduated from high school he’d “backpacked” Europe with some friends, whatever that had meant.

The farthest from home she’d ever been was New Jersey.

She’d never really had a reason to leave New York. Everything she’d needed was here.

Maybe someday she’d travel and see some of the world’s more exotic cities. She loved the night lights, the excitement of big cities with lots of people from every walk of life within close distance. She loved the access to so many different cultures and restaurants and shops and...

“Maybe I could take you there someday.”

“To the Eiffel Tower?” Her eyes widened. “Why would you do that?”

“Don’t sound so shocked, Emily. Why wouldn’t I want to take you to Paris? You’d love the city, the food, the people.”

Good grief. Had he been reading her mind or what?

“Paris is a long way from New York.”

“Not that far.”

“Just a hop, skip and jump over the ocean,” she mused.

“I was serious when I offered to take you.”

“Thank you, but I’ll pass.”

“Why?”

“Because women don’t go to Paris with their ex-husbands.”

“Perhaps they should.”

“Why?”

“To sit by the Seine, drink a cup of coffee and watch the sun rise. To visit the Louvre and so many other fascinating places. To eat a superbly cooked meal with a view of the Eiffel Tower while the sun sets.”

>

“As if I’d want to get out of bed that early in the morning while on vacation.” Anything to throw her focus anywhere but on what he was saying because he made her want to do all the things he said. With him. The harsh reality was that, despite their little sexual interlude, if she ever did see Paris, it wouldn’t be with Lucas. And now if she ever did, she’d be battling the images he’d just put in her mind.

She bit the inside of her lip.

“Yet again, you do make a valid point,” he agreed. “Perhaps we’d skip the early-morning sitting by the Seine and just watch the sun come up from our hotel-room bed.”

She took a drink from her water.

“I should have brought you to Paris for our honeymoon.”