Love in Paris (The Art Models Club Book 4) (5 page)

Ducking into the small cafe, Amber was immediately transported to bliss by the heavenly smells of baked goods. She had been expecting sort of a coffee shop atmosphere. This place, however, was much fancier than that. They were seated at a small table covered with crisp white lines. Someone came and took their coats and packages.

“I thought that we were just going to a bake shop,” Amber whispered.

Hunter merely winked at her and spoke to the staff person who was attending them. She was glad that Hunter had explained that the word “garçon” used in old movies actually meant “boy” and that it was considered quite rude to refer to one's waiter that way.  

“No menu?” Amber asked, puzzled when they were left sitting alone.

“
I wanted to surprise you,” Hunter said, looking a bit uneasy. “I'm sorry, I should have asked you first.”

Normally, she would have been ticked off. As it was, did she really want to agonize over a menu right now? Truthfully?

Finally she relaxed and shrugged her shoulders, too tired to really care that much.

“
So I take it you've been here before?”

Hunter smiled. “My mom used to bring me here all the time when I was a kid. It was our special place.”

Amber stared at him guiltily. Oh, wow! He had brought her here to try to impress her while she had been about to yell at him for being too controlling.

“
Your mom is super nice,” she said. “You were totally right about how I would feel about her.”

They were momentarily interrupted as two porcelain cups and saucers were placed in front of them. The waiter disappeared for a moment but returned almost immediately with an ornate silver tea pot and deftly poured two steaming cups of cocoa. He placed the pot in the center of the table. To one side, he placed a small bowl of thick whipping cream.

“Mademoiselle?” he asked Amber, indicating the cream.

“
Oui, merci,” she managed to squeak out with a nod of her head.

The waiter gently placed a shiny dollop of cream on top of her steaming cocoa. Then he swiveled his body to face Hunter.

“Monsieur?”

Hunter nodded and then spoke several sentences in French that completely evaded Amber. How in the world was she going to learn this language if everybody spoke so quickly?

Amber took a sip of the hot, sweet cocoa and groaned. The warmth immediately began to thaw her chilly body.

“
Oh, this is so good! Your mom was a saint to bring you here,” she murmured.

Hunter smiled broadly, clearly delighted that she found pleasure. He took a sip and gave himself a cream mustache. He used the tip of his tongue to lick his upper lip clean.

Amber grinned in amusement. She had never seen Hunter do that before. She wondered if it was a childhood trait that he subconsciously reverted to when he was here. She would have to remember to ask his mom about it later.

The cocoa was so good that Amber practically gulped it down. She tried to be ladylike but it was so darn good! She wondered if it was bad etiquette to simply refill her own cup. She didn't want to ask Hunter and risk looking even more ignorant.

Fortunately, the waiter came back a few minutes later with a silver basket loaded with pastries. He placed them at the side of the table with a delicate pair of silver tongs. Seeing her empty cup, he immediately refilled, only glancing casually at her to to ascertain she still wanted the heavenly whipped cream as well.

Amber was happy to see Hunter accept another cup of cocoa as well because she didn't want to look like a pig. Not that she would have refused the second cup. But, still, she didn't want to embarrass herself if she could help it.

Once the waiter left, Hunter pointed at the tray of delightful goodies, explaining each to her.

“
That one has a raspberry filling and that one has dark chocolate,” he said. “That one is kind of a honey and nut treat. That one has sweet cream on the inside.”

Amber's mouth watered.

“They all look so incredibly good,” she said, a bit overwhelmed.

“
We're taking the leftovers home so don't worry about trying a little bit of each one if you want,” Hunter said, putting one on his plate with the tongs and neatly cutting it in half with a knife and fork.

“
Do you want to try half of this one?”

Amber stared at the raspberry filling oozing onto the plate.

“I think it would be dangerous if you didn't share it,” she said, licking her lips.

Hunter laughed and carefully scooped up half the pasty and deposited it on her plate.

“This is my favorite one,” he said shyly.

Amber already had her fork halfway to her mouth. She put it back down.

“Are you sure you don't want the whole thing then?”

Hunter smiled. “I'm sure that they have more in the back if we devour what we have. Go ahead. I want to see if you like it as much as I do.”

Amber studied the morsel before placing it in her mouth. The pastry was light and flaky with a drizzle of dark chocolate on top with the raspberry filling spilling out of the center. She put it in her mouth and moaned again as the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate melded with the sweet freshness of the berries. This was definitely no canned fruit filling!

She looked up to find Hunter staring at her with a slightly glazed look in his eyes. His eyes always seemed to change with his moods and now they were like a stormy sea.

“What?”

Had she done something wrong? She looked down to see that her napkin was placed firmly on her lap and that she hadn't knocked any silverware off the table. But she didn't see anything amiss. She checked her fork. Yes, the same fork as Hunter was using.

Hunter leaned forward and whispered softy.

“
Those little moans you make are turning me on.”

Amber's eyes widened and she blushed. Had someone else heard her?

“Nobody heard you except me,” Hunter said, taking her hand. “The waiter is way over there and that couple to our right has no idea where they even are.”

Amber peeked at the people in question and relaxed. An older couple were staring at each other and holding hands as they spoke softly. Hunter was right. They were in their own little world. Actually, the cafe was remarkably empty considering the quality of the food.

“Where is everybody?” 

“
In the spring and summer, this place would be packed with a line outside the door, mostly with tourists,” Hunter said. “The weather is not as nice but winter in Paris is actually a good time to see the sights.”

“
So, when do you have to be back at work? I still can't believe how nice they've been about giving you time off.”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah, they bent over backwards to make things work for me.”

All the sugar from the cocoa and the pastries was making Amber's head buzz. For the first time all day she felt close to clear headed. She knew it was temporary and she would crash like crazy later, but for now she was going to take advantage of it.

“
So, you never got around to telling me what this new deal is you made with them.”

Hunter shook his head.

“Let's talk about that later, okay? I don't have all the details worked out yet.”

Amber sighed. “You keep saying to trust you but I feel kind of on edge not knowing what the next several months are going to be like.”

Hunter looked alarmed. “Are you changing your mind about coming with me?”

“
No, of course not! Are you kidding me? What girl turns down an extended trip to Paris with her boyfriend?” She patted Hunter's hand reassuringly.

“
I just don't know what my specific role here is. I mean, what if the art school doesn't accept me? Won't I have to leave?”

Hunter shook his head. “I won't let that happen. Right now, you are just visiting but if you accept a position with the company then Mom and Dad can sponsor a visa for you. Don't worry about that.”

Amber was too hyped up on sugar to let the matter drop.

“
But I thought that any job in France had to go to a citizen first. That is, unless the company can prove that a French person couldn't do the job.”

Hunter sighed. “Amber, sometimes you're like a dog with a t-bone steak. No matter what happens you just won't let go.”

Amber grinned. “And that's a problem in what way?”

“
Technically, you are correct. But in this case, mom wants someone with experience working in the United States. She doesn't just want to open centers here in Paris. In fact, she wants to start with the United States first.”

Hunter shrugged. “Just like speaking fluent French helped me land an internship here, your fluent English is going to help you where the government is concerned.”

“And if the government doesn't agree?”

Hunter sighed. “Mom and Dad have a lot of influential friends here. They've given to a lot of causes so they're pretty popular. I would be flabbergasted if there was an issue.”

Amber sat back, a little stunned.

“
You mean, they're already pulling strings for me?” She stared at Hunter. “But they just met me!”

Hunter bit his lip and sighed.

“Do I seem like a trustworthy person to you,” he demanded suddenly, leaning across the small table. “Be honest.”

Amber stared at him and then giggled.

“Well, yeah. I mean, in some ways you are beyond your years.”

Hunter narrowed his eyes.

“Then I don't understand why if I vouched for you that you would even consider for a moment that my parents would not trust my decision implicitly.”

Damn! Amber was suddenly aware that she had wounded Hunter's pride.

“I didn't mean . . .that is . . .” Finally Amber stopped talking and shook her head to clear it before she tried again.

“
I'm just tired and not thinking straight,” she said at last. “I just . . .”

“
What? You might as well come out with it now.”

Amber tried to think of a delicate way to say what was on her mind. Finally, she just gave up and blurted it out.

“It's just that . . .I know that you haven't dated recently but your really smart and so handsome. So I figured you would have had your share of girls meeting your parents. And me, well, I'm so different and . . .”

Hunter held up a hand to stop her.

“You are the first girl I've ever brought home to my parents,” Hunter said softly. “I never felt this way about anyone until I met you.”

What? Seriously?

“Um . . .You're mouth is open.”

Hunter selected another pastry and sliced off a piece. He offered it to her and she nodded numbly, making sure her mouth was shut.

She studied his face. He was perfectly serious.

“
I don't know what to say.”

Hunter rubbed his forehead.

“How about thank you, Hunter, for being so open when I know that you hate to talk about yourself and your feelings like this.”

Amber smiled.

“It almost makes me want to give you a break on the bet.” 

Hunter grinned, his body visibly relaxing.

“Is that right, Miss Holloway?”

“
Almost, but not quite.”

“
I see,” Hunter said, rubbing his chin. He shrugged. “That's just as well because I have my winning strategy already planned out.”

Hmm . . .that was the second time he mentioned having a strategy. Of course the control freak would have a plan. What was her plan? Oh, yeah. Avoid letting Hunter turn her on. Right, that should work against whatever he had up his sleeves. She better start getting her act together.

“Thinking about your own strategy, baby?”

Hunter was now definitely smirking. Bloody hell, he was arrogant. Arrogant and so hot with that bit of chocolate sticking to his lips. Damn, Amber! Stop staring at his lips!

“You don't think I have a strategy?” she asked to distract herself.

“
You? Organized enough to think this through from beginning to end?”

“
Yes, me,” Amber said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Hunter took a bite of his pasty. He chewed for a long time.

Amber smiled, wondering how he was going to get out of insulting her without lying.

“
Amber, I believe that you can do anything that you put your mind to do.”

Amber stared at him. Hmm . . . A compliment that didn't answer the question directly. Damn, he was good at his.

“So I have a strategy?” she said, pushing him further.

Hunter smiled. “I thought I just answered you.”