Chapter 166
Olivia
Alexander was in pajama bottoms, his chest bare. I tried not to stare at the defined muscles of his torso as he moved around the room.
“So,” he said, running a hand through his hair, “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”
“Hmm?” I was busy collecting my dress from the floor and hanging it up properly.
“I need to go to Europe next week. London, Paris, and Milan. Meetings with international investors and a potential acquisition.”
I turned to face him, my interest piqued. “Oh? For how long?”
“Ten days,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “And I want you to come with me.”
“Me?” I asked, surprised by the invitation. “Won’t you be working most of the time?”
Alexander nodded. “During the days, yes. But evenings would be ours.”
The prospect of exploring European cities with Alexander was undeniably appealing. “What about my work? The Thompson account just launched.”
“Already cleared it with Michelle. You can work remotely when needed, but mostly it would be time for us. You deserve a break.”
I walked over to the bed and sat beside him. “Ten days in Europe does sound amazing.”
“So that’s a yes?” His eyes held a hopeful gleam that made my heart do a little flip.
“Let’s go to Europe.
have Jessica make all the arrangements.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to my
again,” I teased. “You’re really selling me on
Italian pasta. It will ruin you for American Italian
on the bed. “Sounds dangerous. I might never
down beside me. “I’d have to hunt you
home.”
turned to face him. “You’d miss
losing a wife would be
swatted his arm playfully. “Ever the
hand and brought it to his lips, his eyes suddenly serious. “I
voice caught me off guard. “I’d miss
confession
Any specific
considering the question. “The Louvre in Paris, definitely. And I’ve always wanted
done. We can do all the touristy things if you want. I’ve been
you’ve been to Paris multiple times and never visited
shrugged. “Seen it from a distance.
“That’s criminal. It’s like
never done,”
is that
meetings are. Hotels, restaurants, office buildings. Not a lot of time
“That’s just sad. All work and no play
he asked, one eyebrow raised in
habits? Absolutely. The most
me to the bed
“Never. It’s the truth.
protested, his grip on my wrists tightening just enough to send a
Name three vacation activities that didn’t
in the Maldives. Hiking in New Zealand. Skiing in the
an eyebrow.
“I have photographic evidence.”
“Show me then.”
before holding up a
behind him.
you,” I conceded. “But I bet you were there for a business meeting and just took a
suspicion, and I
some random woman in your hotel room doesn’t count
darkened at my words. “Is that what you
I wrong?” I
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!