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After saying their goodbyes to Maggie, Chelsea sat in Marcus’s car on the way to her house. What on Earth had she gotten herself into? He still had not told her where they were going. She just knew that it would require a passport.
As the city drifted by, she opened her mouth numerous times to tell him she couldn’t do this. She just kept closing it as her brain swirled with excuses that didn’t seem good enough to stop her. On some level, she knew she wanted to experience this. But the “good girl” in her knew she should just go home and go to bed.
“Marcus, I have to work in the morning. It’s late. Maybe I should just stay home,” she finally said as they pulled into her driveway.
Turning down the radio, he picked up his cellphone and smiled warmly at her. “I can always call you in. You can take the day off tomorrow or even come in late.”
Chelsea anxiously shook her head. “I have books that are on deadlines. I need to work.”
“Do you have a laptop?”
Chelsea nodded nervously.
“You can work on the plane or sleep. Go grab your laptop, a passport and a change of clothes, if you want. I have to make a couple of phone calls.”
Marcus watched her walk up the front steps into the tiny house. He didn’t know what it was about Chelsea, but he was enjoying this more than he should. He knew she wasn’t comfortable with his attention or with being out of her schedule, but he found it exciting to push her beyond her limits.
The way she responded to the music and his touch on the dancefloor fascinated him. She seemed to melt into him. It hadn’t been the response he had expected at all.
Smiling to himself, he sighed happily as he dialed his private pilot, waking him. “I need the plane readied within the hour. We’re going to Paris.”
“Yes sir. I’ll get us a flight plan, get us fueled up and wake Tracy. Anything in particular that you’d like?”
“Pastries, fruit, coffee, the normal.”
After hanging up the phone, he dialed another number, leaving a voicemail.
“Susan, Chelsea will not be in today. I’ll call you later to check in.”
He had just hung up the phone as she closed her front door, locking it behind her. He could swear he saw her trembling from where he was sitting in the car. Getting out of the car, he walked around to the passenger’s side door and opened it for her.
“All ready?”
“Not really. I’m nervous. I don’t even know where we are going,” she answered with a crack to her voice.
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
As they pulled away from the house, Marcus turned on the stereo. Soft jazz poured forth from the speakers and filled the car. Chelsea was surprised. It wasn’t exactly the kind of music she expected from him. She had seen him as more of a club or dance kind of guy.
As they drove away from her house and only the music filled the air, she turned in her seat to face him, studying his profile.
“Are you going to tell me where we are going?”
“Paris.”
“Paris? As in Texas or France? Please tell me Texas, because there is no way I’m going to France with you.”
He looked over at her, amused at the slight panic in her voice. “And why not?”
She tossed up her hands and stared at him, dumbfounded.
“Are you kidding? I’ve only known you for two days and you are my boss.” Did he forget?
“Then think of it as a business trip. We’ll visit a publishing house I’m thinking about buying. As an editor, your opinion can be quite valuable.”
“Okay, but you said we were going to get beignets. They don’t have beignets in Paris, France.”
“They do. They are just different than they are here. The best ones, however, happen to be made by an American.”
“It takes eleven hours to get there. In eleven hours, I can get them at Joe’s.
Before she could speak another word, he had turned onto the tarmac at the airport. Ahead of them stood a large, shiny plane with all of its engines roaring.
Chelsea’s mouth dropped open. “Is that yours?”
Marcus couldn’t help the grin on his face as he watched her enthusiasm. He had finally gotten her to truly smile. He felt accomplished.
“Tonight, it’s ours. The crew are at your disposal.”
Putting the car into “Park”, he turned to Chelsea with a tender smile.
“Just give me this trip. I promise you’ll have a great time,” he said, almost pleadingly.
Nervously, Chelsea’s head spun between him and the plane before them. She bit at her lower lip as she considered his offer. This was the craziest thing anyone had ever offered her. Why would she even think of doing something like this?
“Fine. I’ll go. But once we are back, this is all over. No more late-night beignets, no more dancing, no more cocktails or flights to foreign destinations. It’s over. I appreciate it, but I’m not this girl. I’m a simple girl who likes simple, planned out things.”
Marcus snickered to himself. “Well, then for one night, let’s live on the wild side and do something unplanned.”
He turned off the car and got out, coming around to her side. As he opened the door, he held out his hand to her and grinned.
“Miss Chelsea? Shall we go to Paris?”
She groaned and took his hand. “You are incredibly corny, Mr. Teresi!”