They stopped in front of a vacant store with a For Rent sign in the window. Rafael took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He flipped on the lights and led Paris inside. The air held the faint scent of perfume, and the gleaming, hardwood floors were so clean Rafael could see his reflection. The store was bright and spacious, bursting with possibility, and the vibrant cranberry walls were eye-catching.
"This is a great real estate investment, and since my cousin Dante owns the building I know he'll give you a fair price."
"Me?" Her eyes widened. "I'm not interested in buying commercial property."
"Yes, you are. You're going to open a full-service beauty salon called Beauty by Paris St. Clair, and it's going to be a hit." Rafael spread his hands in front of him to paint the picture. "I can see it now. Customers lined up around the block, women eating biscotti and sipping merlot in the waiting area and old school jams playing on the stereo."
Paris laughed. "I know that's right!"
"The property has been vacant for several months, and my cousin is desperate to get it off his hands," he explained. "If you'd like I could set up a meeting with Dante later this week."
"But this is a long way from home."
"Would you relocate for love?"
Her eyes darted away from his face, wandered aimlessly around the vacant store. The tone of her voice concerned him. Paris sounded unlike herself, quiet and emotional, as if she was going to burst into tears at any moment.
"Before New Year's Eve we hadn't seen each other in fifteen years."
"I know," he conceded, nodding his head. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
"I'm scared of rushing things. We haven't been dating long-"
Rafael stepped forward, until they were face-to-face, and cradled her cheeks in his palms. "But I've loved you for years," he whispered, desperate to get through to her. "You are and always will be the only woman for me, and nothing will ever change that."
He kissed the corners of her lips, allowing his hands to stroke and caress her soft, warm flesh. "I'm ready to commit to you Paris...mind, body and soul."
"I need more time...."
"How much? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not getting any younger."
A laugh fell from her lips. "Your biological clock is keeping you up at night, too, huh?"
Rafael cracked up. There was the woman he knew and loved. He enveloped her in a hug and kissed her forehead. Paris had all the qualities he was looking for in a partner. He wanted to be the only man who made her smile, the only man she kissed and loved. Deep in his heart he felt that his old college sweetheart was the woman he was destined to marry.
"What happened back at the Champagne Lounge?" he asked, his curiosity finally getting the best of him. "Why were you so upset?"
Paris left the comfort of his warm arms and wandered over to the front window. She stared outside into the darkness, and when she spoke her voice sounded hollow, lifeless. "I saw someone from my past who brought back bitter memories."
"Was the guy at the bar an old lover?"
"God, no," she said, shaking her head. "He's my ex-boyfriend's brother."
Rafael walked over to the window. He didn't want to upset her, but he needed to know the truth about her past relationship. And more important, if she was still in love with her ex-boyfriend. Rafael knew Paris would never intentionally hurt him-not like the cold, calculating women he'd dated in the past-but he'd been burned before and was determined to be smart this time around. Her birthday was fast approaching but Rafael wanted to get everything out in the open before he popped the question. "Are you and your ex-boyfriend still close?" he asked, trying to sound calm, despite his nerves.
"He died three years ago in a motorcycle accident."
Rafael rested a hand on her shoulder. He wanted to take her in his arms, to kiss the track of her tears, but sensed she needed a private moment with her thoughts. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"The first few months after Winston passed were tough, but thanks to the support of my family and friends I'm in a much better place now."
"What was he like? Was he good to you?"
Paris appeared hesitant. "Winston was a fun, spontaneous guy who lived life to the fullest," she said, wearing a sad smile. "Everyone loved him and thought we made a great couple. Three months into our whirlwind courtship our relationship turned into a nightmare."
Intrigued, Rafael felt his curiosity stir. "What happened?"
"I found out Winston wasn't the man I thought he was. Not by a long shot."
Paris took a deep breath. As her confession unfolded, tears welled up in her eyes. "Two days after Winston's motorcycle accident, I discovered he wasn't the affluent, well-connected attorney he appeared to be. He wasn't a Princeton graduate, and he was ten years older than me, not five. He was living a double life that I knew nothing about, but that wasn't the worst of it."
Paris hugged her arms to her body. "At the funeral, I found out Winston was married. His wife gave the eulogy, and when she called him her one true love I burst into tears...."
Rafael took her in his arms and tenderly caressed her.
"I shouldn't have been so trusting. I should have checked him out."
"Paris, you did nothing wrong."
"But I picked him. I willfully chose to be with him," she argued, her words a breathless whisper. "What does that say about me as a person? What does that say about my character?"
Rafael gave a solemn nod. "I questioned my judgment after Cicely betrayed me, too. I was embarrassed and felt like an ass for getting played for a fool."
"I know just how you feel." Paris raised her eyes to his face and spoke in a quiet voice. "How did you overcome her betrayal? How did you learn to forgive yourself and move on?"
"My brothers sat me down and talked some sense into me."
He chuckled at the memory of his kid brothers barging into his Georgetown home and sitting him down at the kitchen table. "They encouraged me to focus on the future, not the past, and reminded me of my value and self-worth," he said, his tone strong and unwavering. "What they said hit home. Having their support made a world of difference, and once I stopped beating myself up, it was easy to forgive myself and move on."
Paris sniffed, absently twisting the diamond ring on her left hand.
"Did your ex-boyfriend give you that ring?"
"No," she said. "I bought it a couple years ago when I was in France on business."
"To keep the opposite sex from getting too close, right?"
"No, I just love Cartier diamonds," she said with a smile.
"That's a lie and you know it, Paris."
His gaze zoomed in on her, held her in its seductive grasp. Paris sucked in a mouthful of air, and Rafael saw that she was shaking.
"Paris, you'll never have to worry about me betraying you."
"Love doesn't last," she argued. "At least not for me."
"Don't say things like that. It's not true."
"Yes, it is. I'm thirty-five years old, and I've never had a successful long-term relationship...." She trailed off, seeming to take a moment to gather her thoughts.
He took her hands, gripping them tightly. "I don't know what the future holds, Paris, but I do know this.... I love you with everything I am, and that will never change."
"What if things don't work out? What if we end up hurting each other?"
"I understand your apprehension but you have nothing to fear. Fate reunited us for a reason, and I won't give up on us." His stare was bold and his tone filled with determination. "In Venice you asked me to trust you, and now I'm asking you to trust me."
When Rafael tightened his hold, her eyes glimmered with tears again.
"Paris, give me a chance to prove I'm worthy of your love...."
A smile broke out through her tears, and she slowly nodded. "Okay."
"Okay?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Does that mean you'll be my boo?"
"How can I refuse? You're a great guy, an amazing lover and you like the Backstreet Boys!"
They shared a laugh and held each other close.
"Can I have a kiss?" he asked, flashing a boyish smile.
Paris draped her arms around his neck. "I thought you'd never ask."
Chapter 17
Hump day was kicking Rafael's butt, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Shaking off his fatigue, he straightened in his leather executive chair and took a swig of his coffee. Reviewing profit reports, back-to-back meetings and video conference calls with overseas clients left him feeling drained.