Eternal Love (Bend to My Will #11) by Emily Jane Trent Read Free Book Online Page A

fill the harbor with his cheerful form that floated across the glimmering water.
    Vivienne had read that in order to understand Hong Kong, you must look to the dragon. She remembered the passage: The vital, flowing energies of the dragon inhabit the jungles of the imagination; the pyrotechnics awaken the good beast and usher in a new beginning .
    When the roar died down, and the dragon moved farther down the harbor, Jacob took Vivienne in his arms and kissed her deeply, holding her close. It meant so much, a true love found, and a new beginning. A brand new year stretched before them; the future was theirs.
    *****
    When the show in the harbor ended, Vivienne and Jacob visited a couple of the nightclubs to continue celebrating until the wee hours of the morning, along with everyone else. The next morning they slept in until after lunch, feeling decadent, then joined in the city’s festivities to celebrate New Year’s Day. In addition to the traditional dancing lions and dragons, there were eighty-eight dancers, dressed up as serpentine beasts, winding their way through Central, making quite the spectacle.
    The following day, Jacob scheduled a helicopter tour, one of the best ways to see the area. Luckily, there were clear skies that day, so visibility was good. The flight took off from The Peninsula, an iconic hotel in Hong Kong.
    At the preflight briefing in the lounge on the thirtieth floor, the pilot said, “If you thought Hong Kong was made up of only skyscrapers and densely populated areas, you will be amazed to see the beaches and the green hills. Most of the areas are preserved as country parks.”
    The flight was smooth, and the vistas were mindboggling. The pilot pointed out all the beautiful areas they passed. Besides the beauty of nature, another sight left Vivienne spellbound. It was the rows of extremely tall apartment buildings that were crowded together.
    Vivienne pointed at one such building, and Jacob nodded. It was a pink tower soaring so high into the skies above Hong Kong that it could almost be mistaken for a piece of abstract art.
    Grids of apartment buildings had seemingly endless windows and balconies, with living spaces piled one on top of the other. It was clear that the city struggled to find space for its already cramped population. Many city blocks were covered by the soaring apartment structures, where the only way to build was up, so each structure was staggeringly tall.
    Once they were back on the ground, the pilot suggested that they have lunch at Gaddi’s, famous for their traditional French cuisine. “They don’t make restaurants like that one anymore. You don’t want to miss it. It can’t be touched for glamour, or for the quality of the food.”
    “In a recent travel publication, I saw it listed as the best gourmet restaurant in Hong Kong,” Jacob said.
    “The décor represents old Hong Kong. The dining room has crystal and silver chandeliers from Paris, and Tai Ping carpets. I’m certain you’ll find it impressive.” With that, the pilot ushered them into a limo that drove them to the restaurant.
    The establishment lived up to its reputation. Vivienne and Jacob sampled some of the famous dishes, including marinated foie gras, and twice-cooked pork belly with mustard risotto. It was all quite an experience.
    *****
    Hong Kong was busy and vibrant, with so many things to do. It was exhilarating, yet exhausting in a good way. The rest of the trip was filled with sights to see, and Vivienne was grateful that Jacob had hired a guide. Without one, it would have been overwhelming. He helped navigate the lively food scene. Some things Vivienne just wasn’t ready for. Eel was one such dish.
    On several occasions, they savored Cantonese dim sum, steamed dumplings with various fillings, and a couple of times they attended extravagant high teas at one of the larger hotels. There was plenty of shopping, including the chaotic Temple Street Night Market, and although it was a tourist trap,