Wedding Favors by Sheri Whitefeather Read Free Book Online

agree. He only wanted to be rid of her, now that he’d gotten what he came for.
    There was a shock. It always seemed to come down to that. Men wanted, and women gave.
    “I’ll walk you downstairs,” he said.
    “No!” She took a breath to steady her reeling heart. “That’s not necessary. I can find my own way.”
    He frowned. “I insist.”
    “Fine.” She didn’t want to fight. She only wanted to get away from him.
    They descended the grand staircase, Shay nodding to the few staff members who were about at this early hour, as though he did it every morning.
    He held the outer door open for her. Her cab was waiting at the curb.
    “Will you come back tonight?” he asked, his eyes capturing hers.
    Only in her dreams. “The wish at the fountain, it was to be free of our attraction for each other, right? There’s no reason for me to come back.”
    “Bon,” he conceded. But there was something dark lurking in his expression. “Will you at least tell me your real name?” he asked.
    “No,” she said. “That was the agreement,” she added, more to remind herself than him. “No names. No rules. No future expectations.” He’d been an incredible lover, but the last thing she needed was another one-sided relationship. God. Relationship? Who was she kidding?
    “Bon,” he echoed, opening the taxi’s door for her. “Very well.”
    “Good-bye, then.” She extended her hand.
    He looked at it incredulously, then slid his fingers into her hair and pulled her mouth to his. He tasted like sin and excitement and profound regret, all rolled up in an exquisitely sexual kiss. Despite everything, one last agonizing flare of desire burst through her. Damn, the man could turn her on.
    “Good-bye, cher,” he murmured, then let her go, leaving her feeling cold and empty and wanting to stamp her feet in disappointed aggravation. Disappointment at herself for wanting more. Would she never learn? Well, at least he’d been a powerful, masterful lover, tapping into her secret fantasies of being completely and utterly possessed. The night had not been a total loss in that sense. Far from it.
    She climbed into the taxi, gave the driver her hotel’s address, and let out a long, shuddering breath as it pulled away from the maison Chez Duchesne. Thank God she’d escaped in one piece! And with your heart intact, a little voice added in her head before she could squelch it.
    Her heart? Wow.
    It was true, last night was exhilarating, at times shocking, an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience she was lucky to have stumbled into. And Shay? As he’d promised, Shay was everything she’d ever fantasized about in a lover, and more. Much more. He’d taken her body in every way possible and left her yearning for a chance to do it all over again. And again. And again.
    Okay, fine. She’d be a fool not to want him as a steady lover.
    But her heart?
    God, no. Not even a factor.
    Seriously.
    She’d be an even bigger fool to involve her heart in any way, shape, or form with a man like Shay.
    And she hadn’t.
    Honestly.
    The taxi cruised past the hidden courtyard, and she couldn’t help stealing a final reluctant peek at the spellbound fountain. And she swore she saw the dancing muses wave to her, laughing merrily as she sat back in her seat, groaned, and muttered, “Damn that man, anyway.”

Chapter 8

    “Piron!” Shay bellowed into the bustling kitchen for his majordomo. A damn miracle had just happened.
    “Quoi?” came the answer from the walk-in refrigerator. Piron ambled out. “Dere a fire somewhere, boss?”
    Shay raised the papers in his hand and shook them. “You will not believe what this is. We got the building permit.”
    Piron’s brows shot up. “For the courtyard? C’est vrai? Since when?”
    “Since this morning. It was just couriered from building commission.”
    Piron grinned. “Damn! What made dem change their mind?”
    “The Historical Society has relented on the old brick path repair issue. Apparently the