“Solitaire, I haven’t known him longer than a week tops. I had a long chat with his mother and she never mentioned this,” he pointed to the car where Asher sat. “Let me go talk to him for a minute.”
I paced back and forth in front of a beautiful row of fountains. If I weren’t so concerned for Asher, I would have been happily snapping selfies. I kicked off the red stilettos that were killing my feet and plopped down on the closet fountain rim.
Really, he doesn’t remember the red stilettos?
Asher and Gunner eventually stepped out of the car and walked toward me. Gunner had an interesting look on his face. I couldn’t quite make out if it was amusement or bewilderment. My defense for my next actions would hold true in front of any court. I’d gone troppo.
“Hey there, Bond. Do you have your phone or your gun in your front pocket?” I leaned back and reached for a handful of water.
“Not an advisable idea. You do know I’m a highly-trained navy seal.” Gunner walked straight toward me. “Water bounces off of me, too afraid to hang around.”
He bobbed and weaved just in the nick of time. I scooped two handfuls of water and threw them in his direction, not realizing how close Asher was behind Gunner.
“Bullseye!
Chapter 28
AUGUST
Ifroze, blinking at the water dripping from my hair. I’d made it all the way to thirty years old never having had water splashed on my face. I could hear Imogen and Gunner laughing. It wasn’t until more water hit me in the face that I snapped out of it and found Imogen with her feet in the fountain, bent over scooping large amounts of water and throwing more in my direction.
“What’s the matter? Afraid of a little water?” Imogen teased with her hands on her hips. “You should try this, it’s fancy Paris water.”
I looked around at the small crowd that was forming to watch Imogen in the fountains. I looked to Gunner who stood laughing off to the side. This was Paris. They may not take too kindly to a person in their fountains. A few people in the crowd had cameras out videoing.
I’m actually living Asher’s crazy lifestyle. This will be a scandal if it gets to the tabloids.
“Imogen, you can’t be in the fountain.” That’s all I got out before another large scoop of water hit me in the chest. “People are watching. The point of our marriage is to make things better.”
“I’ll get out of the fountain if you come over here and make me.” She laughed and threw more water. “Let’s go, Hawthorne, come out and play.”
“Gunner, are you going to do anything to help here?” I demanded. “She could get arrested.”
“I suggest you go get her out then. I won’t let anything happen to her, that’s what I was hired for,” he said. “She’s had a rough few weeks. I’m letting her blow off a little steam.”
“This is more than a little. This is tabloid material here,” I argued my case to his stern expression. “Asher can’t…I can’t have more bad press.”
Man, that is the second time today I almost blew it.
Gunner wasn’t going to help, so it was up to me. I walked closer to the fountain knowing full well she was going to soak me. It was then that I saw the red stilettos sitting safely away from the water zone. I didn’t know what the deal was with the red stilettos, but I realized I better find out.
“Imogen, if I come get you out, there will be consequences,” I said, sitting my cellphone next to her shoes.
I walked to the edge of the fountain. “Imogen, can you swim?” I stepped over the edge and splashed through the water to where she stood laughing.
“You did it! I was beginning to think this wild playboy reputation was all made up for the tabloids.” She bent over the water and began rapid-firing water at me.
I lunged for her, only to stop her from splashing so I could carry her out of the water. Instead, I lost my footing and we both went down. We laid in the foot-and-a-half deep water laughing hysterically, until Gunner approached holding my phone and her red stilettos.
“If you two are finished bathing, I hear sirens, and they could be coming to arrest you.” Gunner headed back to the car hurrying us to get in.
I pushed myself up out of the water and put my hand out to help her up. She took that opportunity to pull me back into the water, kissed me on the cheek and jumped out sprinting for the car.
“I win!” she celebrated. “Hurry up and stop playing in the water, Asher, the police are coming.”
I stepped out of the fountain and hurried to the car, where she was still celebrating her win.
“I did tell you there would be consequences if I came in for you,” I said, then took her face in both hands and kissed her to the sound of the cheering crowd.