“And what if I want you to rip my clothes off?” he asks, and then shakes his head. “Don’t.”
Don’t rip his clothes or don’t answer the question?
I press one final kiss to his lips. “I’ll see you later.”
There’s movement across the hallway. A soft plop as Amelia likely jumps down from the bed.
He holds me, his hand on my lower back, pressing me against him, before he finally relents and heads out of the bedroom.
I scurry into the bathroom to get dressed before Amelia comes prancing into the bedroom.
Just as I slam the bathroom door shut, Amelia is running across the living room, her squeal unmistakable.
Did she say goodbye to her dad this morning before he left or was he able to sneak out?
I slip on my undergarments and then the dress. I open the bathroom door while I finish getting ready.
Amelia is sitting at the edge of the bed, kicking her legs. I’m impressed that she’s not jumping on our mattress, but maybe she understood what she did was wrong.
She’s not a toddler. Amelia is old enough to understand she broke the mattress.
“What do you want to do today?” I ask Amelia.
“Disney!”
I laugh, and somehow, I don’t think that’s what Levi had in mind when he said museums. “How about we talk to your dad about Disney Paris tonight? He might want to join us,” I say.
I’m also not sure how I’ll tell the kid no when it comes to her wanting to buy every souvenir at Disney. Would Levi approve of spoiling his little girl, or would he want her to take home more memories than presents?
Amelia shrugs and stares up at me as I finish getting dressed. “Let’s get you ready, and we can go out for breakfast.”
Amelia doesn’t need any help undressing, and I grab a pair of shorts and a fancy T-shirt from the shared luggage with her father.
She dresses herself, not needing or wanting any of my help. Already such a contrast from a few days ago when I was helping her into her pajamas the first night.
I grab the room key and shove it into my purse. We head down to the elevator and outside. I text Levi,Leaving the apartment.
Penthouse, he texts back.
I roll my eyes.Same difference.
There are three dots like he’s responding, and then it vanishes. I shove my phone into my purse and take Amelia’s hand, insisting that she keep close as we venture through Paris.
I can’t risk losing her, and it’s not like either of us are familiar with the city. How safe is Paris? Do I need to worry that someone will snatch her from me?
“Where are we going?” she asks as we head outside, and I take her across the street and down a block where the restaurants and shops are all located, right across from one of the train stations.
“Breakfast.”
“I know that,” Amelia says, and points at the different cafés. “Which one?”
I drag her inside the first one, which has a glass case with dozens of different pastries and croissants. Each looks more scrumptious than the last.
“I want that.” Amelia points at the croissant with a chocolate drizzle.
“Okay, but we’re getting a bowl of fruit too.”
After breakfast, we walk to the nearest metro station and take the train before switching lines and arriving at the Louvre. The museum from the outside is grandiose, and the pyramid is even more eye-catching.