Love in Paris (The Art Models Club Book 4) (6 page)

“You very politely circled my question. But thank you for the compliment.”

Hunter paused with his fork.

“Baby,
I
believe that
you
believe that you have a strategy and that you are confident in your ability to win this bet.”

Amber rubbed her own forehead, trying to replay his comment back in her mind. The effects of the sugar rush were definitely wearing off. She was having difficulty keeping up with his word play.

“Why are we even talking about this now?” she asked irritably.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. “I believe you brought up the whole interrogation, gorgeous. I'm just trying to keep my ass intact.”

Amber laughed. She was starting to get a little punchy.

“
Hey, don't start hyperventilating on me, baby,” Hunter warned, looking a little panicked.

Amber felt her eyes tearing up. Oh, crap! Not now!

“Use that yoga breathing you do.”

Hunter grabbed her hand while also calling for the waiter. After a few quick words in French, the waiter rushed back with the bill while Amber concentrated on her breathing. In. Fill your belly like a balloon. Out. Slowly release the balloon.

By the time they left the cafe, Amber was feeling better. The icy wind in her face certainly helped. She shook her head when Hunter suggested getting a taxi.

“
I think walking is better,” she said. “And I honestly think I might fall asleep once I stop moving again.”

They walked slowly back in the direction of the hotel, stopping at several art galleries to glance at the paintings. Amber was exhausted and she was sure that Hunter was as well, but he never complained. She saw him rubbing his eyes like a little boy at one point. He blushed and jammed his hands into his pockets when he saw that she had seen him.

The street signs and shops all began to blur together after awhile. Even the sound of French all around her no longer seemed strange. In fact, she was always startled when she heard someone speaking English and would quickly look over to see who it was. It was silly of course, but she supposed it was a way to feel connected to her native language.

Finally, Hunter stopped at a small market and purchased fresh sandwiches and bottled water. They ate those slowly as they approached the hotel.

“Please tell me that we can go to sleep when we get back,” Amber said, her voice weary.

“
I think we're safe if we sleep now,” Hunter said. “We might wake up insanely early tomorrow but that will be fine. I'm on my last legs myself.”

Amber increased her pace. Sleep! She had never been so excited to go to bed in her life. When they got back to the room, she quickly undressed down to her tee shirt and panties. She made a beeline for the bathroom, washing her face, brushing her teeth and using the toilet in record time. She didn't even wait for Hunter to get ready. She simply slid into the bed, stretched out with a groan and shut her eyes.

A few minutes later she sensed Hunter in the bed with her. He felt for her face and kissed her gently. “Good night, gorgeous. I love you.”

“
I love you too,” murmured Amber. And with that she finally drifted into a deep slumber.

Amber woke up not knowing where she was. She bolted upright, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She felt in the bed for Hunter but he wasn't there. After a few moments, she saw the nightlight from the bathroom. Oh, yeah. Paris. Hotel. But where was Hunter?

Sliding out of the bed, she squinted at the clock. It was only four o'clock in the morning. But they had gone to bed before seven o'clock the evening before. She had slept solidly for nine hours straight. After a quick stop in the bathroom she headed to the living room.

Hunter was lying on the sofa as he surfed through channels on the television. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. As usual, he was barefoot.

“
Anything good on?” she asked, startling him.

“
Hey, baby! I didn't wake you, did I?”

Amber shook her head and snuggled next to him on the sofa.

“Nope, I slept like a baby all night. Guess my body just feels rested enough to get up.”

Hunter sat up and clicked the television off.

“Are you hungry? I was just thinking about ordering room service.”

Amber felt her stomach start to rumble.

“Famished,” she said. “What are you planning to get?”

“
Eggs, bacon, waffles, the works,” Hunter said. “That sandwich we had last night vaporized hours ago.”

“
Sounds good.”

She noticed Hunter's wet hair and realized that he had already showered. She couldn't believe she hadn't heard him getting up or the shower running.

“I think I'll go hop in the shower while you order. Can you get some hot tea and orange juice as well?”

Hunter already had the phone out but he nodded.

Amber padded to the bathroom, slipped off her things and got into the luxurious shower. The weird thing was that she was getting used to this luxury. She wasn't sure if that was such a good thing. But on the flip side, it would be ridiculous not to enjoy it while she had the opportunity. After she got out, she dried her hair but only slipped on a pair of comfortable pajamas and slippers. She didn't feel like getting fully dressed yet.

Half an hour later, they were eating a delicious hot breakfast at the small table in the living room while Hunter pored over a French newspaper. To his credit, he had purchased her an English version as well. Amber made a note to herself to start studying her French book as soon as possible.

After breakfast, Hunter disappeared into the bedroom. When Amber followed him to get her French study guide, she could hear him brushing his teeth. She looked in the closet and found a shelf with extra blankets and pillows. Grabbing one of each, she carried them to the sofa in the living room and set up a comfortable nook to study. Armed with a cup of Earl Grey tea, she got to work.

She heard Hunter come back in a little bit later.

“Good idea,” she thought she heard him mutter.

But when she looked up, he was already disappearing back into the bedroom. He returned a few minutes later and she smiled as she noticed he was making his own little cocoon on the other end of the sofa. Then she returned to her book. She heard him clicking on the television but didn't pay much attention until she suddenly heard moaning.

What the hell? She looked up, startled, because it sounded like sexual moaning. There on the television was a blonde girl straddling a blonde guy as her enormous breasts dangled over his face. Amber looked over to Hunter who was now missing his tee shirt. He had the nerve to look up at her innocently.

“
I'm sorry,” he said pleasantly. “Is the volume too loud for you?”

Amber blinked at him and then found her tongue.

“What the hell are you watching?”

Hunter sighed sadly. “I'm sorry, baby, but I have all this sexual tension built up and you've made it abundantly clear that you would prefer not to have sex with me until after our twenty-four hours is up.”

He raised his shoulders as though to apologize.

“
I just can't make it that long so I'd thought I'd distract myself.”

Amber stared at him as she suddenly realized something.

“This was part of your strategy,” she said accusingly.

Hunter narrowed his eyes. “You have your strategy and I have mine.”

Oh, the bugger! And now she was supposed to sit her and have to listen to this? She forced herself to keep calm. There had to be a chink in his plan.

“
You're right,” she said sweetly and watched as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “But I'm afraid that I chose the sofa first for my studies. You'll have to relocate.”

Hunter was silent for a moment and she wondered if he was going to argue. But he surprised her by suddenly clicking off the television.

“You're right, baby. That was rude of me. Especially since you are being such a good sport and studying so diligently.”

He smiled and grabbed the pillow and blanket.

“I'll just move things to the other room.”

What? He was still going to watch porn in the other room? Or was he trying to get beneath her skin? She would simply ignore him.

She turned her page in her book and read the next phrase. Then she read it again. And again. Damn Hunter! She couldn't concentrate now. She sat still to see if she could hear anything from the other room. She twisted her head and noticed that the door to the bedroom was shut. As though he needed privacy. Hmm.

If she walked in there, he would know that she was snooping. She had to have a reason. She glanced down at her book and realized that her notebook and highlighters were still in her overnight bag. And her overnight bag just happened to be in the closet in the bedroom.

She got up and walked quietly to the door, stopping a moment as she wondered what Hunter might be doing. Did she really want to walk in on him pleasuring himself. The thought made her a little excited and that almost stopped her. Was this part of his strategy? Hoping that she would catch him and be swept up with lust? She bit her lip and opened the door. Hunter was lying on the bed, still in his jeans, as he clicked on the remote.

“
Need something, baby?” he asked, not really looking at her.

“
Just my notebook and markers,” Amber said, going straight to the closet.

She got her things and was half way to the door when the moaning started up again. She forced herself to keep walking. She settled back on the sofa and found her page again. But she knew she wasn't going to learn a damn thing while she knew that Hunter was in the other room watching some other girl. She sighed and took a sip of her tea. Of course it was cold, she thought. She got up to see if the remaining tea in the pot was still warm. As she was pouring herself a fresh cup, she heard Hunter open the door.

She glanced up and then quickly back down. His jeans were now unfastened and hanging half off his hips.

“
Can I get you something?” she asked sarcastically.

“
Just need a little water,” Hunter said cheerfully. “It feels a little warm in there.”

He grabbed a bottle and stopped to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“How's the studying going?”

“
Great!” Amber said through gritted teeth. “Couldn't be better.”

“
Awesome,” Hunter said and left the room.

Amber stomped over to the sofa. Did he really think it was acceptable to get turned on by some bimbo on a video with her in the next room? How the hell did he think that made her feel? Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. Furious, she stormed into the bedroom.

“How dare you?” she seethed. “What kind of guy says he loves a girl and then uses a cheap porn movie to get himself . . .Why the hell are you laughing?”

Hunter clutched his stomach as he laughed, twisting on the bed. He pointed at the television.

“I don't need to see your filthy . . .”

Amber broke off and stared in confusion at the television. Instead of the porn she was expecting, there was some sort of historical documentary on.

“So you changed the channel when you heard me come in? Big deal!”

Hunter was still laughing.

“Your face . . .” he managed to get out. “If you could see  . . .how . . .pissed off you are right now . . .priceless!”

Amber stared at him coldly, only growing more angry. How dare he laugh at her like this!

“Remote . . .kitchen . . .sink,” Hunter gasped.

Amber turned and stalked off. Of course he was going to try to get out of this. She strode into the kitchen, certain he was going to hide the remote control for the bedroom television while she went on this wild goose chase. But then she stopped and stared at the counter. It couldn't be the remote!

Whirling around, she searched for the living room remote and saw it was in its rightful place in the little basket on the coffee table. Her mouth fell open. She couldn't believe it. He had purposely set her up! She angrily stormed back into the bedroom.

“
That was mean and hateful!” she ranted.

Seeing him there, sitting beneath the sheet as though he was perfectly innocent, further enraged her. She jumped on the bed, grabbed a pillow and started smacking him with it as hard as she could. He raised his hands and shifted on the bed to protect himself. Finally, she got tired and threw down the pillow.

“Turn over and look at me while I'm hitting you!”

And then Hunter shifted onto his back and the sheet slid down. Amber simply gaped as she realized that he was completely naked and fully turned on. She tried to move her head, to look away.

“I'm sorry, baby,” Hunter said, sitting up, his eyes blazing with passion. “I've been exceedingly naughty. Why don't you finish punishing me?”