Je t’aime

Remy would only be able to resist Kendra for a few hours before he would awaken her with kisses. Happy to be awoken this way, Kendra responded gladly. They had the entire day and night together, there was plenty of time for sleep.

*****

Later that evening, they were out on the balcony, snuggled up on the swing. Kendra felt languid and spent, but happier than she had ever been. While not making love or sleeping, they had been talking. They had discovered that while their childhoods had been different, they did have things in common.

Remy loved his family as fiercely as she did hers. It was one of the reasons he was willingly giving up his life to run the family business when the time came. They liked the same books and their taste in music was similar. It was a relief to Kendra to find that they shared some common likes, she was beginning to fall in love with Remy and knowing that there was more to their attraction than just s*x was soothing to the intellectual part of her mind.

She still worried that the old Remy would resurface in a few weeks, done with her and their romance. Since she hadn’t known that old person, she had no idea how different the new one was.

“You know you’re the first woman I’ve ever brought home.” Remy mused, his hand stroking her arm.

“But didn’t you say you’ve slept with lots of women.” Kendra hated to keep bringing up his past, but he had opened up the conversation, and she was curious.

“Yeah, that true. But I never brought a single one of them here, we’d always go to their house or a hotel. This is my sanctuary, at the time I didn’t see it that way, just knew that I wanted this space to be mine alone.” He said.

“So you never brought anyone here, even Bridget?” Kendra asked.

“I got this place after Bridget left me. Her imprint was all over my other place so I just had to move. Maybe that’s why I never brought anyone here. In a way she did me a favor.” He continued.

“Really?”

“Well, I’ve always loved my plants, it’s been a secret passion of mine since I was in my teens. I hid it because most of my former friends would have been horrified to find that I like playing in the dirt. But, when I bought this place I had the balcony lengthened to give me room to garden and since no one comes here it’s stayed my little secret.” He said.

“Well, that’s a perk of being rich, secret gardens in the sky. But let me tell you, your secret garden is about the most romantic place in Paris. Especially at night.” Kendra said with a laugh, snuggling closer.

“It’s never seemed romantic to me, but now that you’re here, it’s taken on another life. Somehow, I think I was making it for you. I just didn’t know it then. ” Remy said, gesturing to the balcony.

“Well, I’m glad you wanted to share it with me. It’s wonderful.” Kendra said, reaching up to kiss him.

They spent the rest of the evening enjoying the beauty of his plants and the fine weather. As the sun began to set, it got colder on the balcony and they moved inside. Back in bed, they shared a cold dinner of fruit, bread, cheese and a fine white wine. Although it was a simple meal, sharing it with Remy in his big bed, with the lights of Paris shining through the wall to wall windows, made it the best dinner she had ever eaten.

As the lights on the balcony clicked on, it occurred to Kendra that some of his plants wouldn’t be able to survive winter in Paris.

“What happens to your plants in winter? They don’t all look like they could survive the cold.” She asked.

“Every fall a crew comes and packs up anything that can’t survive the winter and puts it in a greenhouse. Last year the lemon trees almost wouldn’t fit through the door, I’m not sure what will happen this year. I might have to keep heaters on them all winter.” He explained.

“Wow, that’s not at all what I imagined. I had pictured them all spending the winter in the house.” She said, having a difficult time envisioning spending all that money on moving plants.

“I know, now it seems a little extravagant. I’ve seen children starving, or so sick they are near death. As much as I love them, I may give them up. I’ll only grow what can survive left outside, I just haven’t been able to take that step yet. There’s still a few more months of summer, then I’ll have to decide.”

“Maybe you should buy a house with a yard, then you could have your own greenhouse.” She suggested.

“When I bought this place I didn’t want the extra work a house meant, but now that’s not such a bad idea. I’ll be taking over the family business and moving into the main house someday but that won’t be for quite a while.” He said.

The reminder of who Remy was sobered Kendra for a minute. Some day he would be head of one of the largest shipping companies in Europe, it was his destiny. If she tied her life to his, she wouldn’t be able to avoid the notoriety that would accompany it.

Sensing her change in mood, he tipped her chin up and gave her a passionate kiss, then said, “Don’t worry too much about that, my dad is healthy and should be around for a long time. He’ll never give up running the business until he’s forced to.”

“I’m sorry, I guess it’s a little strange that I’m not thrilled that you’re wealthy.” She said.

“Well, that’s why I like you. You’re interested in me for who I am not what I can buy you. Most women would already be planning how to spend my money.” Remy said, shaking his head.

“But now that I think about it, you did just suggest I buy a house.” He said with a laugh.

Kendra gave him a shove, nearly knocking him off the bed. A short wrestling match ensued, which ended abruptly when Remy kissed Kendra into submission.