Hidden Devotion (Trinity Masters #5)(10)

It was a glamorous evening—dressed in their recently acquired Paris fashions, dining in one of the most elegant restaurants in the world and drinking inexcusably expensive wine.

The only thing that was missing, the only thing that would have made eighteen-year-old Juliette’s night the stuff of dreams, was romance. They received more than a few appreciative glances from men in the restaurant, but most were old enough to be their fathers. When they moved to the hotel bar, complimentary drinks arrived with semi regularity, and after consuming more than a few of them, the age of the men sending the beverages mattered less and less.

The drinks also helped Juliette forget that she was essentially already engaged. Rebecca didn’t know that Juliette’s trinity had already been selected. Normally members took advantage of the fact that they didn’t have to go looking for their own long-term relationships by messing around. Rebecca was clearly going down that path—a well-dressed man had his hand on her knee.

When a slightly portly man in a pale gray suit put his hand on Juliette’s back—which was left bare by the daringly cut dress—she smiled and played with her hair. Devon and Rose mostly just ignored her anytime they were together. Maybe if she practiced her flirting they would stop treating her like a kid. She was eighteen, after all.

“Parlez-vous Anglais?”

“Oui. Je suis Américaine.”

“Maybe you will help me practice my English, no?”

“Of course, Monsieur.” Juliette crossed her legs, biting back a grin when the man’s attention dropped to her knees.

“You are, ah, in Paris for the vacation?”

“Excusez-moi.”

Both Juliette and her admirer turned at the sound of a new voice—a voice Juliette knew.

Heart in her throat, Juliette froze when she caught sight of the man who’d interrupted them. Devon Asher.

His brown hair looked like rich chocolate in the muted lighting. He was wearing a tuxedo and was the most handsome, dashing man in the whole world.

“Devon,” she squeaked, then took a sip of her drink to cover the unsexy voice.

“Juliette.” Devon’s smile was brief—there only for a moment before he shifted his attention to the paunchy man. After a second under Devon’s stare, he melted away.

Leaning on the bar, close enough that his sleeve brushed Juliette’s arm, Devon ordered a cognac in flawless French. When he turned to face her, Juliette could feel it. It wasn’t just a matter of his gaze; it was the weight of his attention. She felt like a butterfly pinned to a board for study, except it wasn’t terrifying, it was exhilarating. This feeling was totally new to her—maybe this was the first time Devon was really looking at her.

“You’re in Paris.” Juliette winced as soon as she spoke. What a stupid thing to say.

“As are you.”

“I’m here with friends.”

“I can see that.”

Juliette wondered vaguely what the likelihood was that the floor would open up and swallow her. That would be preferable to sitting here feeling like a complete dumbass with nothing to say.

“Are they…” Devon spoke quietly, motioning to the others with a slight nod of his head.

“One of them. Rebecca.”

“Hmm.” Devon slid away from her, interrupting the conversations Lisa and Rebecca were having with their admirers. Juliette swiveled, watching as Devon ran off the men her friends were practicing their flirting on. Both Lisa and Rebecca looked at her with wide eyes, asking without words what was going on.

“This is, uh, Devon. He’s friends with my…” Juliette almost said father, which would have been a disaster, since Lisa only knew the public story, which was that Juliette’s mother had decided not to identify the father. “He’s friends with my mother.”

“Oh, are you an actor?” Lisa took a sip of her drink and tipped her head, hair sliding along her cheek.

Lisa was flirting with him. That bitch!

Juliette pressed her tongue against her teeth to keep from saying anything.

“No. And I’d hardly say I’m friends with Ms. Lissand. My parents are acquaintances of hers.”

Lissand was Juliette’s legal last name, Adams—her real last name—her middle name. She was impressed Devon had remembered. Then again, he wasn’t the type of person who would make a simple mistake like that.

“But,” Devon continued, “I’ve known Juliette all my life.”

His attention shifted back to her. For the first time, Juliette truly understood the phrase “took my breath away.”

“Juliette, would you like to go for a walk?”

“A walk?”

“Paris is best at night.”

“They call it the City of Lights.” Juliette wanted to smack herself. What was wrong with her? She normally wasn’t this stupid. Behind Devon, Lisa and Rebecca were wide-eyed as they watched the exchange, but both girls winced at Juliette’s stupid remark.

Devon’s lips twitched. “Yes, they do.” He held out his arm.

Rebecca and Lisa were gesturing and making faces, trying to communicate something, but Juliette couldn’t focus on that. Instead, she laid her hand on Devon’s sleeve and slid off the stool. He double-checked that Lisa and Rebecca would be okay, left money on the bar for their drinks and extra for a cab.