Chapter Eleven
Carmella's jaws dropped at his question and she simply gaped at him.
"I take it that you don't like me," he said, quietly.
Carmella came to her senses, "I didn't say that," she admitted, her cheeks colouring brightly. He quirked his eyebrows up at her, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"You like me then?" He asked with curiosity.
"I I, I'm out of here. Why don't you get ready sir?" She asked trying to avoid his question.
"I will, first answer me," he insisted, catching hold of her wrist again. Carmella groaned at the torture.
"You will fire me if I tell you the truth," she mumbled and he laughed out loud.
"Believe me I won't, " he said not releasing her.
"Ok, I don't like you professionally when you yell at me but personally when you smile a lot, I could like you if I got to know you better," she said and he released her. Her honest response shocked him and he just stared at her dumbfounded by her.
Carmella got scared and rushed towards his door, "I've got to go," she said, hurrying out and closing his door. She released the breath that she was holding out of nervousness. Now would he throw her out of the job? God, what had gotten into her that she had to blabber away the actual truth?
She went to her room to change out of her work clothes. Wearing a pair of skin tight denims and an apricot coloured lace appliqued top, she brushed her hair and let it cascade down her shoulders. She was ready when there was a knock on the door.
She knew it was Jaxon and she went to open the door. He stood wearing a tight pair of denims and a white tee shirt. Didn't he run out of white tee shirts? He checked her out approvingly and she picked up her handbag and locked her door.
"Looking good, " he said quietly and she looked up at him.
"Thank you, " she said quietly.
"And?" He prompted.
"And what?" She asked rolling her eyes.
"Isn't it a basic courtesy to compliment me too? I'm sure I look quite dashing, " he said with a smirk.
"How can you look dashing in boring whites, sir?" She said and placed her hands onto her mouth as her eyes widened with shock. Now she would surely be sacked.
He looked at her with disbelief. This young college student was teaching him how to dress up? "Then tell me what you want me to wear, Carmella?" He asked, turning her around to face him, his head cocked to one side as he studied her minutely. Carmella blushed under his intense scrutiny.
"Maybe blue or green to match with your eyes," she spoke softly so that he didn't hear. But he heard and grinned.
"Done. I'll only dress up for you. Okay?" He asked and she turned away and skipped down the stairs. Jaxon chuckled and followed her. What was it about her that made him so lightheaded, giddy, happy and carefree? He felt as if he could chase her and pull her into his arms and kiss her to submission.
He drove her to his college ESMOD (The École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode) where everyone welcomed him with floral bouquets. It seemed that he was invited as a chief guest to speak as well as judge the end-of-year fashion show presented by the graduating class. He showed her around his campus and introduced her to everyone as Carmella Parker only.
They all treated her also as a Chief guest and gave her a special seat after the fashion show was over. Jaxon walked up to the podium on the stage where the students were gathered and seated. He gave a powerful speech and Carmella listened with attention. He looked towards her many times as he spoke.
Afterwards as they were leaving, the student designer whose designs won the first prize came forward for Jaxon's autograph. "So what's your inspiration?" Jaxon asked him.
"My girlfriend sir whom I love very much, " he said honestly.
Carmella was scared that Jaxon would pass him a sarcastic remark, after all he never believed in relationships. "I understand your feelings. My latest line has also been inspired by someone special," Jaxon informed him, patting his shoulders.
They left the college and it was already evening. Jaxon started driving again. "Where are we going?" She asked him looking around.
"Eiffel Tower," he informed her. Her eyes widened as she was scared of heights. "Don't worry, we won't go to the top if you're not comfortable, " he said and she released her breath with relief.
He parked the car and paid for their tickets. The colossal structure loomed over them. They took the private elevator to the first level to a restaurant La bulle Parisienne. They went to the dome area which was decorated with a lush hanging garden and gorgeous lanterns. It offered the opportunity to experience to dine with magificent view of the Paris skyline. With the dome illuminated to look like a mini igloo, Carmella was so excited that she forgot her fear of heights.
Jaxon chose the fixed exotic dinner menu including an assortment of Charcuterie, a delicious soup, Truffade (potatoes with Cantal cheese) and a fruit tart or pastry (Tropézienne or Paris-Brest) and a glass of red wine. She savoured the awesome French cuisine, absorbing the feel of this once in a lifetime experience with Jaxon.
"Did you come here many times?" She asked.
He reminisced for sometime, "No, only once with my housekeeper, Molly," he murmured, closing his eyes and remembering the day.
"Your housekeeper?" She asked in confusion. Was his housekeeper his girlfriend?
"Yes, after my dad's death, she brought me up and loved me like her own son. She was all I had," he said.
"Oh, she lives with you?" She asked, touched by his confession.
"She used to live with me. She died when I was twenty-one. I brought her here when I joined college here. She also had no one but me," he informed her, his expression sad.
"I'm sorry sir, I didn't know," she said softly.
Jaxon looked at her concerned face. He wanted to pour his heart out to her, he wanted to lay his head on her chest, he wanted to hug her, crush her to his body. It had been eight long years since her death, eight long years since someone hugged him.
"Are you enjoying yourself Carmella?" He asked softly and she nodded excitedly. "Have you come to Paris before?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.
"Never," she admitted. "Thank you for bringing me along."
After a delectable full-course meal, they took the private elevator of the restaurant to the second floor to admire major Parisian attractions from the observation deck.
"I want to visit the summit please," she breathed. With Jaxon around she didn't feel scared of heights. Jaxon bought an Eiffel Tower summit ticket from the second floor to enjoy an eagle's view of the French Capital. He led her to the summit elevators which would take them to the summit to experience the breathtaking view around. Carmella was too scared to open her eyes and watch from so high up. Jaxon looked at her and caught her hand and pulled her into his arms, her back against his hard chest, his arms around her waist. Carmella was overwhelmed by the warmth and protection his embrace provided. He brought his mouth closer to her earlobe, his lips grazing them under the dark star lit skies.
"Are you scared now Carmella?" He whispered, inhaling her sweet scent. He felt giddy. Was he in love with her? He bit her earlobe and she shuddered.
"N no," she whispered, closing her eyes, drowning in his soft caress.
His mouth trailed, softly grazing to her neck in a feather light caress. "You smell so good," he spoke, his voice husky and tortured.
A sudden noise startled Carmella and she whirled around and hid her face into his chest, her arms going around his torso in fright. "It's only an airplane," he whispered, closing his eyes as he soaked in her warmth. He could hug her forever. His arms went around her and he crushed her to his body. Carmella suddenly realized what she had done and blushing hard, tried to release him.
"No, please," he whispered, placing her hands around him. He wouldn't release her. This felt too good and too right. He had surely fallen in love with her!
Carmella blushed,"Sir it's wrong," she spoke softly, feeling that she had crossed an invisible line with him.
"No, it's not and I have a name, you know," he groaned. When will she start calling him by his name? He was dying to hear it on her lips.
"You're my employer and I surely can't call you by your name, sir," she said, shocked. The magic was broken and he reluctantly released her as she reminded him about their professional relationship.
He soon needed to do something about that if he needed to explore this new feeling that he had started feeling for her.
They came down and he drove her back to the hotel. "So did you get to know me more, Carmella?" He asked with a smile.
"Yes sir," she answered.
"So do you like me enough to call me by my name?" He asked with a grin.
