Looking back, I can't believe it's been over a year(!) since I posted chapter two. Fortunately, I have good friends who have kept after me to continue writing. Thanks to my editor, the very patient stevieraygovan, for not giving up on me.
I hope readers enjoy this. If you're new to it, no worries, it isn't entirely necessary to run and find the first two chapters, although I invite you to do so when you've finished here.
(c) 2012, All rights reserved
"There's a chip truck out there with our name on it. You haven't been to Montreal until you've tasted poutine!" Or so the redhead had stated confidently. Van looked at the gloppy, gravy-covered mess before him and wondered what he'd agreed to.
They'd spent much of their time exploring the city. Once in the traditional
Vieille Ville
, they walked for a while doing some window-shopping before getting lunch. They wandered about, checking out some of the shops, at last ending up in the park Anna had discovered a few days earlier. Finding the chip truck had been easy, but he really wasn't sure when he saw the final product, no matter how much he might find her pronunciation of "Montréal" sexy.
"So, what do you think?"
She watched him carefully consider the flavors and textures of the strange food.
He swallowed and said, "I think I need one more bite."
Knowing that he'd obviously decided he liked the unique dish, her laugh was a clear, light sound that tickled his ears. "Fine, honey, one more taste, then you need to tell me what you think of it."
Reaching into the small paper bowl, she selected a good-sized fry to swirl in the cheese curds, making sure it had plenty of gravy before raising it for her lover to take. With a laugh of his own, he accepted the fry, sucking her fingers into his mouth at the same time.
"Mmm," he sighed before declaring, "yeah, it's definitely better this way. They should always sell Anna-flavored poutine."
~*~*~
They left the hotel in high spirits. Exchanging a knowing glance with Marcel in the lobby, Van pulled Anna close for a lingering kiss. He teasingly reached for her skirt, raising the hem just enough to reveal the beginning curves of her smooth bottom.
Understanding what her man was doing, and why, she wiggled her hips before gently nipping at his lips. "You're so mean," she giggle-whispered.
Excusing herself, she made her way to the front desk where she spoke for several minutes with the clerk. While the young woman checked her computer, Anna turned and flashed a bright smile at her bewildered companion. Five minutes later, her business seemingly complete, she skipped across the lobby and hopped into his arms.
"Ready?"
"I am," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her slender waist.
Walking along Boulevard Levesque, it was already apparent it was going to be a beautiful, late spring day, perfectly suited for their full slate of plans. She wanted to show him around
La Vielle Ville
, sit in the park, and introduce him to poutine. He wanted to look around and do a little shopping, and he still had it in mind to get her a manicure.
Passing the Place d'Armes, a breeze kicked up, ruffling the hem of her light skirt. It didn't lift high enough to show anything to passersby, yet he was excited to note that she didn't react in panic, such as by using her arms to hold her skirt down. Instead, she continued walking, swinging their clasped hands happily; he thought she was almost singing.
Even in the early afternoon, there exists a magical charm on the narrow, cobbled streets of Old Montreal. Having once visited with some of her family, Anna wanted to share the quainter corners of the city with her lover. Steering him away from the tackier souvenir shops, she watched him discover the beauty of the centuries-old stone buildings.
She pulled out her camera, snapping random angles of ivy streamers, arched entryways and shuttered windows. A couple times, she managed to get glimpses of Van in her shots while he examined the architecture. She wanted to capture the intensity of his expression since she suspected he wasn't likely to be that serious about anything which didn't involve making her scream passionately for the rest of their stay.
"What do you think?"
"This is... amazing," he breathed.
Spring was in full bloom in the French-tinged city, and he was deeply moved by the beauty around him. He spent a few minutes drinking it in, looking for the words to best describe what he was seeing and thinking, knowing that he would fall short.
"It isn't Paris," he finally decided, "but I get the feeling it isn't trying to be, either."
"You're right about that." Her smile said she knew exactly what he meant. "Part of the thing with Montreal is that the French were originally here to trade, then after the British took it over and a bunch of fires, it became considerably less... French. They've done a lot in the last twenty or thirty years to bring that back."
"Well, I love it anyway. Thanks again for asking me to come up here with you." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. "This has been an incredible trip, even after only one night, and I can't wait to see what you've got planned for me today."
Leaning in for a kiss, he teased her lips for a moment before pressing his tongue into her mouth to play. She responded fully, melding her body to his and smiling when she felt him stiffening between their bodies.
"Baby," she purred, walking her fingers over the button on the waistband of his jeans, "I thought you said you wanted to see the city."
"I did say that." He rubbed himself against her while reaching to squeeze her ass. "However, this isn't an either/or situation."
He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy. Just walking down the street, knowing Anna was beside him made him feel ten feet tall. He took her hand, and she twined her fingers through his without missing a step.
His mood was infectious; she reached across her body to wrap her free hand around his arm just above his elbow. She pulled herself to his side and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. "Have I told you how happy I am that we're here together?"
"You may have mentioned it."
"Really, it's a great city and I love being here, but... when you arrived at the gallery last night... it got immeasurably better."
"Did it?" He stopped, pulling her into another warm embrace. "Everything last night got better?"
A warm, teasing grin began to play on the corners of her mouth. "Well, I don't know about
everything
." Her voice was a low purr.
He saw a fire in her eyes and met it with a flash in his own. '
Damn
,' he thought to himself, wondering whether she knew what she was capable of doing to him. Dropping his hands from her lower back to the upper curve of her ass, he held her hips to his.
Gently flexing his fingers on her hips, he covered her lips with his, brushing over them without entering into a full kiss. Going back to how she had greeted him at the gallery, he brought one hand skimming up her ribs. She gasped at the nearly imperceptible pressure of his hand as he stroked his thumb over her nipple.
"Oh, Van," she breathed.
He grinned. "I believe that we had some plans?" Remembering how she had teased him so mercilessly, he was prepared to draw things out with her for as long as possible. Since she had mentioned being hungry before they left their room, he decided to look for a likely restaurant for a light lunch.
Leaving their sightseeing behind for the time being, they headed toward the waterfront. It didn't take long for Van to realize that he wasn't going to find what he wanted on the water, so although the river was beautiful, he turned their wanderings back to the row of buildings immediately facing the docks.
"Are you looking for anything in particular?" she wondered.
"Not really." He had scanned a few of the menus outside doors as they walked past, but nothing was piquing his interest. "I'm thinking maybe something French, something... local."
"Oh, that should be easy enough." With a laugh, she added, "If you can't find an appealing French place here, you're not looking hard enough."
Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw an alleyway that looked vaguely familiar.
"Let's try this," she suggested, tugging at his arm.
Van was briefly skeptical. "Here... are you sure?" The alley was narrow and dark; if he stretched his imagination, it could lead to an interesting little spot, or a true dive. He knew she'd been to the city before, so if she said to walk down a poorly marked alley, he'd give it a shot. Sure, there was a scrap of poster on the wall, but it was faded and in French, so he couldn't read it.
"Did you leave your spirit of adventure at the hotel?" She gave him a flirtatious wink and pulled him around the corner.
With a grin and a slow shake of his head, he followed, then laughed aloud. He should have known better than to question her instincts, for she was standing proudly before a small, intimate restaurant.
"Does this look like what you had in mind?"
"Perfect, Anna... it looks perfect. How did you know it was here?"
Tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow, she shrugged, saying, "I was in the city a few years ago with some friends. We never stopped here, but I thought I remembered it as being the kind of place I'd like to visit with the right person."
They were greeted by what might have been the perfect caricature of a French maitre d', were it not for his smiling grey eyes. "
B'jour, mes amis. Bienvenue et
..." he said, taking Anna's free hand and raising it for a respectful kiss, "
...enchanté.
"
Before either man could react, she spoke. "
Bon jour, m'sieur. J'ai voulu passer un bon après-midi avec mon amant, et nous avons besoin d'une petite table, assez tranquille, où nous pouvons être ensemble et... quel est le mot
... uninterrupted."
