Gay Lovers in Paris (MM)
Blurb: Sean Zagorc’s boss, Tyler Robbins the owner of Gay Travel Inc., sends him to Paris to write about gay romance in the City of Lovers. Tyler expects him to send multiple tweets every day about romantic scenery, romantic venues, romantic meals, romantic everything. How can Sean do that without a partner?
Elementary school teacher Antoine Dupre nursed both his elderly parents until they passed. Now he has a week’s vacation in Paris before selling the family home and finding a job. He’s on a very strict budget, and plans to spend most of his time in the Louvre looking at the exhibits.
Fate brings them together and Antoine is attracted to the American in the business suit. He agrees to help Sean take a few pictures, maybe spend a day together visiting somewhere suitable for Sean’s work like the Eiffel Tower. That should be romantic enough for Tyler, shouldn't it?
Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/book/gay-lovers-in-paris
STORY EXCERPT
Sean had intended to go to bed after he’d unpacked his luggage. But common sense told him that to get over any jetlag he needed to adjust to Paris time as fast as possible. It was evening, but it wasn’t bedtime yet. So a walk might help him see some of the nightlights of Paris as well as tire him out. Although it’d felt like he’d done plenty of walking around three airports already today. But walking outside would be much more enjoyable and he’d spent more than eight hours sitting on the plane as well today so he ought to get some exercise.
He Googled the map of the eighth arrondissement on his cell phone and marked a walk that was a round trip of about three miles. That was plenty for this evening.
Sean wound his way through narrow, cobblestoned streets filled with old stone houses. Buildings here were limited to 121 feet in height, about five or maybe six stories, and the old-world flavor had been retained, giving it great atmosphere. Sean snapped off half a dozen pictures, trying to show the bright starry sky as well as the ancient stone buildings with their window boxes full of flowers. Other areas of the city permitted tall buildings, but Sean found he liked the feel of this area. It was unique and definitely fitted a romantic theme. That would please Tyler.
Sean reached the Champs-Élysées and began walking down it, enjoying the crowds out walking, the warm summer night, and the busy, yet happy atmosphere. When he reached the Obelisk of Luxor, he stopped to read about all the machinery and effort needed to move the huge piece of stone. He stepped back to take a picture and then moved sideways an inch at a time, wanting the lights still on the obelisk for his picture, but also some of the starry sky behind it for romantic effect.
He groaned when he saw his photo, after all his efforts, had come out blurry and deleted it. A diffident voice behind him asked, “You don’t have the selfie stick. Would you like me to take the picture with you in it?”
Sean whirled around. He’d been told the French preferred foreigners to use their language, yet here was someone speaking English with a strong French accent.
“Thanks for offering. I suppose I’d better buy a selfie stick tomorrow. But what I really need is a clear picture of the obelisk, with stars in the background.”
He also didn’t want to hand his cell phone to a stranger, no matter how polite. It had everything he needed for his work on it, as well as far too much personal data to risk someone hacking into it. So he shook his head and dropped his phone into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
“Let me try,” the persistent man said, worrying Sean even more. As unobtrusively as possible he buttoned his jacket. Not only would someone need to reach inside his coat now, but even if he was moving it couldn’t flap open.
However, the man pulled out his own cell phone and waved Sean over to stand in front of the monument. It was so enormous it would be almost impossible to get a complete picture of it from any closer than this.
The man’s hair shone blond in the bright lights as he patiently moved this way and that and then held up a hand. Sean turned slightly to smile at him, still a little wary that someone would jump him and try to rob him, but no one was close to him. The man hurried across and showed him the picture.
“It’s perfect, thanks. Can you message it to me, please?”
“Of course.”
He gave his cell phone number and a moment later it dinged and there was the picture. “That’s perfect. Amazing.” Sean smiled his thanks to the stranger.
The man was grinning happily. Despite his brain telling him to remain wary, Sean held out his hand. “Sean.”
“Antoine.”
“Can I buy you a coffee? I saw a café just along here a little way.”
“Thank you, I’d like that.”
Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/book/gay-lovers-in-paris
Berengaria Brown
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