Friday, December 16, 2016

Found in Translation – Part 1~ by Leah St. James



This was the absolute last time she kissed anyone under the mistletoe.
Tessa Baxter had noticed the man—dark, close-cropped hair, fit and trim in a tux that looked custom tailored—jogging down the magnificent foyer stairway as she’d handed her wrap to the liveried servant. Had she known she was standing beneath the blasted ball of beribboned green leaves she would have moved. Maybe.
His eyes had lit on her, and before she could react, he’d covered the thirty feet that separated them in several long strides, holding her frozen in his gaze as if he were a panther and she a paralyzed bunny rabbit. That’s how he walked—silently with purpose. Focused. On her.
“May I—I mean, peux je vous aider?” She’d squeaked the words out while her heart scampered in her chest.
“Yes, you may help me.” His accent was pure American, his voice deep and melodious, making her think of a baritone’s aria sailing to the ceiling at The Met. His gaze shot upward for a beat or two before returning to her face.
“Oh! Mistletoe!” She laughed, sounding a bit manic to her own ears, and waved a dismissing hand. “Nobody really does that anymore.” Her brow knitted. “Do they?”
“Back home? Probably not, but here?” He lifted a shoulder in gesture that would have made any Frenchman proud. “Certainly you have no aversion to a tiny peck from a fellow American, especially so far from home, do you? We wouldn’t want to offend our hosts.”
Their hosts were the American ambassador to France and her handsome husband, and their daughter Sammi, Tessa’s oldest and best friend. No way she’d do anything to embarrass them. They’d made it possible for her to have the trip of a lifetime to Paris, the City of Light, at Christmastime. The invitation had come at a perfect time—eight months since her disastrous break-up with Tony the Creep, as Sammi had dubbed him months earlier when she’d caught him two-timing her with some bottle blonde in a bikini.
“Time for you to forget him. Time to move on and do something exciting, Tessa,” she’d declared. “You haven’t had a vacation in months. Spend Christmas with me in Paris. I love Paris, I love studying at the Sorbonne, but I’m lonely here without you.”
Between airfare and some new clothes, Tessa’s credit card had taken a hit, but it was worth every penny. She’d spent the last week touring, visiting every clichéd tourist stop, and had already filled up an entire SIM card with photos and videos. But how could she resist the golden lights twinkling along the Champs Elysees, or the glorious Christmas tree at the Notre Dame Cathedral. Plus, being out and among the people of France was a perfect way for her try out her rusty French...the language of love.
“Mademoiselle?”
His perfect intonation drew her attention. “No, of course not. But how do you know I’m American? Maybe I’m French with an impeccable American English accent.”
He grinned, making her tummy flutter. “First of all, your French accent was way off. Second, why would a French woman want to perfectly emulate an American accent?”
She gave him her own version of  that Gallic shrug. “Maybe she’s... un espion.”
“A spy.” His right eyebrow lifted. “Seriously?”
Mais oui!” Why she continued to babble in her high-school French was beyond her. Even his snort didn’t put an end to her lunacy. “Maybe she’s undercover in Paris for some super-secret, previously undiscovered global terror network. Maybe she purposely threw you off with her accent.”
“Hmm.” His eyes narrowed and he gave her another top-to-bottom perusal. “Are you a spy? Because if you are, I might have to take you into custody. Now. Before you can do any damage.”
She jerked back. “Custody? Who are you anyway?”
“Matthew, for goodness’ sake, just kiss her already!”
The whirlwind that was her best friend appeared next to them, like Scotty had just beamed her to the spot, her arms folded, her foot tapping. “Come on, you two. Pucker up.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate your encouragement, Sammi,” mystery man said, “but I’d love to know the lady’s name before I collect my...prize.”
“Good grief.” Sammi lifted her palm toward the man. “Tessa, may I introduce you to Matthew Durand, legat assigned to the embassy here in Paris. At least through the end of the year.” She lifted her opposite hand toward Tessa. “Matthew, this is Tessa, short for Contessa if you can believe it, Baxter. My closest, oldest and best friend. She’s a math professor at NYU, spending a few days here during their holiday break.”
Sammi planted her fists on her hips and eyed them. “Introductions all done. Now get on with it. You’ve got a line behind you!”
Tessa steadied her breathing and lifted her eyes to meet the man’s, a liquidy brown shade that reminded her of deep, rich cocoa. As she stared, that eyebrow lifted and his lips curved into a half smile as if to dare her. She licked her lips. “Oui...uh...nous allons baiser...uh...maintenant.”
Confusion flashed across his eyes. Then his jaw dropped, and he chuckled. “Certainement, mademoiselle.” Seeming to have recovered, but lips still twitching, he stepped closer, and the scent of  an earthy musk wafted around her. He slid one hand to her waist and moved the other to the back of her head, both firm and steady. A warmth spread across her back and her neck, down her shoulders. How long had it been since a man had touched with such...intent?
Shivering, she lifted her face.
Their lips met, and sparks zinged down her shoulders and back, to the ends of her fingertips and toes. He made a soft purring noise and angled his head—
“All right, you two. That’s enough. You’re making a scene! And there really is a line now. People have their phones out. They’re taking video.”
As Sammi’s voice broke the spell, Tessa’s eyes snapped open, and she jerked her hands from around the man’s neck.
“Pardon me!” She scrambled backward, into something solid and warm. “Oomph!”
She pivoted, stared into another impossibly handsome, be-tuxed man. Golden hair, deep blue eyes, also focused on her.
“My turn?” His accent was thickly French. He moved in a step.
“Sorry, Monsieur, she’s had enough.” Sammi grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hall into what appeared to be a coatroom, manned by more costumed staff. “For crying out loud, Tessa, what the heck? This is the embassy’s holiday party.”
“Why? What’d I do?” Tessa stumbled after Sammi, swinging her head from side to side in search of the first guy, Matthew what’s-his-name. They turned into another room—a big one—where a full orchestra played from a raised dais at the far end, and couples in evening wear waltzed to some instrumental piece with weeping strings. They landed in an alcove off the main ballroom, probably designed for lovers’ liaisons once upon a time.
Sammi stopped and faced her. “Your French is more than a bit rusty, honey. I can send you some links to good instruction programs.”
Tessa stilled, dread filling her chest. “I said, ‘Yes, we can  kiss now.’ ... Didn’t I?”
Sammi gave a soft laugh. “No, honey. You got the noun and verb mixed up. The verb to kiss is embrasser. You used baiser, which  is a noun for kiss, but as a verb means something altogether different. You invited him to...to...” A laughing snort exploded from Sammi’s mouth, and she bent over and howled, laughing while holding her stomach.
“What?! What did I say, Sammi? You’re scaring me!”
“Oh, Tessa, you asked him to do the dirty with you!”
Heat swam up Tessa’s neck to her face, and a moan slipped from her mouth. “I did not ask him to have sex! You’re bull—you’re teasing me!”
Sammi straightened from her laughing fit, wiped her fingers beneath her eyes and shook her head,  chuckles still rolling up her throat. “I wish I were. Oh God, check my mascara, would you? I haven’t laughed that hard in years. I’ve missed you, Tessa.”
Heart pounding, stomach churning, Tessa asked, “And who exactly is it that I, I...?”
“Propositioned?” The word set off a new round of hysteria, and Tessa had to shake her friend’s shoulder to get her attention.
Calming once more, Sammi dropped into the chaise lounge at the back of the alcove and patted the cushion next to her. “It’s okay, truly. Matthew is one of the good guys. He’s with the Bureau—“
“The Bureau? As in Federal Bureau of Investigation?”
Sammi nodded. “He’s the embassy’s Legat, Legal Attaché.”
“So he wasn’t really kidding when he said he could take me into his custody.” A tingle worked its way down her spine, and  she had to squelch the chorus of Salt ‘N’ Pepa’s Whatta Man warming up in her chest.
“He could, although his job is more to facilitate official working relationships with the local law enforcement on international issues.” She eyed Tessa. “Last I knew, you weren’t an international criminal, although you could be accused of butchering the French language.”
Tessa groaned and dropped her face into her hands.
“Don’t worry, honey, he might look all James Bondishly, roguishly handsome, but he’s a gentleman. He’s probably already forgotten about you.”
***

 Thanks so much for reading part 1 of my story. I hope you're enjoying the pickle Tessa has gotten herself into. Please stop by tomorrow for the next chapter. 
Leah
www.leahstjames.com

18 comments:

Margo Hoornstra said...

Great start to another great story, Leah. Well done! Can't wait to read what Matthew does next.

Leah St. James said...

Thanks, Margo! These are fun to write.

Rolynn Anderson said...

Great fun, Leah. I like Sammi and Tessa...they're neat characters. Looking forward to knowing more about Matthew!

Leah St. James said...

Thanks, Rolynn! I have a couple "oldest, best" friends and love how you can be yourself with them. :-)

Diane Burton said...

Oh, I'll bet he doesn't forget what she said. Sammi is so funny. A perfect foil to Tessa. I can see why they're friends.

Jannine Gallant said...

This is great, Leah. And my high school french was up to the challenge. Except baiser. I looked it up because I didn't remember it meaning to kiss. Hilarious!

Brenda Whiteside said...

This is so much fun! Can't wait to read on.

Andrea Downing said...

Ah, yes--the old baiser confusion. I know it well. Great start--looking forward to the next installment.

Leah St. James said...

Jannine and Andi - I actually heard about this word confusion from a friend (a poet) via Twitter. I thought what a great tidbit to use in a story! Our mistletoe stories seemed a perfect fit. I had to look up some translations as well. (My own French skills have rusted even more than Tessa's!)

Leah St. James said...

Thanks, Diane and Brenda! My usual writing style is more serious (darker, tending toward gritty and emotional), so I enjoy stretching myself to go lighter. (My biggest challenge there is to NOT go totally goof-ball, which is more in line with my personality!) :-)

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

Two of my favorite things!! Paris and James Bond. And "Whatta Man" isn't bad either. What a delightful start to a story. I'm sure Sam is off somewhere, chuckling and shaking his head.

Leah St. James said...

I'm with you on Paris and James Bond, Vonnie...although I've never experienced either personally. :-) Thanks for reading!

Alicia Dean said...

It's soooo good to read your stuff again, Leah. Really enjoyed this. Love that you're able to throw in the FBI in such a short read. :) Can't wait for Part Dieux! (I have no idea if I'm even close to the French word for two... :))

Christine DePetrillo said...

Any time you can work Salt N Pepa into a story, it's a win! Nice start!

Leah St. James said...

Thank you, Alicia, for such kind (and inspiring!) words. :-) I had to have the FBI in there somewhere, right? :-)

Leah St. James said...

When the song popped into my head, Chris, I took a break from the story for a few minutes to check out the video on YouTube. Love that song. :-)

Alison Henderson said...

OMG, I love it! Christmas in Paris, complete with a botched proposition and a gorgeous FBI agent. Perfect!

Leah St. James said...

:-) So glad you enjoyed it, Alison.