The little house in Saint-Cyprien gleamed under the August sun. Tucked behind high walls, its private courtyard whispered exclusivity. Palm fronds rustled in the salty breeze. I parked the car,…
Lunch break hits. I ditch my notes and pen into the Hermès satchel, slip out of the amphitheater lecture hall without a glance back. Thomas is laid up in the…
I'm Vincent, 25, management student in Tours, crashing at my parents' in Epernay. Weekends mean the Champagne Express from Paris. First class private compartment. Plush leather seats hug my body,…
Sitting at the walnut tree's base in our lush garden. Stars prick the sky. My new target: the stream below the road snaking into the park. Not far. But crossing…
Early 2001. Rennes. A health congress pulls me from my Morbihan gulf home. I'm 32, 6'2", lean at 154 lbs, dark hair, gray-green eyes. Vegetarian by choice. Engineer in health…
I glanced at my watch. Five minutes to closing. Exhaustion clawed at me. Another Saturday on stilettos sinking into pure wool carpet. 'Madame' insisted on flats. Smiles. 'Yes, Madame.' 'Of…
Café de l'Europe terrace. Martini sharp on my tongue, cigarette smoke curling. 1995 summer heat lingers. Fabienne emerges from Allées Mortarieu. Red docks, 501 jeans hugging hips, wide red tee…
Saturday morning in our Seine-view penthouse. Silk sheets cling to my skin after a restless night. Pierre's absence aches, a carnal void no solo play fills. I crave his touch.…
The neon bar on the Brussels road hummed with false glamour. Leather stools stuck to thighs. Champagne fizzed sharp on the tongue, golden bubbles popping like secrets. Bénédicte, my acne-scarred…
Brest, New Year's Eve 1992. Twenty-two, living with a stunning but frigid girlfriend. Invited to an elite pre-dinner aperitif in a harborside penthouse owned by vague acquaintances. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed…