She gasped. It was nothing like what she’d imagined from the pictures. None of that could ever do it justice. It was so much vaster and more extravagant than anything her mind had conjured up. The mirrors and gold-inlaid walls seemed to stretch on forever. Yes, the Sun King had liked things bright, and this was brilliantly so—as if the walls were on fire. The chandeliers up above were enormous. The entire room, and all of the people inside, seemed to sparkle as though they were fireworks themselves.

“Come,” he said with a gentle smile, and swept her onto the dance floor. He placed one hand at the small of her back and clasped her hand with a gloved hand of his own.

She’d been wondering how she’d waltz—and especially how she’d manage with all that fabric around her legs—but it turned out, she needn’t have worried. Luc was an adept leader and swept her around the floor as if he’d been leading women across dance floors all his life. She’d been worried about stepping on his toes, but he was so light on his feet that it almost felt like they were soaring. All the while, he kept his emerald eyes on hers, so she had no choice but to gaze deep into his.

“Tell me something about yourself, beautiful Diana from America,” he said.

“Oh. There’s not much to tell. I live in New York. I used to work for a cosmetics company, but I’m in the middle of a divorce and decided to take a year off to explore Europe.”

When she mentioned the divorce, his interest only seemed to grow. “Ah. How could any man ever decide to let you go?”

She fought the blush climbing on her cheeks, “We had a good marriage. A long one. I have no regrets. My only one—I’m taking care of now, with this trip.”

“And how are you liking it?”

He suddenly spun her, and amazingly, she didn’t fall on her backside. When she turned around and faced him again, he took her hand in his, dragging her up to meet him. She gushed dreamily, “It’s amazing.” Then she realized she sounded like a twelve-year-old and added, “Actually, I haven’t seen much. I’ve only just arrived.”

“And it is your first time in Paris?” When she nodded, he said, “I should hope you have someone to show you around?”

“No, I came here alone.”

“That is a shame, that a lovely lady like yourself is condemned to travel through Paris alone,” he said, but his smile grew.

“I don’t mind it. But I admit it would be nice to have someone to show me around. Someone in the know.”

He chuckled, “Perhaps, we can arrange that.”

A shiver went down her spine. No, this wasn’t Stéphane, but maybe . . . She squelched those childish thoughts before she could allow them to take root and grow. “And you? Are you here alone?”

“I am, this time. Of course, it is not my first time, but it is, unfortunately, my first time alone.”