“Of course,” he said, recognizing her now as the woman who had so notably dazzled him years ago when he had just been appointed to his post. She had not gotten any less beautiful since then, her dark hair and stunning eyes were still offset by her clearly Middle Eastern looks in just the right way, making her mysterious on so many levels. They had only spent an evening together, she had romanced him at the inauguration ball for their new president, which, in a way, had been the minister’s own inauguration ball as well. But what was she doing here?

Ayala had never been assigned to France formally by the Mossad, her French was not as perfect as they demanded, but when a new government came into power in any major global power, it was customary to send a few of the Mossad’s more ‘charming’ agents to get some leverage on its key members. They had not slept together that night at the ball, but the recording she had of his detailed and imaginative proposition to her had been a valuable addition to their file on him, should it ever be needed.

“I was in town unexpectedly, and thought of you.” she said in lilting French, her accent intoxicating, “Might you be able to have dinner tonight?”

He was supposed to attend a gala tonight, but not a very interesting one, or a very important one, for that matter. Maybe he could excuse himself early, “Madame, I am honored that you thought of me.” he smiled charmingly, “I have an appointment that will detain me until about nine, would it be at all possible to meet me at that time? I know of a wonderful restaurant that we could rendezvous at.”

She seemed to think a moment, smiling coquettishly, then nodded, her eyes conspiratorial. “I like to eat earlier than that, I am afraid, my minister,” his spirits sank a moment, but then rose as she touched his arm gently, “maybe you could meet me for a digestif instead? They carry a Martell XO at my hotel. Say at ten? I am in room 1909 at the Renaissance Trocadero.”

He was stunned, she had resisted even his most ardent advances at their first meeting. Oh my. The part of him that was naturally cautious said it was too easy, but that part of him that was more amorous said in rebuttal that if she meant to blackmail him she would have done so long ago. The amorous side won without much of a fight.

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