The fabulous stylist, the absentminded professor, and a Parisian adventure…
Winnie
Hey, I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and style guru in LA. The only worrisome snag is that the professor is determined to do everything on his own.
Not acceptable. I’m here to help the impossibly smart geek with mismatched socks who just happens to be my best friend’s boss.
Alistair
Paris calls. And somehow, I have a new temporary assistant.
Winnie is a technicolor, whirlwind American with a wicked laugh and the subtlety of a steamroller. He’s brash and ridiculous and…funny, warm, lovely, and—
Oh no.
Winnie can take Paris, but he can’t take my heart.
Winnie Takes Paris is an MM romantic comedy featuring a fabulous diva, a nerdy professor, and the Parisian adventure of a lifetime!
Oh my goodness, I couldn’t have loved these two together more! Winnie is fabulous and outrageous and so dang joyous. He loudly embraces life with energy & enthusiasm, finding delight in things big and small. He may be feeling a little down lately but he’s not going to let it defeat him, instead uses it as an opportunity to revamp himself.
And that radiance is a great foil for Alistair who tends to get caught up in his work and forget the rest of the world even exists. Winnie lets him for a little while but soon has him out seeing the sights of Paris, while getting to know each other. He may not know what Winnie sees in him at first but it doesn’t take him long to fall under Winnie’s spell, just like us.
Winnie Takes Paris is full of heat, humor, and heart. These two couldn’t be more different but complement each other so well – Alistair supports Winnie when he has doubts and Winnie reminds him that there is more to life than his studies. We could all do with someone who matches with us that well.
Hey, I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and style guru in LA. The only worrisome snag is that the professor is determined to do everything on his own.
Not acceptable. I’m here to help the impossibly smart geek with mismatched socks who just happens to be my best friend’s boss.
Alistair
Paris calls. And somehow, I have a new temporary assistant.
Winnie is a technicolor, whirlwind American with a wicked laugh and the subtlety of a steamroller. He’s brash and ridiculous and…funny, warm, lovely, and—
Oh no.
Winnie can take Paris, but he can’t take my heart.
Winnie Takes Paris is an MM romantic comedy featuring a fabulous diva, a nerdy professor, and the Parisian adventure of a lifetime!
I tapped my cup to his flute awkwardly. “To Paris.”
Winnie watched me cautiously. “Did I get your tea right? Raine said you like a smidge of milk and sugar.”
“Uh, yes…brilliant. Thank you.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome. What should we do now?”
“Wait for the train,” I replied evenly.
Winnie threw his head back and laughed, drawing a few curious glances our way. The lounge wasn’t exactly a library, but there was an unspoken acknowledgment that this was a quiet zone.
“Got that. I meant, what about work? I’m your assistant. If you need me to do anything, just say the word and I’m there.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your diligence, but there’s no need. Enjoy your champagne,” I said in a tone that clearly marked the end of the conversation.
Winnie didn’t take the hint. “Do you like champagne?”
“No, I don’t.”
He flattened his hand over his heart. “Why not? Champagne is the elixir of the gods, sunshine in a flute, bubbles for the soul.”
I shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t care for bubbles at all. I don’t want to drink them, anyway.”
“Mm, you’re missing out. I would bathe in champagne bubbles if I could.” He hummed indulgently.
“That sounds…sticky.”
Winnie’s lips twitched. “You’re right. It also sounds like a waste of a good thing, and I wouldn’t sacrifice a single sip of this stuff.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond or if I was supposed to, but this was probably a good time to remind Winnie that I didn’t need him to entertain me or vice versa. Or perhaps this was an opportunity to ask him a few questions and be done with prerequisite niceties.
What sort of questions, though? I had no clue. This was the sort of thing Raine usually handled for me.
I set my cup on the side table, pulled my cell from my pocket, and typed, Questions for a new acquaintance.
Google suggested the following: Number one, ask personal information—likes, dislikes, favorite color, hobbies. Not a chance. In my admittedly limited experience, that line of inquiry invited reciprocity, and there was no point in pretending we shared any common interests.
Number two, comment on something pleasant, such as the weather. I glanced out the rain-streaked window and quickly abandoned that suggestion. Too dire.
Number three, pay a compliment. That seemed like a safe option. Winnie was very…winsome. He had beautiful olive skin, perfectly coiffed hair, a flair for fashion, and—
“You have lovely eyes,” I blurted.
Winnie froze midsip, quirking his head as he slowly lowered his glass. “Are you flirting with me, Professor?”
“I—no! No, I…no,” I sputtered, wrinkling my nose, licking my lips, and blinking in rapid succession. “That was a statement, not a flirtation. I don’t do flirtations, so you’re quite safe there.”
“Am I?”
He was teasing. The spark in his eyes held pure mischief, but I didn’t know the rules of engagement at all. Was I supposed to say something clever in return? Possibly, probably. Witty banter wasn’t my strong suit, so I went with the truth instead.
“I couldn’t help noticing that you’re wearing makeup and…you look quite smart.”
His megawatt grin hit me like a bolt of lightning. “I do? How so? I’ve never been told my application of Chanel Stylo Yeux in espresso gave collegiate vibes.”
“Uh, no. I didn’t mean smart in that sense. That is to say, I’m sure you’re very intelligent, but I meant that you look…nice.”
His smile didn’t waver. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Well done, old chap. Now, leave it alone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t shut my gob. This was bad…very bad. “Ancient Egyptian men wore cosmetics, and depending on their rank and social class, they wore a lot of it. The kohl liner they used had practical purposes, too. It shielded one from the sun’s rays and repelled insects. They used animal fats and oils to create moisturizers, shampoos, and even to prevent baldness. Interesting, isn’t it? They’d rub fat from a snake or a—”
“Okay.” Winnie held his hand up. “That’s a lot of information.”
“That’s hardly the tip of the iceberg,” I assured him.
“I bet.” He gestured to the corner of his eye. “I made a last-minute trip to Sephora for this stuff. Much easier than wrangling a snake.”
“Sephora, derived from the Greek sephos, or beauty.”
Oh, bloody blooming bollocks. What is wrong with me?
*****
Author Info:
Lane Hayes lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!
Romantic Reads and Such 