2020-06-23 - Paris to Burgundy and Beyond

Normally, this is the kind of morning that would see Lilith passed out cold and sleeping in, despite Byron's early riser tendencies. The pair of them had a full time of travel and barely took any downtime on arrival in Paris. Instead, they lived it up, they had celebratory sex with a Paris window view from the hotel, they had drinks and unexpected company, they shopped, they dressed and went to a beautiful and romantic top notch dinner, then danced what was left of their energy off with a brief stop at a Paris nightclub. Then there was the lovemaking on their return too, an intimate joining slowed down to bask in their passion and love for each other.

Needless to say, by the time sleep hit them, they were utterly spent.

But they're in Paris. Surprisingly, Lilith is up not long after Byron and is rearing to hit the terrace view with coffee while taking a little time to wake up before dressing for the tourist and travel leg that's planned for the day. The weather is lovely and suitable and when they're ready to actually go out later in the morning, they hit a cafe to have proper fancy coffee and an authentic French croissant while drinking in the city view and deciding which sight to see before the tower with so much to pick from. In the end, the Louvre is decided to be the most logical given how much art history is there in one place and who doesn't want to say they've seen the Mona Lisa in person for prestige and culture points in conversation?

They don't see all of the grounds, of course, the museum is huge and they're on a time schedule, but they do fit in a brief tour for art history with a guide while inside at the more notable points worth talking about. Mostly, they hit the famous high points for the sake of saying they did, and while Lilith seems to really appreciate the art and architecture, she's also not exactly a huge art buff for the sake of the art. Instead, she spends time trying to estimate painting values like a true pawn broker or auction curator, which Byron no doubt finds mildly amusing and possibly interesting given she's talking numbers and speculation.

Eventually they make it to the Eiffel Tower and while ascending, Lilith starts to make a bit of a race with Byron on the stairs while holding back breathless giggle, which he's damn prone to win even though she started it by taking two steps at a time in powermove, playful gesture and tourist dodging to try and get the edge. They have 674 steps until they have to take the lift, which is really a haul, but eventually they're at the top and abruptly, Lilith asks the most Lilith thing possible once at the romantic top.

"... do you think we could really kill someone by dropping a penny off of this onto someone's head?"

After quite the enjoyable evening together, it was even difficult for Byron to want to drag himself out of bed with a sleeping Lilith cradled in the crook of his arm. But despite being on vacation, there were things that he needed to tend to and for today, at least, exercise and a good jog wasn't on his schedule. After carefully withdrawing himself from Lilith in the hopes of not waking her, he is quick to check his phone to see if there are any updates regarding some news he got from back home. Nothing so far. He knows that he should inquire with Alexander about the issue, but there there was little that he could do from Paris.

Moving on to the next order of business, he does inform his security team about Scarlett and Laurent, even finding internet pictures of both. If either are seen in town, they are to let him know. And once found, he'll have a pair of them trail them just in case either meet up with Grant Turner or any of his lackies. That's the moment that he senses some stirring coming Lilithward, allowing his phone to darken as he sets it down on the nightstand to lean in and give the birthday girl a morning kiss.

This being their last day in Paris, he dons the navy blazer again, this time with a casual button down worn beneath and a dark pair of slacks. Breakfast was everything one would expect from a Parisian cafe and the museum, he'd been to in the past. Rather than going there for his enjoyment, he watches as Lilith works estimates in her mind about some of the most famous historical works of art to be found within. He, himself, was not an art buff. A movie or concert poster was more his speed even if he decorated his penthouse with some random pieces of art just for showing off's sake.

During the planning of their itinerary, he kept seeing mention of the Catacombs of Paris being advertised or suggested over and over again. After what he'd encountered in Palermo that carried over to the event the last they were at his childhood home, he's more than hesitant to step foot into any ancient tomb. So he made sure to steer away from that mess.

Once they reached the Eiffel Tower and its many steps and high elevation, he can appreciate the view from the top. Of course, the view of the tower itself from various points within the city was also breathtaking. Leaning casually against the rail, he turns to Lilith with his veiled eyes hidden behind a pair of expensive sunglasses. Looking from Lilith then over the rail itself to stare down at the ground below, he reaches a hand into his pocket as if he's about to test that theory. "There's only one way to find out." But rather tha pull out a coin, he takes out his phone to Google the answer like any modern day human would do. "For the most part, the answer is no. But seeing as many people are standing down there and staring up at us, if unlucky, there's a possibility that they could injure an eye if anything." He grins over from his phone, eyes on Lilith again with a shrug of his broad shoulders, "Then again, anything can happen and a bystander beneath might just have a soft skull or an Achilles' Heal of sorts."

With that bit of research down, the phone is returned, but not after checking his notifications briefly. Stepping in to wrap an arm around Lilith's shoulder with the both of them facing out over the spectacular view, he says as he leans in to the side towards her to press a bristled kiss against the side of her lips, "How are you enjoying the City of Lights? Beautiful isn't it?"

Lilith continues to look at the view downward after her inquiry of Byron, but when he starts digging in his pocket, she looks over with a vaguely incredulous expression for a flickering beat. She was distracted, okay, he got her that time with the feint. When he produces his phone to start googling for real scientific internet answers, though, she tilts her head to consider the answer and only barely keeps her serious expression intact while listening to the results. In conclusion, she loses her facade to start cracking up at Byron with a spill of humored laughter and approval. The man is likely aware she actually likes to know the answers to things like that, she read her car manual for fuck's sake just to see how 4WD worked.

"... I love you so much right now for that."

While she's laughing and expressing her delight over Byron himself for that moment, wind from the top of the tower catches her low-slung banded back hair to whip around one cheek. It happens while she turns into the kiss at the corner of her mouth upon close draw in, putting the obstruction of hair briefly into what she's trying as a sweet Eiffel Tower romantic kiss as answering to how much she's enjoying herself. It makes her sputter into his lips, though, with another slip of laughter, but after brushing her hair back where it mostly belongs with a swipe of hand, she initiates a full kiss before making an 'mm' noise into it, "I'm enthralled... with you. But the city too."

After a lift of her hand to dust affection under Byron's bearded jaw, she breaks enough to turn her head and look at the view off the railing and beyond at the Parisian cityscape, "I'd certainly like to come back and look at more some time, but honestly, I'm excited for the change of scenery again, too. From what I can tell, you did a stellar job of really mixing it up for a taste of everything lovely in variety. You're kind of a big deal, you know." She pauses and slants a smile while looking back up at Byron's eyes behind the lenses of the sunglasses, telling him a bit giddily (and unnecessarily), "... we just kissed on top of the Eiffel Tower. That's amazing on principle. Do it again."

They were truly on top of the world right now. While the Eiffel Tower was in no way the tallest structure in the world, just being here with the person that you loved most was an experience to cherish and relish in. Byron's doing just that right now, enjoying the view in the best company that he could possibly be in. Lilith's bringing up this casual kiss then wanting more makes a smile spread across Byron's lips. Rather than simply lean in against her the way he did earlier, he practically spins her around so that she faces him directly and with a slow lift of her chin, he leans in, keeping eye contact with her until seconds after their lips meet. It's a far more passionate kiss that the one prior, feeling the world disappearing around them until his eyes open once more, doting on her with an adoring smile.

They spend a bit more time marveling at the sights, then taking one last walk around the city before returning to their hotel to pack up and catch a ride to the train station.

First stop on the journey is to Champagne, a little over an hour train ride from Paris. From here he and two of his security team part ways with the two men going the full way to Beaune with the couple's luggage to make sure that their reservation is set up before they actually arrive at the town. They take a car from the station out to one of the vineyards for a little history lesson and a taste of some of the best bubbly and wine. By now, Byron's removed his blazer, donning only the white buttoned down and slacks for this journey.

He didn't plan for them to stay for very long, but to give them time to stretch their legs a bit with a good glass of champagne or three. The bulk of their Burgundy trip would be done tomorrow and this would be one of the more relaxing parts of their trip before the far longer journey to Nice and Cannes. So for now, they are taking things slowly. When they finally reboard the train and get out at Beaune, it's already evening when he escorts her to not quite a fancy hotel, but more like a luxurious cottage, giving them a more authentic old world feel.

Once upon a time, Lilith might have rolled her eyes at romancing on the top of the Eiffel Tower, calling the very idea of it 'trumped up' or 'overblown' or 'downright bullshit' in signature jaded fashion. But now that she's had that very thing for herself, she might have to admit how magical it all was to be kissing at the top with a Parisian view and the summer breeze in their hair. That and she was so Byron drunk by the end of the kiss, they could have been standing near a scenic dumpster and she wouldn't have much noticed or minded, but the whole damn thing was much more enthralling than she expected.

They'd already had a full morning and day's worth of out and about activities, but the second part of the day still loomed. Lilith has been energy and pep since an early wakeup after a late night, but to be fair, she's probably existing on the buzz of enthusiasm and coffee by the time they get on the train. She means to stay awake long enough to see out of the window during the hour or so to Champagne, to watch the scenery change, but... nope. When there's train motion rocking her and the lull of public chatter around, she falls right asleep on Byron's arm and shoulder like a crashing toddler.

The powernap serves well for when they arrive for the tasting and she's back to alert and ready to drink champagne in... Champagne! That actually amuses her more than it should, but it's possible the very good champagne itself has something to do with that. It'd been a while since they slowed down to eat, so when they're migrating to the cottage, she has Byron call ahead to arrange dinner waiting for them if he hasn't already, right out on a patio to enjoy the evening air of a French summertime outside of the city of Paris. She's also perfectly content to be lazy and lounge around after the nice and intimate (and much needed meal).

After laying around and bidding a slow dance around the room out of Byron to some slow Parisian jazz on a local station, Lilith is also content to go to bed fairly early for vacation given how long ago morning started for the pair of them. Besides, they have a chateau breakfast to attend in the morning and a full next day before some much longer travel. But at some point in the middle of the night while cuddling, she doesn't quite make it a chaste overnight. Instead, while the man is drowsy and between waking and sleep, she lazily and drowsily pleasures him with her mouth and hands impromptu beneath the sheet before insisting he go back to sleep while he's still floating on the high of release.

And all morning while they're getting ready for breakfast, Lilith plans her most ridiculous adjectives for wine to throw at Byron in preparation for more vineyard countryside. She's pretty ready to say things like 'buttery finish' and 'crisp florid notes'. She even looks up the translations during breakfast and looks at wine tasting guides while confessing to Byron that everything mostly tastes like 'wine' and little else according to her palate. Then again, she doesn't usually drink it to taste, especially not in a famous wine region, so she's trying to get an idea of what she's actually supposed to be noting while drinking.

There are some vacations where you lounge around on the beach and that was that. Then there are vacations like these where you're traveling to so many locations that it gives you very little time to rest. Once you get home you'll be needing a vacation from your vacation. They only had a week and boy was that week packed. This was a wonderful second evening of their trip with a far longer leg to come, but perhaps that will afford them time to finally unwind as they travel by both train and ferry to Nice.

For now, however, Byron was beat. Some of that champagne was going to his head, nevermind the lush meal that followed and then the pleasant evening dancing around their own private cottage for the evening. Even as he tried to relax, his mind was on schedules and itineraries among far more serious issues. So come evening, basking in the light of the moon shining in from one wide opened window as they slept, he's treated to far more pleasurable dreams both in the physical world and in the dreamscape of his mind.

Rather than starting their day at the crack of dawn, for this leg, Byron is in a far more relaxed state, enjoying the slow countryside way of life. It's near 11am when they head out after breakfast. Donning those sunglasses once more, Byron just has on a blue polo shirt and a fitted pair of jeans, his feet tucked into black combat boots. His appearance doesn't necessarily scream wealth, even if the watch and those sunglasses that he wears look like they cost more than a mere pretty penny.

The tour starts with some wine tasting, being fed a variety of delicious cheese, olives, breads and meats along the way. A light lunch before a wagon ride through the vineyard and a short little trek. He does his best to humor Lilith and her ridiculousness, finding her just so damned amusing some times. While they're seated in the wagon, getting a close up view of one of the country's most famous vineyards, he asks, as he tosses an olive into his mouth, lounging off to the side to view the beautiful greenery that they are riding past, "I could let them know that the finish isn't buttery enough for you." He says in an almost deadpan, but he breaks out into a smile before too long. "The skies never look as beautiful back home as they do here." And while Gray Harbor was going through its own summer, the clear skies never last. "I gotta confess, I can't tell the difference between wine itself, but I do understand the prestige of certain brands."

"You know what we should do to obtain the ultimate buttery finesse? Get one of those cheesy labeled couples wines, employ a custom blending service and request... uh. Extra butter." Lilith says, punctuating the word 'cheesy' with reach to pop some of the cheese alongside the olives into her mouth with scrunch of nose and overblown snare of teeth. While chewing, she breaks into a grin, though, tacking on, "It's honestly the best way to call something smooth from now on." Her hand reaches to tickle against his polo shirt before plucking it with tug and looking skyward when he does afterwards, "You, Byron Thorne, have a buttery finish."

And while looking at the sky, then out at the vineyard scenery the woman makes a noise in her throat that's pure contentment and agreement before her eyes cut lashes aside to give Byron a look, "How can I ever trust the taste of someone with an unrefined palate? I thought you'd come up, Thorne. Turns out, you're still a wine hobo like me. Tsk." She's wearing a light white floral romper decorated with red blossoms and green sprawling vines. Though long-sleeved, it's thin material and the arms are billowy blousy while the hemline of the skirted shorts is extremely short with a dipped neckline, black strappy sandals lacing up her ankles. Her own dark, mirrored designer sunglasses are on and her hair is pulled into a curled twist knot away from her face, lips as deeply red as the color splashes of blossoming on her attire and the wines they're drinking.

The lipstick makes her teeth flash even neater and whiter by appearance when she breaks into a full smile after the ribbing of company. Then she supposes aloud, "Maybe you just need a certain tongue gene for it. Like those people that can tell fuschia and magenta apart when others swear it's the same color." Leaning backwards a little, she ticks her glasses down her nose to give Byron an up and down appreciation with her eyes before poking them back up, "Your tongue is the best tongue, though, whatever gene that is." After a click of her own tongue, like it's a pity she can't capitalize on his magical tongue at the moment in the vineyard wagon, she looks out and around to make the only complaint he's heard in days.

"... your birthday is next month, you know. How the hell am I supposed to compete with all of this?"

With the front of his shirt lightly tugged and he's now told that HE has a buttery finish, Byron's lips pull into a wide grin. Lowering his chin, he peers out across at Lilith from above the rim of his sunglasses, "That's the best compliment I'd heard all day." Resettling back in against the side of the wagon, his chin now lifted as he basks in the sunlight, he goes to say, "Looks like you can never trust my taste. I'd take a bottle of cheap beer over some of what I'd stocked my bar with any day." Can't take the blue collar lifestyle out of the boy it seems.

Then she's going on about his tongue and makes his a correction, "Sorry, the buttery finish was the /second/ best compliment that I'd heard all day." Drawing himself up as he straightens his posture, he pulls her in close to nuzzle with. She doesn't think she can capitalize on that magical tongue of his, but he's more than willing to give her just a little taste. This was France. No one should care about any bit of PDA, so moving in close, he presses his mouth against Lilith's, tasting the sweetness of wine on her lips as he explores her hot mouth, which he eventually murmurs against in response to her recent question, "You have your way of showing your own appreciation. Your own magic. And besides." His lips nibble on hers before finishing, "You're all the present that I ever wanted."

Aside from the make out session and taking a casual stroll through the vineyards before stopping by to visit some of the local shops in town, they find themselves once more packing up and heading to the train station for the longest part of their journey. They have some time to kick back and relax, watching the beautiful scenery along the way. At one of the ports in a small town, they board a ferry for a far more scenic trick along the French Riviera. This, in itself, while still a commute, really did feel like a vacation on its own. By the time they arrive, it was already late and he calls ahead to make sure that their room was in order because there would be little to do until the morning. He didn't book a room with your typical hotel this time around. He knew a guy who had a large villa with picturesque views overlooking the water and they would be staying at his place for the next day or so. There was a large terrace to people watch and sunbathe if they wish to and all of the luxurious amenities one would expect Byron Thorne to provide.

Though theirs was a long trip, they had enough time for rest with very little that they were able to do during the commute. "If you want a tour of the place and some dessert with wine, I might have the energy for that. We can sleep in if you want or we can head out early, take a dip into the ocean, walk along the sands."

Lilith looks drunk after all the kissing, but she also wasn't spitting her wine like she should have during extensive tasting, so maybe it's that. But mostly, it's Byron, and she's never much gave a whit about PDA no matter where they much are. Luckily, she doesn't up the ante on that and give the poor wagon and vineyard a heart-attack by crawling onto his lap to take exactly what she wants on the spot. But rompers really are shorts, as much as they look like skirts, so if she thought about it, she was deterred by her outfit. The gears of her head are still turning in advance too, because even if she is all the present that Byron wants...

Well. He's not the only one that likes to see a happy, surprised face. She'll figure something out, she generally does and it's not often the typical thing that someone would see coming, much like her Valentine's day album present with old writings. All that is backdrop in her brain, though, because the way Byron says she's all he wants has her close to squirming with the girly flutters, especially given the tug of teeth on her lips that closes the kiss. There's a helpless smile on her lips that's persisting through a lot of time even after the wagon ride, into the walk of the vineyards. Hell, she's even humming while in the kitschy little French tourist shops and wine cellars for commerce.

While they travel, Lilith is attentive and photo-happy with her phone on the scenery, turning it on Byron too now and again, because she realizes she hasn't been doing much capture of moments while living in those moments. Which, you know, is good, but she wants some more photo evidence, damnit. And the closer they get to the Riviera after boarding the ferry, the more she snaps, but finally she decides enough is enough and tells Byron aside from the breezy deck, "... we're going to get home and have all these pictures in bulk of this one day and call it Pearl Harbor a'cause... I think I went Japanese with the camera bomb playing catchup."

Lilith eyes some people nearby snapping pictures (with selfie sticks) and to be fair, they might be from China or elsewhere, but she's sticking to her fuck-free racial stereotype joke anyway. When they dock to take car to the villa, though, that was a surprise because while she knows what the tickets and bits say with pre-booking, she doesn't ever know what kind of accommodation they're going to show at with Byron's arranging. Therefore, when it's a whole Riviera villa they pull up to, she immediately wants a tour, of course, because it's a whole villa and she's nosy level enthralled now that she knows it's where they're staying.

"Tour. Dessert. No more wine, please, I want..." Lilith has to think on that, she had a lot of wine earlier, "Coffee with our sweets. Because I think we should sleep in and laze out onto the sands at leisure tomorrow after staying up late tonight." For sex? Nope! Surprise! While he's giving the walk around, she explains why she actually wants to stay up late, "Let's walk out while the tide is low on the sand and in the surf with flashlights and... look at the tide pools and try to find sand dollars to wash and take back." She probably just wants the activity in and of itself and a walk beneath moonlight with Byron in the surf, but Lilith has also been collecting little matchbooks, stickers, tiny keychains, etc while on the trip, and apparently, she wants sand dollars now too.

Obviously, Byron does take several pictures of his own. Mainly images of Lilith with some sort of beautiful French backdrop behind her, but there are a few selfies that he'd taken, though they are usually taken with her as well. And the occasional flagging one of his trusted security types down to take a proper photograph of the pair. He might not have as many pictures as Lilith does, but he doesn't come away without either. After the dark days that they'd left behind temporarily in Gray Harbor, these would be moments that he'd like to capture and remember.

Now, Byron hasn't been here all that often to be able to give her a proper tour. One of the staff on hand is happy to do that for him, however, giving them some history of the villa as well as making sure they know where their amenities are. While there was no actual room service as if this were a hotel, so no 24 hour service, breakfast would be served in a certain time frame even if they do decide to sleep in. The place was huge and the room in which they were staying was open and airy with doors leading out to a large terrace already equipped for sunbathing with fancy lounge chairs all over. The terrace actually connects to a few difference entrances, thus it's not so much private (though there was hardly anyone else staying here as he booked the entire place) and it has a pool and hot tub in full view of the sea.

Byron's not opposed to dessert and coffee to go with their evening wanderings. As she gets changed into something more comfortable, perhaps, he packs up a little basket of things including blankets to either sit on or wear if the night gets chilly and, of course, flashlights for their evening stroll. The coffee and pastries they pick up from a nearby cafe on their way to the beach. Then it's shoes off, feeling the sand between their toes as they walk alongside the waters edge feeling it lapping coolly against their skin. With one arm around her and the others carrying both his shoes and the basket, he has to ask, "Do you have any regrets knowing that we'll have to leave this place in a few days?" And return back to the Hell they'd just left.

"... do we actually have to leave?" Lilith did much gushing over the villa itself and right now, she's letting Byron do the actual navigation of where they go. Much of her visual attention is on the sand, watching their feet splash and sink, eyes scanning the shells and lapping waves. She hasn't busted out the flashlight to go full sea-creature shell searching quite yet, though, because while she's looking, she's doing that lazy kind of bump and nuzzle walk while walking with the man's arm around her. She did change clothing, and put on a strapless bandeau top bikini in black. But it's night and sea breezes are a thing, so she also puts on a hooded cardigan jacket to partially button over a pair of laced up white swing shorts.

It's casual and beachy, but it also makes for a nice cleavage view as she hops in front of Byron to walk backwards and look at him as he continues to walk forward, "We could change our names." She makes this suggestion deadpan, and for as nice of a time as they're having, she could well mean it, "I could learn French and work at an auction house. You can work from anywhere, more or less, especially with a different name." Then it starts to take a turn toward fantasy and not identity swapping like a couple of criminals (but they are, shhh).

"I could work at the Moulin Rouge and do those high kicking dances. You could buy every hotel and city villa for sale and make an empire when you put your Midas touch on it. We could take up hobbies. Like... I could design indie jewelry and make a designer name out of it. You could be a master gardener and enter your gardenias in a competition." She pauses for breath and more bullshit, "... and we'll name our Yorkie that we carry around in a basket... we'll name it Skittles."

Now Byron KNOWS Lilith is full of shit and knows they can't actually stay, she hates yappy toy dogs in purses. Stopping in front of Byron, suddenly, she deliberately bumps into his front with her front in collide, then sloshes water with kicking up onto his leg while lifting her face up for a kiss, "Or you could throw that blanket over there to the left, we'll eat and drink and look at the water and the sand and the moon and the stars. Then we'll find neat stuff to take back with us and sleep in each other's arms, wake up tomorrow and live like there's no such thing as an end."

"... do we actually have to leave?"

Byron's been asking himself this question since they left the dreary town in Washington. Even more so after the text message he'd received on their very first day in France. He may have been considering this as a serious question in his mind, but he knows when Lilith is making light of the moment and it's enough to make him smile with laughter. "I can only imagine what happens when I change my name and the IRS coming knocking at our villa door." His voice changes, sounding gruff, "Knock. Knock. Knock. Bonjour, My name is Agent Smith of the IRS. We believe that you may have moved to France to get away from paying this add huge number here sum of taxes you owe, Monsieur," And here Byron squints as if pretending to look down at some document, "Ettiene March--" While thinking of some French last name to give himself, he went with the family or merchants which just happens to be Marchand. Thus his voice softens on realizing this, allowing the fina -and portion to drift off into the wind.

He doesn't let on that anything is wrong and instead adds on, "I've already taught you all of the dirty French words that I know. What more do you need?"

With Lilith lifting herself up to gift him with a kiss, Byron more than graciously accept, reaching out to hold onto her even with all of the items like his shoes and the picnic basket still in hand. Staring down into her eyes, his smile lingers, "I could do that. Sure.I can't wait to taste the coffee from off of your lips." Giving her another quick kiss, he withdraws to find a nice spot to set the basket down and layout the blanket. Down on his knees, leaning forward to spread the sheet out before moving to set the basket upon the blanket now that it's spread, he comments, "I'm sure Smog and Skittles will get along beautifully."

Lilith doesn't really think anything of the name in partial, especially since they were just making up nonsense on the fly in the sake of jest. While Byron is leaned and kneeling to spread the blanket, the brunette drops her own shoes nearby and puts one of her bare, sandy feet in bumping nudge against his ass, "Promise not to bring home a dog named Skittles and I might let you taste the rainbow." Mostly, she keeps a straight face and tone while saying the slogan all dirty (somehow), and when the blanket is spread out, she drops onto her own knees upon it, then forward onto her hands for exaggerated semi-yoga pose that's playfully ass turned up for slap before turning to settle.

Yes, she knows it was a bad joke and is totally letting Byron spank her for it. The offer is right in that pose with the cracked grin that can't help but take up residence on her lips in the moonlight. But she doesn't stay that way long, so once he's had his chance, she turns and reclines with a toss of her hair, leaned back against a hand while the other dusts at some fine sand on one of her legs, "We're here tomorrow night, right? After all the sunshine and swimming and Riviera summer soaking, I have plans for us. But I'm not going to tell you. I just want to make sure you don't have a surprise to spring on me before I try to spring one on you."

And once Lilith has had her first drink of coffee, no matter who happens to be talking at that time, she leans right over to kiss the hell out of Byron like she's a genie granting a wish. But when she comes back out of the kiss to take another drink, she can't help but tease while digging for a pastry to feed him a bite dotingly afterwards, "... this is how we make coffee a fetish as well as an addiction for you. While we're in France, we work on a Pavlovian reaction for when we get home.. you'll want to kiss me every single time you have a cup of coffee. Which means I'm getting soooooo many kisses."

Feeling the nudge at his backside, Byron turns to glance Lilith's way, listening to her make teasing promises if he restrains himself enough to not torture her by purchasing a yappy Yorkie. But then she presents her own ass in his direction and of course, this is not an opportunity that he's going to squander. Dark eyes follow the length of her legs in the position that she's in now, slowly lifting to marvel over her rounded rear. He would be satisfied to merely look without touching, but he knows what she wants and he doesn't not dare disappoint. She might feel a hard slap hit her rump to go with that cheeky grin on his face.

"Do you really thinking husbands used to spank their wives in the Victorian era? It's something I'd heard, but was never certain as to whether that was myth or that it was something that normally happened. Though I have a feeling that the threat of spanking wouldn't deter you from doing things that might rile me up." He's finished with the set up, not that there's much to do but bring out the pastries and coffee, before he settles himself down beside Lilith, handing her one of the cups.

"Yeah, we'll be here tomorrow night." Though when she brings up yet another surprise, she can see the curiosity in that arched brow. Though now he has to consider his own plans. He knows that they have this moment to talk, but it didn't seem like the right time for that kind of conversation. Enjoying the taste of coffee on Lilith's lips and them chewing at the flaky pastry when she feeds him, he says with a lick at his own lips now, "You make it seem like there are moments where I don't want to kiss you." He's careful not to spill his coffee when he leans in close to her, resting on his side but practically hovering over her in the way in which he leans in, "You've always been my addiction." He follows this up with another coffeed kiss.

"... try it and find out if it works." Lilith suggests as a sidebar after shrugging her shoulders and starting to go for her phone, as if she's actually curious about the spanking bit. But she suspects it's probably true. Besides, it's too pretty to go using her phone right now under the night Riviera sky in the sand next to the water... and Byron is right there to extend a test offering. Her lips can't help but twitch, even though she seems perfectly serious about it and less joking coy. Of course, when she's piss-raging mad, him putting her over his knee might seem like a gamble... it'll either work and turn into shocked laughing/angry sex/BDSM... or something will catch on fire. Probably not him, though, at least. Probably.

That said, they'd probably have amazing angry sex and she's went and gave him a permission pass for the future, seems.

So...

Anyway, there's no possible way they're having angry sex on this blanket, and putting Lilith over Byron's knees even for play would detract from the kissing they're doing, especially once he's spoken to her always being his addiction. She doesn't have any words for it and she doesn't coffee up anew. She just kisses and kisses until they're entwined around each other with pastries and coffee forgotten for a little while, along with everything else. It's really the best part about going away with Byron, they can sometimes tune out the world with each other, even in a place like Gray Harbor. So, in places like this...

Lilith and Byron can make a whole fairytale to drown in. But eventually, she gets three sand dollars out of the night's beach trip too.