‘You noticed.’
‘You didn’t play fair. You charmed my daughter, not to mention my mother.’
‘They were my strongest allies.’
‘It was almost as if you had a hidden agenda.’
‘Assignment,’ Raoul corrected, and nuzzled her soft curve at the edge of her neck. ‘Father to Emma. And husband…yours.’
It took her a moment to catch her breath, then a slow sweet smile curved her lips. ‘Reverse the order,’ she teased unmercifully. ‘And I might think about it.’
‘Might you, indeed?’ Raoul growled huskily. He swept an arm beneath her knees and lifted her against his chest.
A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. ‘What is this, persuasion?’
‘Sweet torture,’ Raoul assured huskily. ‘Until you say yes.’
It didn’t take long. Not very long at all.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THEY were married by a Celebrant in a civil ceremony held in a restored nondenominational church set in beautiful gardens by the river. Stephanie’s father gave her away, Celeste was matron of honor, and Emma the flower girl.
The bride wore a short cream dress overlayed with scalloped lace, while the groom was resplendent in a perfectly tailored black suit.
Afterward they ate fine food and drank Cristal champagne.
Two days later Raoul, Stephanie and Emma, together with Celeste and Philip flew to Paris where they held another ceremony, a reaffirmation of their vows, for the benefit of Raoul’s family.
Sandrine and Michel attended, as did Anneke and Sebastian. Henri stood proudly as head of the family, and Madeleine, the elderly matriarch, gave her blessing and thanked Stephanie for introducing a great-grandchild into the family. Premature, perhaps, for the legal adoption that would change Emma’s surname from Sommers to Lanier would not be official for a while.
Two Lanier wives hid a secretive smile, and remained silent. It was too soon to share the news that next Christmas, God willing, there would be two babes for Madeleine to fuss over.
Raoul noted Stephanie’s faintly wistful expression and linked her fingers with his own.
‘Happy?’
She turned her head toward him, and her radiant smile took his breath away.
‘Yes,’ she said simply, amazed that he needed to ask, when every night she responded to his lovemaking with such a wealth of unbridled passion. ‘How would you feel about—’
‘Oui.’
‘I didn’t finish.’
He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed a lingering openmouthed kiss to the pulsing veins at her wrist. ‘Mon coeur, you don’t need to.’
Her eyes sparkled with wicked humor. ‘You read minds?’
‘Yours, mon amour, is particularly transparent.’
‘That’s something I’m going to have to work on,’ she said with mocking amusement, and heard his soft husky laughter.
‘You are the other half of me, part of my soul. I look at you, and know your mind, your heart, as well as I know my own.’
‘Tu es ma vie. Je t’adore.’
His mouth brushed her temple. ‘Merci, mon ange,’ he said gently, and felt her fingers tighten around his own.
Life, he acknowledged, didn’t get any better than this.
ISBN: 978-1-474-05003-6
THE HELEN BIANCHIN COLLECTION
MARRIED FOR CONVENIENCE
Forgotten Husband © 1995 Helen Bianchin
The Marriage Arrangement © 2001 Helen Bianchin
The Husband Test © 2001 Helen Bianchin
LATIN LOVERS
A Convenient Bridegroom © 1999 Helen Bianchin
In the Spaniard’s Bed © 2003 Helen Bianchin
The Martinez Marriage Revenge © 2008 Helen Bianchin
MISTRESS ARRANGEMENTS
Passion’s Mistress © 1994 Helen Bianchin
Desert Mistress © 1996 Helen Bianchin
Mistress by Arrangement © 1999 Helen Bianchin
GREEK’S PRIDE
The Stefanos Marriage © 1990 Helen Bianchin
A Passionate Surrender © 2002 Helen Bianchin
The Greek Bridegroom © 2002 Helen Bianchin
THE MARRIAGE BED
An Ideal Marriage? © 1997 Helen Bianchin
The Marriage Campaign © 1998 Helen Bianchin
The Bridal Bed © 1998 Helen Bianchin
SEDUCTION ASSIGNMENT
The Seduction Season © 1988 Helen Bianchin
The Marriage Deal © 1999 Helen Bianchin
The Husband Assignment © 2000 Helen Bianchin
Published in Great Britain 2016
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
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