The Brooding Frenchman s Proposal

by Rebecca Winters

  “Did you have a good time at Claude’s today?”

  “It was okay. How long ago did she leave?”

  Not sure he’d heard Paul correctly, Raoul swam across to him. “Did who leave? Your maman was sitting at the dinner table ten minutes ago.”

  “I meant Laura.”

  “I wasn’t aware she’d gone anywhere.” He hoped she was in her bedroom nursing a migraine over her guilt.

  “She was going to start teaching me CPR, but I guess she forgot. The maid said Laura asked Pierre to drive her someplace in the limo so papa wouldn’t have to leave maman.”

  That bit of news sent a shockwave through Raoul’s body. What destination did Laura have in mind tonight? Had she planned to be with another man she’d met before? Nothing about her added up. There was only one way to find out the truth. He picked up his clothes and started for his house.

  “Do you want to stay and swim with me?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t right now. I have plans, but we’ll do some laps tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  “À toute à l’heure.”

  “Ciao.”

  Once he reached the house Raoul pulled out his cell phone and dialed the limo driver. Pierre picked up on the third ring. “Oui, Monsieur Raoul?”

  “Where are you now?”

  “Villefranche.”

  “Et Mme Aldridge?”

  “She’s walking the grounds of the Villa Leopolda.”

  “How much longer do you expect she’ll be?”

  “Since she just got started, I would imagine a half hour anyway. Is there an emergency?”

  “Non. This can wait. Merci, Pierre.” He clicked off.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  LAURA was making her way back from the Villa Leopolda estate when she discovered the limo was gone. In its place an unfamiliar black Mercedes sedan stood parked, but a dangerously familiar Frenchman in cream trousers and a soft yellow crew neck lounged against the front fender watching her progress.

  After their wild skirmish that had raised more questions than it had answered during the day, there was no escaping Raoul. As a matter of fact, she did wonder if he might come looking for her because he was a man who couldn’t tolerate unfinished business. She had thought she’d figured out why he didn’t like her, and under the circumstances she had made up her mind to be nicer to him.

  Guy’s family was very close-knit. While they were going through this terrible period with Chantelle, Raoul obviously resented any outsider coming in. Laura could understand that. With tensions running high it was always harder to behave normally around a stranger. Raoul wasn’t used to anyone else being there. Perhaps he was even a little jealous that he didn’t have Chantelle’s full attention when he did drop in.

  Because Laura had half expected to see him before the night was over, her footsteps didn’t falter as she made her way toward him. It was only 9:20 p.m., that magic time of night between darkness and light.

  He waited with his powerful arms folded. Though a modern man in contemporary clothes, he had the look of a dark, forbidding prince who might have had the estate behind her built for his own private pleasure.

  A strange half smile lifted one corner of his compelling mouth. “If you’re in the market for a piece of property, the villa can be purchased if you make an offer over 500 million American dollars.”

  She stopped three feet from him. “That’s what the pilot told me when he flew me over it when I arrived here. I’m afraid I don’t earn that kind of money.”

  “A woman like you doesn’t have to.”

  Another glove slapped against her cheek. And here she’d been feeling more charitable toward him.

  “You mean all I have to do is ask you to buy it for me and voilà—it’s mine?”

  He straightened to his imposing height, reminding her how incredibly appealing he was. “It might be…for a price.”

  She nodded. “That’s fair. I doubt even King Leopold’s first mistress knew he only planned to install her here for a season. She was a fool…like all the others that followed her. What is yours? Price, I mean.” It gave her a secret thrill to bait him.

  His expression hardened, filling her with satisfaction that he couldn’t have it all his own way every second. “It might be too high.”

  “You mean for a woman like me,” she mimicked him. “You’ve made your point and are probably right.”

  “Stop the pretense, Laura.”

  She’d had it with him. “What have I done wrong now, Raoul?”

  A bleak expression entered his eyes, almost human. She didn’t know he could look like that, and it softened her to discover he might have feelings. “According to Pierre, you’ve been out here two hours. That’s a long time when you can’t even tour the rooms.”

  “I wasn’t interested in the interior.”

  “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

  “Since you’ve already decided what kind of woman I am, I guess it wouldn’t.”

  He sucked in his breath. “What’s your real reason for being here?”

  She laughed. “My real reason? What’s yours?”

  His black brows formed a bar above his eyes. “Paul hoped you’d be back so you’d teach him CPR.”

  “Paul was very endearing when he said he’d like to learn, but I couldn’t pin him down to a time. We decided to play it by ear.”

  “Are you certified?”

  “Yes. Since you’re such a protective uncle, I’ll have you know I’ve taught hundreds of people.”

  “Even adult males?”

  She cocked her head. “Are you needing a lesson?”

  “And if I were?” he mocked.

  She eyed him frankly. “I don’t know. Can you afford me? But maybe the better question to ask would be, can your reputation stand being in the company of a married woman like me?”

  A little nerve hammered at his temple. “How married are you?” he demanded.

  If she wasn’t mistaken, the subject had him all worked up. This was getting fascinating. “You either are, or you aren’t. Which are you, by the way, Raoul?”

  “Don’t change the subject.”

  “It’s the same subject, as far as I can tell, Raoul. Why don’t you want to talk about yourself? What are you afraid of?” she teased with a smile. “Has your wife hired a private detective to follow your every move so he can show her pictures of the latest woman in your life? I’m told blackmail is still big business in France. Especially when you’re talking the Laroche fortune. Come on and tell me the truth. Who has more? You or Guy?”

  His chest rose and fell visibly. “Does he know what you’ve been doing out here alone?”

  Laura couldn’t keep up with his thought processes. He was all over the place. She felt like she was on the witness stand. “Of course. He’s the one who suggested I ask Pierre to drive me.”

  The glitter coming from those dark eyes jolted her. “Guy would do anything for you wouldn’t he.”

  “Well…I did save his life.”

  “Can you prove it?” he bit out.

  “No, but I imagine if you ask any of his friends who were there like Maurice or Luigi, they would be able to tell you. Luigi was exceptionally grateful to me too. In fact, he asked me if I’d like to spend the night at his villa in Rome, but Guy got to me first.”

  Raoul shifted his weight restlessly before staring into her eyes. “I’ll concede I’ve been a little rough on you. For the last time, why did you come out here to this villa?”

  “So if I tell you now, you’ll believe me?”

  “Let me hear it first,” he murmured, though it seemed to cost him to allow even that much latitude.

  “I wanted to do some sketches of the estate while there weren’t too many people around.” I wanted to get away from you. “During the day visitors often stop to talk or ask questions and it interrupts my concentration. Does that satisfy you?”

  “No.” He almost hissed the word.

  The white-hot heat of anger ran up
her body to her face. “That’s because you hoped to catch me with a man so you could tell your brother to throw the scheming opportunist out of his house. Before you do that, you’d better be able to explain how I had time to do this!”

  She opened her tote bag and thrust the sketchpad at him. “Go on. Look inside. I dare you,” she whispered because if she said it in any louder, she’d rouse the security people stationed around the villa.

  In an economy of movement he turned back the cover. It was a new sketchpad, the one she’d put in her purse before they left for Antibes. The first three pages were drawings she’d done down on the marina while she had been waiting for him. However, the next twenty contained her series of the Villa Leopolda.

  Not even Raoul could argue that she’d had time for a secret tryst and still complete that many detailed drawings in a two-hour time limit. This was the first time he’d seen any of her artwork. He studied each one for an indefinite period. She experienced immense delight watching him eat crow.

  Eventually he closed it and handed it back to her. His eyes were mere black slits. “You’re very gifted,” his voice grated.

  “But you still dislike me. I can live with that as long as you stay out of my way until the two weeks are up. So far you’ve had trouble in that department.” His lips thinned at that remark. She couldn’t be happier. “As you can see from your own experience, men have a hard time leaving me alone, whatever their private reasons. It gets tiring and I’m tired. May I have a ride home, please?”

  After a thorough study of her features, he opened the front passenger door for her. She moved past him and got in, thankful she’d worn pants with her striped top. Every time his searching gaze wandered over her, she felt exposed and vulnerable.

  Once he closed the door and went around to the driver’s side, she slipped the sketchpad into her purse, but when she started to fasten her seat belt he forestalled her and drew her into his arms. The action brought her cheek against his freshly shaved jaw, causing her hair to flounce like gold silk. Sensing he was going to kiss her, she hid her face in his neck.

  He bit her earlobe gently. “You know we’ve both been wanting this since we met. Why so coy, Laura?”

  She admitted it, but he’d chosen the wrong word. It had a connotation that meant she was playing a game, pretending to be shy while at the same time being intentionally flirtatious and silly. Though he hadn’t meant to, he’d brought her back to reality in a hurry.

  She moved her head so she could see into his eyes. “That’s right,” she mocked. “From a woman like me you want brazen. I’m afraid I’m all out of that flavor today.”

  His face darkened with lines. “Let’s find out, shall we?” He crushed her mouth with his own. Slowly he began devouring her, giving her little chance to breathe with her gathered so closely against him. The primitive nature of the kiss rocked her to the core, calling out her natural desire.

  With no other people around, Laura had the sense they were far away from civilization. Alone with this man, she was spinning out of control. It frightened her she could feel this way so fast and she started to pull away.

  “I’d say that was an interesting experiment,” he murmured against her lips before allowing her to move away from his arms. “It leaves me to wonder if you respond the same way to other men…to my brother for instance.”

  Her head jerked around. Shock set her back so it was difficult to find the words. Her veins had turned to ice water.

  “I knew you had your suspicions about me, Raoul, but do you mean to tell me you’ve been kissing me, holding me, and all this time you’ve believed that Guy and I are lovers?”

  His features remained impassive. “You have no idea how much I haven’t wanted it to be true.”

  “But there’s a part of you that still believes it?”

  “Laura—”

  “You do!”

  He shook his head. “I know Guy wants you for comfort. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

  “Comfort is a far cry from a sexual relationship!”

  His eyes had a desolate cast. “They can be two sides of the same coin.”

  “That’s true if you’re in love. Guy’s in love with Chantelle!”

  “She doesn’t want him anymore.”

  “So you assume he’s turned to me?” Right now she was so hurt she wanted to die. “I want to go back to the villa. Would that be too much to ask, or shall I just jump out and walk home?”

  The tension vibrated between them before he started the motor and pulled out of the parking area onto the main road. He worked with calm precision. His movements automatic. Poetry in motion, but it had the effect of infuriating her more.

  The silence on the drive back to Cap Ferrat was louder than any more questions he could throw at her. All the time he’d been vetting her, he refused to satisfy her curiosity about him on a solitary thing.

  As he pulled up to the front of the darkened villa she tried to get out, but he’d set the lock. When she glanced over at him, he lay back against the seat seemingly relaxed for the moment, but she wasn’t fooled. He could pounce at the slightest provocation.

  “Perhaps now that we’ve both had a chance to cool off,” he drawled, “you’ll tell me the real reason you accepted my brother’s invitation to stay with them.”

  She bowed her head. “Since you’ve already been told the first version, perhaps you should be asking your nephew. He was at the Palio and heard Guy ask me to come.”

  “Paul doesn’t have a clue about a woman like you.”

  “Merci.”

  His muffled French curse rent the air inside the car. “You know what I was implying.”

  “I’m not sure I ever know what you really mean and I’m too exhausted to undergo another interrogation.”

  “That’s too bad because I want an answer. Even you have to agree that after one meeting in Siena while you’re supposedly working, it was highly irregular for you to come into his home the very next morning and end up being his wife’s companion for the next two weeks.”

  She flung herself around so she was facing him. “You obviously meant ‘highly suspect.’ I suppose it is…coming from a paranoid, bitterly jaded, twisted mind like yours. It’s evident someone scarred you for life, Raoul, that’s why I have no intention of answering any more of your questions. It would be pointless. Let me out of the car.”

  “I’m not through with you yet,” he countered, making no move to undo the lock button at the side.

  Laura had reached the limits of her tolerance. “Then let it be on your head.” Without thought for the consequences, she reached over with the intention of pressing on the horn so security would come running, but Raoul was too fast for her and caught her in his grasp.

  “Let’s finish what we started a few minutes ago, shall we? Nighttime means we don’t have an audience, so you don’t need to worry that I have any other interest than enjoying myself with you.”

  Once more his mouth descended on hers, stifling any sound of protest she made. With an urgency that seemed part of the need that was driving both of them, he coaxed her lips apart again, provoking a kiss from her she couldn’t hold back. Like a match to kindling, the pressure of his mouth, the feel of his hands running up and down her arms set her on fire.

  Raoul’s sensuality made her feel things she’d never felt in her life. How could she be doing this after only a couple of days of knowing him? This had to stop, but when she tried to ease away from him, he pulled her closer against him and this time the horn did sound loud and long.

  The shrill din brought Guy out the front door where the lights from the foyer of the villa illuminated the interior of the Mercedes. Paul was right behind him. On a groan she moved back to her side of the car, but Raoul held on to her wrist and her action wasn’t fast enough to escape him. They’d been well and truly caught.

  Guy came down the steps to open the door for her, but of course it didn’t give. Laura struggled in vain to pull her hand out of Raoul’s grasp. To her c
hagrin he used the button from the control panel to lower her window.

  With her left hand still trapped in his, he leaned across her body. The action caused his shoulder to brush against her chest. “Sorry for the noise, Guy. It was an accident. I hope it didn’t upset Chantelle.”

  After a slight pause, “No one was in bed yet. What happened to Pierre?”

  “I caught up with him at the Villa Leopolda and told him I’d bring Laura home.”

  Guy studied Raoul thoughtfully before glancing at Laura. “Were you able to do some drawings?”

  “Yes. The light was perfect.”

  “Maman wants to see them. The Villa Leopolda is one of her favorite places. Can I take them to her?” Paul asked.

  “Of course. Here.” She reached in her bag for the sketchpad and handed it to him. “Let her keep it tonight. I’ll get it back from her in the morning.”

  “I’d like to see them first if you don’t mind, Paul.” Guy started looking through it. He kept shaking his head before staring at her. “You’re not only an angel, you have genius.”

  His kindness after Raoul’s cross-examination brought tears to her eyes. “It’s not true, but thank you.”

  In the awkward silence that followed, Laura was tempted to expose Raoul to his brother, but at the last second she couldn’t do it, not in front of Paul. In truth this fight was between the two of them and no one else.

  Since Raoul still had hold of her, there was only one thing to do. Let Guy think what he was already thinking, that she and Raoul had been kissing and somehow in the enclosed space they’d honked the horn by accident.

  “Paul? I understand you wanted me to start teaching you CPR tonight. Sorry I wasn’t around. You name the time and we’ll do it.”

  “Okay. Can my friends learn it, too?”

  “Of course.”

  “Thanks.”

  Guy smiled at her. “Don’t worry about locking up when you come in, Laura. I’ll still be awake and will take care of it.”

  Raoul’s hand tightened just enough to prevent her from getting out of the car to join him.