“All right. See you two in the morning.”
With sketchpad in hand, Guy followed his son into the house. As soon as he shut the door, Raoul said, “The fact that you didn’t say anything to Guy about me means you’re willing to put up with almost anything in order to remain here the full two weeks. I’m giving you warning I’ll be watching every move you make.”
She smiled so he could see it. “Like I said, men have a habit of hanging around me whether their company is welcome or not.”
His eyes glittered. “It’s that chemical reaction they’re after.”
“Et tu, Brute?”
“I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit it.” He kissed the palm of her hand before letting it go. Thanks to Raoul, she discovered her palm was as sensitive to his touch as the rest of her. She heard the click of the lock. Now that he was tired of torturing her, she was free to go, for the moment.
Raoul watched her get out and hurry inside the house before he took off for his own villa. Guy was good at disguising his true feelings, but one thing was clear, Laura was playing at something by not running after Guy to tell him every monstrous thing Raoul had done.
He was guilty of a lot. The more appealing she was to him, the more aggressive he’d become. He wasn’t proud of his behavior. He’d never treated a woman this way in his life, not even Danielle at her worst. Something about Laura Adridge had permeated deep into his psyche.
If she really had only met Guy for the first time at the Palio, he could understand the pull on his brother. But he still couldn’t fathom the act of bringing her into his home…unless he was trying to make Chantelle jealous so she’d fight for him.
Was that what Guy was doing? With Laura’s knowing or unwitting cooperation? Yet he couldn’t imagine it because Paul wouldn’t understand. No, Raoul could scratch the jealousy theory and was back to square one where he had no answers except one. She hadn’t lied about her artwork. Her talent left him speechless.
He let himself in the house and headed for the bathroom where he kept painkiller. He’d developed a headache that throbbed more violently when he thought of what was going on at Guy’s.
Chantelle’s feelings aside, Raoul hadn’t missed the look that had passed between Laura and his brother after he’d complimented her. Those tears shimmering like green gems had brought Guy to his knees. She had him so sewn up, it wouldn’t surprise him if he ended up divorcing Chantelle.
Raoul was aghast that he had allowed his own thoughts to get that far. Whatever, he had to believe this problem with Chantelle was temporary. He would never have guessed anything could rock the solidity of their marriage.
Then again, Raoul couldn’t have imagined that a woman like Laura existed, let alone that she would show up in Guy’s world. She was so beautiful Jean-Luc had gone into ecstatic raves over her. “She’s the embodiment of my every fantasy, Raoul. You lucky dog you.”
During his walk with her through Tourettes, he’d pretended he didn’t mind that every red-blooded male within sight was instantly in love and followed her with his eyes. Men dreamed, but only occasionally did they see a female in the flesh who surpassed those dreams.
A woman like her—maybe married several times and apparently still attached to her latest because she needed money—wouldn’t know what it was to be faithful, but enough money might keep her around for a long time. Guy’s assets would entice her indefinitely.
With Chantelle constantly keeping him at a distance, his brother was ripe to make a mistake that would tear the entire family apart. Maybe Guy and Laura weren’t lovers yet, but Raoul couldn’t stand by and watch to see it eventually happen.
And you know why, don’t you, Laroche. Because you want her yourself. He grimaced at his own weakness before getting ready for bed. Just as he was about to climb in, his cell phone rang. He reached across the covers to pick it up. When he discovered who it was, he answered the call.
“Eh bien, Louis. Tell me what you’ve got.”
“Not much yet, but I did find out one important thing. Her passport lists her name as Laurel Aldridge Stillman.”
Stillman!
So she had lied about her name.
“She’s twenty-nine. Address is 302 Fair Oaks Drive, Santa Barbara, California. I’ll call you if I learn anything else.”
“Merci, Louis. You do excellent work. Bon nuit.”
For Laura to be living in Guy’s home as Laura Aldridge, it was evident her marriage was in trouble. Lies had destroyed Raoul’s own union. What part did they play in the disintegration of hers?
After hanging up, Raoul leaped off the bed and went into his study. Before he started making phone calls, he’d do a little research first and see if anything came up on the Internet.
He put in her full name. Almost instantly whole pages of Web addresses appeared. He scanned the listings. One stood out—theodorestillman.com.
Raoul clicked to it. There she was, bigger than life and utterly breathtaking, sitting in a raft near a typically blond American male. The article beneath the photo read:
Mr. Theodore M. Stillman, known as Ted to his older brothers in the law firm of Stillman, Stillman and Stillman, of Santa Barbara, sons of Former Congressman William Stillman of Santa Barbara, and the late Governor Richard Stillman of the great State of California, is seen here with his beautiful wife Laurel Aldridge Stillman, formerly of Manhattan Beach, California, as they take time out from their busy schedule to float down the Colorado River. Ted is planning to run for the congressional seat next year once occupied by his father. Donations to his campaign can be made by clicking here.
Adrenaline filled Raoul’s system as he looked for a date when the picture had been taken. When he couldn’t find it, he clicked to the other sites. For the most part she was shown in a photograph at a lunch or a gala looking more subdued than her husband who was always smiling—like the kind of slick car salesmen Raoul couldn’t abide.
One site put up by the Manhattan Beach Police Department drew his interest. It was a picture of her in a simple summer dress standing next to the police chief. Raoul studied her exquisite features. She was beaming.
The article read:
Chief Jose Garcia presents the Meritorious Service Award to head lifeguard Laura Aldridge for her constant devotion to duty. She holds the record for the most saves in Manhattan Beach in ten years—467 people can be grateful she was on duty the day they found themselves in trouble.
Raoul could hear himself taunting her, “Can you prove it?”
Two mornings later Laura was pulling weeds around the side of the villa when her cell phone rang. Only two people had her new number, her attorney and Cindy.
She checked her watch while pulling off her gardening gloves. Eight-thirty in the morning in Cap Ferrat meant 11:30 p.m. in California. For either of them to phone her this late their time meant something was wrong. She couldn’t handle any bad news where Ted was concerned. Please be Cindy, she murmured to herself as she slid the phone from her blouse pocket.
When she saw her friend’s name on the caller ID she expelled a sigh of relief and clicked on.
“Hey, Cindy. What’s going on?”
“Plenty. Guess who just got the landlord to let him into your apartment?”
For once her body didn’t break out in a cold sweat. In fact, Laura could jump for joy. “You’ve just made my day, Cindy.”
“You mean you’re not upset?”
“I reached that stage months ago. Don’t you see? This means Ted’s minions lost track of me the day Guy flew me here in his helicopter. I can guarantee he thought my boss was lying to him when he told him I was still in Europe, so he decided to break into my apartment and try and catch me at home.”
“Why doesn’t he just give up?”
“His pride. No other Stillman has had a divorce. He wants to use me, but it’ll never happen. My attorney’s going to love hearing this. Ted has ignored the court order. Unless the Stillmans own the judge, Ted’s in big trouble.”
“I’m gl
ad.”
“So am I.”
“How’s it going with Chantelle? Are you making any progress?”
“I’ve gotten her to come outside in her wheelchair while I weed. We talk about the history of Provence. She’s very knowledgeable. I’ve learned tons, but I don’t see her warming to her husband yet. It kills me because he’s always so sweet to her. Today I’m going to ask her if she’ll go to lunch with me somewhere exciting, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“All things taken into account, you sound happier than I’ve ever known you to be.”
Laura turned on her stomach and stretched out on the grass lining the flowerbed. “Oddly enough, I am. Guy’s villa is a Garden of Eden. I’m sitting in the middle of the most gorgeous arrangement of rose beds you’ve ever seen. Beyond them is the Mediterranean. This morning it’s a dazzling blue dotted with sailboats. The air is so fragrant a good perfumer should market it.”
“It sounds divine, and no serpents in sight.”
“I didn’t say that, Guy has a brother.”
“Older or younger?”
“Younger. The dynamo at the Laroche Corporation.”
“Handsome?”
Laura closed her eyes, pressing her hot cheek against her arm. “Find a picture of Adonis and add ten years to him. Even then you won’t do him justice.”
“Good grief—”
“You can say that again.”
“Laura—”
“Yes. I’m in lust with him.”
Cindy burst into laughter. “How wonderful!”
“It’s what I call pleasure-pain. I still haven’t found out his marital status and he believes I’m Mata Hari. When we are together, it’s like a duel. He has a rapier tongue that can slice you into pieces faster than Zorro.”
“What?”
“It’s a long story. Do you have time?”
“All night.”
She rolled back over to feel the full rays of the sun on her face and legs. With her eyes still closed, she told her about the outing to Tourettes Sur Loup and ended with the other night when she’d discovered him waiting for her outside the Villa Leopolda. She hadn’t seen him since and had missed their lethal skirmishes a lot more than she was willing to admit.
After she’d told Cindy all her theories about why Raoul had been so cruel, her friend said, “Maybe he’s in a bad marriage like you and is frustrated to be attracted to you when he’s not free. Since he hasn’t chosen to tell you his marital status, why don’t you ask Chantelle?”
Laura expelled the breath she’d been holding. “I could, but I don’t want her to think I’m here for any reason but to be her friend for a while. She has to learn to trust all over again. If she thinks I have another agenda, it could ruin any ground I’ve made with her.”
“I see your point, so why don’t you ask Guy?”
“I don’t dare talk to him about his brother for the very same reason. The truth is, he hasn’t offered any information. They’re a very closemouthed family—aristocratic, if you know what I mean. I’ve been learning things on a need-to-know basis only.”
“Wouldn’t Guy’s son be all right to ask?”
“No. He’s good friends with his uncle. They share everything. I have no doubt Raoul vets Paul about me. I don’t want to give him anything he can use against me. The other night Paul told him I’d gone out in the limo and the next thing I knew, Raoul came to find me.”
“Sounds thrilling to me.”
“It would have been if I thought Raoul didn’t have another agenda, but he does. That’s why if I were to ask Paul any questions that didn’t have to do with him, it would stir things up. I’m trying to stay out of trouble and mind my own business.”
“Your life story is better than the latest vampire novel I’m reading.”
At that remark Laura laughed. When it subsided she said, “Raoul would make a gorgeous vampire.”
“According to your description, he’d make a gorgeous—”
“Don’t say it,” Laura broke in. “I can’t afford to think it.”
“But you have thought it. I can hear it in your voice.”
“It’s this place, Cindy, it’s out of this world.”
“Then what are you going to do about Raoul?”
She moved her arm in front of her eyes. “Nothing.”
“You mean you’re going to let nature take its course.”
“That’s the way it has to be. Now I’ve kept you up too late and you need your beauty sleep. I’ll be seeing you in about ten days, but I’ll call you before then. Take care.”
“You, too.”
Laura rang off, thinking about everything they’d discussed. As she lay there soaking up the sun, she felt a cloud pass over. That was odd. She hadn’t seen any clouds on the horizon this morning. She removed her arm to look up at the sky and let out a slight gasp.
It was Raoul blocking the sun’s rays. He was supposed to be at work! Had he heard any of her conversation with Cindy before he’d moved right in front of her? She found herself the object of his piercing black scrutiny. It took her breath.
He looked impossibly striking in a light-gray business suit that molded his hard-muscled body to perfection. After two days’ deprivation, to have this kind of reaction to him alarmed her.
She sat up and got to her feet. Her sleeveless pink blouse and white shorts covered her adequately, but when his gaze roved over her she trembled for no reason. “I take it you were looking for me.”
“Chantelle said you were out here somewhere. Next time I can’t find you, I’d better look under a few plants. What has you so fascinated?”
“While I’ve been gardening I found something interesting. I planned to show it to Chantelle, but she was on the phone. Then I had to take a call and forgot about it until just now.”
“Your boss?” Raoul was always quick to make assumptions.
“No, my best friend, Cindy. We live in an eight-plex across the hall from each other. She watches my apartment for me while I’m away on business.” Laura knew what he was thinking and decided to satisfy that insatiable curiosity of his. “It’s big enough to fit into my closet in the guest bedroom.”
His lips twisted into a smile. “But it’s yours.”
“Exactly.”
“Where is this thing you found?”
“Oh—it’s here! I took it in the house and washed it.” She picked it up off the grass and handed it to him. “I think it must have been a pin. There’s a little boy’s face on it. So precious.” Laura suddenly felt a pain as she thought about having a real little boy of her own. He would have Raoul’s arresting features. She shook her thoughts away, reminding herself that it was foolish to think such things.
He studied her for an overly long moment before giving it his attention. “Where exactly did you find it?”
“Around the east side of the house near the sundial.”
“I’ll have to call the university about this. You’ve just found a Gallo-Romain artifact. Most of them have been discovered on Mont Leuze not far from here. If you found this on the property, there are probably more.”
As he lifted his dark head, his eyes shot to hers. “Lifeguard, artist…now archaeologist. There’s no end to your talents, is there?” He handed it back to her.
Was that a trace of levity she heard coming out of his all-male mouth? Too late if it wasn’t because he had her smiling. “Did you have breakfast with Chantelle?”
He slid one hand in his jacket pocket. “No. I’ve just come from an early business meeting. Why do you ask?”
She moistened her lips that had gone dry in the heat. His eyes followed the movement. “I was hoping she’d had a good night. Maybe I can get her to go out to lunch with me today.”
“Chantelle won’t do that for anyone,” he said in a withering tone, “not even for you.”
Laura frowned. “I appreciate the encouragement.”
He cocked his dark head. “Once again I try to pay you a compliment, but it’s always misco
nstrued. I was attempting to tell you that she likes you. If anyone could get her to step foot off the estate, it would be you.” A thread of sincerity ran through his words.
“Thank you for that,” she whispered.
“When I asked her if she’d like to get out today, she told me she had a headache. Since I can’t prove she doesn’t, I have to leave well enough alone.”
She smoothed some loose strands from her brow. “If it’s this hard on you, imagine how Guy must feel.”
His lips tightened to a narrow line. “A wife who no longer desires her husband is the kiss of death to a marriage.”
There was such a deep kernel of suffering she heard in his voice just now, Laura felt a wrench for him. He’d been severely wounded by a woman. She was at a loss what to say to comfort him. It was crazy to think that after the hurtful way he’d treated her, she still wanted to.
“Was there a reason you wanted to talk to me?”
“Yes. The son of a close friend of mine is a competitor in the Tour de France this year. I promised I’d watch for him in the stage coming up tomorrow. Since it looks like the American team is going to win the whole thing, I thought you might like to come with me and we’ll cheer our countries on.”
He had an ulterior reason for inviting her, but she couldn’t prevent the burst of excitement spreading through her body. She longed to spend the day with him, doing something with him that was unrelated to the problems at the Laroche villa. Perhaps she would see a more relaxed Raoul, she might even be able to get him to open up about himself some more. And she had always wanted to see the Tour in person.
“We’ll leave midafternoon and fly to Alpe d’Huez in the helicopter. It’s a little mountain town. I’ve booked rooms there. Tomorrow we’ll be at the summit to see who goes over first, then we’ll fly to Bourg d’Oisons at the bottom to watch the winner cross the finish line. If it’s possible, I’ll introduce you to Alain Garonne.”
Those were names associated with cycling she’d heard of for years. “I…I’ll have to check with Guy,” she stammered, so thrilled at the prospect of going with him her legs shook.
“If you insist,” he muttered, his eyes shuttered.
The Brooding Frenchman s Proposal Page 7