“He’s going to do great work for us,” Raoul commented. He dropped him off at the château, then drove them to the cottage. Her husband was still in an odd mood.
“Before we go inside, I want to know what’s wrong. You haven’t been yourself since we talked on the phone last night.”
He shut off the engine and turned toward her. “The truth?”
“Always.”
“I should never have left you this soon after our wedding. When you told me you’d taken a drive and had gone shopping, I knew you couldn’t bear to be here alone. You seemed a little evasive. I was angry with myself and I’m afraid I let it show.”
“All is forgiven.” She might have known that he’d sensed she’d been keeping something from him. Raoul wasn’t a man you could toy with, not when it came to his deepest emotions. “I was being evasive, but for the best of reasons. At six this evening, all will be revealed. Can you trust me until then?”
“You know I trust you with my life,” his voice grated.
With those words she jumped out of the car and hurried inside first. When he followed her through the door, he had to run to catch up with her. She reached the bedroom first. “I thought you’d never get here.”
“Mignonne—” He caught her to him. The moment their mouths fused in need, the world reeled. His loving took her to such a divine place, she almost forgot about the party.
“Darling? What time is it?”
“Ten to six.”
“Uh-oh. We have to get ready.”
“For what?”
“You’ll find out. Put on something semi-dressy. I’ll shower first.” She dashed away before he could pull her back. They were going to be late.
At ten after six she walked in the living room where he was waiting for her. As Josette had predicted, his black eyes glittered with desire as he studied every curving inch of her. “I approve of your shopping spree.”
“Good. I like your black silky shirt. You’re impossibly handsome, you know. So handsome, I’d like to lock myself up in a tower with you.”
She thought he sounded a little out of breath. “Where are we going?”
“To the château.”
He looked taken aback. “I don’t understand.”
“You will. In fact you’re going to have to show me where to go. We were due at your parents’ suite ten minutes ago.”
Raoul shook his head. “Don’t tease me about this.”
“I’m not, my darling.” She grabbed the sack with the presents. “We need to hurry.”
Abby started for the car first and got in without his help. He was totally quiet as he drove them to another entrance to the château she hadn’t seen before. This time he opened the car door for her. Before he let her go, he ran his hands over her hips and back. “You’re so beautiful, it hurts.”
She kissed his lips before hurrying inside with him. He led her up the stairs to the second floor. When they came to the entrance, the doors had been opened. Abby hooked her arm through his and they walked inside.
The first person they saw was an adorable brunette boy who came running toward Raoul, calling out something like “Rool.” Abby loved the little guy already. Her husband picked him up in his arms.
Maurice asked him something in French. “What he did say, Rool?”
Raoul’s laughter delighted her. “He wanted to know if I bought him a present while I was in Paris. I can’t believe it, but I forgot to get him anything on this trip.”
“No, you didn’t.” She lifted the sack. “These are for him.”
His black eyes stared at her in shock.
“Go on. Give them to him.”
He carried Maurice to the couch in the salon and reached inside the bag to hand him his presents. Josette and Paul came in to see what was going on. A smile lit up their faces to watch as their boy tore off the wrapping paper and examined his new toys.
Raoul grabbed Abby around the waist, propelled by emotions erupting inside of him. He stared at his sister. “You look lovely tonight.”
“Don’t they both?” Paul had his arm around her shoulders. “Our wives went on a shopping spree while we were away. I have a feeling we’re in for it when we have to travel on business.”
Abby shook her head. “Mon mari won’t be leaving town any time soon, so you don’t need to worry.”
Josette smiled. “Maman has dinner waiting for us on the terrasse.”
Once again Raoul stared at Abby. She grasped his hand. “Come on.”
Paul swept Maurice into his arms, toys and all, and they walked through the suite to the terrasse that overlooked a fabulous rose garden. Abby heard one of those male whistles and looked to the side. Jean-Marc stood there with his arms folded, wearing a grin.
“Congratulations on your marriage.” He walked toward her and kissed her on both cheeks. “I should have been the one who went to Switzerland.” Then he faced his brother and gave him a hug that brought tears to her eyes.
Over their shoulders she saw his mother wheel their father over to them. She wore a filmy yellow dress. On the shoulder, she was wearing the pin. Abby could hardly breathe.
“We’re so happy for the two you.” She approached Raoul who wrapped his arms around her. As they clung, his father eyed Abby. “My son is a very fortunate man. If you’d lean over, I’d like to give you a kiss and welcome you to the family.”
Abby’s heart was full to overflowing as she did his bidding. They kissed on both cheeks. He was probably in pain to put forth that much exertion. But the fact that he made the effort meant the world to her.
Raoul watched the two of them as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His father finally looked at her husband. Abby saw love in those dark eyes before he held up his hands. The sight of father and son embracing would be etched in her mind and heart forever.
Paul had put Maurice in a high chair. He kept tapping his kaleidoscope against the tray. Abby hurried around and sat down to talk to him. “Will you let me show you?” Of course, he didn’t understand her. She put it to her eye, then urged him to do the same.
Josette said something to him in French and suddenly Abby could tell he was seeing the designs inside.
“I’m starting French lessons and can’t wait until I can talk to him.”
“He’ll love it, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to put him to bed in a minute.”
“Thank you for letting him stay up.”
Raoul sat down next to Abby and put his hand on her thigh beneath the table. Heat rushed to her face. She couldn’t look at him as everyone gathered and their meal was served.
His mother looked at Abby. “This is such a special occasion, I cooked dinner myself. This was always Raoul’s favorite. Rack of lamb and mint from our garden. Before we eat, I’d like to make a toast to our son and his bride.” She lifted her glass. “To new beginnings.”
Abby knew they were drinking the most treasured pinot noir from their vaunted wine cellar. After she swallowed a healthy amount, Jean-Marc raised his glass. “Here’s to the fresh California breeze that has blown through the vineyard.”
“Amen,” Paul chimed in.
“That was very poetic for you,” Josette teased her younger brother and held up her glass. “To a new friend I like very much.”
Their father kept his hand around his glass, but Abby knew he was going to say something. “This is good. To my family.”
Raoul had to be overcome. She waited while he cleared his throat. Then he stood up with his glass. “As you all can see, with Abby in my life... I’ve been reborn.” He kept swallowing. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Please, please, let this last, Abby prayed while they ate together, amused by Maurice’s antics.
Toward the end of the meal his mother stood up. “We’ll have dessert with the grandparents now. It’s your favorite, Raoul, my crè
me brûlée.”
Raoul clung to Abby’s hand. She knew he was still in disbelief that any of this was happening. She could hardly believe it herself. They moved as a group to the other end of the second floor and gathered around the salon with the grandparents.
“This is divine, Hélène-Claire. I want the recipes for everything you’ve made tonight. A wife wants to be everything to her husband, but there’s no way she can compete with his mother’s cooking.”
Raoul’s grandmother nodded. “You are very wise for one so young.”
Josette broke in on them. “I’ve got to get Maurice to bed.” She eyed Abby. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Please.”
“It’s time for us to leave too.” Raoul got up to kiss his grandparents and parents.
Abby turned to everyone. “This has been one of the most wonderful evenings of my life.”
His mother followed them to the entrance of the suite. “We’ll do it again with the entire family after your church wedding. Let us know when you want to plan it.”
“Merci, Maman.”
He whisked Abby down the hall to the other end of the château where the car was parked outside. Silence reigned during the drive back to the cottage. She found herself savoring this night. When he took her inside their house, she grasped both his hands and kissed them.
“Your heart has to be so full. After we get in bed, I’ll tell you what happened after you left for Paris. I thought it was a miracle. Tonight, I know it was. I really like your family. All of them. Because they love you, they’re trying to like me. I can’t ask for more than that as long as you love me.”
“Jean-Marc said it best. You are the fresh breeze blowing through the vineyard, casting a spell on everyone, including your husband who adores you.” He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. “Get ready to be loved tonight like you’ve never been loved before.”
EPILOGUE
FAR INTO THE night Raoul came awake and reached for Abby. Since their marriage four months ago he still awoke with anxiety at times, in case this was all a dream and she wasn’t really there.
“Mon amour,” he whispered, rubbing her arm gently until she turned to him.
“Raoul—” His loving wife gave him a kiss of such desire, he was breathless as they lost themselves in each other for the next few hours. He’d never dreamed marriage could be like this. He hadn’t thought it possible. “No man could be as happy as I am.”
“I hope that’s true,” she spoke against his lips. “But to make certain of it, I have a gift for you I know you’re going to love.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to give it to me now?”
“Not quite yet.”
He raised up on one elbow. “That’s not fair.”
“I know, but I love teasing you.”
Raoul kissed her throat. “Give me a hint. Is it expensive?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ll have to wait and see after it arrives.”
“Did you buy it in Dijon?”
“No. It’s coming from an entirely different place.”
“Abby—” He rolled her on top of him. “You’re being very playful tonight. What’s going on?”
She covered his face with kisses. “It just so happens that no woman could be as happy as I am tonight. After my French tutoring session in town this morning, I made one more stop before coming home and found out I’m enceinte. Did I pronounce it right?”
“You’re what?”
“I thought that might get your attention. Dr. Filbert says we won’t be able to tell the sex of our bébé for a little while longer, but we’re definitely expecting. I was going to tell you in the morning, but since you woke me up now, I decided I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer.”
She felt him tremble with excitement. He rolled her carefully on to her side. After feeling her stomach, he leaned down and kissed the place where it was growing. When he lifted his head to kiss her, he tasted the salt from her tears.
“Isn’t it wonderful, Raoul? You’re going to be able to raise your second child and you’ll be the most wonderful father in the world.”
Tears sprang to his eyes. He embraced her gently. “I was just going to say what a beautiful mother you’re going to make. I’m the luckiest husband alive.”
“I only have one request. I would like you to choose the name if we have a boy. But if it’s a girl, I want to call her Blondine. Won’t it be thrilling for her to read the storybook her papa loved?”
“Abby—”
* * * * *
Look out for the next romance story in the HOLIDAY WITH A BILLIONAIRE trilogy
Coming soon!
And if you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Rebecca Winters
THE MAGNATE’S HOLIDAY PROPOSAL
WHISKED AWAY BY HER SICILIAN BOSS
BOUND TO HER GREEK BILLIONAIRE
RETURN OF HER ITALIAN DUKE
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from A CONTRACT, A WEDDING, A WIFE? by Christy McKellen.
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A Contract, A Wedding, A Wife?
by Christy McKellen
CHAPTER ONE
Risk—a game of strategy, conflict and diplomacy.
HE WAS NEVER going to find someone suitable to marry at this rate.
Xavier McQueen let out an exasperated sigh as the woman who had seemed like his best hope—on paper at least—gave a firm and very final no to his admittedly completely barmy-sounding proposal before putting the phone down on him.
Apparently only being married for a year before divorcing wouldn’t look good on her dating CV. She was under the impression it could put off real prospects in the future because they’d be worried about her coming with baggage from such a short previous marriage.
Closing his eyes, he slumped back in his chair.
Three months he’d been wasting his time with this ridiculous endeavour and now he only had six weeks left before the Hampstead mansion where he’d lived for the last four years—the home that had been in his family for the last hundred and fifty years—would pass to his money-grubbing clown of a cousin.
Damn his great-aunt and her jeopardous eccentricity.
He thought she’d loved him—certainly more than his parents ever had—but this bizarre stunt she’d
pulled with her will had made him wonder about that.
Shoving a hand through his hair and trying not to pull it out in his frustration, he stared out of the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, barely registering his view of the majestic Tower Bridge stretching out across the fast-moving River Thames.
He’d not wanted to widely advertise exactly what he was looking for in case it brought out the crooks and the crazies but that meant he’d quickly run out of people to ask to help him out. The problem was, the chosen candidate needed to be someone he could trust, as well as someone he’d be able to get along with, but all his good female friends were already married and he didn’t fancy taking his chances with any of his exes. A year was a long time to live with someone who detested the very sight of you.
The other two women, who had also been put forward as possible candidates by his friend Russell—the only friend he’d trusted with his problem—hadn’t worked out either. Not being able to have sex for a year hadn’t appealed to either of them. They’d both been looking for the real deal. Soul mates. An ideal he had no faith in whatsoever any more, not after being left humiliated at the altar five years ago by the woman he’d thought he’d spend the rest of his life with. His disaster of a non-wedding, which he now liked to think of as a near miss, had put paid to that ridiculous notion.
Nope, it was short-term, uncomplicated relationships for him from here on in. Or a purely business one like this needed to be, thanks to the bizarre demands stipulated in Great-Aunt Faith’s will.
Just as he was reaching for the glass of water on his desk to relieve his parched throat, there was a loud knock on the door and a petite woman with bright blue eyes and a riot of blonde curls walked purposefully into his office and placed a small basket of assorted cakes on his desk with a flourish.
He frowned down at them, then up at her. ‘I didn’t order any cakes.’
‘I know. They’re an excuse to get some face-to-face time with you,’ she said, folding her arms and looking down at him with a determined expression that made his stomach sink.
‘I’ve been trying to get a meeting with you for weeks but your PA keeps fobbing me off,’ she went on before he had a chance to say anything. ‘So I’ve been forced to take drastic action. On the other hand, I’ve brought you some really fantastic cakes. I made them myself. So it’s actually a win for you.’ She flashed him a half-smile that didn’t entirely convince him she was as self-assured as her spirited speech had made her seem.
Captivated by the Brooding Billionaire Page 15