Weddings: The Proposals

“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 chagrin 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.

“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 LaurelAldridge 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 glad.”

“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.”