Love Story Next Door!: Cinderella on His Doorstep / Mr Right, Next Door! / Soldier on Her Doorstep

As she started to get out, he opened the back door and reached for her suitcase.

Being on her own so much, she had to concede it was wonderful to be waited on and taken care of. When she looked back on the dilemma she’d been in before he’d phoned her, a shudder rocked her body. He’d spoken the truth. She wouldn’t have been safe inside the car or walking back to the château alone.

Alex used his remote to open the front door. Once they were inside he put down her suitcase and turned on the lights. She felt his dark-eyed gaze rest on her. “Food before anything else, I think.”

“I like the way you think.”

By tacit agreement she followed him through the foyer past the staircase to a hallway leading to the west wing. He turned on another light. Dana hadn’t been in this part of the château before. They passed a set of double doors.

“May I see inside?”

“Of course.” Alex opened them for her. “This is a drawing room that opens into the grand dining room. As you can see, boards have been nailed over the broken windows. When they’re repaired, they’ll look out on the front courtyard.”

The beauty of the interior caused her to cross her arms over her chest and rub her hands against them in reaction. “I’ve never seen anything so lovely. The ornate walls and ceilings make me feel like I’m in a palace. After this, you wonder how your mother adapted to life in a normal house.”

“I’m sure my father did his share of worrying about it, but they had a good marriage which hopefully made up for a lot of things.” Just then he sounded far away.

“Believe it or not, my parents had a solid marriage, too, albeit an unorthodox one. Mom had to make most of the concessions, but she must have wanted to, otherwise she would have left him because he’s quite impossible.”

Dana followed his low chuckle back out to the hall and down to a turn that opened up to the kitchen.

“How incredible!” It was massive with a vaulted ceiling and an open hearth fireplace that took up one wall. Modern appliances had been mixed in with the ancient. A long rectory-type table with benches sat in the middle of the room. She estimated sixteen people could be seated there comfortably.

“Through that far door on the right are the steps leading down to the wine cellar. The door at the other end of the kitchen leads to a pantry and an outside door. Another leads to a bathroom.”

“You’ve reminded me I need to wash my hands after ineptly handling that jack. Excuse me for a moment.”

She darted through the pantry stocked with supplies. A new washer and dryer had been installed in there. The pantry was big enough to be a master bedroom. Beyond it she found the bathroom Alex had upgraded. It wasn’t quite as large as the one upstairs, but it had every accoutrement.

The tiles covering the walls and ceiling were the same as the ones lining the counters in the kitchen. Each was an original and had been hand-painted on a cream background to depict grapes, apples, pears, all the fruits probably grown on the estate.

Continually charmed by everything she saw, Dana was in a daze when she returned to the kitchen. She’d been gone so long, Alex had already put their meal on the table. He was standing next to one end with a bottle of wine in his hand.

“Sorry I got detained, but the tiles were so adorable I had to study them.”

“Now that I’m getting to know you better, I find that entirely understandable. Sit down and I’ll serve you.” As she took her place, he uncorked it and poured the pale gold liquid into their glasses.

Their eyes met. “Is this a special wine?”

“It is now.” His deep voice sounded more like a purr. He sat down opposite her and lifted his glass. “To us. May our unexpected month together hold many more pleasant surprises.”

He’d just laid down the ground rules. She wasn’t to read more into that kiss than he’d intended. After the month was over, this season of enchantment would come to an end. She smiled through her distress at the thought and clinked her glass against his. “To you, monsieur. May you outlive any regrets for your magnanimity.”

With her emotions in turmoil, she forgot and drank her wine like it was water. Too late she realized her mistake and tried to recover without him noticing, but it wasn’t possible considering she was choking. His dark brown eyes smiled while he munched on a croissant. “When you’re able to speak again, tell me how you find your wine.”

Embarrassed, Dana cleared her throat. “It’s sweet like the one we had the other night, but it’s not the same domaine, is it? This time I tasted honey.”

“That’s very discerning of you. When you seemed to enjoy the one we had at the Hermitage, I bought this bottle for you to try. It’s another Layon wine called Chaume from the Domaine des Forges. I’m told it’s the sweetest of all.”

She got this fluttery feeling in her chest. Anxious not to appear disturbed by him, she bit into the quiche he’d warmed for them. It wasn’t just his words, but the way he said them. Here she’d promised herself not to get carried away, but being alone with him like this caused her to think many forbidden thoughts.

“You were very thoughtful to do that. Now that I’ve sampled both, it makes me wonder what the Belles Fleurs wine tasted like.”

“We’ll never know…” His voice trailed. “Every bottle has disappeared from the wine cellar. I suppose there are a few connoisseurs who bought them up. They might still have them stored in their wine cellars for a special occasion. Good dessert wines can last for decades.”

“It seems so sad there’s no more wine being made from the grapes grown on your property.”

He stared at her, deep in concentration. “I’m afraid I’m not a vintner. It’s a whole other world that requires the best oenologist you can hire. A wine expert doesn’t come cheap, nor a vintner and crew.”

“What do you suppose happened to the records kept by the vintners of this estate?”

“I have no idea. Possibly they’re hiding in one of the tons of boxes holding the contents of the library. You haven’t seen that room yet. It’s in the right wing next to the music room.”

After she finished off her quiche, she asked, “Are the books upstairs with the furniture?”

“They’re in one of the third floor turret rounds.”

She peeled an orange and ate several sections as she digested what he’d told her. “Alex—aren’t you curious about them? About the history of this place?”

He ate some cheese before swallowing the rest of his wine. “Not particularly.”

“Why?” When he didn’t immediately answer her, she felt terrible. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about his family’s past. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s none of my business.”

Unable to sit there any longer, she jumped up and started clearing the table.

“Leave it, Dana.”

Ignoring his edict, she took everything over to the sink. “I want to make myself useful before I go upstairs.”

“You’re tired then?”

“Yes.” She seized on the opening he’d given her. “You must be, too, considering how early you get up and the exhausting labor you do every day.” She found detergent to wash their plates and glasses.

Her heart skipped a beat when he joined her with a towel to dry them. Soon she had the table wiped off and the kitchen cleaned up. They were both standing at the counter.

“Since one of your jobs is to provide your father with his daily lunch, feel free to fix it here.”

Surprised by the offer, she lifted her head to look at him. “I would never presume on your generosity like that. I’ve already made arrangements with the Hermitage to bring them here. When everyone else breaks for lunch, he likes to stay put and eat alone. I always bring him hotel food when we’re on location.”

He stared at her through veiled eyes. “When I have a perfectly functional kitchen, that’s a lot of needless going back and forth.”

Dana’s attraction to him was eating her alive. “I couldn’t.”

“Not even if I asked you to make lunch for me at the same time?”

Her heart skidded all over the place. “You mean, and bring it out to you while you’re working?”

Something flickered in the dark recesses of his eyes. “It would save me a lot of time and trouble.”

Yes, she could see how a cook would make his life easier so he could get on with his business. In that regard he wasn’t any different from her father.

“I have to admit doing something for you would make me feel a little better about staying on the premises.”

“Good,” he said in a voice of satisfaction. “I’m anxious to clear out the debris from the rest of the orchard as soon as possible.”

“That’s right,” she murmured, trying to disguise her dismay. “You’re in a hurry to leave for Louisiana.” The thought of him not being on his property one day was anathema to her.

She rubbed her palms against her hips in a self-conscious gesture he took in with those dark, all-seeing eyes. “W-what do you like for lunch?” Her voice faltered.

He studied her for a moment. “I’m certain anything you make will be delicious.”

His charm caused her breath to catch. “In the morning I’ll do some grocery shopping when I go into Angers to get the tire repaired.”

“As long as you’re doing that, would you mind buying enough food to cover breakfast and dinner for a week, too? In the end it will save our energy for more important matters.”

Except that her job of making sure her father had his lunch wasn’t on the same scale of doing it for Alex. The thought was preposterous. “You trust me?”

“Let’s just say I’m willing to go on faith.”

Her lips curved upward. “That’s very courageous of you.”

Alex’s eyes glimmered. “Just as long as you don’t simmer pickled pigs feet in wine sauce and tell me it’s chicken, we’ll get along fine.”

Her chuckle turned into laughter. She would love to freeze this moment with him. To be with a man like this, to be the recipient of his attention and enjoy his company in all the little private ways brought joy to her life she’d never experienced.

Early in the morning she’d take stock of his kitchen to find out what staples were on hand. While her mind was ticking off her plans, he pulled out his wallet and laid several large denominations of Eurodollars on the counter. Dana was too bemused by events to argue over who would pay.

“Merci, monsieur.” After gathering them, she walked over to the bench where she’d been sitting and stashed them in her purse.

“De rien, mademoiselle.” When he spoke French his whole demeanor changed, making her wholly aware of the sensual side of his nature. “Let me get some more candles and my flashlight from the pantry and I’ll accompany you upstairs. You look sleepy.”

As he walked off, she reflected on his words. A woman wanted to hear certain things from the man she found desirable, but sleepy relegated her to daddy’s little girl status.

Since meeting him she had to concede he’d been protective of her. However, that didn’t translate into a grande passion on his part. Though he’d brushed his lips against hers earlier, not by any stretch of the imagination would she have called it hunger unbridled or anything close.

Afraid she was already giving off needy vibes, she left the kitchen ahead of him and walked through the château to the foyer. Eyeing her suitcase, she grabbed it and started up the stairs. He caught up to her at the top where there was no more light and guided her down the corridor to her room.

It wasn’t really her room, but it’s the way she thought of it. When the flashlight illuminated the interior, she felt she’d come home. The sensation stayed with her while he lighted fresh candles in the floor candelabra.

Avoiding his eyes, she put her suitcase down. “You didn’t have to do that. My flashlight is right here next to the bed.”

“I wanted to,” came the deep velvet voice that was starting to haunt her. “Candlelight brings out the pink and cream porcelain of your skin. I’ve never met a woman with a complexion like yours.”

What was she supposed to say to that? “Lots of people have told me I look like a cherub and pat me on the head.”

His gaze narrowed on her mouth. “Don’t you know any flesh and blood man seeing you doesn’t dare do anything else for fear a bolt of lightning will strike him? Get a good sleep.”

After he disappeared, she stood there shaking like the ground under her feet during a California earthquake.

On her return from Angers the next day, Dana parked around the end of the château and carried the groceries and other purchases into the kitchen through the side entrance. She’d purposely unlocked it before leaving.

Her father liked to eat at twelve-thirty sharp. She checked her watch. It was almost that time now. She hurriedly put things away, then made both lunches and packed them in the two baskets with a thermos of hot coffee each.

As soon as everything was ready she went in search of her father. He was in the grand salon opposite Alex’s office talking with the two leads. In no time at all the staff had brought down furniture and everything was starting to take shape. Under Paul’s watchful eye the place had become a beehive of organized commotion.

Knowing better than to disturb her dad, she stepped inside the room and put the basket next to the door. He didn’t even glance at her before she darted back to the kitchen. Now she was free to deliver the second basket to the unforgettable male responsible for last night’s insomnia.

Once she entered the orchard, the sound of sawing reached her ears. Alex had put the ladder against a different tree this time. Slowly but surely he was making progress. She admired him so much for doing everything single-handedly, she wanted to shout to the world how remarkable he was.

It seemed a shame he had to come down out of the tree for his lunch. Adrenaline gushed through her veins at the idea of taking it up to him. Why not? There was so much foliage, he could find a spot to secure the basket while he ate.

Without hesitation she started up the rungs, excited to repay him any way she could for his generosity. Almost to the top she called to him. “Alex?”

The sawing stopped. “Dana?” He sounded shocked. Evidently he hadn’t seen her. “Where are you?”

Two more steps and she poked her head through the leaves. “Right here. The mountain decided to come to Mohammed,” she quipped, but she didn’t get the reaction she’d hoped for. His eyes pierced hers in fury.

In an instant his expression had grown fierce. Lines deepened around his hard mouth, giving him a forbidding expression. “Whatever possessed you to climb all the way up here? If you fell from this height, you could break a great deal more than your lovely neck.”

She’d been prepared for a lot of things, but not his anger. “You’re right. It was foolish of me. I didn’t stop to think how guilty you would feel if anything happened to me and you’d be forced to report it to my father. My mistake. Here’s your lunch.” She formed a nest of leaves and propped it as securely as she could in front of him. “Bon appetit.”

“Dana—” he ground out, but she ignored him. Without any encumbrance she was able to go back down the ladder in record time. He called to her again, this time in frustration.

“Stop worrying, Alex. You had every right to be angry!” she shouted back before running around the side of the château.

Since the rest of her day was free, she would go sightseeing. After grabbing her purse from the pantry, she made sure the door was locked, then got in her car and backed around to the front.

Her heart didn’t resume its normal beat until she’d driven a good fifty kilometers on the repaired tire. At the next village she pulled off the road into a park. In the distance she saw some swans on a lake. The serene scene mocked the turmoil going on inside of her.

After the experience with Neal she’d promised herself she wouldn’t get close enough to a man again to expose her deepest feelings. But the pathetic little stunt she’d just pulled revealed holes in her best intentions, forcing her to come face-to-face with her own idiocy.

The need to channel her roiling emotions drove her from the car. She spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the lake, making plans that had nothing to do with Alex. On the way back to the château she stopped for a meal and didn’t return to Rablay until five-thirty.

She was relieved no one had gone to their hotels yet. With everyone still around, Alex would make himself scarce. That gave her time to reach her room without him noticing. She’d hibernate there until tomorrow. New day, new beginning.

No sooner had she started down the upstairs hall than she saw Saskia coming out of her bedroom. The brown-haired model turned actress could turn any man’s head, but she didn’t have the same effect on Dana. The invasion of privacy infuriated her under any circumstances, but if she’d been snooping around on orders from Dana’s father, she was ready to declare war.

“Hi!” Saskia was a cool customer. She didn’t have the grace to blush or act embarrassed. Dana couldn’t bring herself to reciprocate with a greeting. “What did you have to do for the owner of this fabulous estate to give you special privileges?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

“I haven’t met him yet, but the girls in makeup tell me he’s beyond gorgeous.”

That was one way of describing him. Saskia’s jaw would drop when she saw Alex for the first time. “Didn’t Paul tell you the petit salon and this bedroom were off-limits?”

“I didn’t think he meant me.”

“Why not?”

Throwing back another question managed to unsettle her a little. “Actually I was looking for you in the hope we could talk.”

“About what?”

“Now you’re being obtuse. You know very well your father and I aren’t getting along right now. I was hoping you’d be able to tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

“I can’t fault you for anything, Saskia. I wouldn’t presume.”

“That’s no help.”

Dana took a steadying breath. “That’s because there is no answer. You’re not my mother, but you’ve always known that, so the truth couldn’t be a surprise to you. If it’s any consolation, I can’t do it right, either.”

Saskia flashed her a shrewd regard. “Maybe if I stayed here at the château, Jan would worry about me sometimes? See me in a different light?”

You mean, as mistress of the manor with a real live Frenchman attached? Now things were beginning to make sense. She’d been looking for Alex…

“I’m sure I don’t know.”

“Do you think the owner of the château would let me stay here?”

“Haven’t a clue.”

She pursed her lips. “I suppose it helped that you’re Jan’s daughter. Maybe being his girlfriend would work for me.”

“It’s worth a try.”

Her green eyes gleamed in anticipation of confronting Alex. “I agree. Thanks for the talk.”

Dana watched her slender figure disappear before she went to her bedroom. Saskia had been fighting a losing battle when it came to Dana’s father. No doubt seeing the eight-by-ten photograph of Dana’s mother and a smaller photograph of her parents propped on the dresser underlined the futility of Saskia’s relationship with him.

As for Dana, she had her own problem in the futility department where Alex was concerned. He couldn’t leave for the States fast enough. How ironic that because she’d seen his ad on the Internet, she’d unwittingly made it possible for him to reach his goal sooner. Saskia could dream all she wanted, but she was in for a shock.

Alex worked in the orchard until twilight. One more trip to the landfill and he’d call it a night. The delicious, filling lunch Dana had delivered air express without consideration for her personal safety had kept him going through the dinner hour.

Much as he’d wanted to go after her, he hadn’t wanted an audience that included her father, grace a dieu. Since no one knew what had transpired, he decided it would be better to apologize to her after hours when they were alone.

On the way back from his last haul, he locked the gate for the night and drove on to the front of the château. The sight of her rental car meant she was home. His pulse shot off the charts as he hurried inside and made a quick inspection of the ground floor in the hope he might bump into her.

To his chagrin all he found besides furniture in the grand salon was an empty basket and thermos placed at the foot of the paneled door. It was identical to the one she’d brought Alex. He carried it to the kitchen where he’d put his on the way in from the truck.

A few minutes later after a shower and change of clothes, he phoned her while he was warming some food for his dinner. Maybe she’d come down and join him.

“Alex?” She answered on the fourth ring. “Is there something wrong?”

“Yes,” he blurted. At this point in their relationship, nothing but honesty would do.

“Did you lose your remote and can’t get in the château?”

“I’m afraid my problem can’t be fixed that easily.”

He felt her hesitate before she said, “Did the studio from Paris cancel on you for mid-September?”

The strong hint of anxiety in her tone plus the fact that she remembered what he’d told her humbled him. He’d grovel if necessary to get back on the footing they’d had before she’d brought him his lunch.

Alex cleared his throat. “I appreciate your concern, but the truth is, I was rude to you earlier today. It takes a lot to frighten me, but when I saw you appear among the leaves like some impossibly adorable wood nymph and realized how far you were from the ground, I lost any perspective I should’ve had.”

She let out a wry laugh. “The relegation from cherub to wood nymph is a subtle improvement I like, so I’ll take it.”

Dana…

“As for the rest, I’ve had all day to ponder my actions over that brainless stunt. Chalk it up to the enchantment of this place.”

He had to clamp down hard on his emotions. “I can safely say it was the best meal I ever had in a tree.”

“That’s another distinction I’ll treasure, but to save you from an early heart attack, I’ll leave your lunch basket on the fender of your truck from now on.”

“Why don’t you come downstairs and we’ll talk about it over a glass of wine.” If he hadn’t made the rule that he would never take advantage by going up to her room after dark unless invited, he’d be there now.

“Lovely as that sounds, I’m already half asleep. May I confess something to you?”

“By all means.” He had to swallow his disappointment.

“You’ll think me more superstitious than my father.”

That particular word wasn’t on the growing list of adjectives he found himself ascribing to her. The mention of her father in the same conversation didn’t improve his mood. “Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Somehow it seems sacrilegious to drink anyone else’s wine on Belles Fleurs property. Does that make sense?”

His eyes closed tightly for a minute because deep in his core he’d had the same thought last night. Like the seed of the precious chenin blanc grape buried in the soil of the Anjou centuries ago, it seemed to have germinated out of nowhere, reminding him of his mother’s roots.

“More than you know,” he answered huskily.

Until last night he hadn’t felt that emotional connection. Now, suddenly, it tugged at him and he realized it was all tied up with Dana, who had everything to do with this unexpected awakening.

“Alex? Are you still there?”

“Mais oui.” He gripped the phone tighter. “Do you remember asking if I could see the famous Belles Fleurs vineyard from the top of the tree?”

“Are we talking about the same question you didn’t answer?”

“Meet me out in back in the morning at eight. There’s something I want to show you.”

“I thought I’d been warned off climbing trees.”

Alex rubbed the back of his neck absently. “This requires some walking. Wear boots if you have them.”