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

“This one is the best. S’il vous plait. Lie down.”

“Don’t be shy,” Alex whispered. “He’s not Figaro measuring a space for your marriage bed.”

An imp got into Dana. “Maybe he thinks he’s measuring yours. Why don’t you try it first and humor him?”

With enviable calm Alex stretched out on one side of it, putting his hands behind his handsome head. Through shuttered eyes he stared up at her, jump-starting her heart.

“Venez, mademoiselle.” The clerk patted the other side. “He said you needed a double bed. See how you fit.”

You said you wanted to spread your wings, Dana Lofgren. But she hadn’t anticipated literally spreading out on a bed next to Alex for all creation to see. Several people on the floor had started watching with embarrassing interest. If she waited any longer, she’d turn this into a minor spectacle.

Once she’d settled herself full length against the mattress, she turned her head to Alex. “How does it feel against your sore back?”

He rolled on his side toward her, bringing him breathtakingly close. “You noticed.” His voice sounded deep and seductive just then.

Afraid he knew that she noticed everything about him, she said, “I think we should take it. Look—even this close to me, the mattress doesn’t dip.”

“I noticed.” This time when he spoke, she felt his voice reach right down inside to her core. The way his eyes had narrowed on her mouth, she slid off the bed in reaction and got to her feet on shaky legs.

“Eh bien, mademoiselle?”

She decided to make his day. “It’s perfect”

He rubbed his hands together. “Excellent.”

“Alex? I’ll go to the linen department for the bedding. Meet you at the truck.” Without looking at him, she made her way down to the next floor.

When the saleswoman asked what Dana had in mind, she described the beamed ceiling. “There’s a mini print wallpaper of gold fleurs-de-lis on a cranberry field. I’d like to follow through with those colors.”

“I have the exact thing for you.”

Within minutes Dana left the store with a new pillow, pale cranberry sheets and bath towels with tiny gold fleurs-de-lis, a cranberry duvet and matching pillow sham.

Alex had reached the truck ahead of her. Together with two other men from the warehouse, he put the boxes with the mattress and box springs in the back. Upon her approach, he plucked the items right out of her arms with effortless male grace. While he stowed them, she climbed in the cab, eager to get back to the château and make up her new bed.

Without her having to say anything, he drove straight to a boulangerie where she salivated before loading up on nummy little quiches and ham-filled croissants. Alex bought three baguettes and several tranches of Gruyère and Camembert cheese.

“I already feel debauched and haven’t even tasted a morsel yet,” she moaned the words.

On the way back to the truck his eyes swerved to hers with a devilish glitter. “That’s the whole idea. Earlier today I was accused of being a dull boy.”

She quivered. If he got any duller, her heart wouldn’t be able to take it. “I might have exaggerated a little.”

“Careful, Mademoiselle Lofgren, or I’ll get the impression you’re trying to kill me with kindness.” He turned on the engine and they took off.

She’d never had so much fun in her life and the day wasn’t over yet.

“I’m coming down the hall, Dana. I hope you’re ready.”

He couldn’t tell if she cried in fear or giggled. “Alex—please—It’s almost ten o’clock. You’ve done enough! I don’t need anything more.” They’d cleaned every inch of the room until it gleamed. She was so genuinely appreciative of everything he did for her, it made him want to do more.

“I think you’ll find this to be of comfort.” Using his high-powered flashlight so he could see, he entered the turret round and put the heavy bronze floor candelabra near the head of the bed he’d brought down from storage. It was as tall as she was.

Dana held her own flashlight to guide him. She’d taken off her shoes and was in a kneeling position on top of her newly made bed. Using his automatic lighter, he lit the twelve candles in their sconces. Like the sun coming up over the horizon, the room slowly filled with flickering, mellow light.

“Oh—” she cried softly.

His sentiments exactly. The candles illuminated not only the inlaid woods of the Italian armoire and dresser, but the utterly enchanting female who’d worked hard right alongside him all afternoon and evening. Her peaches-and-cream complexion glowed, causing her blue eyes to dazzle him.

“The candles will burn down in an hour or so. Enough time to do some reading before jet lag takes over.”

She shut off her flashlight. “I think I’m in a time warp.”

“I feel that way every time I come inside the château.” Get out of her bedroom. Now. “Before I go downstairs, we’d better discuss how you want to handle your father tomorrow.”

Something in her eyes flickered that had nothing to do with the candlelight. “What do you mean handle?”

“I thought it was obvious. Sweet dreams, princess.”

Dana had no agenda. No place she had to be.

After sleeping in until noon, she spent a long time in the modern bathtub, studying everything. She marveled at the superb job Alex had done of combining contemporary and eighteenth-century decor.

The tile work of the ancient looking floor had been laid in a stunning, stone-green and white checkerboard design. Her eyes followed the lines of the green border also carried out around the window and the door.

Delighted by every inch of work created by a master craftsman, she was loathe to leave her bath. However, the pads of her fingers resembled prunes. Without electricity to blowdry her hair up here, she needed to towel it some more, then brush it dry before she went downstairs.

An ornate, mural-size mirror with a rococo-style gilt frame hung on the wall opposite the tub, another sybaritic element of the château. A gasp escaped her lips when she stood up and saw herself reflected full-size. She had a mirror on the back of the door at home, but it was in her bedroom and seemed miniscule in comparison.

One more look at herself was a reminder that only a few days of enjoying the food they’d bought and she’d put on five pounds just like that!

Discipline, Dana. Self-control.

On the way back to the room in her robe, she repeated the motto that went for other things besides food. Like other people for instance. No, not other people. Just one person.

She clutched the lapels of her robe tighter. A man like no one else.

When she entered the room she could hear her phone vibrating on the dresser. Maybe it was Alex wondering if she was still alive. Suddenly breathless, she clicked on with a smile. “Bonjour!”

“Is that you, Dana?”

Her father’s voice. What a surprise! “Hi, Dad. How was the flight?” He hated being closed in for long periods.

“Boring.” That meant his girlfriend hadn’t been able to keep him distracted.

“And Saskia?”

“She’s at the Metropole in Angers.”