Weddings: The Proposals: The Brooding Frenchman's Proposal / Memo: The Billionaire's Proposal / The Playboy Firefighter's Proposal

“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 misconstrued. 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.

“Since he asked me to be a friend to Chantelle, I don’t want him to think I’m taking advantage of his hospitality.”

“No. I’m sure you wouldn’t want him to think that.” Was he being sarcastic again? She couldn’t bear it. “He’s at the breakfast table with Chantelle if you want to ask him now.”

She nodded. Leaving her things where they were, she followed Raoul around the side of the villa. His long strides mesmerized her as much as the male symmetry of his body. When they reached the patio she saw that Paul had also joined his parents.

Raoul reached for some toast, leaving it to Laura to broach the subject. The moment she did his nephew said, “Can I come, too?”

“You have your dental check up this afternoon, Paul,” his mother reminded him. She turned her head in Laura’s direction. “The Tour de France used to be one of Raoul’s passions. I have no doubt he’ll bore you with statistics, but if you’re a fan, too, then it should be an exciting experience.”

Guy nodded his assent, but he seemed dispirited and preoccupied.

Raoul’s gaze swerved to hers. “I’ll come for you at three o’clock. Pack a jacket. The mountains cool off in the evening.”

She couldn’t understand the almost triumphant gleam in his eyes before he disappeared.

CHAPTER FIVE

THE girl from downstairs shot Laura an unfriendly glance. She probably wasn’t a day over twenty-two. “You lock it from this side. Or not,” she added pointedly before her gaze swerved to Raoul once more and remained riveted.

Had Laura ever acted as desperate over an attractive man at that age? She surely hoped not.

Ever since they’d flown to Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps and had arrived at the Auberge Hôtel where the rooms were upstairs in the loft, the girl at the front desk had fallen all over herself to attract Raoul’s attention. The village was packed with tourists from many countries gathered for tomorrow’s race. An electric excitement filled the air.

Everywhere she and Raoul walked after leaving the helicopter, some female smiled at him, inviting him verbally and with a sultry look to come and party with her and her friends. Though they could see Laura was with him, they considered this event a free-for-all.

Once the girl had left them alone, Raoul carried her overnight bag into her room and set it down on a chair. “As soon as you’re ready, we’ll find a restaurant and eat.”

“Five minutes is all I need.”

His veiled eyes took in the pleated tan pants and white cotton sweater she was wearing before they lifted to her face. When he looked at her like that through his sooty lashes, she felt her insides melt. “I’ll meet you downstairs in the lobby.”

With a nod Laura shut the door behind him, but she had to cling to the handle for support. He didn’t have any idea what his physical presence did to her. Was there ever a more gorgeous man born than Raoul? She was certain he’d intended to bring someone else, but that was before Laura had become a guest in his brother’s home. Since then, all plans had changed.

Laura decided he saw her as a freeloader who was taking advantage of Guy, something Raoul couldn’t forgive her for, so he’d brought her here with him. Anything to get her out of the villa where she’d made herself at home after saving his brother’s life. He probably worried she would try to find a way to stay on longer. Even if she denied it, he wouldn’t listen.

Clearly it irritated him that she felt comfortable enough to work in the garden as if she was the chatelaine and Chantelle the guest. He mocked everything she did. Once in a while he let up on his baiting for a moment, but she was under no illusion that his opinion of her would ever soften.

Since she couldn’t do anything about his mindset where she was concerned, she decided to enjoy this unexpected trip and not let his jibes ruin the pleasure of this experience. Too soon she would have to go back to California. When she returned she would demand the earliest court date possible to be legally free of Ted.

Hopefully he’d done his worst by defying the court and breaking into her apartment. Laura had a witness on this one. Not even his brothers with all their political clout could block the divorce much longer.

Before coming to Europe she hadn’t thought beyond simply getting away where she wasn’t forced to think about Ted’s next ploy to get her to come back to him. However, everything had changed since the Palio. Being Guy’s guest had meant she’d dropped from the radar screen, forcing Ted’s hand.