Captivated By The Brooding Billionaire

The three women had left early in their rental car and hadn’t returned. He knew from Gabrielle they hadn’t checked out. To his shock, Mademoiselle Grant hadn’t left his thoughts all night. He was overwhelmed by unfamiliar feelings for her that made him desperate to see her again. It astounded him he should have these desires when he’d only spent a few minutes with her. Nothing like this had ever happened to him in his life.

Raoul had of course enjoyed relationships with women from time to time growing up. It had been his destiny to marry the woman his father had demanded he marry, but he had felt nothing like this. Two years ago his wife and baby had tragically died in a car accident. Since then he’d been a slave to work.

When he came to Switzerland on business, he’d never dreamed he’d meet a woman who seemed to have invaded his mind, his psyche, his body the way she’d done yesterday. He couldn’t explain it, but her effect on him had brought him alive.

His senses were involved from the moment he’d seen her sitting on the bench at the train station seemingly happy on her own. She’d made a breathtaking picture.

The sun’s rays had turned her hair to liquid gold. Instead of wearing sunglasses like the typical tourist, she’d been drinking in the landscape and had that look of a young woman on the brink of life.

He could feel her reacting to everything she saw. It made him breathless with excitement to observe her. She’d been in sync with his emotions when she’d wanted to know about that fragrance in the air. That aspect of her had fascinated him on a level that went deep beneath the surface.

There was a quality of innocence that appealed to him too. A gift like that wasn’t present in the women who inhabited his world and certainly not within the confines of his own family. If innocence had been there once upon a time, their lifestyle and entitlements had robbed them of such an enticing virtue.

Why did he have to discover it now, with this woman who would be returning to the States shortly? She could never mean anything to him. Yet she already did mean something to him in a way that was so profound he couldn’t let it go.

Lines darkened his Gallic features. They would never cross paths again unless he made it happen. The longer he sat there, the stronger his resolve grew to see her again. He needed to explore these powerful feelings or lose his mind.

While he contemplated an idea that had been percolating in his brain all through the night, his cell rang. It was his private secretary getting back to him. He picked up.

“Félix?”

“You were right. Jules didn’t think it was time yet, but he checked and said black rot has shown up in the terroir to the north.”

“I knew it,” Raoul murmured. “The weather has been warmer than usual. Even though I’ll be home tomorrow, tell him to get started on the fungicide immediately. By now the infection is releasing spores.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

“Don’t let him put up an argument. The spray will stop this infection prior to the bloom period. Last year the spore production didn’t happen this soon. I’ve told Jules all along this has to be checked every year due to weather changes. We may have to add an additional fungicide application after blooming occurs. Tell him I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

Raoul hung up in time to see Mademoiselle Grant come walking up the drive. His pulse raced to realize she wasn’t with her friends. He watched her pause at the vegetable garden to inspect some of the plants. She’d dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved green top, darker than her amazing eyes. On her feet she wore shoes for hiking.

He reached for his phone and keys, then left the room in jeans and a T-shirt to catch up with her before she disappeared. On his way out the door, he told Gabrielle he would inspect the château’s powerboat to make sure it was in good shape for the new owner.

By the time he reached the outside, he glimpsed the younger woman walking along one of the vineyard paths beyond the vegetable garden. He strode toward her, admiring her shapely body as she paused to lean over and smell the flowers.

She must have sensed him coming and turned in his direction. Her gaze wandered over him as if she were startled to see him. “Hello. I had no idea you were still on the property. I guess I assumed you had real estate business elsewhere.”

“I’ve only been here a few days. Tomorrow I’ll be leaving for home.”

“Does that mean you have a wife waiting for you?”

“No. I was married—” He hesitated, somehow knowing that he could confide in this beautiful stranger. “Tragically my wife and our baby died in a car crash two years ago. Angélique was coming home from her parents’ château five kilometers away and was involved in an accident. The other driver was to blame.”

Abby’s eyes closed tightly. “I can’t even imagine it.” The brooding pain he exuded was no longer a mystery.

“Neither could I at the time, but it’s in the past. What about your plans?”

“My friends and I will be leaving soon too. This morning they drove me into the village, then they went to tour the chocolate factory in Broc. I’ve already seen it and wanted to do some research. I expect they’ll be back any minute now so I decided to stay out here and wait for them.”

He frowned. “I thought I’d made it clear you’re welcome to stay at La Floraison through the end of June.”

“You did, but we talked about it and just don’t feel it’s right.”

Raoul sucked in his breath. He knew she’d felt that way the moment he’d given her the news about Auguste. On reflection, he found it unusual that these women chose not to take advantage of the situation. Again, he found himself admiring her. “Does that mean you’re flying back to the States?”

“Not yet. We’re going to gallivant for two weeks in Italy and Greece. Then we’ll go home.”

“Not France?” He didn’t want her to leave.

“I’d go there in a shot, but the girls have been doing research in Italy and Greece since January. It’s hard for them to leave, so they want to go back one last time now that they have the chance.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve been working here in Switzerland.”

He needed to know a lot more about her. “You’ve been here all this time?”

“Yes, but now I’m anxious for a change.”

“Mademoiselle Grant,” he began, “I have to take the château’s boat out for a run on the lake to make sure it’s in top order before I report to Louis. How would you like to go with me so we can continue our conversation? I’ll drive us to the dock in their car.”

“I’d better not. I can’t swim.”

Raoul could feel her pushing away from him, but in his gut he knew she wanted to go with him. There’d been an instant attraction between them.

“That’s what life preservers are for. Can you imagine an accident happening in this giant bathtub of a lake? You can’t even hear a lapping wave on the shore.”

“You mean you think it’s too placid?”

“Let’s just say I can only take the peaceful ambience in doses.”

“Our boss has led such a hectic life in Los Angeles, I can understand why she loves to come here every year to regenerate. She’s a very generous woman to have offered us this vacation.”

“I agree. Why don’t you risk it and come with me? I can swim.”

She looked hesitant. “I’d better not. I don’t want to miss my friends.”

Whatever was going on in her mind, he wasn’t going to let her get away with it. “You have a phone.”

“I know, but—”

“We wouldn’t be gone long. I only need enough time to check out the engine and would like the company.”

He heard her take a deep breath. “All right.”

The chemistry between them was alive. She couldn’t fight it any more than he could. If she’d said no, he would have been forced to come up with another ploy to spend time with her.

They started walking toward the Renault. He helped her into the car and drove them to the pier. The cabin cruiser was a few years old, but looked to be in good shape. Raoul walked along the dock and guided her into the boat. The first thing he did was hand her a life jacket.