Weddings: The Proposals. Rebecca Winters

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      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.”

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