Falling For Her French Tycoon (Escape To Provence Book 1) Read online

  “Nathalie? He’s too intelligent not to figure that out.”

  She folded her arms to her waist. “For Alain’s sake I have to find the truth if I can. Do you really wish I would give this up?”

  “Yes, but I know you won’t and suspect you’re more than attracted to Dominic. Am I right?”

  She lowered her head. “I’d give anything if I weren’t.”

  “It’s going to get worse the longer you keep seeing him.”

  “I know. But it’s a risk I’m still willing to take for Alain’s sake. Thanks for supporting me. I love you.”

  She kissed her mother and went to her bedroom. After putting in a wash, she packed some more clothes and finally went to bed exhausted. The next morning, she left for Vence after having packed her lunch. She also turned on her phone.

  Dominic filled her mind to the exclusion of all else. The knowledge that he’d be coming over tonight made it difficult to breathe. Nathalie stopped there first to get her backpack. The walk to the vineyard didn’t take long.

  She’d just reached the next row to start cutting grapes when her cell phone rang. Her heart leaped when she saw Dominic’s name on the caller ID.

  She put down the scissors. “Bonjour, monsieur.”

  “Bonjour, mademoiselle.”

  His distinctive voice melted her insides.

  “Would you please let Nathalie Fournier know I’ll be arriving tonight with our dinner? I owe her one after not showing up last evening.” He hung up before she could respond.

  His call brightened the already beautiful day. She hardly noticed the work she had to do. When she left the vineyard at four thirty, she came close to a run in her excitement to see Dominic again. She’d brought a summery dress in a small floral print on white to wear this evening. Even if he didn’t believe her reasons for coming to the vineyard and all this was about to come to an end, she wanted to look her best.

  Nathalie had been listening for his distinctive knock that came as she was brushing out her hair. She hurried to open the door. Tonight he wore a silky claret-colored shirt and tan chinos. He carried a grocery bag.

  “Well, if it isn’t the mysterious monsieur!”

  His black eyes were alive. “I hope mademoiselle is ready for coq au vin straight from the chateau kitchen.”

  “Hmm. After Guinguet Fontesquieu, do I dare try it?”

  His deep laugh rang out to delight her. “I don’t know. I’ll eat first. If I don’t expire, you’ll know it’s safe. But I need to be invited in.”

  “You don’t need an invitation.”

  “I’ll remember that.” He walked through to the kitchen while she shut the door and followed him. His gaze traveled over her. “You look lovely tonight.”

  You look incredible. “Thank you. I’ve set the table and the coffee is ready. We can eat whenever you want.”

  “You know me. I’m hungry now. Let’s dig in while it’s hot.” He pulled the ingredients from the bag and they sat down to enjoy what turned out to be a fabulous meal. “How went another day in the life of our latest coupeuse?”

  She laughed. “Backbreaking, as if you didn’t know. I’d much rather talk about your day.” Hopefully she could ply him with enough questions to learn the truth.

  * * *

  Once again Dominic had to ask himself why Nathalie seemed so interested in his day. “In truth I’ve been counting the hours to be with you. I’m sorry about yesterday.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it does. That’s why I asked Etienne to come in my place and make my apologies in person. He texted me around six and told me all was well, adding, ‘She took my breath. How did you manage that, Dom?’”

  Heat crept into those beautiful cheeks. “I realized something important had held you up.”

  “Yesterday I had a phone call from my cousin Raoul. After living in a tumultuous marriage, he’s decided it has to end and has asked his wife for a divorce, grâce à Dieu. He should never have married her.”

  “How sad.”

  “I had to help him with some important business. You have no idea of the turmoil he’s been through.”

  She breathed deeply. “More and more I’m relieved I ended it with Guy. Your cousin’s situation reminds me of what I avoided by not marrying him.”

  Dominic wanted to believe her. He put down his coffee cup. “Raoul is my best friend and always has been. Over the last couple of years I’ve seen him so unhappy. His wife is making demands. I’m trying to help him. We didn’t get back from Nice until ten.”

  “He’s lucky to have you.”

  “One of these days his nightmare will be over. In the meantime he’s rooming with me in my apartment at the chateau.”

  “Where does your cousin usually live?”

  “In the other wing of the chateau.”

  She blinked. “I know it’s massive, but you all live there together?”

  His brows lifted. “A horrifying thought, isn’t it?”

  “Only if you want to be private.”

  Dominic smiled at her. “That’s why I lived in Paris for as long as I did.”

  “But you came home once in a while.”

  “Yes, for visits and vacations. If I decide to stay in Vence, then the day is coming when I’ll buy my own home. Raoul is planning to do the same thing. It’s just as well they’re separated until they go to court and a settlement is made.”

  “I feel terrible for him. Did they love each other before they got married?”

  “He’d been seeing her, but hadn’t proposed marriage though both their families wanted it desperately. One night he met a girl and overnight fell deeply in love with her, wanting marriage. But then came the news that Sabine was pregnant.

  “Raoul had only slept with her once and regretted it before breaking it off with her. But hearing the news about Sabine’s pregnancy, he had to end his relationship with the woman he loved. At that point he did the noble thing and married Sabine. Sadly their baby died a month after she was born. He buried his heart with his little girl. Since the funeral there’s been an emptiness in him that worries me.”

  “I can’t imagine so much pain.”

  Their eyes held.

  “You’re not a Fontesquieu,” Dominique murmured.

  He noticed her shudder.

  “Would you believe Etienne was pressured into his marriage at around the same time? He should have married a girl he was crazy about, but the family didn’t consider her good enough to marry and wouldn’t hear of it.”

  She shook her head. “Does that mean he’s also on the verge of divorce?”

  “It could happen, but they have a little girl, Sophie, to think of.”

  She pushed herself away from the table to retrieve dessert from the counter.

  “I shouldn’t have unburdened myself to you. You’re far too easy to talk to.”

  “Please don’t say that. Your worries help me forget my own.” She brought the two tartes aux pommes to the table and sat down. “I’m curious about something. Since you all live at the chateau, are your offices there too?”

  Was it natural curiosity on her part? Even if she had a hidden reason for asking the question, it made him chuckle. “No. Maybe you haven’t seen the big modern office building behind the chateau. We each have our own suites.”

  Her eyes smiled. “But you never really get away from each other. Togetherness has to be the reason your family’s business has risen to such heights.”

  Something was going on in her beautiful head. Nathalie had a charm about her that was tying him in knots. He needed to put distance between them this evening. Whether he discovered her reason for coming to the vineyard or not, he couldn’t be around her much longer before he took her in his arms and made endless love to her.

  “I’ve enjoyed tonight more than you know, but I have som
e business to take care of and need to get going. Let me clear the table first.”

  “No, no, Dominic. You brought this wonderful food and I’ve loved it. I’ll take care of everything else. Tomorrow evening I’ll provide the dinner.”

  “I’d like that, but I have an even better idea. As your employer, I’m giving you the day off tomorrow to spend it with me. How would you like to cook in the galley on my cruiser? It’s docked in Nice. We’ll leave in the morning and enjoy a full day and evening on the water together. It’s a beautiful sight watching the sun go down over the Mediterranean while we swim and eat.” Tomorrow he’d break her down.

  His suggestion lit up her whole expression. “That would be incredible.”

  “Then we’ll do it. Don’t bother to get groceries. We’ll buy them in Nice.”

  She walked him to the door. “I won’t be able to sleep.” He’d had close to none since he’d met her. Dominic was besotted by her. “Thank you for everything.”

  “Pick you up here at eight in the morning. Bring your swimming suit.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  He gave her a swift kiss before striding to his car. It took all the self-control he possessed not to crush her against him. Tomorrow everything was going to change.

  * * *

  Nathalie had trouble getting to sleep that night. Dominic’s story about what had happened to his cousin had sounded so much like what had happened to Antoinette, it had shaken her. Maybe she was losing it and tried to put it out of her mind.

  The next morning her heart pounded out of rhythm when Dominic arrived at eight. He’d dressed in a blue pullover and white cargo pants. It should be a sin for a man to be so devastatingly handsome and marvelous. For today she didn’t want to think about anything but being with him, and wished she could thrust her guilt aside. Of course, that wasn’t possible.

  She’d showered and changed into white shorts and a short-sleeved lavender top. After catching her hair back with a clip, she was ready and walked out the door with her overnight bag. He helped her into the car and they reached Nice in a half hour under a sunny sky. What perfect weather!

  She turned to him. “Shall we have steaks tonight?” He’d stopped at a grocery store and they hurried inside to find what they wanted. “The rest we can get in the deli.”

  He nodded and reached for several baguettes to go with their meals. Before long they left for the pier where he kept his white thirty-foot cruiser with a black stripe. Everything was state of the art. This was a world most people could only dream of. Yet she couldn’t forget he’d left it for a decade or longer to pursue the life he’d wanted. As far as she was concerned, he was a Renaissance man.

  They both carried a bag along the dock. He got in the cruiser first with the groceries, then helped her in, but didn’t let her go. “I’ve been waiting to do this all the way here. I need to kiss you. Really kiss you.”

  “Dominic—” Unable to help herself, she threw her arms around his neck hungrily and met that male mouth she’d been longing to taste again. Swept away by rapture, she lost track of time and never wanted to let him go.

  Someone let out a loud whistle from another boat that reminded her they weren’t alone. She eased herself away from Dominic, whose black eyes were glazed with desire. “I’m taking you to a place where we can be strictly alone.” He handed her a life preserver and helped her put it on. “Let’s go below and put away the groceries. After I show you around, we’ll get going.”

  He pointed out the bedroom and bathroom on the lower deck. They wanted for nothing. Nathalie hadn’t known joy like this in her whole life. To think she’d ever thought of marrying Guy. Being with Dominic had transported her to another dimension of living.

  Yet the chateau, the cruiser, all the trappings of a privileged life had nothing to do with how she felt when she was with him. He’d brought her alive. They could be stranded on a desert island with nothing but each other and she would have felt she’d found paradise. That was when she knew for certain she was in love with him.

  They went back up on deck, where he undid the ropes and they cast off. “I’d like to take you to a place I love to go when I have time. Have you ever been to Les Calanques de Cassis?”

  She shook her head. “Even though I’ve lived on the French Riviera all my life and went to the university in Nice, I’ve only heard of them. My friends didn’t have boats.” The Fontesquieu family lived a different life than 99 percent of the world.

  “Then you’re in for a fabulous treat. They’re magical coastal inlets,” he spoke with excitement. “Great cliffs of limestone that form mini fjords with sandy beaches. We’ll find one for ourselves.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “We’ll head there now.”

  When they’d reached the buoy, he opened the throttle and they sped toward the open sea. She’d had some good times in her life, but nothing like the experience she was having now with a man who was perfect to her.

  She walked over to the side to take in the incredible sights along the coast. Soon they were passing Antibes. She wheeled around. “I’ve been there to see the Picasso museum, but I never saw the town from the water. It’s all so breathtaking.”

  “To be honest, I prefer the sight standing a few feet away from me on those fabulous legs. You’re rather breathtaking yourself.”

  She laughed in delight. “Keep it up, Dominic. Every woman loves to hear flattery like that.”

  “You’re not every woman and it’s not flattery.”

  Nathalie turned away and clung to the side of the boat. No. She was one of the small percent who couldn’t have children. The pain of that knowledge had run marrow deep since meeting him.

  Before long they passed Cannes with its profusion of glittering yachts and a Mediterranean beach that drew film stars and sheiks from all over.

  “I miss you, Nathalie. Come and sit by me.”

  In an instant she moved to sit across from him and studied his chiseled male features through her sunglasses. There was never a more beautiful man born. “This is heaven for me.”

  He looked back at her through his own sunglasses. “I’m trying not to think about my life without you in it. The day you applied for work, my world changed.”

  “So did mine,” she answered honestly. “I’ve been so happy.” It frightened her that in coming to the vineyard, she’d met the man who’d changed her life for all time.

  Today she selfishly wanted to put every thought out of her head except to enjoy every single second of this precious time with him. Depending on where the conversation led this evening, it might never come again.

  “Do you miss the pharmacy?”

  What pharmacy? Her mind was so far away from any thoughts except for him, she was a total mass of unassuaged longings only he could satisfy. She smiled. “What do you think?”

  He grasped her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “I think I’d like to sail away with you and never come back.”

  Don’t say things like that, Dominic.

  It wasn’t possible. She couldn’t allow herself to imagine a life with him. “That’s a tempting thought, but not realistic.” She stood up. “I’m going to get us some sodas. I’ll be right back.”

  * * *

  He watched her leave. Whatever she was keeping from him had made her squirm, but he wasn’t worried. Dominic wouldn’t let things alone until he’d gotten the truth out of her. There was no way he’d be taking her back until all was exposed.

  Two hours later they’d come in sight of Les Calanques. He headed for his favorite channel.

  “Oh, Dominic—I’ve never seen anything so fabulous in my life! It’s like entering a canyon of sheer cliffs with a fairy-tale backdrop. The white of the limestone with the blue sky above is out of this world.”

  He knew she would love it as he drove his boat in and headed for the sandy little beach at the
end. It wasn’t quite noon yet. Any boaters would probably come out later when it was warmer. For now they had this piece of paradise all to themselves.

  After cutting the motor, he laid anchor and looked over at her. She’d already removed her life jacket. “How soon can you be ready for a swim?”

  “Right now.” She flashed him a smile to die for and took off her clothes to reveal a jade-colored bikini beneath. He came close to having a heart attack before peeling off his own clothes down to his black swimsuit. She beat him to the transom and jumped in the water.

  He heard a shriek and laughed. “It’ll warm up.”

  “Now you tell me!”

  Dominic dived off the boat and swam under the water, catching her around those fabulous legs. They played for a while until he couldn’t take it any longer and dragged her to the warm sand. Pulling her down next to him, he said, “You thought you would get away from me, but I’m telling you right now I’ll never let go.”

  She lay there breathing hard with the sun bringing out the gold threads of her silvery-gold hair. “With those light green eyes, you look like a goddess who has enchanted me.”

  “This whole day has been one of enchantment.”

  He plunged his hand into her hair, which had come undone. “I want you, Nathalie. More than any woman I’ve ever wanted in my life.”

  “I want you too,” she confessed, running her hands over his shoulders. He began to kiss her, starting with her throat, then every feature of her face until he found her mouth. Desire consumed him as she responded with an abandon he could only dream about. They were on fire for each other.

  “I can’t believe I had to live this long to meet you.”

  “I know. I feel the same way,” she murmured against his lips. “You’re too good to be true. I—” She paused because they could both hear voices and laughter. “Oh, no. Someone has found our spot.”

  Damn. She’d been about to say something that could have been important for his peace of mind. “Come on. Let’s swim back to the boat and fix a meal. Hopefully they’ll go away after a while.”