so why don’t you ask Guy?”
“I don’t dare talk to him about his brother for the very same reason. The truth is, he hasn’t offered any information. They’re a very closemouthed family—aristocratic, if you know what I mean. I’ve been learning things on a need-to-know basis only.”
“Wouldn’t Guy’s son be all right to ask?”
“No. He’s good friends with his uncle. They share everything. I have no doubt Raoul vets Paul about me. I don’t want to give him anything he can use against me. The other night Paul told him I’d gone out in the limo and the next thing I knew, Raoul came to find me.”
“Sounds thrilling to me.”
“It would have been if I thought Raoul didn’t have another agenda, but he does. That’s why if I were to ask Paul any questions that didn’t have to do with him, it would stir things up. I’m trying to stay out of trouble and mind my own business.”
“Your life story is better than the latest vampire novel I’m reading.”
At that remark Laura laughed. When it subsided she said, “Raoul would make a gorgeous vampire.”
“According to your description, he’d make a gorgeous—”
“Don’t say it,” Laura broke in. “I can’t afford to think it.”
“But you have thought it. I can hear it in your voice.”
“It’s this place, Cindy, it’s out of this world.”
“Then what are you going to do about Raoul?”
She moved her arm in front of her eyes. “Nothing.”
“You mean you’re going to let nature take its course.”
“That’s the way it has to be. Now I’ve kept you up too late and you need your beauty sleep. I’ll be seeing you in about ten days, but I’ll call you before then. Take care.”
“You, too.”
Laura rang off, thinking about everything they’d discussed. As she lay there soaking up the sun, she felt a cloud pass over. That was odd. She hadn’t seen any clouds on the horizon this morning. She removed her arm to look up at the sky and let out a slight gasp.
It was Raoul blocking the sun’s rays. He was supposed to be at work! Had he heard any of her conversation with Cindy before he’d moved right in front of her? She found herself the object of his piercing black scrutiny. It took her breath.
He looked impossibly striking in a light-gray business suit that molded his hard-muscled body to perfection. After two days’ deprivation, to have this kind of reaction to him alarmed her.
She sat up and got to her feet. Her sleeveless pink blouse and white shorts covered her adequately, but when his gaze roved over her she trembled for no reason. “I take it you were looking for me.”
“Chantelle said you were out here somewhere. Next time I can’t find you, I’d better look under a few plants. What has you so fascinated?”
“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
