Transformed Into The Frenchman’s Mistress

Seven

The sun slipped below the horizon, and Alec watched the lights come on up and down the Tiber River. He was in no hurry to leave the café. He didn’t want to share Charlotte with Raine or anyone else just yet.

Over her empty coffee cup, she sighed at the sight. “It really is beautiful, isn’t it?”

Alec reached for her hand, smoothing his thumb over her soft knuckles, moving to her palm. “Let me take you on a cruise.”

She gave him a pained, wistful look.

“Don’t fixate on the cost,” he whispered. Then he raised her hand to his lips, turning it over to place a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist. “I want to get you alone, and I can’t think of anywhere more alone than in a boat on the river.”

Her glance slid to the marina below, and Alec knew he had her. He seized the opportunity, signaling the waiter. “Do you have a number for the marina?” he asked.

The man nodded and withdrew.

“I didn’t say yes,” Charlotte pointed out.

“Not with your lips,” Alec agreed. “But you said yes with your eyes.”

“That’s a stretch.”

He shook his head. “I’ve been reading women’s eyes for many long years.”

“Bragging?”

“Merely supporting my position.”

The waiter returned with the number written on a small piece of paper, and Alec retrieved his cell phone. He made a quick call, arranged for a yacht and crew, then flipped the phone shut.

He stood from his chair and came around to hers. “We have to eat dinner somewhere,” he told her.

“It’s a dinner cruise?”

“It’s whatever we want it to be.”

The only available boat, the Florence Maiden, was ninety-five feet from bow to stern. She had a chef, a fully stocked galley, three luxury staterooms, a formal dining room, a hot tub on the aft deck and five crew members to ensure the entire evening ran smoothly.

Charlotte drew a deep breath. “I guess a girl’s got to eat.”

Alec held out his hand, helping her to her feet. “That’s the spirit.”

He kept her hand as they made their way down several staircases to the marina gate. There, he gave his name to a uniformed security guard.

“Berth 27B,” the man informed him. “Enjoy your evening.”

Still wearing his jacket, Charlotte slipped her arm into his as they moved onto the bobbing dock. It was full dark now, and the lights of Castle St. Angelo seemed even brighter across the river.

Alec noted a sign on the wharf and pointed to their left. “This way.”

Charlotte turned, and they started past several dozen gleaming-white yachts berthed nose-in. “Tell me it’s not the one on the end.”

Alec could already see the name painted near the bow. “It’s what they had available.”

“You truly can’t be trusted.” But there wasn’t a trace of anger in her tone. In fact, she sounded pleased. Well, he was feeling pretty pleased himself.

The captain greeted them at the bottom of the gangplank, welcoming them aboard. With Charlotte climbing in front of him, Alec’s spirits lifted with every step upward.

They settled in padded, teak deck chairs at the bow of the boat. The steward provided a wine list, and Alec chose a merlot.

“We should call Raine.”

“Why would we do that?” Alec had finally succeeded in separating Charlotte from the herd; he wasn’t about to make contact.

The ship’s whistle sounded and the engines rumbled as they reversed out of the berth, drawing back from the traffic, trees and buildings along the bank.

“She might be worried,” said Charlotte.

“She’s got my cell number. And yours, too, I imagine. She’ll call if she needs anything.”

“They probably expected to join us for dinner,” Charlotte continued.

“They’ll get over it.”

The steward arrived to uncork the wine. He offered Alec a taste and, at Alec’s nod, filled their glasses.

“The chef can offer you a seven-course Italian dinner, featuring gamberi al Limone and rigatoni alla Caruso. If you prefer French, he has a lovely petits tournedos aux poivres vert accompanied by la salade du Montmartre. Or he can prepare a grilled filet mignon, Portobello mushrooms, with a traditional Caesar salad.”

Alec looked to Charlotte. “When in Rome?”

“The Italian dinner sounds perfect,” she said to the steward.

As the man walked away, she leaned closer to Alec. “We can only hope the pasta will improve the size of my derriere.”

Alec leaned toward her, keeping his voice at a conspiratorial level. “I’ll let you know later.”

“Feeling pretty sure of yourself?”

He glanced at the moon, the water, the lights of the city and Charlotte wrapped in his jacket lounging back amongst the subtle lights of the yacht’s deck. “So far, so good,” he admitted, taking a satisfied sip of the merlot.

“It is nice to get away from the crowds,” Charlotte agreed. “The noise.”

“The explosions.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Did you see your father this morning?” asked Alec.

She shook her head.

“He was due in, right?”

Her gaze went to a cloud wisping across the moon. “Yes, he was.”

“But you didn’t stay to say hello?”

She watched straight over the bow. “I didn’t want to hold everybody up.”

Alec considered her profile for a moment. “You didn’t want to see him,” he concluded.

“I told you, it’s not the same as Jack. With David, I don’t care one way or the other.”

“What about the rest of the family?”

“What about them?”

“Your cousins Dev and Max were coming in today. And Isabella would have been on set. Don’t you want to get to know them?”

Charlotte’s expression tightened.

“You escaped, didn’t you?” Alec guessed.

She waved a dismissive hand. “I needed clothes.”

“You could have had some shipped from home.”

She mustered a cocky grin. “And where would be the fun in that?”

“Charlotte,” Alec pressed. “Are you afraid of your family?”

“It’s not the same as for you.”

“Blood is still blood,” said Alec. He had dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins and second cousins in and around Provence. Montcalm family occasions were large, boisterous and entertaining. It didn’t matter how seldom he saw some relatives, they always meant something.

She gathered his jacket closer around her.

“You said you missed Jack,” Alec pointed out, struggling to figure out her feelings. “Now’s your chance to get to know him.”

Storm clouds gathered behind her blue eyes. “It’s complicated.”

“That’s just part of the package. You want to hear about my Uncle Rudy and his affair with cousin Giselle’s next-door neighbor? Or the time Uncle Bovier disinherited his eldest son, Leroy, because he was gay? Talk about a crisis. My phone rang off the hook for weeks.” Alec took a breath.

“At least you know them,” said Charlotte.

“Not that well.” There were members of his family he saw only once a year.

“And.” She gave a hollow laugh. “They didn’t give you away.”

Alec stilled.

Her voice went hard. “Nobody looked at you and Raine, and said, ‘We like Raine better. Give Alec away.’”

“I’m sure it wasn’t-”

“I have one father, an aunt and uncle, two grandparents, a brother and four cousins on the Hudson side of the family, and not one, not one of them thought I was worth keeping.” She closed her eyes, shook her head and took a swallow of her wine.

“I was wrong,” Alec put in softly, drinking in the intense emotion on her face. “You’re not scared. You’re angry.” He nodded to himself. “That makes sense. You have every right to be angry with them.”

She waved her glass for emphasis. “My grandparents took wonderful care of me.”

“You waited your whole life for Jack to come and rescue you. He never did.”

“Jack was a little boy.”

“Emotions have nothing to do with logic.” Alec rose from his chair, crossing the polished, redwood deck. He crouched next to Charlotte’s chair. “If you could control your emotions with logic, would you be here?”

She gazed silently into his eyes.

“It’s a risk, you and me. For you, it’s your reputation. For me…” He gave a short laugh. “Well, all the usual reasons. Plus, you’re Raine’s friend, and she’s going to kill me if you get hurt.”

“I’m not going to get hurt.”

“I’m counting on that,” Alec said honestly. He might be narcissistic and self-centered, but he didn’t deliberately set out to hurt anyone. He tried hard to choose independent, worldly women. That they were mostly gold diggers was regrettable, but then the breakup disappointed them on more of a financial level than an emotional one. And that was good.

He heard the steward behind him with the first course.

Alec came to his feet. He’d hold Charlotte in his arms later and try to chase away her demons. It was a temporary fix for both of them, but it was all they had.

The water in the aft-deck hot tub swirled around Charlotte’s naked body. Soft, underwater lighting reflected on the blue walls, highlighting her pale skin and Alec’s arms where they wrapped around her waist to anchor across her stomach.

Angry at the Hudsons? At first she’d dismissed Alec’s theory. Schooled by her diplomat grandfather and gentle, compassionate grandmother, Charlotte always had her emotions completely under control. She wasn’t given to outbursts of anger. She was analytical and empathetic. Anger was a self-indulgent emotion that was never productive.

But as dinner moved on, something pricked at her brain: Could Alec could be right? Had she spent the past twenty-one years repressing her anger? Was that why her stomach churned at the thought of seeing the Hudsons?

She’d always felt like an outsider. And she’d long since admitted to her jealousy of her cousins and their easy familiarity with each other. But was there more?

“Stop thinking,” Alec rumbled in her ear, giving her a quick kiss on the temple, his arms tightening for a split second around her waist.

She was cradled in his lap beneath the warm water. He’d asked the ship staff to give them privacy, so they were alone on the dark deck, surrounded by a smoked-glass guardrail. Clouds had been moving in for an hour, and the city lights turned blurry as the first raindrops plunked into the tub.

Charlotte snuggled against the cocoon of Alec’s body. She didn’t feel like an outsider now. In fact, for the first time in her life, she was at the center of the universe-hers and Alec’s. She recognized the danger of those feelings and vowed they wouldn’t get out of control. But for now, for tonight, Alec was a welcome break from the reality she’d have to face back at the movie set.

The rain grew heavy, fat droplets splashing into the hot tub.

“You want to go inside?” asked Alec.

“I like it here,” she responded, reluctant to break the spell.

“I like it, too.” He kissed her neck, tracing a trail to her damp shoulder and back again.

“You taste good.”

“It’s the rainwater.”

“No, it’s not.”

She tipped her head to one side, giving him freer access. His large hands slipped up her stomach, covering her breasts. “You’re soft,” he muttered. “So soft.”

She dropped her head right back, and he placed a warm, wet kiss on her lips.

“Have you stopped thinking?” he asked.

“I think you’re magic,” she answered, and he smiled.

“It’s nice to be magic.”

He kissed her again, more seriously this time. Then he carefully turned her so she was facing him, straddling his lap, her arms loosely around his neck.

He shimmied her close. “Do you want anything?”

“Besides you?”

“Coffee, brandy, dessert?”

“You’re going to call the steward?” She glanced meaningfully down at their naked bodies.

“We can have it delivered to the stateroom.”

“I assumed you had something else in mind for the stateroom.”

He smoothed back her wet hair. “I’m in no rush.”

Then his expression turned serious. “We’ve got all night.”

“What about Rai-”

He put an index finger across her lips. “Nobody’s called. Nobody’s going to call. It’s just you and me.” His gaze trailed from her neck to her breasts, her stomach and below. “You are astonishingly beautiful. I could sit here and stare at you all night.”

“That’s only because you can’t see my skinny derriere.”

“Turn around.”

“I don’t believe I will.”

“I’ve grown fond of your derriere.” He slipped a hand beneath her and gave a squeeze. “Plus, you ate all that pasta.”

She struggled not to wriggle under his hand. But it was strong and warm and oh-so-sensual. “The pasta was delicious.”

Alec kissed her mouth. “A dismal second.”

“To?”

He drew back. “You fishing for more compliments?”

“Oh.” She pretended to suddenly understand. “A dismal second to me.”

He chuckled low. “You are shameless.”

She gave in, shifting her body so that his hand touched the sensitive spot between her legs.

“Pretty much,” she agreed in a husky voice.

His eyes darkened, and he leaned in for a very serious kiss, his fingertips setting out on an exploration that made her gasp, even as cool rain water trickled down her spine.

“Inside?” he rasped, and she quickly nodded her agreement.

He lifted her out of the tub, wrapped them both in thick, white robes and carried her the short distance to the master stateroom.

The room was huge, with a cushioned, cream-colored carpet, gleaming cherrywood paneling, a massive bed with a rose-colored comforter, eight pillows and a padded bench at the foot. There were mirrors on the ceiling, oil paintings on the walls and a subtly textured, cream wallpaper that wrapped around a sitting nook with overstuffed furniture and porcelain lamps. Several flower arrangements gave the room a sweet, subtle scent.

Alec set her down on the soft carpet, dragging back the comforter to reveal crisp, white sheets. He tossed most of the pillows, then tugged at the sash of her robe. With warm hands, he brushed the terry-cloth from her shoulders, easing the fabric down her arms, until it cascaded to a pool at her feet.

“Amazing,” he whispered, drawing back to gaze at her naked body.

Charlotte felt amazing. She loved the warm look in his eyes, the hiss of his indrawn breath, the power of his muscled body as he tossed his own robe and stood naked before her.

She reached out to touch his chest, his skin warm under her fingertips. “Amazing,” she echoed.

He stepped forward. His palm cupped the curve of her hip, drawing her in. His other hand touched her chin, tipping her face ever so gently as he bent toward her for a soft kiss.

“I don’t want tonight to end,” he told her.

Neither did she. “What if we keep sailing? Into the Mediterranean, through the Strait of Gibraltar and out into the Pacific.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“They’d probably send a search party.”

He raised an eyebrow. “But I wonder how many times we could make love before they found us?”

“I wonder how many times we can make love tonight?” she countered.

“Now there’s a challenge.” He backed her into the edge of the bed, kissed her soundly, his hands roaming, while she gave up any pretense at control, dragging him onto the bed, kissing his mouth, tasting his skin, running her hands down his back, his thighs, kneading his hard muscles, before sitting up to straddle his body.

They both groaned at the contact, staring into each other’s eyes. His hands bracketed her hips, easing inside her. He was huge and hot, and she gasped as sparks spread out to touch her fingers and her toes.

He locked his hands with hers, and he flexed his hips. She matched him thrust for thrust, her head tipping back, and the world sliding into a cataclysm of color until she cried out his name and he wrapped her in an engulfing hug.

Hours later, they lay side by side, he on his back, she sprawled on her stomach. She felt as though she might never move again.

Through bleary eyes, she watched him liberate a long-stemmed rose from the vase beside the bed. He stroked its soft petals along her shoulder, down the indent of her waist, over the curve of her hip then across her derriere.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he said, “your derriere is perfect.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “You do know how to show a girl a good time.”

“I try.”

“You didn’t have to do all this,” she continued. The yacht, the hot tub, the amazing dinner. “I’d have slept with you again anyway.”

His voice was a low rumble. “You mean I could have checked us into the Plaza Della Famiglia for thirty euro and had my way with you?”

She smiled. “Yes,” she answered honestly.

He stared, not moving, at the ceiling for a while.

There was a funny catch to his voice when he spoke again. “That means a lot to me.” He paused. “Knowing that you mean it.”

Then he rose on his elbow to gaze down at her. “But it’s also important to me that I didn’t do that.”

She nodded, understanding, touched by his point. And, quite frankly, a luxury yacht made for better memories than a cheap motel.

He gently brushed a lock of hair back from her cheek. “Of all the women…” He went silent for a long minute. Then he leaned forward to kiss her mouth.

He pulled her almost fiercely to him, kissing harder and deeper. Her energy returned in a rush, and their naked bodies meshed together. The rain drummed steadily on the window and lightning flashed in the sky, while the yacht, droning steadily, made a lazy turn to head back up the Tiber River.

They made it to the airport just in time to greet Raine and Kiefer and jump on the jet to get to London. The Montcalm Gulfstream had two seating areas, four armchairs facing each other at the front of the cabin and a couch, table and two side-facing armchairs at the back.

Raine seemed uncomfortable as they boarded, moving to the back and buckling in on the white leather couch. Charlotte followed, wondering if she’d somehow offended her friend by staying out all night. She and Raine were sharing a hotel suite, so Raine had to be fully aware that Charlotte had spent the night with Alec.

Alec and Kiefer sat down in the second row, on opposite sides of the aisle, facing forward. The captain came back to talk to Alec, while a steward offered drinks all around. Charlotte said yes to champagne and orange juice, steeling her courage to face Raine.

“You all right?” she asked Raine as the jet taxied for takeoff. Alec and Kiefer had immediately settled in to a work discussion.

“Yeah.” Raine nodded without glancing Charlotte’s way.

“The meeting?” Charlotte forced herself to ask. “It went well?”

Raine gave another nod.

The engines whined to full throttle, the jet gaining speed before smoothly lifting off the runway, climbing fast and banking north.

As they leveled, and the noise subsided, Charlotte gathered her courage. “Raine, I have to-”

“You’re probably wondering,” Raine interrupted, glancing worriedly at the two men in the front of the cabin. She leaned close to Charlotte. “You’re probably wondering why I didn’t show up last night.”

Charlotte was confused. “Show up?”

Raine nodded. “At the hotel. I-” Her eyes darted to Alec for a split second. “I was with Kiefer.”

Charlotte raised a hand to her lips to cover up the smile. “You spent the night with Kiefer?”

Raine nodded, looking pained. “I wasn’t going to-” She twisted her hands around her clutch purse. “I know I said I wouldn’t-”

“I slept with Alec,” Charlotte admitted in an effort to lessen Raine’s embarrassment.

Raine drew back. “Huh?”

“I didn’t go back to the hotel suite, either.”

“You slept with Alec?” Raine hissed.

“Shh.” Charlotte checked out the backs of the men’s heads to make sure they weren’t listening. “Yes.”

“So you didn’t even know I wasn’t there?”

“Didn’t have a clue,” said Charlotte.

“I could have gotten away with it?”

Charlotte nodded. “But you slept with Kiefer? What happened?”

“After the meeting,” said Raine, keeping her voice down, “we went to dinner. I wondered why you guys didn’t call, by the way.”

“I wondered why you didn’t call us.”

“There was dancing,” said Raine. “And, well…”

“He now knows you think he’s hot?” Charlotte suggested.

“He knows now.”

Both women stared ahead in silence for a moment.

“And Alec?” asked Raine.

“Knows I think he’s hot, too.”

Raine nodded, a grin growing rapidly on her face.

Suddenly, both women burst out laughing.

The two men turned to stare.

“Nothing,” Raine assured them.

“Girl talk,” said Charlotte.

Alec’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, but Charlotte gave him a benign shrug. It wasn’t her place to give away secrets. After a minute, the men went back to their conversation.

“What now?” asked Raine.

Charlotte didn’t know how to answer that. Last night had been magic, from shopping to coffee to the yacht. But in the cold light of day, she had no idea what Alec would expect.

“What now for you?” she asked Raine, stalling for time.

“Honestly? I think it’s going to get really awkward, really fast,” said Raine. “It was great, but now we have to work together.” She folded her arms over her chest and leaned her head back on the seat. “There’s just no way this ends well.”

Charlotte nodded, understanding completely. Really awkward, really fast, was a good way to put it. It was some consolation that she’d be done with the movie in a few weeks. After that, she and Alec’s paths didn’t need to cross. But for Raine, a fling with Kiefer was a whole lot more complicated. She wished she had some helpful advice to offer. But she had nothing.

Alec rose from his seat and moved down the aisle, his expression serious. He nodded to Raine. “Kiefer would like to talk to you.”

Without meeting her brother’s eyes, Raine scrambled to her feet and moved up the cabin.

Alec stayed behind, taking the seat next to Charlotte. And when he turned to her, his expression softened.

“Hey.” He smiled.

“Hey.” Despite the circumstances, she couldn’t help but smile back.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

“Tired?”

“A little.”

Between their bodies, he took her hand in his. “So, what do you want to do in London?”

She didn’t want to be presumptuous. Though she’d happily spend more time with him. “What do you want to do in London?” She put it back on him.

Unexpectedly, he cupped her cheek, raking spread fingers back into her loose hair, pulling her forward for a kiss.

“Kiefer,” she warned in an undertone, as Alec’s lips closed over hers.

“Kiefer knows,” said Alec against her mouth. Then he kissed her deeply. “This is what I want to do in London.”

“For two whole days?”

“Yes.”

“Did Kiefer say…anything?” Charlotte asked carefully.

Alec nodded toward the front of the cabin. “Take a look.”

She twisted her head to see Raine sitting across Kiefer’s lap in the big armchair. They were whispering and giggling together.

“I feel like I’m in high school,” she told Alec.

He agreed with a nod. “But with much better transportation and a platinum card.”

“You’re going to try to spend money on me in London, aren’t you?”

“Try?” he scoffed, cocking his head and giving her a smirk. “I’ve already booked a suite at the Ritz and a box on the Grand Tier at Covent Garden.”