“The day I saw you get him out of your car, he reached for your hand. I thought he was your son. There was a tenderness in the way you treated him. It was a defining moment for me where you’re concerned and brought tears to my heart. I knew at that moment I loved you desperately.”
“Oh, Dominic.” She half sobbed and clung to him. “Do you know when I knew I loved you forever? I was telling you about the man I was trying to find. And even after you thought I loved him, you offered to help look for him because that’s the kind of unselfish person you are. You even said you’d talk to your vintner friends. You don’t know what that did to me. That day, like all the others with you, will live in my memory.”
“Nathalie—”
He caught her to him and started making love to her again. Far into the night he swept her away. She couldn’t believe it when morning came. He was already awake, kissing her so she’d wake up.
“It couldn’t be time to go to work!”
“I’m afraid it is.”
“I can’t leave you.”
“You think I want to let you go? But we’ll have tonight. I’ll pick you up at five.”
“I can’t bear to leave you, but I have to. I’d better hurry and shower.”
“Go right ahead. Of course, I’d be happy to help you.” His grin turned her heart over. “But it might make you late for work by six or seven hours.”
Blushing from head to toe, she grabbed the robe he’d taken off and ran to the bathroom to get ready. Within ten minutes they were both dressed and walking out to his car.
En route to the pharmacy, she clung to his hand. “If this is the way it’s going to be from now on, I can’t do it. Leaving your arms this morning has been agony.”
“How do you think I feel? I’ll be in my office all day watching the clock until it’s time to come and get you. My assistant, Theo, will tell me to go home because I’m worthless. This is why we’re going to need a honeymoon soon.”
“Where will we go? I don’t know if I want it to be far away. Traveling to get someplace will take time away from lying in your arms.”
“Then we won’t go anywhere. We’ll just stay home and go out on the cruiser for weeks on end. We’ll explore the other sites of Les Calanques to our hearts’ content.” He’d pulled up in front of the pharmacy.
“Do you promise?”
He caught her to him and kissed her long and sensuously. “Anything you want.”
She kissed his jaw before getting out of the car. “There’s nothing else in life I want but you.”
“In that case, be ready to leave Vence right after work. I’ll pack for you.”
Her eyes lit up. “What have you got planned?”
“You’ll find out.”
“Dominic—”
“I’ve cleared it with your mother.”
He drove off, taking her heart with him.
* * *
When Dominic drove up to the pharmacy at five, his brand-new wife came running out. His heart leaped at the sight of her. Once in the car, he reached for her and kissed her with abandon. But too many onlookers caused him to relinquish her mouth.
“Let’s get out of here.” He started the car and merged with the traffic. “Where are you taking me?”
“To the airport. We’re flying to Paris on my private jet.”
Paris?
“For how long?”