For Henry’s sake. Carrie scoffed a laugh at her own soul’s sly treachery. It wasn’t just for her baby’s sake, but her own. She was finding it almost impossible to imagine living without Théo now. She wanted to be his wife, to sleep in his bed every night. She wanted it more than anything.
But how could she accept Théo’s terms and be in a loveless marriage for life? How could she bury her love for Théo deep inside her soul, so deep that he would never suspect?
It wasn’t in Carrie’s nature to keep a secret. She had no talent for lying. Especially since every moment her love for him tortured her, begging for release.
If she married Théo and he discovered she’d once again broken his only rule, he would despise her. It could only end in despair. Even if Théo remained in their marriage, his manner toward her would always be distant, or worse—full of pity.
Was that the home she wanted for Henry? Caught between a cold, rejecting father and a weeping, broken-hearted mother?
No matter how much she yearned to be Théo’s wife, she could not surrender to her desire. Or to his constant, unrelenting pursuit.
Pushing her breakfast tray aside, she rose from the bed and crossed the cool tile floor to the en suite bathroom. She took a long, hot shower and closed her eyes, lost in thought and grief. Coming out of the steamy shower, her skin all flushed and pink, she hesitated over the clothes in her closet, then selected a simple sundress.
She brushed her hair, allowing the dark waves to tumble over her shoulders to dry in the warm air. She took her time—a novelty she hadn’t enjoyed since her baby was born. She took a whole hour to herself, procrastinating as long as possible before she finally left her bedroom, squaring her shoulders and repeating to herself, I do not love him. I do not love him.
Coming down the sweeping stairs, she saw Lilley disappearing into the main hallway of the château, singing a children’s song in her sweet, slightly off-tune voice to the baby cuddled in one arm, while carrying folded towels in the other. Carrie smiled and opened her mouth to call out.
Then she saw Théo at the bottom of the stairs.
He was pacing, talking on the phone in rapid French. He’d showered and was now dressed in a dark silk button-down shirt and black trousers. He looked sophisticated, sexy. He looked…completely out of her league.
Suddenly she wished she’d made a little more effort. Put on lipstick. A push-up bra. Gotten a new wardrobe and magically lost ten pounds.
Their eyes met, and as he gave her a hot, dark smile a sensual shiver ran through her body. He ended the call and came to her at the base of the stairs. Reaching for her hand, he kissed it.
She smiled at him, then bit her lip. “Why are you dressed like that?”
His dark eyes seared through her. “I’m taking you out.”
“Out?” She came slowly down the last steps with a nervous laugh. “Out where?”
“Paris.”
She stopped with an intake of breath.
Paris. The city of lovers. The city of dreams. The City of Light.
As a teenager she’d had a picture of the Eiffel Tower that she’d ripped from a magazine on her wall—an image showing the rooftops of the city at the violet hour of dusk. She’d never stopped dreaming of seeing it for real, even when she’d grown older and the dreams had started to seem unlikely.
“Just—just the two of us?” she said hesitantly.
He gave her a single, sensual nod.
“But I couldn’t leave the baby—”
“Just for a few hours.” He leaned against the smooth wood of the banister, looking casual and debonair. “We’ll be back before dinner,” he promised.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t possibly go to Paris. It was too dangerous by half. Between Théo’s desire for her and her own wanton dreams of them being a family she would find herself in a white dress in no time flat. And then her baby would be the one to suffer for the inevitable, painful, slow failure of their marriage.
She shook her head. “No. We’re going to wait here for the results of the paternity test tomorrow. Then I can go home….”
The expression on his face became dark. Gone was the playful father who’d held their baby so tenderly in his arms. In this moment he looked hard and ruthless, like the corporate raider he was. “You are home.”
“Théo—”
“We’re leaving in ten minutes for the airport,” he said shortly. “We’ll be there and back on my jet in a matter of hours.” He moved closer, and his eyes seemed to go right through her soul as he said softly, “Don’t you want your childhood dream?”
Yes. A million times yes. Carrie forced herself to shake her head. “I don’t have time.”