He parked in front and got out. “I’ll be right back.”
She watched him stride inside on those strong powerful legs. No man could ever measure up to him, inside or out. He had hold of her heart.
Sure enough he returned quickly. After he climbed in behind the wheel, his smile made her feel all fluttery inside.
“Did you get what you came for?”
“I needed this.” He showed her a thumb drive before putting it in his shirt pocket. “This contains valuable new client information I couldn’t find earlier and didn’t want anyone else getting hold of. On our way out of here I’ll drive you through one of the vineyards where tourists come to taste our wine. We’ll stop there for a bite to eat too. How does that sound?”
“You know how much I’d love it.” Cami would have gone anywhere with him for as long as he wanted. Her moment of truth had come. She was absolutely crazy about him. It was hard to believe a man like him existed.
The rows of vines were perfectly aligned and didn’t look real. It thrilled her to think he was going to help would-be vintners to choose the right property and soil in order to grow grapes. His expertise would guarantee he’d make a huge success of his new company. Cami had no doubt he’d be touted forever. It was a privilege to know him.
Her eyes widened when he slowed down near a château much smaller than the main one that offered the delights of the Fontesquieu vineyard to the public. There were dozens of cars surrounding the structure.
“One of my jobs growing up was to run this place one summer.”
“Did you like it?”
“Let’s just say I learned a lot toward my later job of becoming head of Sales and Marketing. It surprised me how many people, women and men, love to talk about wine, the dreams they have about the perfect wine and what they prefer. Some of them wanted to start a vineyard of their own. I gained insights I wouldn’t have had otherwise. But enough about the past. It’s time to feed you and enjoy a little wine.”
Little did Raoul know it, but he’d fed her in so many ways today, she never wanted any of it to end.
He led her around the side to a private entrance that took them inside a tasting room with arched ceilings and all sorts of signs with writings about wine. She found it fascinating.
Raoul found them a table, and an aproned man at the bar walked over. “Eh bien, Raoul. What can I get for you?” The man’s gaze kept eyeing Cami.
“Your tapas and drinks from my special bouteille.”
“Tout de suite.”
“Auguste couldn’t keep his eyes off you,” Raoul whispered after the other man had gone.
“You’re imagining things.” But his comment excited her. She started looking around and began laughing when she read one of the signs near their table.
Raoul smiled. “Which one amuses you?”
“The Baudelaire quotation.”
Without looking at it he said, “One should always be drunk. That’s all that matters. But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue as you choose. But get drunk!”
They both laughed. When it stopped, the way he was looking at her made her senses swim. For the next half hour they ate delicious fish hors d’oeuvres and sipped his favorite rose sherry.
“Try it,” he urged her, studying her mouth.
“All right.” She drank a little. “Um. It’s really delicious.”
“Can you detect the rich, ripe fruit flavors of vanilla, strawberry, pomelo and tangerines?”
“I think I can taste stra
wberry.”
He smiled. “I find this particular vintage at it’s perfect sweetness.” He leaned closer to brush his lips against hers. “Almost as sweet as your mouth glistening from the sherry.”
His kiss turned her body to liquid and she was so entranced, she forgot the time. But it had to come to an end.
Raoul took her to the car and they left for her apartment. Filled with good food and wine, she couldn’t bear to have to say good-night, but his son would be waiting for him at the villa. Cami knew Raoul was anxious to get home to him.