Bayou Beauty (Butterfly Bayou 4)

He moved in closer and put his hands on her arms. “You think I only brought you in because my aunt respects your mother?”

Her chin tilted up. “That seems to be what your cousins think.”

“Because they don’t think I have any other needs. They don’t think I have a heart. They view me as an emotionless robot in a good suit. They don’t understand that my plan involves more than getting through the next vote. I don’t want to use that prenup.”

Her lips firmed before she replied, a sure sign she was going to be stubborn again. “Because you’ve decided it’s time to start your life and I’m an easy fit?”

“You’re not easy, darling, but I do think you’re going to fit into my life. I think you’re going to make it so much better. You asked when I get to be something other than my name. I hope that’s when I’m alone with you.”

“Damn it, Rene,” she said softly. “I want to be wary of you and then you say something like that. I think you know exactly how to play me.”

He let his forehead drop to hers. “I’m not playing with you. I know you heard a lot about me tonight, but I’ll show you how serious I am. Yes, I want you to help save my company and my home, but I want to share both with you.”

“Rene, are you saying you’re in love with me?”

He couldn’t lie to her. “I don’t know. I know I feel more for you than I’ve ever felt for a woman. I know I want you more than anything.”

“Anything but your company and your house.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. That’s not fair, and I appreciate you not telling me you love me. You’re being honest, and that makes me more comfortable with you.”

“Are you in love with me?”

She hesitated. “I don’t know. I do know I don’t want to be convenient for you. I don’t want to be the woman who was in the right place at the right time so you decided, ‘What the hell, as long as we’re doing this, we might as well have a couple of kids.’?”

Sylvie didn’t know if she was in love with him? He wasn’t sure if he believed in the concept of love. His parents had been good to each other, but there hadn’t been passion between them. They’d liked each other, done right by the other.

What if it could be something more? The idea that Sylvie might love him . . . He didn’t even know what to think about it.

“I don’t want my marriage to be a convenience, either,” he admitted. “I want what your parents had.”

“Not your parents?”

He shook his head. She hadn’t moved away, and he found her closeness comforting. “They cared about each other, but I don’t think there was passion between them. I want passion, and I feel that for you. I’ve felt it for a long time.”

“But you didn’t act on it until you needed me.”

He stepped back. “How do I fix that?”

“You give me time,” she said quietly. “You let me be a real partner to you in this and you don’t treat me like some flimsy thing that needs protecting. I can handle your family. Let me sit at your side next time. If you want a queen, Rene Darois, don’t treat me like an ornament.”

He took a deep breath, looking into those gorgeous brown eyes of hers. He could lose himself in them. He nodded. “All right.”

Her lips curled up. “Good. Now show me to my room and know that if we decide to make a go of this, I might use it as a closet, but I’m not going to sleep apart from my husband.”

Hope lit inside him and he felt lighter than he had a few moments before. Sylvie Martine didn’t know if she loved him. That meant she didn’t not love him.

It meant she might decide to really love him.

He leaned over and put one arm under her knees, the other going around her back and hauling her up. “I will fill that closet with Chanel and Gucci and Prada.”

Her eyes had gone wide, but her arms had gone around his neck and there was a genuine smile on her face. “What are you doing?”

“I can’t have a real wedding night, but I can carry you over the threshold and hope that you’ll let me kiss you before I bid you good night.” He started down the hall.

“I might be persuaded to do that,” she agreed.

The night was looking up.

chapter six

“Namaste.” Joy LeGrande lowered her head and ended the session with all the reverence of a true believer, but then her head came back and all that peace and serenity was replaced with the energy only a businesswoman could achieve. “And don’t y’all forget. I’m having a jewelry party at my place on Friday. Ten percent discount to the first ten women who show up and bring a friend. I’ve got summer jewelry celebrating all our traditions.”