by L. C. Giroux
"Sweet, don't you think you are a little young to get married to an old, old man like me?" He tried to say it in his sternest voice so she would think he'd taken her seriously.
"You are a little old. But you can still climb trees so you must be strong like Papa." He shook his head trying to hide his smile.
"Pest, if we were married you would have to kiss me, every night." That should squash this crazy idea of hers.
"Chaque nuit!" The look of horror on her face almost undid him. He was caught somewhere between laughter and wounded pride. He wasn't that horrible to look at. She pursed her lips and was carefully considering the options now. "D'accord, I will kiss you." She sounded like she was trying to figure out how to get out of it already. "Mais, not like Gabrielle kisses her boyfriend. They look like they are eating each other." She made a face of absolute disgust.
"So I am not the only one you have been spying on then?"
"I 'ave four sisters, Violet and I watch them and learn all about how girls act with boys. Kissing like Gabrielle is, how Violet says, oh, gross!" Now he did start laughing.
"I'm so glad my sister is teaching you English. You will understand Gabrielle better when you fall in love, sweet. Now, are you calmed down enough to get out of this tree?" She clutched him tighter. "Relax, you will hold on to me and I will climb down. All you have to do is hang on. Can you do that? She shook her head yes. "Probably better if you were on my back. Here curl around me like this. He had her loop one arm over his shoulder and reach up under his other arm so she wouldn't choke him. "Wrap your legs around my waist. Good? Ready to go?" He felt her shake her head against his back. The climb down was quick and blissfully uneventful.
When they landed on the ground he reached behind and pulled her in front of him.
"I want you to promise me, no more spying and no more climbing too high. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. She gave him a big smile, she seemed to be thinking about what he had said then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth, hard. He was so stunned he almost dropped her.
"You will see, I will make a good wife." Then she jumped down and darted off. All he could do was stand there stunned. Considering the disaster of his love life he probably shouldn't try so hard to talk her out of it. He just shook his head, the girl was going to make some man's life far too interesting for his own good.
Chapter. 1
Pick up La Reine, love you, V
Six words that may as well have been have been his death sentence. Violet had invited the brat, yet here he stood waiting for Marie-Hélène in international baggage claim. Allyn had been dreading her arrival since Violet had blithely announced her invitation. The woman quite honestly unhinged him. She was chaos incarnate, also beautiful and bewitching. How was he supposed to function like the head of the second largest family foundation after Bill and Melinda's, when this mere slip of a girl could snap her fingers and he would come running like a lap dog. Allyn adjusted his tie again despite not needing it. He pushed his glasses a little higher on his nose. Maybe it wouldn't be too terrible, La Reine had after all graduated from one of the top law schools in France. Allyn smiled at her nickname. She earned it through her sheer force of will even as a child she controlled those around her with an iron fist. Surely law school had forced Marie-Hélène to organize her life somewhat.
Allyn heard an air horn blast behind him much further down the baggage area. Oh, no, he shook his head. He should have known. No doubt, by the time she graduated she had completely reorganized the curriculum to her liking. When he turned he saw Marie-Hélène riding on the prow of the baggage cart like Napoleon on his way to battle. Of course if Napoleon had had La Reine, he never would have lost at Waterloo.
She was even more gorgeous than the last time he had seen her. She looked like she belonged on the beach in Southern California. Her golden blonde hair was almost waist length now. She was wearing an outfit both perfect for the beach and utterly French. The miniscule cut off denim shorts showed her tawny legs to perfection. She had on a gray t-shirt that no doubt came from the boys department. His sister had informed him that was the only place French women shop for such an item. On top of that she had an old navy blue cashmere sweater. Her cheeks had a perfect bit of pink, like she had just been thoroughly kissed. He loved that he could see her freckles. They made him want to trace his fingers over them in a sensual connect the dots.
She gave another blast of the air horn as they got closer. She signaled her driver to stop and then bent to give the man a kiss on the cheek. Allyn felt his gut twist but made certain that his face showed nothing. She stood up and stepped over the front handles of the cart and ran down the front of the vehicle. Unfortunately she hadn't taken into account she was wearing flimsy sandals with no traction. She ended up skidding and then launched herself into the air. Allyn stepped forward and caught her as carefully as he could. Of course she knocked his glasses to the ground. In the excitement, the poor driver let his foot off the brake and Allyn heard the tell tale crunch of plastic and acetate.
"Allain, as always, my 'ero."
"La Reine, as always needing one." Holding her was too dangerous. His body would no doubt betray him. He put her on her feet. "You are in an English speaking country now, ma petite reine. We have a lovely letter called an H here. You might try using it, maybe you'll grow to like it." As a little girl she had teased him mercilessly about his ugly English and then his sorry attempts to speak French. Why he had spent the entire summer of his twentieth year at Violet's Aunt and Uncle's practicing French to impress a little girl had been beyond him. That he loved her now he didn't doubt but he could never tell her. She was family even if they shared no blood themselves. Besides there was their age difference. She was fresh, innocent twenty-six, he was a very jaded thirty-eight.
"Allain, I am so glad you no longer have your glasses. They make you look old and, how do you English say, stuffy."
"I am sorry to disappoint you but I do still wear my glasses, or at least I did until the driver ran them over." He bent down to retrieve the mangled frames. "How ever knowing my glasses almost always die a painful death around you I took the liberty of bringing a driver for the ride back to the house."
"Dommage," She smiled wickedly at him. "too bad, we could have had some fun and you let me drive your little sports car."
"Not if my life depended on it. You forget, I have known you over twenty years and I was one of the poor souls you talked into letting you drive while you were still learning. Never again, jamais plus, jamais plus!
When they got to the car Allyn breathed a sigh of relief. At least with Harold there they would outnumber her. It almost evened the odds.
"Harold, this is Marie-Hélène, Violet's cousin from Grasse."
"Enchanté Mademoiselle."
"'arold, Vous parlez Francais?"
"Oui, Je suis Hatien."
"Harold, I had no idea you spoke French."
"Yes, sir. I speak it with your sister. Usually when she doesn't want her husband to know what we are saying."
"But your accent is British?"
"I moved to the the Bahamas when I was sixteen, sir."
"Harold you become more surprising every day. And I won the bet, she managed to mangle my glasses well and good."
As proof he handed the broken glasses to Harold as the man opened the door.
"Then it is good you brought me along, sir."
"Yes, Come La Reine, let's hope you don't do any damage in here."
"Bouf, I did not break your glasses, the driver ran them over."
"True, but they were on the ground because of you."
"Oui... I'm sorry." Allyn tried to keep his face placid but the smile broke through anyway. La Reine had earned her nickname in part because she never apologized. That she had now, showed maybe she had grown up after all.
Marie-Hélène stared out the window. She had hoped that Violet would pick her up or she could have gotten a taxi. Allyn Bellows made her heart beat too f
ast and confused her thoughts. He had when she had been a girl, and as a teenager, and now as a grown woman. She had tried everything to get him out of her system. She had tried dating boys her age but she couldn't ever think of them as anything but boys. She tried older men but they didn't set her heart galloping like Allyn. She smiled as she stared blindly out the window. There was something about his combination of exterior cool and the fire she always saw burning in his eyes. His hair was longer than when he had been to the house last. He had enough gray at his temples now to make him look distinguished. His eyes were the palest blue that could be fire une minute et ice the next. He looked so handsome and commanding in his suit. It made her fingers itch to unbutton him, loosen his tie, see what was under all that expensive wool.
"Allain, you must be trés chaud in that wool suit. Are you going to work today?"
"If you can not use an H properly, can you at least say my name correctly. I am English. My name is Allyn, rhymes with tin. You persist in calling me Allain, rhymes with lane. Do you hear the difference?"
"It is not my fault you pronounce your name wrong. Are you going to work? I am 'ungry for dejeuner. 'Arold? Do you know any bien Vietnamienne restaurants, s'il vous plaît?"
"Oui, Mademoiselle."
"Do I get a say, La Reine?"
"Non, and take this off." She reached across the car to the opposite seat and yanked on Allyn's tie. As she was undoing the top button the car hit a pot hole and she ended up sprawled in his lap. He caught her before she fell over completely but ended up pulling her down on top of him. She was stunned for a second. When she looked up at him his eyes had a faraway look like... he was in love. When she didn't move he pulled her closer.
"Are you okay?"
"Oui." She whispered but her heart was going to burst from her chest and it hurt to breathe.
"Good, if you got hurt... Violet would blame me." The look in his eyes was gone now but she knew what she had seen. Could this man she had loved forever, love her too. He lifted her across the car and put her in her seat. "We will go for some lunch and then if you'd like I can take you by the foundation, no real work to do today but I can show you around so you'll have your bearings tomorrow." He was talking to his knees now.
"I would like that, Allain." She had to find out if it was true but he would never tell her. He would think he was too old for her and he was too stuffy to do something unexpected. Of course that was part of the attraction, to get him to do all the wonderful fun things he would never give himself permission to. She would start at lunch.
Harold either deserved a raise or to be terminated. Allyn looked at the wonderful food in front of him. Marie-Hélène had charmed everyone from the waitstaff to the kitchen and the owner had insisted she try all the dishes they reserved for special guests. Allyn had no idea what most of this was but it did look good. Unfortunately, without his glasses he was having a horrible time with the chopsticks.
"Allyn, you are not eating?"
"I'm afraid with my glasses broken, I can barely see so..."
"Oh, Mon Dieux, I forgot. ‘ere I will feed you, it is the least I can do."
"But I don't even know what I am eating?"
"That is better, non? Close your eyes, just let the taste guide you." He gave her a hard stare.
"No tricks, La Reine. I do not want noodles up my nose."
"Eugh, I only did that once and I was eight years old. I cross mon coeur, no noodles up your nose. Now close your eyes, this will be fun." He looked at her again and she tried to look as innocent as she could. He must have accepted her promise because he closed his eyes and opened his mouth slightly. She couldn't help but smile. She wanted to throw her arms around him for giving her this chance.
"This is some soup, I'll blow on it so it is not too 'ot for you." She cooled it off enough and then held the spoon to his lips. "What do you taste?"
"Mmm, chicken broth, lemon grass, butter, other things I couldn't even name."
"Now try it with your eyes open." She repeated blowing on it and spooned it into his mouth. "Does it taste different?"
Actually yes, much better the first time. Each of the flavors stood out, this time it was still delicious but all of the flavors ran together some how."
"That is why it is better to taste wine with the label concealed. It is not just to hide the name, oui? Now close your eyes again and I will feed you some more."
"You will keep your promise?"
"Oh, you are impossible! Yes, I will keep my promise." He smiled at her and she saw that flash of fire again. "Allain, why do we fight with each other?" He looked stunned at the question.
"I don't know, we just always have. From the moment I met you and you told me my English was ugly. You were, five years old, maybe six. You took an instant dislike of me."
"Oh, that is not true. Well, I was an enfant terrible then but why do we fight now?"
"It is just what we have always done."
"I want to stop fighting, I would like to know more about you, just you, not Violet's brother or the head of the foundation. What do you do for fun?" Allyn looked away and took a deep breath. Marie-Hélène watched as he carefully composed his features, she wanted to cry as he lowered a mask over his emotions.
"I enjoy the symphony and sit on the board."
"Do you go with a group of friends or is there someone in particular you take with you, a lady friend perhaps?"
He laughed. "No, I'm afraid I sit alone in my box usually, occasionally I will bring a guest if I am entertaining some one for the foundation. Violet will go with me if it is a Mozart program but she has Michael now."
"Allain, it sounds very grown up and lonely. What do you do that makes your 'eart beat faster?"
"I have a sailboat I take out when I want to think. I do have some friends, unfortunately most of them were school chums and they are back in England. I get to see them from time to time and I have colleagues here that I have become friendly with. I'm afraid when I lay it out like this it all sounds slightly pathetic. Really I am very busy with the foundation and I wouldn't have time for a more active social life."
"But you must want to have a family of your own. How can you do that if you never meet a woman?" She held her breath, she didn't want to hear he already had a woman he loved but it would be better now than later. She promised herself that she would be happy for him if he was already in love with someone else.
"Violet is my family and I am going to be an uncle soon."
"But for yourself? Allain you can not tell me you live like a monk?" He choked and then started coughing.
"I don't believe that is any of your business and certainly not something I am willing to discuss with you."
"Allain, I think you must have loved a woman very much, but she 'urt you." She reached out her hand and stroked his cheek. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths.
"There was a girl once..." She took her hand away. "I don't think I have ever really gotten over her."
"You should find her. Maybe she has loved you all this time too, non?"
"Perhaps. I thought you were hungry and all we are doing is sitting here talking. Do I get to feed you something now?"
"You will not try to get even for the noodles in the nose?"
"I am wounded Mademoiselle, I thought we were calling a truce to our fighting." Her smile could have dimmed the sun.
"Bon! Yes, a truce." She closed her eyes and opened her mouth like a bird. Allyn was forced to use his fingers but was able to pick up a slippery dumpling. He held it to her lips as she held his hand in place. She took a tentative bite and then gobbled the rest down. When she had finished swallowing she sucked his fingers into her mouth one by one. She swirled her tongue around each, licking off the sweet spicy sauce. He was transfixed, this was so frankly sexual, an intimacy to be shared by lovers. He wanted to howl, he wanted to devour her, his chest ached with the desire to tell her how he felt. She gave a little shiver of pleasure.
"Mmm, c'est bon! More please." If sh
e did that again he would lose all sense of propriety and make love to her here in the middle of the restaurant.
"No, it is your turn to feed me now."
Ah, it's true. Close your eyes." She lifted a morsel of ginger beef and noodles to his lips. He opened his mouth then captured her fingers with his lips. She gave a small gasp as he nibbled the tips of her fingers to take the food. He looked at her through his lashes and smiled. He was not the only one that this game was affecting.
"Mmm, the beef is very tender and the ginger and cinnamon have a spicy warmth. The feminine finger tips are a nice touch."
"Oh, you are 'orrible!" She slapped him on the arm but not so it would hurt.
"I said I wouldn't fight with you, no one said I wouldn't tease you. You don't have any brothers so you wouldn't know what it is like."
"I 'ardly think of you as a brother. But two can tease."
When they finally reached the house Allyn cell phone rang.
"Allyn, are you and Marie-Hélène getting along?"
"Yes, Violet we have even called a truce to our squabbling. Would you like to speak with your cousin?"
"Yes please! Put her on." Allyn covered his ears as the high pitched shrieking started. He walked in to the kitchen to save his sanity. La Reine had been gracious and intelligent in the limited dealings with the people at the foundation today. He was surprised by the depth of her knowledge of the workings of it and the perception she exhibited in the questions she asked people. Of course, everyone was thoroughly charmed. Why wouldn't they be she was beautiful and when she focused that 'sunlight through the trees' gaze on you everyone melted, even him.
It was like the soup she fed him at lunch. Without seeing it, the soup was different. If only he could blindfold her and then let her get to know him. It wasn't so crazy an idea really. He would just need to convince her he was someone else then he could reveal himself, if she actually fell in love with him. It was hopeless and ridiculous. He was no actor, she would be able to tell it was him when he spoke. She wouldn't go out with a total stranger that would blindfold her, maybe he could wear a mask? No. This is absurd. He should just forget about her, she would meet some nice boy her age... and they would spend the rest of their lives together while he watched. It was absurd but if she found out he could always just say that it was a trick he was playing on her. No harm done. It wasn't a good plan and frankly she would never agree to it so what was the harm in trying.
