The two women halted their conversation as the men came within earshot. They stopped in front of the two loungers. Kiefer’s gaze swept Charlotte without sparing a single glance for Raine.
“This is your plain Jane?” Kiefer asked Alec, astonishment clear in his tone.
Charlotte shot Alec an exaggerated expression of offense. “I’m your what?”
Alec’s jaw tightened. “Smooth, Kiefer.” He drew a breath. “Charlotte, this is my vice president, Kiefer Knight. He’s just come up with the most ridiculous idea in the world.”
Chapter Three
Kiefer pulled a deck chair up next to Charlotte’s lounger, angling away from Raine. She could feel Alec’s gaze on her honey-brown skin. Maybe a bikini hadn’t been such a good idea after all. His attention was raising goose bumps, and she couldn’t help imagining his fingers trailing over her stomach, down the length of her legs…
“I’m concerned about Alec’s reputation,” Kiefer began in a gentle, cajoling voice.
Charlotte forced herself to concentrate on Kiefer’s words.
“I understand Isabella Hudson is starring in your movie.”
“My family’s movie,” Charlotte corrected. All she’d done was secure the location. Well, and she was going to babysit the shoot. But that was only because Alec was being obstinate. She really had no role here except pandering to his need for power and control.
“If they’re together here, rumors about Alec and Isabella are bound to circulate.”
Her gaze shifted to Alec, who still stood indolently at the foot of her lounger, taking in the color of her toenails.
“You’re involved with Bella?” she asked him. For some reason, the idea put a cramp in her belly.
“You’re botching this,” Alec growled at Kiefer.
Kiefer held up his hands in surrender. “Be my guest.”
“Kiefer wants you to pretend to be my girlfriend to forestall any gossip about me and Isabella.”
Charlotte tried to sort out his words. “You’re dating Bella?” Why hadn’t Isabella asked for the use of the château? Why had Jack sent Charlotte? And what was Alec doing flirting with her?
“I am not dating Isabella,” he huffed in exasperation.
“But she’s high profile,” Kiefer put in. “And beautiful. And the press will invent their own headlines.”
Charlotte got the picture. They wanted to throw her to the wolves to save Alec’s reputation. Like there was any hope for Alec’s reputation.
“Is this a joke?” she asked.
“Sadly,” said Alec, “Kiefer is completely serious.”
“He’s been gracious enough to let you use the château,” Kiefer put in.
“Here’s a thought,” suggested Charlotte, an edge to her tone. “Alec can keep his hands off Isabella, and then there’ll be no reason for a ruse with ‘Plain Jane.’”
“I am not going to have my hands on Isabella,” Alec practically shouted.
Charlotte barely glanced at him then turned to Kiefer. “Problem solved.”
“The tabloids don’t rely on the truth,” said Kiefer.
“Apparently,” Charlotte shot back, “neither do you.”
“Has anyone thought about Charlotte’s reputation?” asked Raine.
“Charlotte has,” said Charlotte.
“He could have made it a condition of the contract,” Kiefer pointed out.
“He didn’t,” Alec said flatly.
Charlotte turned to Alec once more. “Do you think it’s a good idea?” Not that she’d go along with it in any event. And thank goodness Alec hadn’t asked for it before they closed the deal.
“I think it’s an idea,” he said, obviously choosing his words carefully. “Good? Not sure. But it might deflect speculation.”
“Since when have you cared about speculation on your love life?”
Kiefer jumped in again. “Since the president of Kana Hanako, our Japanese partner, expressed concern.”
“Something I should know about?” asked Raine, her alert, businesslike tone at odds with her bikini-clad pose on the lounger.
Kiefer’s attention went to her for the briefest of seconds, but then he blinked and focused on the small pool house behind her. “It’s not that serious.”
“Then why are we having this conversation? Charlotte’s not going to trash her reputation by being seen with Alec—”
“Hello?” Alec tossed in.
Raine waved a dismissive hand. “You made your bed a long time ago, mon frère.”
“Just don’t make a bed with Isabella,” Charlotte advised.
“I have no interest in Isabella.” His eyes darkened to walnut, pinning Charlotte in place. “Can I talk to you in private?”
Not when he looked like that. Not when the predatory set of his jaw made her skin tingle and her spine turn to jelly. “I’m letting my toenails dry.”
Both Raine and Kiefer stilled, while Alec stared at her in silence. Clearly, people didn’t normally turn down Alec’s requests.
“Later, then,” he finally said with a tense nod, turning on his heel.
Later proved hard to come by for Alec. Raine and Charlotte took a shopping trip into Toulouse. The location manager, set designer and second-unit director all arrived, followed quickly by carpenters, set dressers and lighting technicians.
The main floor of Alec’s house quickly turned into a construction zone. There was more than one moment when he contemplated moving out for the duration. But then he’d catch a glimpse of Charlotte.
The more he saw of her, the more determined he was to get to know her better—much, much better.
He finally caught her alone, leaning on the rail of the third-floor hallway, staring down to the rotunda foyer where the grips were setting tracks for a camera.
“Bonjour,” he opened, resting his forearms on the polished wood, matching her pose.
She glanced over at him, then her gaze darted worriedly from the staircase to the front door and to either side of them.
“No photographers,” he assured her.
“I don’t trust Kiefer,” she responded.
“My apologies,” Alec offered. “I shouldn’t have let him make that request.”
“That I fake being your girlfriend?” she clarified.
Alec nodded. Though his only true regret was that she’d said no. It would have given him a perfect excuse to spend time with her. It was also regrettable that the experience had left her suspicious and jumpy. “I promise he won’t jump out of the bushes with a camera.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
A piece of equipment crashed in the foyer below. The noise was followed by an exchange of shouts.
“How do I know you won’t destroy my home?” Alec countered. “I guess we’re both taking a leap of faith.”
She