Cinderella on His Doorstep / Accidentally Expecting!. Rebecca Winters
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He was about ready to hang up in frustration when he heard her voice.
“Alex?” She sounded out of breath.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded without preamble.
“My left front tire is flat. I’ve been trying to work the jack, but I’ve been having problems. Pretty soon I’ll figure it out.”
The band constricting his lungs tightened. “Where are you exactly?”
“Somewhere on the road between Rablay and Beaulieu.”
“I’m on my way.” He started the engine and drove away from the hotel. “Stay in your car and lock the doors.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“What caused you to go in that direction?”
“When you weren’t at the château, I decided to get dinner in the next village, but I never made it.”
The blood hammered in his ears. “You came by the château?”
“Yes. Dad and Saskia have been quarreling. It’s nothing new, but while they work things out she’s going to stay in the adjoining room.”
“Why did you come back?”
“In order to ask if I could rerent my bedroom so to speak, that is if you don’t mind.”
He muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
“What did you say, Alex? I’m not sure we have a good connection.”
This had nothing to do with the connection. His hand tightened on the steering wheel. “And your father approves?”
There was a brief silence. “No. Does that mean there’s no room at the inn?”
Ciel! “You know better than to ask that question.” The fact was just beginning to sink in that she’d come to him whether her father liked it or not.
“You sound upset. In case I’ve ruined your plans for the evening, please forget about me. If I can’t fix the tire, I’ll walk to the château and wait until you come home later.”
“No, you won’t—” A woman who looked like her wasn’t safe in daylight. Alex didn’t even want to think about her being alone in the dark.
“I realize you think I’m too young to do anything on my own, but I’m not helpless.”
“Age has nothing to do with it. I’m just being careful.”
“Point taken,” she admitted in a quiet voice.
His body relaxed. “Where would you like to eat tonight?”
“You mean you haven’t had dinner, either?”
“As a matter of fact, I went to the Hermitage in the hope we could drive into Angers for a meal, but Madame Fournier informed me a certain actress had taken over your room.”
“Saskia didn’t waste any time announcing herself.”
“Madame Fournier lives for such moments.”
Her sigh came through the line, infiltrating his body. “I don’t want to talk about either of them. I’m too hungry. To be honest my mouth has been watering for one of those quiches we bought in Angers. Are there any left?”
He smiled. “I’ve saved everything for us. There’s more than plenty for several meals.” Alex preferred dining in tonight where he didn’t have to share her with anyone. While his thoughts were on their evening ahead, he saw her car at the side of the road and pulled off behind her. “Don’t be alarmed. I’ve got your car in my headlights.”
“I have to admit I’m glad it’s you. I’ll hang up.”
Alex heard the slight quiver in her voice before the line went dead. Though he had no doubt she could handle herself in most situations, her relief was evident. So was his now that he’d caught up to her.
After shutting off the ignition, he reached in the glove box for his flashlight and got out of the truck. She rolled down the window and poked her beautiful golden head out the opening. He caught the flash of those startling blue eyes in the light.
“Did I do it wrong?”
For a second he was so concentrated on her, everything else went out of his mind. “Let me take a look,” he murmured, before shining the light on the tire. It was flat, all right.
She climbed out of the car. “What can I do to help?”
Her flowery fragrance seduced him. “If you’ll hold the flashlight right there, I’ll have this changed in a minute.”
Their fingers brushed in the transfer, increasing his awareness of the warm feminine body standing behind him. He hunkered down to work the jack and remove the tire. Several cars slowed down as they passed before moving on. “You must have picked up a nail.”
“I’ll get it fixed tomorrow.” When he started to get up she asked, “Would you like the light to find the spare?”
“Thank you, but I don’t need it.”
He opened the car door to trip the trunk latch. Except for her sleeping bag, there was nothing else inside. That made it easy to retrieve the smaller tire and put it on. After he’d tightened the lug nuts, he lowered the car and put the flat in the trunk with the tools.
She walked toward him and handed him the flashlight. “You did that so fast I can’t believe it.”
“All it takes is practice. Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of it driving trucks out in areas where you have to do the repairs yourself or walk fifty miles.”
“Thank you for coming to my rescue, even if you pretend it was nothing.”
“It was my pleasure.” Unable to help himself, he briefly kissed those lips that had been tantalizing him. They were soft and sweet beneath his. He wanted so much more, but not out here on the road in view of any passerby. “Now let’s get back to the château. I’ll follow you.”
He helped her inside the car, then he jumped in the truck. She made a U-turn and headed for Rablay-Sur-Layon only a short distance off. Once they’d turned onto the private road, he pressed the remote so they could drive through the gate.
The noise it made clanking shut was the most satisfying sound he’d heard in a long time. It signaled that they’d left the world behind. For the rest of the night it was just the two of them.
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