Free Exposed: Misbehaving with the Magnate by Kelly Hunter

yes,’ said Gabrielle. ‘I knew Luc’s offer wouldn’t sit particularly well with you. I don’t know that I’d feel all that comfortable doing business with him either. But I’d like you to consider it. As I’m doing.’
    ‘I don’t want his help.’ Her brother’s voice hardened. ‘I do not want our business becoming entwined with that of the House of Duvalier.’
    ‘Not even if it benefits us more than it benefits them?’
    ‘Especially if it appears to benefit us more than it benefits them. They’re not the most successful family-run champagne dynasty in France because of sheer dumb luck, Gabrielle. Luc’s offering us this deal because he’s after something.’
    ‘Atonement?’ suggested Gabrielle.
    ‘You,’ said Rafael bluntly. ‘You’re a grown woman,Gabrielle, and I know you can handle yourself. I just don’t know if you can handle Luc. There’s wildness in him underneath all that iron control. Always has been, always will be, and you’ve always called to it. He’s always shielded you from it. Over and over I’ve watched him, Gabrielle. He was always so careful and controlled around you, always protecting you.’
    ‘Protecting me from what?’
    ‘Himself,’ said Rafe.
    ‘So he has a wild streak that he never indulges. So what? He’ll be careful, I’ll be careful, and we’ll both be fine,’ she said lightly. ‘Have a little faith and don’t let concern for me colour your decision. If the answer’s still no once you’ve thought about it some more, so be it. I just want you to give it due consideration.’
    ‘I can’t,’ he said gruffly. ‘I know it makes good business sense, Gabrielle. But I can’t do it.’
    Gabrielle bit her lip and nodded, never mind that he couldn’t see her. ‘All right. That’s all I needed to know.’ Time to move on. ‘I’m emailing you the details of an old vineyard that’s for sale a few miles from Caverness. The old Hammerschmidt place—do you remember it?’
    ‘The abandoned one?’
    ‘You do remember it,’ she said. ‘I think it has potential.’
    ‘To buy or to lease?’
    ‘To buy.’
    ‘So you still want to go back there to live? Even with Josien the way she is?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Gabrielle firmly. ‘Josien has nothing to do with my decision to return. I love it here, Rafe. I know you and Angels Landing will always be there forme, but Australia doesn’t call to me the way it calls to you. It never has and it never will. I don’t want you to think I’m abandoning you—I would never abandon you. I want you in my life. I need you in it. You know that, don’t you?’
    ‘Here comes the but,’ said Rafe gruffly.
    ‘No buts,’ she said, deliberately striving for lightness. ‘I want our wines to sell well over here. I want to stay and work hard and make that happen, but most of all, behind it all…’ she closed her eyes and let her heart speak for her ‘…I just want to come home.’

CHAPTER SIX
    ‘Y OU’VE been avoiding me,’ said Luc as he eased himself into the vacant wicker chair opposite Gabrielle.
    Gabrielle looked up at him and tried to persuade her heart that he was just another charming rake of a man, no different from any other man and certainly no finer. She was sitting in a pavement café, a strong and sweet black coffee at her elbow and a folder containing potential properties for purchase spread out in front of her. A week had passed since she’d dined at Caverness. A long, frustrating week filled with a lot of hard work and no significant visible or calculable gain. Whatsoever.
    ‘Why?’ he said next, lounging back in his chair, a brooding, elegant presence as he surveyed her through bold black eyes.
    ‘Maybe I’ve been working,’ she said as she closed the folder and sat back in her chair, glad of the dark sunglasses that covered her eyes and to some extent hid the heat in her cheeks. ‘Maybe I haven’t given you a second thought.’
    ‘Maybe you haven’t,’ he said with a charming grin. ‘And