Free Exposed: Misbehaving with the Magnate by Kelly Hunter Page A

that would be depressing, considering how oftenI think of you.’ He toyed with the menu, tossed it aside. ‘I’ve arranged to tour the Hammerschmidt vineyard. I want to take a closer look at the soils and the vines. Would you care to join me?’
    ‘To what end?’ she said warily. Gabrielle did want to look over the old vineyard before it went to auction. She didn’t necessarily think it was a good idea to do so with Luc. ‘You’re not really suggesting we do as Simone suggests and form a partnership, are you? Because I can’t see it working for us.’
    ‘Neither can I. Never mix business with pleasure, angel. And I do plan to pursue the pleasure angle.’
    ‘So why look at this place together, then?’
    ‘Because it would give us both an advantage over other bidders come auction day. They’re asking twenty-two million euros for the property, Gabrielle. I can only see about thirteen million in assets that are of use to me. I want your opinion on its worth to someone with different plans for it.’
    ‘So…this would be like a business meeting for us, as opposed to something more social?’
    ‘Definitely,’ said Luc. ‘Although I’m not opposed to pleasure coming afterwards. I’m not opposed to sorting the pleasure element of the day out now so that we know where we stand on that particular subject. Have dinner with me.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because you want to?’ he offered.
    ‘No, what I want to do is get a distribution network for our wines in place.’
    Luc’s eyes sharpened. ‘All you have to do is ask.’
    ‘If only it were that simple,’ she murmured. ‘I’vespoken to Rafe about your offer to hold a wine tasting for us at Caverness.’
    ‘I’ve spoken to him about that too,’ said Luc. ‘He didn’t refuse. I took that as a good sign.’
    ‘He didn’t say yes,’ Gabrielle felt obliged to point out. ‘I think I can safely say that he’s not likely to say yes any time in the near future. Just my sisterly opinion.’ Backed by a definitive no. ‘He’s a little concerned about what might be in it for you.’
    ‘I’m wounded by his cynicism,’ said Luc. ‘I’m also the tiniest bit impressed by it. My father always used to consider cynicism the mark of a clever businessman. What exactly does Rafe think I’m after?’
    ‘Me,’ she said dryly.
    ‘Ah.’
    ‘Is he wrong?’
    Luc shrugged and his midnight eyes gleamed. ‘I can’t deny it—the thought of having you has crossed my mind. It’s a very pleasurable thought. But my motives for helping you get your wines in front of the right people are a little more straightforward than that.’ Luc’s eyes lost that lazy gleam and shadows moved into place. ‘My hands were tied all those years ago when Rafe asked for support. I wanted to go into partnership with him, offer him the House of Duvalier’s backing. Phillipe did not. My father forced an ultimatum upon me. Rafe or Caverness. I chose Caverness.’
    ‘Bastard,’ muttered Gabrielle.
    Luc smiled grimly. ‘Me or my father?’
    ‘Your father.’
    ‘To him, it was just good business. Why risk a reputation that had been generations in the making on anunknown? Why provide his only son with the distraction of another business to build when he needed me here?’
    ‘So you’re defending your father?’
    ‘To some extent, yes. Rafe and I put him in an awkward position, Gabrielle. Seen through older, wiser eyes Phillipe did not deliberately set out to crush Rafael’s dreams. We put a proposal to him which he refused. He made a business decision. A safe one. I do not steer as safe a course as my father, Gabrielle, but make no mistake, my offer is not based on sentiment alone. Yes, part of me simply wants to do for Rafael what I could not do before. The other part of me believes that offering patronage to the Angels Landing wines is simply good business. The wines are brilliant. The House of Duvalier’s reputation will be enhanced because of the association and it’s a market we