Page 66 of Signed, Sealed, Married

Her smile was pure cat-that-got-the-cream. ‘You’re very predictable.’

Yet he didn’t miss the sly way she stretched, making his shirt part over creamy flesh. Adam rolled onto his stomach, propping his weight on his forearms, enjoying the view. ‘It doesn’t look like you mind, beautiful.’

His smile widened as, instead of flinching at the word, Gisèle shrugged.Thatwas progress. ‘Why should I mind? You’re a wonderful lover.’

‘And I intend to be an excellent husband.’ He revelled in the fact she enjoyed intimacy. Butloversounded too temporary for his liking. ‘Where do you want to live, Gisèle?’

‘I assumed you’d worked that out. You’re the one with the multinational business.’

‘But we agreed we’d discuss everything.’

He still enjoyed making her blush, describing what he’d like to do with her. Even better was the way Gisèle took that agreement seriously too, voicing her own demands and suggestions. There was something incredibly arousing about this gorgeous woman describing what would give her pleasure, including having her way with his body.

‘I have a house in Sydney, and apartments in New York and Singapore. But I thought for now, France. Which would be better, Paris or the south, handy to your research team?’

Gisèle propped herself on one arm, eyes wide. ‘Paris makes more sense for you.’

‘But the south means you can be with your unit most days. I can telecommute. It’s easy enough to get to the capital when I need to.’

‘Adam, are you serious? We spent so much time before the wedding out in public. I assumed...’

‘That would be our life?’ He shook his head. ‘It’s okay for short stints and I did have connections I wanted to pursue. But mainly I liked going out with you at my side. Now I’ve got that permanently.’

He couldn’t repress his smug smile.

‘You’re serious!’

‘Never more so. I’ll still have to travel sometimes. There’s a deal I’m looking at in the US and another in Brazil, so I’ll need excellent telecommunications. But I can be based anywhere. Whereas it makes sense for you to be with your team. Would you like that?’

Gisèle sat up and wrapped her arms around her bent knees. ‘I’d love it. I can do society events when I need to but I’d rather focus on my real work.’

Adam nodded. He had some inkling now of how little she liked the limelight. It was a measure of her dedication to the company and her determination that she did it so well.

‘That’s settled then.’

Except it seemed it wasn’t. His wife chewed her lip, frowning. Adam sat up and stroked a finger over her brow. ‘Is there a problem?’

Her gaze dropped to his groin and he stifled satisfaction at her blatant interest. But sex could wait. This was important. He wanted Gisèle to be happy.

‘Just when I think I understand you, you pull out another surprise.’ Her eyes searched his. ‘You said part of the reason for wanting the House of Fontaine was to prove you’d reached a social as well as commercial pinnacle. That you’d made it. But now you don’t seem interested in furthering your social position. Even before the wedding you couldn’t be bothered cosying up to that prince in Paris.’

The memory made his fists tighten. ‘He was overrated. I understand men being attracted to you but he was blatantly ogling. I couldn’t work with him.’

Gisèle’s frown didn’t shift. She covered his bunched fist with her hand.

‘You really are the most complex man. It seems so long ago that you came stomping into my life, turning it upside down. I thought I knew you then but you keep proving me wrong.’

Adam kept his tone light despite the heavy thud of his pulse. ‘In a good way?’

Her slow curling smile was like a spill of pure sunlight. ‘Definitely in a good way. You’re not like I first thought. In fact I have hopes for you.’

‘Because I’m a phenomenal lover?’

‘That could be part of it.’ But instead of listing his good qualities she said, ‘I think you’ve been lying to yourself, Adam.’

That startled him. He prided himself on his honesty, with himself and others. ‘How so?’

‘Don’t look stern. It’s not an insult.’ She stared at their joined hands. ‘You wanted to prove yourself to the privileged elite who looked down on you. But you admit you no longer worry what those old enemies think. You’ve risen beyond them.’ She shook her head. ‘You’re very much your own man.’

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