Transformed Into The Frenchman’s Mistress

“I have plenty of signing authority.” Raine nodded briskly.

“Alec is the CEO,” Kiefer pointed out. “And I have absolutely no problem reporting to him.”

“I don’t know, Kiefer,” Charlotte teased. “If she can sign your paycheck, I think you work for her.”

Kiefer poured himself a measure of cognac. “When she has the power to fire me, I’ll get worried.”

“You’re fired,” said Raine.

Kiefer just chuckled, holding up his brandy in a toast. “You just keep publishing the pretty little puff pictures, sweetheart. Let me worry about the serious stuff.”

Raine’s jade eyes flared, and she jumped to her feet. “I can’t get any respect. I swear, I am getting an MBA.”

But Charlotte’s attention stayed on Kiefer, watching his expression, catching that unguarded second when his gaze dipped to Raine’s clingy, low-cut top and his nostrils flared.

Charlotte sat back. Interesting. The crackling energy between them was a lot more than just antagonism.

“Good luck with that,” Kiefer drawled.

“If only to shove it in your face.”

“Your degree is in what?” he asked mildly. “Fashion? Fine art?”

“That’s why I’m a magazine publisher.”

He swirled the cognac in his wide palm, pretending to study it. “By the way-” he looked up “-circulation was down last quarter.”

“You’re an ass.”

“Hey-” he feigned innocence “-don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Don’t ask me to do this, Alec.” On the balcony of Alec’s office, Kiefer gazed down at the construction crew swarming over last night’s fire rubble.

“It’s a couple of days,” said Alec from the open doorway, struggling to understand why Kiefer would refuse. “Take her to the distribution offices. Meet with the executives.”

“Raine doesn’t need me there.”

“I want you to get a feel for the magazine business. You said yourself distribution was down.”

“Marginally.”

Alec stepped out onto the balcony, moving next to Kiefer at the rail.

“You need me here,” said Kiefer.

“No, we don’t.”

“Or in Toulouse.”

“What good are you in Toulouse? The office is a mess, and the construction crew is working here.”

“Tokyo, then. Send me to Kana Hanako.”

“I want you to help Raine.” Truth was, Alec wanted Kiefer to make sure Raine stayed away from the chateau for a couple of days. It was the only way he was going to get any time alone with Charlotte.

Underhanded, maybe. But he had used Kiefer for less noble purposes in the past.

Kiefer’s jaw set in a line, and his hands smacked down hard on the rail. “Well, you might as well fire me, then.” He turned to stalk back into the office.

What?

Alec gave his head a shake.

“What?” He shifted to stare at Kiefer.

Kiefer rounded, his hands on his hips. “Go ahead. Fire me for refusing an order.”

“I’m not-” Alec stepped inside. “Listen, I know you’re not wild about Raine.”

Kiefer started to laugh.

“What’s funny?”

“I’m not wild about Raine?”

Okay, so Raine made Kiefer nuts. They’d always sparked off each other, dragged one another down into the most petty of arguments. But they’d worked together for years. Alec assumed the relationship was at least tolerable.

Kiefer took a step forward, shaking his head in amazement. “You think I’m refusing an order because I don’t like Raine?”

“Why else?” It was not as if traveling to Paris, London and Rome was some kind of hardship. Particularly if they took the corporate jet.

Kiefer stared hard at Alec, a debate obviously going on inside his head.

“Kiefer?” Alec prompted.

“I am wild about Raine.”

Alec didn’t understand.

Kiefer gave another cold laugh. His fists clenched by his sides. “I’d rather you fired me for refusing an order than fire me for sleeping with your sister.”

“Huh?” Alec was honestly speechless.

“Your sister’s hot, Alec. She gorgeous. She’s sexy-”

“But you two fight all the time.”

“That’s because if we stop fighting-” Kiefer clamped his jaw.

Alec struggled to reframe his thoughts. Kiefer and Raine? Raine and Kiefer? “You’ve known her for years. Surely you can keep your hands off her for a few more days.”

“We’ve never traveled alone together.”

“That’s just crazy,” said Alec, refusing to believe Kiefer would completely disregard his professional ethics.

“She’s had a crush on me since she was eighteen,” said Kiefer. “I’m not stupid. She hides it, because she hates herself for it-”

“Then she’ll say no,” Alec pointed out. “And I know you’ll respect that. If you make a move, Raine will simply turn you down.”

“Don’t count on her saying no.”

Alec struggled with a sudden burst of temper. His vice president was actually standing there telling him he planned to seduce his sister?

“Just fire me now,” said Kiefer, throwing up his hands in disgust.

“Nobody’s getting fired.”

“Then forget about the trip.”

“I can’t forget about the trip.”

“Why the hell not? Circulation took a minuscule dip. If you insist, we’ll follow it up. But we can call the offices. It’s not even worth the jet fuel-” Kiefer stopped. His chin suddenly dipped to his chest. He stared at Alec out of the tops of his eyes. Then he shook his head in disgust. “You need Raine out of the house.”

Alec couldn’t lie, so he stayed silent.

“It’s Charlotte, isn’t it? You want me to babysit Raine so that you can seduce Charlotte.” Kiefer rapped his knuckles on the desktop. “Charlotte has a brother, too, you know.”

“Jack has nothing to do with this. Charlotte’s a grown woman.”

“Yeah,” said Kiefer. “So is Raine.”

Alec was forced to agree. And that was a sobering thought for both men. It meant Raine’s love life was none of his business. It meant Kiefer had held back all these years for no reason. It meant if Kiefer took Raine off in the jet, whatever happened between them was entirely their business.

“Yes,” Alec finally answered. “She is.”

The two men stared at each other in silence.

“And you still want me to take her around Europe?”

“If what you say is true, it’s about time you two settled it one way or the other.”

Kiefer gave a nod.

“I can count on your ethics?” Alec confirmed.

“Everything will be her call.”

“Something to give me confidence,” said Charlotte, staring into the depths of Raine’s massive clothes