Transformed Into the Frenchman's Mistress: Transformed Into the Frenchman's Mistress. Barbara Dunlop

think we’re about to find out,” said Raine.

      Charlotte moved slightly closer to Raine for protection as Alec marched ominously toward them. Her heart rate seemed to increase with every step he took. His hands were dirty, his clothing soaked to his skin, and his face was streaked with soot and sweat.

      He looked ruggedly sexy. Except for the scowl. Okay, even with the scowl, he looked sexy. She was hopeless.

      He came to a halt. “No one was seriously hurt.”

      “I’m so sorry,” said Charlotte.

      Alec’s eyes narrowed, and she assumed it was going to take a whole lot more than an apology.

      “Do they know what happened?” asked Raine.

      “Some kind of electrical malfunction with the pyrotechnics. It’s going to put them behind schedule.” He glanced around in disgust, and Charlotte figured the movie schedule was hardly his first concern.

      He looked to Charlotte. “Can I talk to you alone?”

      “It’s not her fault,” Raine jumped in.

      Alec gave his sister a look that questioned her sanity.

      Charlotte supposed it was her fault. And she didn’t blame Alec for being angry. She was ready to face the music. But she was sorely disappointed at having let the Hudsons down.

      Alec reached for her arm, then he seemed to remember his filthy hands, because he pulled back, nodding toward a quiet corner of the porch.

      “I feel terrible,” she began as soon as they were out of earshot. “I should have thought about security. I should have thought about safety—”

      “I need to ask,” said Alec, coming to a halt, turning to face her. He didn’t look angry. In fact, he looked concerned.

      “What?” she asked bravely, watching his expression closely.

      “What happened earlier—between us.”

      Ahh. Now she got it. She shifted gears. This was the it-was-a-good-time speech, the we’re-both-adults speech, the no-expectations speech.

      Okay. She was prepared for that. They were both adults, and neither of them were under any illusions.

      Charlotte squared her shoulders. “You don’t have to say it, Alec. I understand. And I agree with you completely.” They’d go on as if nothing had happened. If he’d let them stay and complete the movie, that was a huge win for her. She wasn’t going to sit around and cry over a one-night stand.

      Well, maybe she’d cry a bit. But only because it was such an incredible one-night stand. It would have been nice for it to be two nights or three. But that wasn’t the way Alec operated. Or so she’d read in the tabloids.

      “You agree with me?” he asked.