Heart Nectar

by Davee Jones

  HEART NECTAR:

  -HEARTS OF BRADEN SERIES BOOK FIVE

  Davee Jones

  Contemporary Erotic Romance

  www.finless.blogspot.com

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  Erotic Romance

  Heart Nectar

  Copyright © 2016 Davee Jones

  First E-book Publication: February 2016

  Cover design by Danielle Doolittle

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Published by Davee Jones at Smashwords

  www.finless.blogspot.com

  HEART NECTAR

  Book Five Hearts of Braden

  Davee Jones

  Copyright © 2016

  Chapter One

  A slight summer breeze, blew the painted shingle, naturally distressed giving off an old world Tuscan vibe. Cracks in the lettering gave the place character, the substantial feeling of comfort, joy, and friendship- Heart Nectar- a commerce keeping residents and tourists drinking local wine. Gusts came along, urging the hinges to gripe- low toned grunts grating rusted metal against metal. Mindie Larsen turned a worn key in the antique lock, groggily starting her day.

  The shop cat greeted her at the door, meowing feline hellos tempered with a feed me pitch. “Hey Chardonnay, did you catch any mice last night?”

  Meow! Louder this time, demanding his customary breakfast.

  “Just like a dang man, demanding as soon as I see you.” She fetched a small can from behind the bar. “Eat up, it’s gonna be a busy day.”

  Mindie didn’t care for inside animals, especially cats. From the security system, she disdainfully watched the nosy cat more than once prance along the bar, unaware of the across town audience of one. However, when she found evidence of rodents, she decided to take care of business the natural way. Hating pesticides, poisons, or other unnatural toxins, and really not wanting to throw away mouse traps or see the invaders struggle on a glue trap, she opted for a natural enemy. Chardonnay came from the local shelter, a rogue picked up on the quiet streets of town. They established a partnership, each respecting the other’s boundaries. At least when Mindie was out of Chardonnay’s sight.

  “Chardonnay, do you know how lucky you are? The place to yourself, a bachelor pad, and regular feedings.” He kept chomping down on the bits of seafood in some delectable gravy that a cat could only love. “You’re not even listening. Typical man, just like I said earlier.”

  Growing up in and around the town of Braden, Mindie took little opportunity to meet new people, especially men. Her cousin, Austin, introduced her to a couple of his guy friends, but, she found little chemistry disheartening, further driving her confidence down. Watching the damn cat eat up, ignoring her presence, Mindie finally sighed. “Cats and wine, what a life.”

  “It’s drama free, for sure!”

  Mindie spooked, jumping a bit before turning in the direction of the door. “I didn’t even hear you come in. Maybe I’ll start calling you Ninja Nixie.”

  Nixie rolled it around her tongue a few times. “Ninja Nixie, Ninjaaaaa Nix, Nixja in the house.”

  “Lay off the dark roast, Nix, how many cups of coffee have you already had?”

  “Only three, I’ve been up for at least an hour.” Nixie Bieber began life as a high school exchange student. She lived with the Larsen family, falling in love with her American household. When the time ended, she reluctantly returned to Germany, attending the last few years of school. Shortly following her twenty-first birthday, Nixie settled back into Braden, intending to stay for life. “Your droopy eyelids say you’ve had no coffee, no?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “I’ll start it.” Nixie practically hurdled the bar, heading to the kitchen.

  “I guess when they say opposites attract, it includes best friends too?” Mindie spoke more under her breath than to Nixie.

  “Das Leben ist wie ein Kinderhemd--kurz und beschissen.” Nixie offered awkward German proverbs whenever possible, even when they weren’t quite suited for the situation.

  “I know life is like a child's shirt--short and crappy. You aren’t making me feel better.”

  Unlikely peas in a pod, the two young women worked hard, rarely arguing, both intent on maintaining their winery. Nixie played at online dating, less concerned about meeting her soul mate than Mindie. “Maybe you need, get laid, is that what you say?”

  “Sex doesn’t cure everything.”

  “But it sure does remove the fever. By the way, what time are you meeting Mr. Moneybags tonight?” The girls had reached a point in their business when expanding could prove quite lucrative. They required an investor or a bank loan, both of which had their pros and cons.

  “We’re meeting at his condo around eight. Why did you ask about him just after you mentioned sex? I’m not gonna put my goods out there for the sake of getting cash. That’s like a prostitute.”

  “I meant nothing by it, zilch.”

  “Umm, yeah, right.”

  ****

  “This is my wine- well mine and my partner’s.” Sitting beside a dormant fireplace, Mindie’s insides absorbed the healing properties of the perfectly aged blend. “This is one of our first vintages.” Her heart beating rapidly, the first sips of rich wine teased her mind with intoxicating relaxation. Unsure what to wear when meeting such a man as Charles Stansfield, she chose simple, not revealing too much. Yet, the cream colored sweater hugged her shape, accentuating her bustline. Her most expensive pair of jeans molded her hips, giving the best compliment denim could bestow on her ample derriere. She’d decided it was go big or go home time. The business could use deep pocket funding by someone connected to the community.

  “The color is superb.” Charles tilted the glass, admiring the legs up the side. “Excellent body as well.” Sniffing the contents, inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes. “Very nice bouquet to match, you just might have your first medal winning bottle.” An air of business surrounded the man, his aura was money green. A vague accent touched certain syllables, as charming as a trained hypnotist.

  His eyes were so gorgeous, were they really green? She’d never seen a man with green eyes before. “We’re so excited to be part of this competition. It’s our first big show. Of course, we’ve been in some smaller shows. Hopefully, we do well and it gets our brand some further exposure.” Nervously tapping the side of her glass, she finally put it on the table. “Thank you for inviting me over. I wasn’t sure if you could include me in your schedule.” Rapidly sounding off s
entences, an almost desperate energy invaded her voice. Smoothing her hair into place, a tense habit since childhood, Mindie willed her lips shut.

  “Of course I could fit you in, a lovely woman, tasty snacks, and delicious wine, why on earth would I have said no?” Charming and smooth, Charles engaged his smile with the timing of his gaze. “I’d never turn down your company.”

  Practically gasping, she blushed just a shy lighter from the red in her glass. Not normally so jumpy, sitting next to a handsome, successful man had her completely frazzled. Putting more time and effort into their winery certainly meant sacrifices in Mindie’s life. One of the most time-consuming endeavors- dating- had been easily pitched to the side in lieu of more controllable pursuits. However, this made for awkward exchanges, and feeling her way through the abyss of courtship. Hence, the reason she never entertained the opposite sex very often.

  Needing to salvage her integrity before she busted into a fit of giggles, Mindie asked a rather benign question. “We haven’t met before. I mean, I know some of your family live here, but, we’ve never been introduced. Have you visited here much?”

  The first smirk of the evening drifted across his face. “Oh, absolutely not, I can’t honestly say Iowa was ever at the top of my travel bucket list.”

  “But, I mean, even as a child?” Did this man really insult her home state? Surely he didn’t mean anything bad by the tone exaggerating the sarcasm.

  “If I did, I certainly don’t remember it. So, either yes or no, it really doesn’t matter. Being here wasn’t memorable enough.” Taking a longer pull from the glass, he directed his attention to the bottle, lifting it slightly in the air. “May I?”

  Really? This guy definitely reminded Mindie why she didn’t bother most of the time. “Sure, go ahead for a second glass.” Did he truly not care how crass he came across?

  “Where have you lived? It sounds like somewhere leaps and bounds above the excitement of my measly home town.” Trying to inject the same degree of sarcasm didn’t work for Mindie. Her version sounded almost apologetic. Clearly, cynicism had never been an instrumental part of communication. Probably because she never felt the need to put someone else down. Rarely did she stoop to a level of mean supremacy, a rather blatant contradiction in her terms.

  “Mainly East Coast, time in Europe, and some in Argentina, we moved around as necessary.”

  “Sounds like you were gypsies.”

  “Gypsies are poor, thieving beggars, such not occurring in my lineage.”

  “Wow, I gotta say, I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

  “I doubt you ever will again.”

  Mindie drank the last swallow of her wine. Just how badly did they need his investment? The idea of a venture funded by this pompous ass seemed as appealing as stepping into a rattlesnake den. “I’m not sure we are on the same page.”

  “Pardon me?” Setting down the glass, he appeared to give her his full attention for the first time since he checked out her boobs.

  “Our business is doing fine, we don’t really need to change. I don’t think we need money from you as a backer after all.”

  Charles shrugged his shoulders, picking up his glass again. “Some people need to change, or they’ll drown in the midst of life’s torrential nature. You and I aren’t those kind of people.” Taking a drink, he swirled the wine around his mouth, looking upward, as if focusing on the ceiling. An over exaggerated move, but, then again, he was trying to impress a potential new client. “Where is the vineyard?”

  “Our vineyard?”

  “Yes, where you grew the grapes. The winery is in the middle of town, so, naturally, I couldn’t see the vines.”

  Mindie settled back further onto the couch. Practically sinking back from the question, her mind raced with no lucid thought. Just what was he getting at? “Our vineyard is young, not yet producing many grapes. We finagled and finally persuaded the McBride family to sell some land to us. They thought we might go widespread commercial with the property. We didn’t want developers- we only want a place to grow our grapes.”

  “So, you didn’t actually grow the grapes in this wine?”

  “No, we purchased the grapes from a trusted source not far away. The integrity of the blend still comes from Iowa.” Who gave a shit if they grew the grapes or not? It didn’t demean the quality of their winemaking skills. Several wineries receive grapes from different growers, sometimes it’s even preferred in order to make a unique blend.

  Smirking, he put the glass down on the table. “I’m not sure you can actually say this is your wine start to finish.”

  “It won’t hurt us in the competition, will it?” Wild eyed, Mindie gripped the stem of her goblet tightly. “We are counting on this show.” Now he touched a nerve, albeit a nervous one. Mindie’s reputation as a businesswoman was on the line. Of course Nixie would be affected, but maybe not as harshly judged since she wasn’t born and raised in Braden. Some people in smaller towns can be just as cutting as they are supportive.

  “It won’t matter the least bit for the event.”

  “Why’d you even bring it up?” What a dick. So was this guy just good it picking fights or something? Actually, he probably enjoyed putting other people down, seemingly women especially.

  “I’m purely speaking from the position as a potential investor. Obviously my assistant didn’t inform me all the details of your current operation. I’ll need further information about this new vineyard before I’m able to even give a decision about being a backer. I didn’t become a millionaire by making foolish investments.”

  Seething anger almost delved into hatred, a strong feeling Mindie rarely ever had in her life. Stepping out of her comfort zone to try to impress him, obviously didn’t mean a thing. Feeling almost dirty, like a feigning beggar, Charles stripped pride from her one painful layer at a time during their short visit. She didn’t give a crap if the guy was so good-looking she melted into a puddle when she first met him. Now she felt even more degraded for having those reactions. “I’m going to leave.”

  Standing, Charles made sure to drain the last bit of the wine from his second glass. “I really enjoy what you do here lady. Think long and hard before you cut me permanently out of the picture.” Padding away in his quiet loafers, his smugness slimed the room with its disgusting aura. Shutting the restroom door with a soft click, his blood pressure probably never raised a digit.

  Mindie’s optimism crumpled inside her soul. Hopes, expectations, excitement, and a feeling of achievement flew from her core, blown away in less than an hour. Yes, the thriving business paid the bills, and let them lead a semi-comfortable life. However, Mindie and Nixie devoted twenty-four seven three hundred sixty-five to their entrepreneurship. One day they both wanted to date, eventually marry, have a family, and enjoy their personal lives. Finicky grapes and a touchy winemaking process didn’t operate on a human timetable. When a process needed to happen, no matter the night or day, there was no delay, for that would mean failure. A solid financial contribution would generate enough revenue to hire a couple of apprentices, and free up a little more of the partners’ valuable time.

  Should they really climb into bed with someone so spiteful and negating? If anything the man seemed to revel in exerting superiority, rather than encouraging opportunity. Being so handsome and charismatic had yielded a heartless, probably soulless man. Mindie’s insides tingled when she first received his proposition. Before she met the man, she’d envisioned someone injecting new life into their expanding operation. Quiet daydreams, womanly fantasies, tugged at Mindie’s long-standing chastity. What happened in the movies, where the rich guy met the good girl, engaged a hope in her heart. She couldn’t control the wanton desires she had for Charles Stansfield. After meeting him, her tummy tickled with anticipation. Yet, before they’d scratched the surface of a personal connection, he muddied every clear fantasy she’d had. Just another Richard cranium with fat bank account, Mindie felt disgusted with herself for even flirting with him, or a
llowing her imagination to run rampant.

  But the question remained, how would they get the money they needed for the type of expansion they required?

  She left his condo before he was finished in the restroom.

  ****

  “Charles Stansfield is an utter ass!” Scrubbing furiously at a spotless counter, Mindie’s fury summoned a bead of sweat across her upper lip. “He’s so pretentious, can’t even give me one ounce of credit for anything. He’s been a dick since the womb, I’m sure of it.”

  “Hide your anger. It would give him power.” Nixie gently placed her hand upon Mindie’s, momentarily ceasing the assault of the sponge. “If you know these things about him, why do you let it bother you so?”

  “I don’t know, maybe I thought he would be different, you know? Coming here to our town after his family had lived here so long, you’d think he’d shelve the snarky for a few weeks anyway.”

  “Were you friends before, because of his family?”

  “Such a small town, everyone knew about the rich side of the Stansfield clan. They were so mysterious because no one knew details. If they ever visited here before, I never knew about it. I had no idea this particular man in the family tree existed. Shoot, the people here might have thrown them a parade or something crazy if they made an appearance.”

  “Maybe you have soft feelings for him?” Lightly tamping her loose fist against her heart, Nixie’s expression became open, curious.

  “Aww, hell no, not him. I’m not one bit curious about any part of him, that’s for damn sure. With his money, it’s a safe bet he’s kissed a helluva lot of girls. I’m proud to say I’m not gonna be one of them. Some sort of Prince Charming, his family money gave him the status of being a catch. I never could get past his ego to want to date him.” Silently thanking her lucky stars she’d never expressed her interest in the douche bag to her best friend. Today she felt embarrassed at best.