by Carrie Elks
“I guess it was.” His voice was low. Thick.
“And the crops grew like crazy. I know a lot of people were worried they might rot it got so wet. But when it wasn’t raining the sun was blasting down. And they kept on growing.”
“What was your favorite subject at school?”
She blinked at his abrupt change in topic. “I liked practical things. Chemistry. Cooking. I even took Shop. I don’t like sitting around that much. How about you?”
A wry smile pulled at his mouth. “I didn’t like school very much. I spent most of my time working out how to get out of there.”
“Did you go to a rich boy’s school?”
“How did you guess?”
She lifted an eyebrow but didn’t reply. She was supposed to be impressing him. Proving that she was the right choice for the job. “The rain is what made the 2012 batch so special.” Her voice was low. He had to lean closer to hear her. “Along with the attention the distillers gave the small batch when it was created. Maturing it on the second level means it’s had some temperature extremes, but not the intense heat and cold you get on the higher floors.”
“Which means?” He tipped his head to the side.
Her lip quirked. “Which means it smells and tastes fucking fantastic.”
Daniel blinked as though her words shocked him. And then he laughed. Not just a chuckle, but a full blown, head back laugh that completely changed his demeanor. The corner of his eyes crinkled, and his lips were turned up.
She wondered what kind of kisser he’d be. Soft and gentle or hard and demanding? Maybe both, enough to keep her on her toes.
What the hell was going on? Why was she thinking about him kissing her?
Becca took a deep breath, pulling her gaze from his lips. This was stupid. It was the atmosphere in here that was making her feel weird. The lights were low, the air was gentle and silent. It felt like they were the only two people in the world.
“Taste it,” he murmured. This was a bad idea. She knew it as soon as his gaze caught hers. She slowly lifted the glass to her lips. He held his breath as she tipped it back, her mouth parting to allow the whiskey to flow over her tongue. She closed her eyes, her jaw moving as she savored, her cheeks pulling in as she swallowed. When she opened them, he was still staring at her.
His gaze dipped to her throat, watching it undulate.
“Tell me what it tastes like.”
“It’s soft. Not too delicate but not too overpowering. There’s hints of vanilla. Not too sweet, just enough to make it feel like the whiskey’s dancing on my tongue.”
“Can you taste the almonds?”
“At the very end. It has a long finish. There are almonds and salt there. They’re sticking to my tongue. It’s delicious.”
“Yeah. It is.”
Every time their eyes clashed it felt like her skin was on fire. This weird, sensual connection between them was so much stronger than before. It felt like it had been distilled until it was almost overpowering.
Her breath caught in her throat, making her chest lift up with the need for air. Daniel’s piercing blue eyes flashed like there was a fire igniting behind them. Neither of them said a word – she wasn’t sure she could speak even if she wanted to.
There are moments when your body knows things that your mind isn’t ready to consider. When every cell in your muscles ache to do the one thing your rational thoughts are screaming against. Becca’s free arm slowly lifted up, reaching for him, her fingers desperate to feel the roughness of his jaw.
In an instant, his own hand shot up, fingers curling hard around her wrist, making her stop an inch short of his face. His grasp burned her, so tight it felt like a vice.
“Don’t.” It was somewhere between an order and a plea.
What the hell had she been thinking? She tried to pull away, but his fingers were unyielding. His jaw was hard and set, his eyes darker than she’d ever seen them.
When she tugged again, he released her, stepping back as though to put distance between them. Becca desperately tried to find the words to explain why she’d tried to touch him. But they weren’t there. All she could see was a fog of panic. Because she’d ruined any chance of getting the job.
So much for cool, calm, and collected. She’d just acted like a damn school girl.
Daniel looked away, his profile illuminated by the soft lights above them. “This is my favorite whiskey, too.”
“I…”
“Why don’t you take me to the next cask? I want to taste the one you think is most overrated. The one everybody gushes about but you think tastes ordinary.”
Becca inhaled a deep breath. His voice was completely unaffected. As though the last two minutes never happened. Okay then, two could play at that game.
“It’s the GSC Vintage Gold,” she said, keeping her voice even. “On the bottom floor.”
He still wasn’t looking at her. Almost certainly because he thought she was a complete idiot. “Okay. Let’s go try it.”
She swallowed hard, straightening her shoulders and walking back toward the stairs, not bothering to see if he followed.
The quicker she did this, the faster she could get out of here and pretend nothing happened.
And on the positive side? At least she wasn’t going to get this job.
Chapter Nine
Daniel grabbed his keys and switched the lights off, leaning his head against the warehouse wall and taking a deep breath.
What a mess that was. He’d been inches from pulling her toward him and kissing the hell out of her. It had taken every ounce of willpower he had to release her arm and turn away.
So much for professionalism. At least it was the weekend. He’d have two days without having to see her. Two days of running, of beating the hell out of his punching bag, of doing whatever it took to wipe the image of her out of his mind.
But right now all he could see was the hurt expression in her eyes when he stopped her from touching him.
What had she been thinking? Had she even intended to touch him? He’d never know because his hand had shot up by instinct, in a desperate move to protect himself.
Because if she’d touched him, he would have been a goner.
After that, he’d cut the tasting short. Originally he’d been planning to make her taste at least six barrels, but three was more than sufficient to show him what he’d known all along, somewhere deep inside.
Becca Hartson was good. She didn’t have a sweet tooth or an unmatured palate. She knew what she liked and why she liked it. And it pissed him off.
He’d wanted her to be bad. Wanted to make his decision easy, because he didn’t want to work with her. Not when every time he saw her, he felt like he was out of control.
Shaking his head at himself, he exited the barrel room, setting the alarm and fastening the locks behind him. One of the guards would be around later to make sure everything was secure.
He stopped short when he saw Becca standing outside the warehouse, a soft breeze catching her long hair.
“I thought you’d be long gone,” he said, taking care to keep distance between them. “Don’t you have a hot date?”
“I’m waiting for a cab. There are only two in Hartson’s Creek and they’re in demand on Friday nights.”
“You’re not driving?” He frowned.
She shook her head. “I don’t drink and drive.”
“And exactly how much are you planning on drinking?” He felt more pissed off than ever. Didn’t she know what guys were like?
Her eyes caught his. “A lot. It’s been a rough week.”
Yeah, and he hadn’t made it any easier. “You should be careful.”
“It’s okay. Naomi will be there. And my date is a friend of her husband’s, so…”
Daniel felt slightly better. “Is it a first date?” He was asking too many questions. But he was her boss – wasn’t it appropriate that he cared about her welfare?
“First and last. He’s heading to the Middle East
next week. I guess I’m going to show him a little appreciation for all he does.”
The tightness in his gut returned. “Appreciation?”
Becca smirked. “For his service.”
Irritation rushed through him again. The thought of Becca showing appreciation to anybody made him want to grind his teeth.
Damn, it made him want to hit something. Or someone.
“I can give you a ride to wherever you’re going,” he found himself saying. “Save you from waiting.” Great idea. Be in another enclosed space with her. Let’s see how well that goes.
“It’s okay, it should only be ten minutes at the most. You don’t have to wait with me. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving you on your own, Becca.” He liked the way her name felt on his lips.
“Stay here then.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me.” She bit on her bottom lip, like she was trying not to smile. It was a little easier to ignore the atmosphere between them out here. Though the sky was darkening, the air was getting cooler. Like a cold shower for his soul.
When the cab arrived five minutes later, he wasn’t sure if he was relieved or annoyed. They’d stood in virtual silence, both of them staring at the gate to the distillery estate like they could make a vehicle appear in front of them by sheer force of will. And he was so damn aware of her, even though they were four feet apart.
And so damn aware that she was about to go on a date with somebody else.
“Goodnight then,” she said, looking over her shoulder at him as she opened the cab door.
“Goodnight.” He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t sure he could remember how. “And be safe.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “I will. I promise.”
He nodded, and turned away as she closed the door and the driver put his foot on the gas. Grabbing his keys from his pocket, he walked across the road toward the parking lot, pressing the fob to unlock his car.
He’d head straight to the gym and whack the hell out of a punching bag. Right now, nothing else would make him feel better.
It was turning into the weirdest night ever and her date hadn’t even started yet. Becca pushed open the door to Moonlight Bar and forced a smile onto her lips. The clang of rock music hit her ears, mixed with the rumble of conversation spiked with the occasional shout. It was packed, even for a Friday night. As the door swung closed behind her, she spotted Naomi and her husband, Alex, along with a sandy-haired guy who looked around thirty.
Naomi was the first to see her, standing up and waving wildly. Alex and his friend stood, too, making Becca feel self conscious as she weaved her way through the throng of people to their booth.
“You got out of there alive!” Naomi grinned. “How did it go?”
“It was fine.” She had no idea how to explain what had happened between her and Daniel. That’s if anything had actually happened. If you took it down to the basics, she’d tried to touch him and he’d stopped her.
The rest – the aching gaze, the intense electricity that seemed to heat the air between them, the way he held onto her like he didn’t want to let go – was almost certainly a figment of her imagination.
Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“Hey, Becca.” Alex kissed her cheek. “It’s good to see you again. This is my friend, Shawn Smith.”
“It’s great to meet you.” She held her hand out to him at the exact moment Shawn leaned in to kiss her cheek, and her knuckles punched his hard abdomen.
Her eyes widened. “Oh my god, I’m sorry.”
Shawn chuckled. “It’s okay.” He stepped back, rubbing his stomach with his palm. “You have a strong right hook.”
Becca was mortified. Had she really hit him the moment after they were introduced? Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.
“I was just going to shake your hand,” she said faintly. “I really didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“It’s the first date I’ve ever been on that started with physical violence.”
“I guess the only way is up.” Naomi shot Becca an amused look.
“Would you like to sit down?” Shawn asked her, pointing at the bench seat. “We ordered you a white wine. Was that alright?”
Becca exhaled softly. “Thank you. I just need to head to the ladies’ room first. Freshen up a bit.”
“Try not to hit anybody else on the way there,” Alex said, giving her a friendly nudge with his shoulder. “Those fists should come with a warning sign.”
“Shut up.” Naomi rolled her eyes at him. “Can’t you see she’s embarrassed?”
“Are you embarrassed?” Shawn asked her, tipping his head to the side. “Because you shouldn’t be. I’ve been hit much harder. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”
“A little.” But that wasn’t the overriding emotion rushing through her right now. Compared to the mess her brain had become thanks to her tasting with Daniel Carter, punching a blind date she wasn’t going to see again barely registered.
And let’s face it, if her mind wasn’t still completely preoccupied with her very good looking, very disinterested boss, she’d probably have noticed Shawn leaning in to kiss her, and held her hand back. But she’d been running on automatic, the same way she had been since she’d left the barrel room. Her body doing what it needed to do while her mind still thought about him.
“Are you okay?” Naomi murmured. Becca blinked. How long had she been standing there? She couldn’t keep acting like this. Shawn must think she was crazy.
“Just trying to wind down from a heavy day.” She made herself smile. “A splash of cold water on my face and a mouthful of wine should do it.”
“I’ll come with you to the bathroom,” Naomi said, sliding her hand into Becca’s. “I need to freshen up myself.”
“Have you ever wondered what girls do in the bathroom together?” Alex asked Shawn as Becca and Naomi headed to the back of the bar. “Why can’t they just do what we do? They’d be in and out in five seconds.”
“I haven’t wondered, no.” Shawn sounded amused. “Because that kind of thing gets you in trouble.”
“I’ve been in trouble since I’ve met Naomi.”
Naomi turned around and blew him a kiss. “Yes you have, baby. Just remember that.”
Despite the crowd in the bar, the ladies’ bathroom was almost empty. One stall was taken, the other three empty. There was a girl putting lipstick on at the sink, smacking her lips together and blowing kisses at her reflection. Becca vaguely recognized her from high school.
After they’d both done what they needed to do, and were standing at the sinks, Naomi shot Becca a speculative look. “So, what happened in the barrel room?”
Becca frowned at her reflection. “What do you mean? I did the tasting, Daniel asked some questions, and then I headed straight here.”
Naomi shook her head. “No, something happened. You were normal when I saw you a few hours ago. Now you’re all breathy and shaky and hitting guys in the stomach. And I know it’s not the whiskey that did it. You do tastings all the time. So what gives?”
Becca turned to look at Naomi, a long sigh escaping her lips. “I made an idiot of myself there, too.” And if she thought about it, the same right hand was to blame. Would it hurt a lot if she chopped her arm off? “I went to touch his face and he caught my arm, then held it for too long.”
Naomi’s brows pinched together. “He held you? How?”
He curled his fingers around my wrist and made me wonder what it would be like to be naked in bed with him. “Like this,” Becca said, curling her fingers around Naomi’s wrist. “Except up in the air, so my elbow was bent and my hand was inches away from his jaw.”
“I don’t get it.” Naomi shook her glossy dark hair. “Why did you want to touch him?”
“Because I’m an idiot.”
Naomi laughed. “No you’re not. Come on, why did you want to touch him? Was he annoying you? Did you want to slap him?” She tipped her head to the side. “Oh my god, d
o you have a thing for him?”
Swallowing hard, Becca slowly nodded. A thing didn’t even cover it. She wasn’t sure when it had happened. When the dislike had fizzed into something stronger. More spectacular. But the fact was, she had a huge, unmissable yearning for Daniel Carter.
“But you hate him. And he’s been an asshole to you. Remember what he said about the blend?”
“I remember.” Becca’s voice was low. Rough. “And it doesn’t matter anyway, because I’m being stupid. He’s my boss, which is bad enough. But you’re right, he’s an asshole, too.” Except he hadn’t been an asshole to her tonight. He’d been different. He’d listened to her. Intensely. Yeah, that word summed Daniel up perfectly. He was intense in everything he did.
Would he be intense between the sheets, too?
“Becca? You zoned out again.”
She really needed to stop doing that. “Sorry. I was thinking.”
“About him?”
“About tonight. I’m sorry, I’m here talking to you about Daniel when I’m supposed to be on a double date with you and Alex.”
Naomi waved her hand. “Ah, Shawn’s a good guy, but he’s leaving next week. Daniel, on the other hand, is staying right here. How are you going to deal with seeing him on Monday?”
Becca bit into the fleshy skin of her bottom lip. “I don’t know. I might not even have a job when I go in on Monday. I touched him first. Or at least, I went to touch him first. If he complains about me, I’ll be gone.”
“He won’t complain about you.”
“What makes you think that?” Becca curled her fingers around the edge of the sink.
“Because he’s not that kind of guy. If he had a problem with you, he’ll say it to your face. Hell, he already has.” Naomi grinned.
“True.” Becca shook her head. “You know what? I want to forget about Daniel Carter for a while. And GSC. Let’s go talk to the guys and have some fun.”
“You know I’m always up for fun.” Naomi shook her hair out, flipping it behind her back before turning toward the door. “But if you ever need to talk, I’ll be there.”
