Kiss Me, Sweetheart

by Codi Gary

  “Sure, sounds good.”

  Chapter 2

  Dustin Kent enjoyed attention from beautiful women, and had never apologized for it. If a woman was already involved with another man, it was her own damn problem, not his. He never promised anything but a good time; it wasn’t his fault if they thought he was some kind of prince charming.

  He turned onto the driveway of Heart and Soul Vineyard, trying to shake off the text message from the last girl he’d hooked up with. He didn’t know her name, he just had her in his phone as Talks A Lot.

  Please, we belong together. Call me.

  Why she’d become so fixated on him was a mystery, but he didn’t do clingy.

  Dustin glanced over at Rylie, who was quietly looking out the window and ignoring him. He had no idea what he’d done to upset her, but she’d gone from laughing at his jokes just a few weeks ago and blushing so prettily at his compliments, to lashing out at him.

  It was too bad, because he genuinely liked Rylie. She was a nice girl.

  Which is probably why she sees through me.

  Dustin didn’t have any illusions about the kind of women who were attracted to him. Gold diggers and thrill seekers; they saw him as a challenge because he didn’t do relationships. Why bother? He already knew he wasn’t cut out for monogamy, so why waste anyone’s time?

  Dustin parked in front of the clubhouse and got out. He had every intention of opening the door for Rylie, but she didn’t wait for him to round the car and get it for her. As she stepped out, Dustin took a minute to admire her. Rylie had a curvy figure designed to keep a man warm at night, and she knew how to accent it. She was one of those girls who dressed to the nines; today she was wearing a black swing dress with cherries on it, a little red shrug, and bright red pumps.

  Plus, there was something about those brown eyes that could suck a man in if he wasn’t careful.

  “I think your parents’ vineyard is a little bigger, but this is still beautiful,” Rylie said.

  Dustin shook off his crazy thoughts. Rylie had a boyfriend and from what he’d gathered, she wasn’t the cheating kind. And he wasn’t up for more than being a side piece.

  “You’ve never been here?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “I thought maybe your boyfriend would have brought you here for a little wine tasting.”

  Her expression turned guarded, and he wondered why. He’d heard mumblings around the office that no one seemed to like Asher, but he hardly remembered the guy. He’d been two years behind Dustin and besides the fact that he played football and was a bit of a meathead, there was nothing else that stood out in his mind.

  “I’m not a big fan of wine,” she said.

  Toni Hart, the owner of the vineyard, burst out of the door with a wide smile, forestalling any further questions from him. “Hey there!”

  Dustin had known Toni since he was a kid. Even though his parents owned a rival vineyard, his mom and Toni were best friends. “Good afternoon, Toni! This is my partner, Rylie.”

  Toni held out her hand to Rylie, her hand lined with age, and sporting coral pink nails. Her white blond hair was styled in a perfectly rounded bob, and her green eyes sparkled in a face that showed every one of her sixty-two years in the best way possible.

  Rylie grasped it, a beaming smile lighting up her whole face. That welcoming expression made Dustin’s heart skip.

  He frowned at the thought. Maybe he was coming down with something.

  Rylie didn’t seem to notice his momentary panic. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Toni said. “It’s so nice to see Dustin with such a lovely young woman.”

  Dustin spluttered. “No, Toni, we’re not together—”

  “I have a boyfriend,” Rylie said at the exact same time.

  Toni’s face turned crimson. “Oh, well, when you said you needed a tour, I just assumed…” Toni trailed off.

  “We work for Something Borrowed, Toni,” he said. “We’re scouting the winery for a client.”

  Toni seemed to recover from her initial discomfort and smiled. “Oh, well that is wonderful too. And it is still nice to meet you.”

  “Yeah, you too,” Rylie mumbled, her cheeks a cherry red hue.

  Toni shot Dustin a confused look. “Wait, you work there too?”

  “Yeah. It’s fun, and you know how good I look in a tux,” he said, winking at her.

  “Oh, well, you definitely do.” Toni was probably still wondering why he, a multi-millionaire, would work at a place for rental bridesmaids. Everyone had been asking him why, including his mother, but he’d just changed the subject. It was nobody’s business but his.

  Toni seemed to regain her composure, because her saleswoman smile was back in place. “Let me show you around. Dustin, you’ve been here before, but we’ve remodeled the main clubhouse and our lodge rooms since then.”

  Rylie was all business now, walking beside Toni as they headed across the grounds. “And how many guest rooms do you have?”

  “About fifty, including several suites.”

  “Wow, that’s great. Our clients want an intimate affair,” Rylie said. “Do you allow outside caterers?”

  “No, but we have a varied menu that should work well for their needs. I’d be happy to set up a tasting.”

  Dustin didn’t want to get her hopes up if they decided to go with another venue. “Let’s just see what you’ve done with the place first, Toni.”

  “Certainly.”

  Dustin followed behind Rylie and Toni as they walked along a stone path. The grass was green, proving that Heart and Soul wasn’t concerned about the California drought. Then again, Northern California never had the climate troubles that their Southern counterpart did.

  Dustin’s pocket vibrated and he checked the screen. Shit, it was his agent.

  He hit the reject button. He’d call him later, when there was no one around to eavesdrop. It wasn’t as though he could openly tell people he was writing a book.

  Especially when the subject matter was about a groomsman for hire spilling all the dirt he could on the celebrity couples and their weddings.

  He’d been trying to come up with a book idea for months, and frustrated by severe writer’s block, had taken a drive out to his family winery. When he’d found his mother, she’d informed him that starlet Paula Riviera was celebrating her marriage to her wife, Julie Waynewright. There was only about fifty people in attendance, and absolutely no press. Dustin had spotted Marley Stevenson and her boss, Kelly, working as bridesmaid and wedding planner and it had struck him. People loved reading about celebrity dirt, and it was well known that weddings brought out the beast in almost everyone.

  So, that Monday, he’d called his agent and pitched his idea. He’d gone wild for it, and Dustin had walked into Something Borrowed and offered his services to Kelly. He’d been surprised how receptive she was to the idea and before he knew it, he’d had his opening three chapters written and a proposal for his agent to shop.

  And the Rolland/Marconi wedding was going to be his gold mine.

  “Oh, this is lovely.” Rylie’s voice brought him out of his head and back to the present. There was a beautiful pond surrounded by flowers and several benches. A couple of swans swam across the clear water.

  “Yes, the pond is a popular attraction,” Toni said.

  “How do you keep the water so clear with the birds?” Rylie asked.

  “We filter and clean it daily.”

  Dustin’s gaze shifted to Rylie’s expression as she stopped and scanned the area, her forehead wrinkled in concentration. She worried her full lip, and the sight of those even, white teeth abusing the lush, pink flesh made his cock stir to attention. Shifting on his feet to relieve the pressure against the front of his suit pants, he stepped a little closer.

  “What are you thinking?” h
e asked.

  She jumped, as though she’d been lost in thought and forgotten he was there. He didn’t like that; Dustin wanted her as aware of him as he was of her. It wasn’t rational or even fair, but there it was. She got to him and he couldn’t put his finger on why.

  But she had no idea what was going on inside him. How could she?

  Finally, Rylie answered him. “I was just wondering about the bird poop. If they are free to walk around the grounds, then they must make quite a mess. I would hate for our bride to step in something.”

  Dustin covered his mouth to hide his smile as Toni straightened up, obviously offended. “We have a groundskeeper who takes very good care of the property. There is no mess.”

  Rylie blushed. “I didn’t mean any offense. I was just thinking that things may happen and we can’t control everything.”

  Toni’s lips were still pinched, and Dustin added, “Maybe the geese—”

  “Swans,” both women corrected.

  Whatever. “Swans could be locked up during the wedding? Then the grounds would be clean and stay that way during the ceremony.”

  Toni seemed to be considering, and Dustin grinned as Rylie jumped on the suggestion. “They are beautiful, so maybe after the ceremony they could be released? Then they can be in the background of some of the pictures. Very romantic.”

  Toni nodded enthusiastically. “That is the reason we got them. We thought they would add a romantic element to the grounds.”

  “Oh, they do.” Rylie glanced at Dustin, and he thought she looked appreciative.

  Visibly appeased, Toni flashed them a sunny smile. “Let me show you the rest of the grounds, and then I’ll take you through the buildings.”

  “Thank you.”

  Just as they started walking again, Rylie stumbled in front of him. Before she went down, he grabbed her, pulling her back against his chest. As she leaned into him, her butt pressed right into his crotch and it just made his erection worse.

  “You okay?” he murmured.

  She nodded, clearing her throat. “I hit some kind of dip in the walkway and my ankle turned.”

  “Does it hurt?” God, she smelled good, like the peonies and lilacs his mother had in her garden.

  “No, it happens all the time. I’m okay.”

  That should have been his cue to release her, but it was the last thing he wanted to do.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  Chapter 3

  Rylie’s heart continued to pound, even as Dustin’s hands slipped away from her arms. She nervously tucked a stray hair behind her ear and stepped away from him unsteadily. Not because of her ankle, which throbbed and ached, but because of what she’d felt pressed against Dustin’s front. He’d been excited to have her there and just the knowledge of that had been a rush.

  Come on, he’s a horn dog. Any ass will do. Besides, I have Asher.

  It was probably a bad sign that she had to keep reminding herself about her live-in boyfriend.

  “Should we continue?” Toni asked.

  Rylie’s face warmed, irrationally worried the older woman could read her thoughts. “Yes, sorry. I normally change my shoes when I scout locations, but I forgot today.” Probably because she’d been so thrown about being paired with Dustin.

  As they continued the tour, Rylie discreetly checked out the front of Dustin’s trousers and could still see the evidence of his excitement pressing against the gray fabric. From the look and shape of it, it was no wonder so many women had no problem hopping into bed with him.

  I am going to hell.

  “You sure you’re okay?” Dustin asked quietly.

  Rylie’s gaze shot up to meet his. His smile was wide, bright, and sexy as hell.

  Oh, God, did he know that she was scoping out his package?

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  The rest of the tour, Rylie avoided looking Dustin’s way as much as possible. When they finally got back to the car an hour later, she stared out the window as he backed up and headed down the driveway to Highway 16.

  “I don’t think it will fit,” he said.

  Rylie whirled toward him. “What?”

  He glanced away from the road to shoot her a quizzical look. “Heart and Soul. I don’t think it will be a good fit for the wedding.”

  Oh, God, why couldn’t she seem to drag her mind out of the gutter? “Oh. Yeah, yeah, I agree.”

  “What did you think I meant?”

  His handsome face had split into a grin, and she thought her face would catch fire. “Nothing, I was just deep in thought.”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  She glared at him. “What? What did you think I thought you meant?”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of hazarding a guess, Miss Templeton.”

  He was messing with her. She knew there was no way he could know that her first thought had been downright naughty, but still, his tone suggested he suspected.

  “Where are we headed next?” she said, changing the subject.

  “I thought we’d head back to the office and get a change of shoes for you.”

  “They aren’t there. I forgot to pack them today, since I didn’t have any plans to walk all over a bunch of venues.”

  “That’s okay, we’ll just swing by your place and grab some.”

  Rylie’s heart skidded as she glanced at the clock. Asher probably wouldn’t be home, but she could just imagine the fight that would erupt if she showed up with Dustin and he was there.

  “That’s okay, I can make it in these.”

  Dustin glanced over at her doubtfully. “No, you can’t. Those are not functional shoes. Those are meant to look pretty and give men impure thoughts.”

  Just the mention of impure thoughts made her want to crawl under the seat and die.

  “God, do you have to do that?” she snapped.

  “Do what?” He seemed genuinely surprised by her reaction.

  “Do you always have to talk dirty?”

  A rich chuckle escaped him and she hated that she clenched her thighs together as the low rumble swept over her.

  “Believe me, when I talk dirty, you won’t want me to stop.”

  Rylie punched him in the arm before she could stop herself, and he yelled, swerving.

  “Ow, I was kidding!”

  Her knuckles throbbed. She hadn’t quite expected him to be that muscular. “No, that’s sexual harassment!”

  “And you just assaulted me!” he sputtered.

  “You’re lucky I didn’t assault you with my heel.”

  That grin was back and she held up a finger. “Do. Not. Say. It.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Sinking back into the passenger seat, she sighed. “I should change my clothes too. One wrong breeze and I’ll give everyone a show.”

  “I wouldn’t mind,” he said.

  She sighed. “I guess I can’t blame you for that one. I walked right into it.”

  “Yeah, you did.”

  Rylie needed to get them on a safer topic, one less laced with innuendos. “To get to my house, you take Main to—”

  “I know where you live, Rylie.”

  “How?”

  “I’ve seen your personnel file.”

  So much for privacy. “Right.”

  He made a slight turn onto Highway 88. “I was surprised you didn’t stay in the place you shared with your dad.”

  Rylie’s chest hurt, thinking about her dad. Her father had been a good man, the best. She strived to be like him every day—selfless, understanding, and brave.

  Nothing like her mother, who had found out that she’d had ovarian cancer and instead of staying and fighting, she’d run off to “experience life.”

  Her dad had been heartbroken, but never spoke ill of her, even when Rylie did. She’d hated her mother for hu
rting him.

  And me. She left me too.

  They’d gotten a call from a hospital in Florida that she’d been admitted and they’d flown down to see her. She’d been so far gone; there was nothing the doctors could do for her.

  She’d asked their forgiveness, and her dad had given it readily.

  Rylie couldn’t. After sixteen years of being an amazing wife and mother, she’d bailed. She’d gone off and screwed around and who knows what. That’s what she’d wanted to do with the rest of her time instead of being with the people who loved her.

  After her mom died, her dad had sold their house to pay for the deductibles from her mother’s medical care and used the rest to pay for culinary school for Rylie. Once she’d finished, she’d wanted to go to Paris and study under one of the top pastry chefs, and eventually, open her own gourmet bakery. It had been her dream since she was eight and got her first Easy-Bake Oven, and her dad had tried to make it happen for her.

  It hadn’t though.

  She’d been in her last semester when she’d had to drop out and come home. Her dad had experienced a mild heart attack and needed help recovering. She always thought she would go back, but after he didn’t survive his second one, she had been left with more debt….

  And Asher.

  “Rylie? You all right?” Dustin asked.

  “Yeah, sure. I’m just surprised you knew where we lived.”

  “We grew up together. I wasn’t oblivious to you.”

  She almost snorted. Everyone had been oblivious to her. She’d been fifty pounds heavier, worn her glasses like a shield, and had serious acne. After leaving Sweetheart, she’d attended dance and aerobic classes while she was in school, dropped some weight, got contact lenses, and started a serious face cleansing regiment. And she’d learned to love her body in the process.

  When she’d come home, she was completely different than the shy bookworm she’d been in school and people had finally started noticing her. Before that, she’d been invisible.

  “Please. It wasn’t like we traveled in the same circles.”