A Kiss of Cabernet

by Pamela Gibson

  Kevin’s tone was cautious. “How did you twist your ankle? It wasn’t another episode, was it?”

  Jake debated about lying to his friend, but he couldn’t do it. “It was. But I’m getting around on my own now.”

  “When are you going back to the clinic?”

  “When more symptoms develop. That could be next month or next year. I can’t think about this now, Kevin. I’ve got to deal with Jorgensen.”

  Jake got out of bed and limped over to his laptop. He must have walked too much yesterday during his winery excursion. He turned on the computer and found the story in the Wall Street Journal.

  He had only himself to blame for this turn of events. Two years ago Pantheon, his research and development acquisition, owed money to Micromaze, its primary supplier. Instead of paying the debt with cash, Jake had negotiated a transfer of stock to primary stockholders at Micromaze, which satisfied the debt. It wasn’t a lot, but the directors seemed happy with the exchange. Pantheon was a healthy company, but at the time it had been cash-poor, having invested heavily in a new campus on the outskirts of Philadelphia.

  It had seemed like such a good idea, but he hadn’t foreseen this development. He was damn close to losing majority control. He couldn’t let that happen, especially not to Jorgensen.

  Now more than ever, he needed that infusion of cash. Jorgensen was notorious for ripping companies apart, taking the profitable bits, and letting the rest go. He thought about some of his most vulnerable employees. Kyle Smith’s wife was having their first baby. Kate Sherman was supporting her mom. Both worked in departments that were marginally successful at the moment. Jorgensen would shut them down.

  Jake wouldn’t let his employees down.

  The vineyard would have to go.

  …

  An engine roared into life outside Paige’s cottage. The boys must have started work earlier than usual this morning. She glanced at the clock. A little past five. Time to get up.

  She stretched and closed her eyes again, remembering the gentle touch of Jake’s fingers on her face as they lay together on the blanket. She wanted to stay in bed and relive every minute, but there was work to do. Sliding a T-shirt over her head, she slipped on her jeans and sturdy work boots, grabbed her coffee, and headed out the door. Another hot day was in the works, but for now clouds covered the sky with a blanket of gray. Thunderstorms were predicted later in the afternoon. Not good news when sugar had already formed in the grape clusters.

  Paige glanced at the house on the hill, wondering if Jake was up. She wouldn’t see him until dinnertime, and even now she was feeling like a little girl on the morning of her birthday.

  “Stop it,” she said out loud to the rows of vines she passed on her walk to the barn. A silly grin softened her face, and new energy quickened her step. Sam and two workers were waiting in the storage room, drinking coffee. They had been testing a new portable generator that arrived last week.

  “How much sulfur do we have?” she asked. They might need to spray vines to combat powdery mildew if rain fell.

  “There should be enough,” said Juan, who was well-trained for this situation. “But I will go into town and buy more.”

  “Good. We can’t take any chances with the crop this late in the season,” she said. “Mike, you check the spray rig and make sure it works. Don’t want trouble like last time, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Sam, show me that leaf damage you found yesterday.”

  She and Sam climbed into the cab of her pickup truck and headed for the western fence line. Hungry deer loved to dine on succulent grape leaves and could seriously damage the crop. The fence kept them at bay.

  “I suppose our guest is sleeping like a baby,” she said.

  “No, Miss Paige. He was in the kitchen when I took Jenny to the house. That was at five thirty.”

  “Was he using his crutches?”

  “No, ma’am. He was walking…very carefully.”

  She was glad he hadn’t overtaxed himself yesterday. A sensual haze washed over her, making her tingle as she recalled the afternoon.

  Jake, you’re distracting me, even when you’re not around.

  They arrived at the denuded plants and walked along the fence. A tree had fallen and was leaning against it, making it possible for a deer to jump over. If the deer was still inside the vineyard, there would be more damage.

  “When Mike gets finished with the test, why don’t you both search? I’ll grab the power saw and remove this tree. Juan can examine the fence before he goes to town, in case he needs something special to repair it.”

  “We don’t have to look for the deer,” said Sam. “It’s over there. Coyotes must have gotten it.”

  Looking in the direction Sam indicated, Paige saw what was left of the deer in between the rows. Blood was so thick it looked like a massacre scene in a horror movie.

  Her stomach lurched, and bile rose in her throat. Flashes of red circled her head. She clutched the nearest fence post and fought back nausea, engulfed in a cold sweat.

  “Are you all right, Miss Paige?”

  Her breath came in short, quick gasps, and darkness closed in. She quickly closed her eyes. Forcing a slow, deeper breathing pattern, she got herself under control. Dear God, she thought she was over this.

  She had followed Manuel’s car that night. They’d fought and she was worried. She had seen his car slide off the road and tumble into the ravine. As she climbed down the slope, all she saw was blood. It was on the windshield that his body had been thrown through, on the ground near the tree where he had landed, on Manuel’s face and his mangled body.

  She gagged, forcefully pushing the thoughts away as she sank to the ground.

  Put your head between your knees and fight the nausea.

  “I’m okay, Sam. I must be coming down with something. Take me back and then get a shovel and bury it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  The air on her face made her feel better. She should not have had a reaction like that, not after all this time. Her friends had told her to be patient…that the memory of a traumatic event would fade. She hoped they were right. By the looks of the sky, a storm was coming.

  She needed to be sharp.

  …

  Thunderclouds were beginning to thicken overhead when she walked to the cottage for lunch. After that dreadful sight in the vineyard, she was surprised that she could eat.

  Bay paced back and forth, a low whimper in his throat. He didn’t like thunderstorms and sensed one was coming.

  She took her lunch out to the front porch, a stack of contracts tucked under her arm. She would reread them and mark the changes she thought should be made. If Jake signed them, she’d be able to see if his commitment to the property was growing. The renewals were for three years. She wouldn’t be home free, but it was an important step.

  Thoughts of Jake interrupted her concentration. She loved the way his eyes half closed when he was savoring a new wine or the first bite of one of Jenny’s desserts. Sometimes he looked at her that way, and heat curled in her core.

  For the hundredth time she wondered why he had this effect on her. Her neighbor, John, was a handsome, wealthy guy and lots of women vied for his attention. Why couldn’t she have fallen for him instead? If she had, her ancestors’ vineyard might have been hers by now. “If the property is ever for sale, the loan is yours, kid. Just say the word.”

  It was so tempting. But it wouldn’t be right.

  She took a bite of her sandwich, looking out over the vineyard.

  These new feelings for Jake were baffling. The hot need she felt whenever Jake was present was the part she understood. Jake was safe because he was temporary. If they ended up in bed, it would be fueled by mutual attraction, nothing deeper. When she convinced him to keep the property, he would go away and she could move on with her life.

  What she didn’t understand was the other need, the one that had nothing to do with sex. She wanted to be with him, to laugh with hi
m. While he instinctively tried to take charge of any situation, he backed off when it was a subject she knew better. And he was kind. She caught him one day playing fetch with Bay and letting the dog lick his face afterward.

  She could easily spend her life with a man like Jake. She didn’t want him to go away. And it scared her.

  She swallowed the remains of her sandwich and slowly got up to put her glass in the kitchen.

  The landline rang, and she rushed to answer it.

  “Mama wants to know if you can come to dinner again tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Papa and Nicky caught seven fish on their trip. Can you believe it? I promise not to tease you in front of Papa.”

  “I can’t. I am having dinner up at the main house to go over some contracts.”

  “You are, huh? Sure it’s contracts you want to look at? Or is it the man himself?”

  “You promised.”

  “I said I wouldn’t tease you around Papa. By the way, Papa mentioned he heard Jake Madison was here, hiding from his creditors.”

  “I don’t think things are that bad.”

  “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you bring him to dinner?”

  “No, thank you. I need his undivided attention.” And I don’t want Papa putting him under a microscope or asking personal questions.

  “I’ll bet you do.”

  “Mariel…”

  “Well, keep me posted. I guess your nephew will have to eat your share. Thank goodness he likes fish. I’ll tell Mama you can’t come.”

  “And thank her for me, will you?”

  She wondered what Jake would do if she suggested going into town to have dinner with her family. Maybe he’d like to get out of the house again. She was proud of her family, despite the strained relations with her father.

  The message light flashed. Paige remembered she had ignored it. Was that two nights ago? Where had the time gone?

  “Hey, Paige. It’s John. I’ll be in San Francisco for a few days if you need Jenny a while longer. I need to see you. It’s important. Tell you when I get home.”

  He was as cryptic as ever. Maybe she should ask if the offer of a loan was still on the table. She could make it clear it would be paid back over time. A long time.

  Be positive. You might not need it.

  Raindrops tap-danced on the roof, so she put on her yellow slicker, hat, and boots, knowing there’d be a downpour before long. She grabbed the contracts with her notes, heading up to the main house. She would leave them on Jake’s desk. He could read them before dinner and get his questions ready.

  She let herself in the back door, careful not to let it slam. The wind had picked up, and thunder rumbled in the distance. The kitchen was empty, as was the hall.

  The office was occupied.

  “Hi,” she said, standing in the doorway.

  Jake glanced up from the desk. A lazy smile playing at the corners of his mouth turned quickly into a wide grin as he inspected her outfit, from the top of her floppy hat to the tips of her rubber boots. She must look awkward and gauche in her oversize yellow slicker, the contracts clutched in her hand. Maine lobstermen had more sex appeal.

  “Do we have to get an ark? You look like you’re ready for forty days and forty nights.” His laugh was rich and throaty, making her smile in response.

  “I have work to do outside. It’s going to be pouring within the hour,” she said.

  “Well, I don’t think a raindrop would dare make its way inside that getup.”

  He kept the grin, shifting his gaze to the papers she carried. “Are those soggy documents for me?”

  “Yes. Sorry.” She handed him the contracts, their fingers brushing. Yesterday’s fire was instantly reignited, sending a coil of heat all the way to her core.

  “These are the…the contracts from last year. I…I made notes on the margins, recommending changes. We can discuss them tonight, if you have time to read them this afternoon.”

  Why did he make her stutter and stammer like a shy child during show and tell? Just because all her female nerve endings sizzled the second their fingers made contact? What happened to the composure she had carefully developed over the years?

  Stand up straight. And breathe.

  “I’ll make time,” he said, his eyes half closing as they settled on her lips. “I’m pretty good at contract language.”

  “So am I,” she said, sucking her bottom lip, made hot from his continued gaze. “But contract language can get pretty boring.”

  “It won’t be boring if you’re sitting next to me,” he said, watching her reaction.

  “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Madison?”

  “You might call it that.”

  “I’d better go then.”

  “Rushing off?”

  “Damn right.”

  “Don’t forget the oars.” He winked at her before shifting his focus to the papers in front of him.

  She turned and left before he could say anything else. The slicker was hot, even without his suggestive comments. Drat the man. He made her want to tear off her clothes and assault him on top of his desk.

  Knees, hold me up until I make my exit.

  …

  Jake sat back in his chair and thought about Paige. He shouldn’t bait her like that. He couldn’t seem to help himself. She was so beautiful, and she blushed so easily. It gratified him to know he was the cause of that heat. Okay, she worked for him, and maybe some of her attentiveness was the challenge he’d given her. He hoped not. He wanted it to be him.

  Yes, he was playing with fire. No, he shouldn’t do it. But couldn’t he indulge himself this one time? How many other times would he get?

  Papers piled on the desk in front of him prompted him to start his review. Paige had outlined changes she wanted to make by underlining sections and writing notes in the margins. It appeared that both of the renewals would be expected to pay more money next year. The third was not up for renewal, but was in the pile for comparative purposes. That winery was already paying twice what the others had paid in the past. Maybe this could pencil out, after all.

  He wanted it to, for her sake. If only Jorgensen wasn’t in the picture.

  A lightning flash, underscored a few seconds later by thunder, interrupted his train of thought. The storm was getting closer as the afternoon wore on and would be in full force by this evening. He got up from the desk and went into the kitchen to get a beer. Rain was coming down hard now, and he wondered what farm workers did on rainy days.

  A car door slammed in the distance, and Jenny came in, carrying grocery bags. Jake closed the door for her as she set her parcels on the kitchen counter.

  “I’m making a cold dinner tonight, since it’s so hot,” she told him, unpacking butter lettuce, cheese, and a package containing cooked crab legs.

  “Sounds great. Can I help?”

  She stopped, put her hands on her hips, and stared.

  “You want to help? That’s a new one. Mr. John is a klutz in the kitchen. He can’t boil water.”

  “I was a fry cook once,” said Jake. “Does that make me qualified?”

  “No.” Jenny continued unpacking the groceries. “But if you feel up to it, you and Miss Paige can serve yourselves tonight. Sam is taking me to visit my granddaughter in Calistoga. I’ll be back in the morning.”

  “I—we can do that.”

  “And I’ll put some candles around. The power sometimes goes out when we have an electrical storm. You want to be prepared.”

  “Being prepared is good.”

  Jake thanked her and went to get showered and dressed. It was most definitely not going to be a boring evening—contracts or not.

  Chapter Eight

  “Local champagnes, called sparkling wines because we’re not in France, are a wonderful addition to any meal, especially the sweet meat of lobster or crab.”

  —from Paige Reynoso’s tasting notes

  Hot water soothed as it ran down her body. Paige washed her hair with a
lemon-scented shampoo and blew it dry. She would forego the braid and twist it on top of her head tonight. She slipped off her robe and put on a mint-green sundress with the spaghetti straps. Girlish or not, it was the coolest dress in her wardrobe. White slip-on sandals waited underneath.

  It was going to be a fine evening, she thought, as she applied light lipstick and dabbed on perfume. Tonight she would persuade him to sign the contracts.

  Sure you are. He’s exactly the type to sign without his lawyer’s approval. She shrugged off the intruding thought and finished getting dressed.

  The storm hit late in the afternoon and had become even more powerful, with lightning filling the sky. Summer storms like this were rare in the valley, so she and the crew had spent the afternoon placing bales of hay in strategic locations to prevent erosion. She was filthy when she’d entered the house. She hoped she hadn’t missed any of the mud caked on her face and under her nails.

  She donned her slicker, putting up the hood for the ride up the hill. The vinyl coat was long and covered her short skirt. Her bare legs and sandaled feet would dry.

  Jenny wasn’t around, and she couldn’t smell anything cooking when she let herself in the back door. Covered dishes sat on the counter, and sparkling wine chilled in a silver epergne.

  Walking into the living room, she stopped to catch her breath. A few lights were on, but had been dimmed. Candles of all colors and sizes were scattered throughout the room, reminding her of a church at Christmas. Soft jazz added to the sensual mood, and Jake stood when she entered.

  “My, my, what do we have here? A dress? No braid? Bare knees? To what do I owe this distinct pleasure?”

  “Candles? Dim lights? No staff? Either you didn’t pay your electric bill or you have something more than dinner on the menu tonight. Is a slinky female going to walk through that door any second? Did I get the wrong night?”

  She swallowed and remembered to breathe. She was prepared to argue about the contracts, but this looked like a setting made for seduction.

  Jake strode toward her and pulled her into his arms. His chest was hard against the swell of her breasts. She closed her eyes and savored the moment as he brought his head down and covered her mouth with his own. His lips were tentative, as though wanting to test her reaction before he coaxed hers open and tasted her with the thoroughness of a connoisseur. This wasn’t the sweet kiss of the day before. It was possessive, demanding. She breathed in his scent mingled with the smell of clean clothes, and could distinctly hear the sound of the rain bouncing on the roof. Or was it her heart beating wildly? Brushing the tip of her nose with his own, he stepped back, still holding the sides of her arms, and looked into the depths of her eyes.