“The slinky female is already here,” he said. He turned and walked slowly down the hall toward the kitchen.
Paige stood for a long time, mesmerized in a timeless daydream, her brain failing her. Tonight was not going to be business as usual. It was going to be an easing of the ache that kept her awake at night, a fulfillment of hidden promises that Jake sometimes hinted at when he looked at her through half-closed eyes. His kiss had sent a clear message. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Lust was a beautiful thing. Pleasure and promise wrapped in a giant bow of fantasy. When it was slaked, she would have delicious memories, without commitments. If that’s where tonight was headed, she could hardly wait.
“Hey, out there,” came his voice from the kitchen. “Can you give me a hand with this tray?”
Paige took a deep breath and went to the kitchen. He was tossing salad in a glass bowl with a white dish towel wrapped around his waist, serving as an apron. His smile showed a row of even teeth, and mischief sparkled in his eyes. This was the Jake she’d come to know, a man who took charge of any situation and had fun doing it.
“You look very chef-like,” she said, relieved that her voice was clear and strong.
“And you look…hungry.” He grinned and handed her the tray with plates, silverware, and wineglasses. “Jenny got these ready before she left. There’s crab salad, cold tomato bisque, and fresh rolls from the bakery. If you’ll take that tray, I’ll bring the one with the food. Then we can come back and take the rest.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, following him into the dining room. “I didn’t know this house had so many candles. They’re quite beautiful.”
“Jenny said I should light lots of candles ‘just in case.’ And hey, what was that crack about me not paying my bills?” Thunder rumbled in the background, as if punctuating his question.
“I see you are a man prepared for any event,” she teased.
“Most of the time.”
The hint of sadness in his voice reminded her that she still didn’t know that much about him. She wondered if he, too, had experienced some trauma that occasionally took him back to a sadder time.
They finished setting out the food and dishes, opened a bottle of Mumm’s Napa Valley sparkling wine, bottled just a few miles away, and seated themselves at the table.
Paige was still reeling from the kiss. This man evoked powerful feelings in her, and she was tired of fighting them. But they had to get through some business tonight, so she pulled herself together.
“What shall we drink to?” he asked.
Paige thought for a moment, wanting to say, “To us,” but changed her mind. Even if anything happened tonight, they weren’t in a relationship.
“To success,” she said. “Yours and mine.”
“In all things?”
“Why not?”
“Then success it is.” Jake smiled as they touched glasses.
He drained his flute in two swallows. Paige sipped hers, the bubbles tickling her nose as she studied the relaxed man sitting across from her. He was an enigma, a man whose life was well documented in the public domain, yet Paige was starting to think nobody really knew him.
“Tell me your secrets,” she said. She was playing, but the startled look on his face made her back off. “Just kidding.”
“What do you want to know?” He was wary. What was he hiding?
“Have you ever been in love?”
He paused and smiled broadly, the dimple making her uneasy. It was adorable, and she wanted to reach out and touch it.
“There was a time when people said I was in love with money. They were wrong. I was in love with the idea of making products that help people who are sick. And creating good jobs in the process. When the downturn came, it was a struggle to keep all the employees. But I did it, and I’m damn proud of it, even though none of us made money.”
“That’s it? No women in your life?”
“No time. I have to work extra hard now to keep everything afloat.” He took another gulp of his wine and raised his eyebrows. “There’s one woman who’s very important to me.”
Paige stilled. She’d asked for it, even though it was not something she wanted to hear. “And who is that?”
“My mother. She lives in Philadelphia.”
They laughed and finished dinner by discussing her day. She left out the part about finding the deer that coyotes had killed. She was still angry at herself for her reaction to the blood and the carcass. They took their dessert to the coffee table, sitting side by side, watching the lightning that was now off in the distance. The lights were still dim; candles glowed from every tabletop and sconce. But this was not a date, Paige reminded herself, even though it felt like one.
“Did you have a chance to read the contracts?” Paige leaned back into the soft cushion, warmed by the wine and the man next to her. She wanted to relax, but she couldn’t. This discussion was too important.
“I did.” Jake absently fiddled with a loose strand of hair, his arm resting on the back of the couch. With a gentle tug, the pins came out, and her long, brown hair fell over her shoulders.
Startled, she stared straight ahead. “And what did you think of my changes?” she said, proud of the calm control in her voice. His lips were inches away, and a tingling threatened to become a drumbeat between her thighs.
“I think they’re fine.” He leaned closer, and his breath brushed her ear, while his fingers played with her hair. “But I want to hold off for a while before we sign them. You know why.”
She squared her shoulders and turned to look at him, the mood broken. “The wineries are anxious to tie up these grapes and are willing to pay us more than what they paid last year. It’s going to be a great year. I’ve held off picking to make sure we have the quality to warrant the price. The time to move on this is now.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but I haven’t decided about the sale yet, and it would be foolish to sign a contract if the grapes won’t be mine.”
He’d acknowledged over and over that she knew her business. Yet he still didn’t trust her judgment. Why was he making this so difficult?
She swallowed her annoyance and tried one more time.
“You don’t have to decide anything, Jake. Go back to New York and leave this to me. This is my business. When I took this job, the vineyard was diseased and unproductive. Now it’s one of the best producers in the valley. I know what I’m doing. Sign the damn contracts. You don’t need to sell this place. It makes money for you. I make money for you.”
“Paige, Paige, come here.” He reached out to her, but she pulled away.
“No, Jake. No. I want an answer.”
He paused as though choosing his words carefully. “I promise to give the contracts full consideration. But we had a bargain. You’re making some very good points. But I’m not ready to make my decision. Okay?”
“No, it isn’t.” Her temper blazed.
She started to get up, but he pulled her back. “Please let me explain.”
Sitting on the edge of her seat with her arms crossed, she slowed her breathing. It had been presumptuous for her to think he would just sign the contracts. Jake was careful and deliberate. His research wasn’t complete. She relaxed her arms and sat back in the seat.
“I’m dazzled by your expertise. You know your business, you make thoughtful decisions, and you go after what you want and make it stick. You don’t just think about the bottom line. You also think about the people who work for you, just like I think about mine.”
“You make it hard to stay mad at you when you say things like that.” She felt her anger dissipating like morning mist when the sun rises.
He stopped and looked deep into her eyes. “You’re also a beautiful woman, a woman who makes me feel things I shouldn’t feel. Do things I shouldn’t do. If I signed those contracts tonight, I wouldn’t know if it was Jake Madison the CEO approving them, or Jake Madison, the guy who wants more than anything to make love
to you.”
She held her breath. “Do you?”
“Yes.”
She swayed toward him, and they were in each other’s arms, her breasts pressed against his chest. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, his tongue playing with hers. Shifting slightly, he kissed her more deeply, his left hand trailing gently down her spine, stroking her back, his right hand curling in her hair.
Should she be doing this? Would she truly be able to guard her heart while the rest of her body jumped eagerly into the fire? He must have felt her hesitation. Jake moved back an inch, his breath warm on her parted lips, his sultry eyes searching hers for direction. One hand stilled at her back while the other brushed errant tendrils of hair off her shoulder.
His gaze never left her face, waiting for her response to his unspoken question.
She should move back, get up, go home.
But I want this. I want him.
She traced his full lower lip with her finger. He took it in his mouth, sucking gently. A bolt of heat spiraled through her. She touched the pulse point in his neck, a little bit afraid of the intimacy they were about to share.
Could she do this, knowing he would walk away?
Yes.
She cupped his face between her hands. Closing her eyes she leaned forward, touching her lips to his, losing herself in the taste and feel of him as his arms came around her and his body pressed into hers once again.
Warm lips caressed the spot behind her ear, the edge of her jaw and the curve of her throat. She opened her eyes, heightening the pleasure by watching him press gentle kisses downward toward the tops of her breasts exposed above her neckline.
Her fingers splayed into his soft hair, holding his head as he licked the curves of her cleavage before rising to take her lips again. The taste and feel of him consumed her, robbed her of thought, tossed her in a maelstrom of raw emotion that had been waiting to be set free.
Heat and longing coursed through her body. And she reveled in it, knowing it was right.
No commitment, no regrets.
Wanting to touch his skin, she pulled his shirt loose from his waistband and reached underneath, rubbing her hands over his muscular chest. He gently nipped her earlobe as he reached behind her. Her breath caught as he unzipped the back of her sundress. Every nerve ending hummed as she anticipated what was coming next.
Jake’s lips drifted to the curve of her neck, the top of her shoulder. Lifting the strap of her sundress, he pushed it slowly down her arm, leaving a trail of fire wherever he touched. Was it possible to die of pleasure? She ran her hands up and down his muscled arms, aching to remove the barriers of clothing between them, wanting to feel skin against skin.
“I want you so much,” he said in her ear, kissing her neck just under it. “But I don’t have any condoms. Are you on any birth control?”
“No. There wasn’t any need.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” he whispered, moving back to taste her mouth again, lingering as if he couldn’t get enough, before letting her go. “We can’t do this.”
Slowly he got up and walked to the window. Candles flickered as he moved past. The storm was over, the rain a drizzle now. It would be clear by tomorrow.
She righted her clothes with shaking hands and put her hair behind her shoulders. She was still weak and aching for more. He obviously wanted her. They were both adults. They could be extra careful. There were ways…
He put his face against the glass, and a shudder passed through him. “Please understand. I can’t take chances with pregnancy.”
“I see.” She didn’t see. She appreciated his concern about safe sex, but did he think she was the kind of woman who would try to trap a man with a baby? None of this made sense.
“Maybe I can explain it to you one day. Besides, you…you deserve better. You should have a husband and children, not a fling with a man you’ve only known for a week. I’m explaining this badly, aren’t I?”
She staggered to her feet and reached behind her dress, fumbling for her zipper, still not sure what had happened. “I guess I’ll say good night, then.” She gathered her dignity and walked slowly from the room.
“Paige?”
She stopped.
“I’m sorry. This was a mistake.”
Mistake?
She walked quickly to the door and let herself out. A light rain was still falling, but she didn’t stop to put on her slicker. If she ruined her dress or her hair got wet, so what? She ran blindly to her truck, closed the door, and gripped the steering wheel hard. Mistake? The word rankled. Maybe it was.
So why did this hurt when she should be applauding his responsibility? She had finally let down her defenses, and when the sex didn’t happen, the old guilt crept back. Maybe her father was right. She didn’t deserve to be happy after what she’d done to Manuel.
The key turned in the ignition, and the engine came to life. She sped down the hill and didn’t look back.
…
Jake swore out loud as her footsteps grew fainter on the tile floor. How the hell had he lost control so quickly? He thought they’d share their usual banter, a few kisses, and maybe a little more. He didn’t expect to bed her, or he would have had protection.
Wasn’t he the guy who was always prepared? What a laugh. The woman was addictive, but he was right when he told her she deserved better. She was smart and caring and so sexy he thought he’d lose his mind when their lovemaking got out of control and he had to pull back.
The vertigo came over him at once. He struggled to remain conscious, knowing he should lower himself to the floor before he passed out. Time to force the doctors to reevaluate him, even if his symptoms were the same. Why wasn’t there a simple blood test?
It was his last thought.
…
He woke up sometime later, how long he wasn’t sure. The tile floor was cold against his back. Tiny pitchforks poked his head, but he could wiggle his foot without pain. He slowly lifted himself to a sitting position, then gradually got to his feet. After pausing to make sure the room wasn’t spinning, he carefully made his way around the house and blew out the candles. He headed for the bathroom. A hot shower would clear his head.
When he finished and walked into the bedroom, he nearly tripped over his open suitcase lying on the floor. Damn. He had to leave early in the morning. He’d totally forgotten.
After he toweled dry, he dressed carefully and picked up his cell phone to leave a message for Carol, knowing she’d check her voicemail first thing in the morning.
“Please call the car service and have them pick me up at the hotel in Napa instead of here,” he said. He couldn’t stay here tonight, not after what happened. He’d lay awake all night, thinking of her.
After packing his bag, he wrote Paige a note. He propped it next to the coffeepot so Jenny would be sure to see it and give it to her. Then he called a taxi and ambled slowly down the front steps to wait.
He would keep Paige at arm’s length from now on. No more intimate dinners. No more kisses. No more dreaming of a life he couldn’t have, even though he had known instantly that this woman was special, that if he could have a normal life, it would be with someone like her.
Giving in and making love to her would hurt her more in the end. For her sake, he had to change course before it was too late.
If it isn’t already.
Chapter Nine
“Light, crisp chardonnays are perfect for summer sipping, but thick, oaky, buttery versions are wonderful with sautéed scallops or sole almandine.”
—from Paige Reynoso’s tasting notes
Paige woke at her usual time and then closed her eyes again, still mortified at her wanton behavior. She climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen. She had practically thrown herself at Jake, and she’d been royally rejected. For the best of reasons, if she believed him. Served her right. Now she had another problem. How would she find the courage to face him?
It was not one-sided. He’d clearly been caugh
t up in it. So why had he allowed it to go so far?
Maybe he simply lost control.
Memories of his hands stroking her hair and body filled her senses. When had she become so needy? Why this man and not others? She remembered the feel of his body pressed against hers, and heat coursed over her skin.
Abruptly, she filled her hands with cold water and splashed her face. She had a crew arriving, and work to do. The rain had stopped, and the grapes had to be sprayed with sulfur.
Paige dressed quickly and filled a thermos with coffee. She scooted out the door past Bay and hiked to the barns. The men had arrived and were suited in lightweight white uniforms that covered them from head to toe, a requirement when chemicals were sprayed, even natural ones like sulfur. She helped attach the spray rig to the back of the tractor, tested the flow, and waved them on their way. It would take all morning to coat the grapes. Mike and Juan were thorough.
Paige walked into the barn and grabbed a clipboard to make notations for paperwork that would have to be filled out later. Sam was putting on a suit with a portable rig, carried on his back, to use in the areas nearest the house.
“Jenny wants to know what time the housekeeper Mr. Madison hired will be coming,” he said, zipping up the front of his suit.
“About ten o’clock. She’s going to look over the house,” said Paige. “If Jenny is still available, I thought she could show her around and introduce her to Mr. Madison. She’s day-to-day on an as-needed basis. Not sure how long that will be.”
“Mr. Madison is gone.”
A Kiss of Cabernet Page 9
