A Taste of Bliss

by Adrian R. Hale

  “Oh Blissy, I’m so lucky to have you.” She grows quiet for a moment. “Now, let’s talk more about why you think you can’t fit any romance into your busy schedule. Life is about balance; you need to work hard, play hard, and most importantly, love hard. You are one of the lucky ones who gets to set your own schedule for work. Being busy every weekend and a few midweek jobs a month is all you need to get by just fine. You have the talent, now let the business come to you.”

  “That’s part of your ‘work smarter, not harder’ philosophy, isn’t it?”

  “Always. So you have the business in place, now you have to play and love hard. And I don’t just mean devote your time to visiting your sick momma. Though I appreciate it, I have a life too and I don’t want you down here every damn day getting in the way of it. I would rather I barely see you because you are living your life so fully. So go live, Bliss. Live for you, and live for me.”

  I cry silently when my mom disconnects. I hate that she is dying and these phone calls will someday come to an end. Despite my mother’s insistence, I am determined more than ever to spend as much time with her as possible. I need it.

  Chapter Twelve

  I’m deep in my one-woman pity party when my phone buzzes with an incoming text. Even though I want to, I can’t deny the soaring hope that fills me when I see it’s from Talan.

  Talan: You’re all set for your fundraiser. Space. Band. Wine. People. Anything else you need?

  Me: What? How did you make that happen so quickly?

  Talan: I pulled a few strings, called in some favors. Everything is donated to help your mom. I guess you owe me some favors now.

  Me: Yes, anything! I can’t thank you enough. This means so much to me.

  Talan: Calling in my first favor. You owe me a date. I’m coming to get you right now. Be ready in 10.

  I look down at my yoga pants and touch my hair still damp from my earlier shower. Shit.

  Me: What are we doing? Do you need my address?

  I wait for his reply, but after a minute of not hearing back, I scramble for my room, throwing on jeans and slicking on my winged liner. Even if I put on nothing else, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick can make a face. I’ve just pulled on a loose tank top and booties when the downstairs buzzer sounds. I stop myself from running for the door, slowing to a walk so I don’t sound out of breath or too eager when I hit the intercom.

  “Yes?” I hope my voice sounds uninterested, when my mad dash to get ready proved I am anything but.

  “You owe me a favor, Bliss. I think you should come down here and pay up.”

  Damn, he’s sexy even over a grainy intercom system. I hit the door buzzer and grab my purse off the messy table in the hall before I hit the door. I head down the stairs, rounding the last corner and finally see him. He’s leaning casually against the doorjamb of the main entrance to my building, wearing dark jeans and a gray fitted tee that hugs his chest, while dark sunglasses hide his eyes.

  “Hey.” My tremulous voice gives away my excitement. Seeing his easy perfection causes me to grow shy. I look down at the worn carpet as I walk closer, not sure why he effects my normal confidence so much. Talan lifts my chin so I look into his face, his sunglasses removed so I can see his captivating eyes, so stoic in their multi-colored beauty. His lashes are seriously every girl’s dream, all thick and black and wasted on a man who has no appreciation for their beauty. I appreciate them fully.

  “I love the way you look at me, Bliss.” He rubs my cheek softly and places a light kiss on my mouth. I wonder what he sees when I’m looking at him. Just being in his presence a moment makes me want to curl up on his lap like a cat and beg for more. “Now let’s go.”

  I blink myself out of my Talan haze. “Where exactly are we going?”

  “You’ll see. You’ll need this for now.” He hands me a helmet when we get to his black Ducati. “Oh, and this.” He pulls a black leather jacket from the seat. It has beautiful pale pink shoulders and piping along the seams, but otherwise looks just like the one he’s shrugging on.

  “You brought me a jacket to wear?” I slip my arms inside the crisp leather that instantly molds to my frame. The leather wraps me up in a cocoon of protection, filling my head with the intoxicating scent. This is my first time ever wearing real leather. I could never afford it otherwise.

  “Safety first, baby. It’s yours. I thought the pink was the perfect touch for you, with your pretty hair.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my jaw for a moment. He likes my hair? Be still my heart. He just won me over with that alone.

  “Are you for real?” I ask, petting the luxuriously practical jacket. “It’s too much.” I reach for the hair Talan just pushed off my face, twisting it around two fingers.

  “You need a jacket since you’re going to be riding with me a whole lot. Now put that helmet on.” His air of finality keeps me from arguing.

  He wants me riding with him. A lot.

  This guy is just too good to be true.

  A thread of doubt enters my brain, forcing me to consider if I want to put more into something with Talan. He makes comments that prove he’s already more invested than I am. I’m still not sure, but, for now, just being with him wins over my indecision, because nothing else seems to matter in the moment.

  My hands shake as I fit the helmet over my head. He already has his on, with the visor pushed up when he turns to me. His eyes are smiling at me, though he must read the panic in my own. He probably thinks I am just scared to ride with him. If he only knew.

  “It doesn’t seem safe. There’s only a tiny seat on the back. What if I fall off?”

  “Just hold on tight, okay? You can put your hands on the tank in front of me when we brake, and lean with me when we turn. You’ll be fine.” The helmet muffles his voice as he adjusts the strap under my chin. “It’s a long drive, but we’ll make good time since it’s early and we’re on the bike.” He closes my visor with a snap, following with his own.

  He climbs on first, holding his hand out for me to join him. The bike rumbles when he starts it, the vibrations instantly running through my body. I scoot as close to him as I can get, my thighs gripping his hips and my arms wrapped tightly around his waist. There is no way this is safe. I can’t tell if the bike is causing my tremors, or if I am just shaking in fear as he pulls away from the curb.

  It takes me a few minutes to pull my head away from Talan’s back, where I am glued with my eyes shut tightly. I cautiously open my eyes and watch cars whip by as he expertly navigates through traffic. When he makes it to the Golden Gate Bridge, he finally has the room he needs to take the engine to full throttle. The bike whines as he weaves through lanes, making short work crossing the beautiful San Francisco Bay toward Marin County. Miles roll out behind us as he heads north, I assume toward Sonoma. I manage to lose some of my fear, and begin to see the perks of traveling in this manner. I’m pressed as close as I can be to Talan’s muscled back, soaring over the road with the wind whipping past us.

  When Talan pulls into the Sonoma Infineon Raceway, driving out onto the track, curiosity fills me. I’m pretty sure they don't just let anyone do this, so he must know someone. Sure enough, before he can even kill the engine, a car comes driving toward us. It’s low to the ground, shiny black, with large graphics printed on all sides. Talan sets the kickstand and helps me off the bike before he dismounts. When I’ve unbuckled and pulled off my helmet, I see a super hot guy get out of the car and walk toward us with a big smile. I fluff my flattened hair with my fingers, and hope I don’t have lines on my cheeks from being smushed in the helmet for so long.

  “Bliss, this is Griffin McGregor.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Bliss,” Griffin says, holding out his hand. I take his hand, looking to Talan quickly when he holds it excessively long and rubs circles on the back with his thumb. “How did your nerdy self score this hot piece of ass? She’s too pretty for your ugly mug.”

  “Don’t be a fucker,
Griffin. Let her hand go.” It almost pains me to admit to myself how much I like hearing the possessive note in Talan’s irritated voice. I’m not the kind of girl who gets off on being the property of alpha dickheads, but I can take a little protectiveness every now and then.

  Griffin chuckles and drops my hand. “Always worried I’ll steal your girl, yeah bro?” Griffin looks toward me conspiratorially. “You would think he would get over that already. I mean, it was elementary school for crying out loud. But no, my brother is not a forgiving guy, and he certainly doesn’t forget.”

  “You’re brothers?” I ask, smiling at Talan. Now I can really see the resemblance in their faces and coloring.

  “Yeah, and I wouldn’t have put you anywhere near him if I didn’t have to. He’s a sneaky asshole, but my only way onto the track during race prep days.”

  “So what are we doing here, anyway? There probably isn’t much to watch if there’s not an official race going on.”

  “Sweet Bliss, we’re not watching anything. We’re driving,” Griffin says, rubbing his hands together in glee. “Now get over here. I want to put you in my car and make you scream.”

  “Hah. That sounds a lot like something Talan said to me the first day I met him, too. You really are brothers.” I slide my hand over Talan’s forearm, petting his ego as much as him.

  Talan pulls me against him tightly. “Just know you got the better brother right here. He’s a cocky douchebag who is always traveling around the country for races. And I’m better looking.” He teases my mouth with the hint of a kiss and I can’t help reaching my lips toward him for more. He evades me, smiling. “I’m holding onto those kisses until you come back from your ride.” He spins me around, smacking my ass as he sends me unsteadily toward Griffin, who is leaning against his car casually.

  “Now Bliss, this beautiful girl over here is Saffira, the twin turbo Toyota Supra. She’s my favorite, and a beast of a drift car.” He rubs the side of the car affectionately. “At 800 horsepower, she’s tuned to drift, but capable of well over a thousand with a few tweaks and on race gas. That’s a fresh set of tires on all four corners, and she has a clean bill of health from the doc to go tear shit up. You ready for this?”

  I look curiously at Griffin, not sure what anything he just said meant. “Why would I need to be ready to ride in a car? I mean, I just rode on the back of a motorcycle for an hour, this should be a piece of cake.”

  Griffin tips his head back and laughs loudly. “You hear that, Talan? Now she’s really gonna get it, I’m pulling out all the stops on this one.”

  “Just be good to my girl, Griff, or I’ll kill you.”

  I’m busy processing Talan’s comment and only a little nervous as Griffin straps me into the passenger seat with a funny harness that goes over both my shoulders and between my legs. I’m effectively flattened to the seat and incapable of movement when he is done. He grins at me as he revs the engine. He holds his foot on the brake, keeping the car in place while the engine whines higher, smoke billowing around us. My eyes nearly pop out of my head when he peels away from where Talan leans against the Ducati.

  I grab the chest straps of the harness and hold on tight as Griffin throws the car into a screaming donut that has the wheels smoking again. He rights the car and heads back toward Talan, clearing the cloud of smoke he made before he starts to circle with the back of the Supra careening around so my window stays close to Talan. I can’t believe Talan is standing there calmly with this insane car making tight circles around him. He manages to blow me a kiss and grin. I mouth “Help me.” Griffin throws his hand out the window in a peace sign before he whips the car back around and heads onto the track itself, marked by orange cones.

  I quickly learn what the term “drift” means as Griffin hits every. Single. Corner on that track sideways, flinging the car back and forth with a practiced precision. The smoke that billows out the back of the Supra with each turn, while the car stays in his complete control, is a testament to his skills. Griffin pulls the emergency brake and drifts into a sideways slide before stopping with my door mere feet from Talan. Smoke engulfs the car, coating me in the smell of burnt rubber that at once makes me choke and leads to a euphoric sense of happiness that I made it through the ride alive.

  I’m shaking as my hands fumble to disengage the harness. I’m so relieved when Talan reaches into the open window and quickly unstraps me. He opens my door and helps me step out of the car onto unsteady feet. I practically fall into his arms, incapable of standing on my own, let alone speaking.

  I bury my face in his chest, my hands fisted in his t-shirt, gulping in the scent of him along with fresh air. I have never in my life been more scared for my physical safety. Cars are not meant to move sideways like that.

  “Wh-why’d you make me do that?” I ask, barely lifting my face out of his chest.

  “You didn’t like it?” Talan asks innocently, instead of answering.

  I narrow my eyes and study him. My pounding heart and the cold sweat all over my body tells me I’m scared and full of adrenaline, but I have to admit, it was kind of cool to experience. I stick my tongue out at him instead of admitting it was fun.

  Talan laughs loudly, much like Griffin did when I told him I wasn’t worried about riding with him. These guys.

  “I thought you liked dangerous and wanted the unexpected, Bliss.” He surprises me when he leans in and presses a hot kiss to my mouth, his tongue slipping greedily between my lips and sliding across mine. He probes my mouth, leaving me breathless and hot all over as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull us closer. I can’t get enough of his mouth, the solid body pressed against mine, his hands that cruise through my hair and down my back.

  “Get a room, you perverts, this is a public space,” Griffin says loudly from a few feet away.

  I break away quickly, embarrassed to be called out on my gross PDA. Talan leans in and plants a lingering kiss on my lips, effectively telling me he doesn’t think it’s gross, or care who sees it. Once he’s done reassuring me with his kisses, he wraps me up in his big arms and returns his attention to Griffin.

  “Griff, go get the Nissan. I want to drive too.”

  “Go get it yourself, I’m not your fucking slave,” Griffin responds petulantly.

  “Seriously, dude.” Talan points at his chest, and then at Griffin. “I can’t just waltz into the bays and take a car out. You can. Now go.” Griffin flips Talan off, but turns and heads toward the service bays near the track, mumbling about Talan always bossing him around.

  “You guys are too cute. Are you older?”

  “Yeah, but only by two years. Griff is twenty-four.” Well, now I know Talan is twenty-six. Which reminds me that I know very little about him to begin with.

  “Have you always lived in Sonoma?” I probably should have asked him about himself before I let us get physical at our picnic. No use worrying about the past now. It’s better to just move on and correct my mistakes.

  “No, I grew up in Orinda, a small suburb of Berkeley in the East Bay. I got a place in Sonoma when I started at the winery a few years ago.”

  I nod, happy to finally be peeling the layers back on the mystery that surrounds Talan. “Did you go to college?” I’m always curious about people’s college experiences, as I skipped that completely in favor of working.

  “Yeah, I went to Cal Berkeley. I got my degrees in engineering and business.”

  My head recoils as I appraise him. “Why would you work as a bartender if you have multiple degrees from Berkeley? That’s crazy.”

  Talan looks a little uncomfortable, and I wonder if I shouldn’t have made such a big deal out of it. A lot of people don’t use their degrees.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come off that way.”

  “No, it’s just…” Talan rubs the back of his neck and avoids eye contact. “I only bartend once in a while, when I’m needed if someone calls in sick or the tasting room needs coverage.”

  My pulse speeds and an
icy cold hand squeezes my stomach. “What do you do when you’re not needed in the tasting room?” I ask slowly.

  “Bliss, I run the winery. I own Villa Sonoma,” he says. His eyes watch my face intently, waiting for my reaction.

  I bristle in fury and step away from him. “Why would you let me believe you were just a bartender? You never once said anything to tell me otherwise.” I’m not so much angry that he kept this information from me, but that he let me go on thinking he was just a bartender. I hate being misinformed.

  He rubs his face with his hand, looking down before answering. “I thought it was nice to have a beautiful woman interested in me without knowing the full scope of what I do. You’re refreshing, Bliss.”

  “What the heck does that mean?” The anger is ebbing away as slight embarrassment and confusion jockey for control of my emotions.

  “Most women just want to use me for my connections, or see me for the money I could pour into a relationship with them. Some are just winos looking for a free wine membership.” He chuckles a little and rubs his hand along the back of his neck slowly.

  I feel a little sick thinking about asking him for his help with my fundraiser. I used him, even though I didn’t know where he stood with Villa Sonoma.

  “You wanted me as just a bartender, not the guy in charge.” Talan pulls me back into his arms. “Do you still want me, Bliss?”

  “But I’m just like everyone else. I asked you for favors.” My voice is weak and sad, a confirmation that I look down on myself as much as he does the other women he referred to.

  “No, you asked Talan the bartender if he could look into getting you help. That’s different. You weren’t trying to use me at all. And I’m happy to help.” Talan kisses my forehead and nuzzles my cheek with his nose. “I still want you. Very much.” His low voice and warm breath against my skin eases my apprehension and coaxes my forgiveness.