St. Helena Vineyard Series: Sneaking Up on Love (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  He turned her around, never losing contact pulling her closer. Eyes locked, he held her gaze for what felt like an eternity waiting for her to remember who he really was and not that guy he had been earlier. He felt her shoulders relax and her body soften before he finally finished what he set out to do, win back the girl.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t even have a good excuse. I was jealous, so incredibly jealous and acted like an ass.”

  “Jealous?” she questioned, a little glint of pleasure in knowing that he was jealous dancing in her eyes. Jealous only happened when there was something to be jealous of. That meant they had something.

  “I guess that’s what that was, my girl in that guy’s arms. I don’t know how else to explain how it made me feel, to see…”

  She kissed him. She kissed him sweetly for his apology, long for what they were building, and hard for what they had missed. Molly didn’t care what else he had to say…he was jealous. He was upset because another man had his girl. She was his girl.

  She broke their kiss and rested her forehead on his chest and said, “Next time just ask. Not that I anticipate a next time like that, but I’m sure there will be other situations at some point that don’t make sense at first glance. You know me, Seth, better than anyone. You know Nora is…”

  It was his turn to kiss her. He did know her, knew her better than he knew himself in fact and she was letting him off the hook when he didn’t deserve it. She was his dream girl and she was giving him a second chance to be what she needed him to be. He wouldn’t fail twice.

  “I know, I hope you will forgive me for acting like…like…”

  “A man?” she giggled.

  “Yes, a caveman!” he replied. A little more self-loathing wouldn’t hurt his case at all, he thought.

  “I do forgive you. Dane is a parasite. He may be hard to get rid of, but he’ll eventually leave. I’m not at all interested in him; you have to know that.” She pleaded.

  “He’s gone.”

  “He’s gone? How do you know – he’s never really gone.” She snickered

  “Ohhh, this time I think he is…gone.” He said with a knowing wink and Cheshire cat smile.

  “Seth? What did you do?” her mischievous grin faltered when she noticed his hands squeeze to fists and saw the fresh bruises.

  “He just saw things my way – I may have had Marc and the Baudouin brothers here as encouragement.” A snicker fell from his lips as he recalled the scene that unraveled and the pleasure he took in kicking that guy out of town for good. “It was leave, or face a few consequences, He was staying here as Hyrum Kavecky.”

  “Hyrum Kavecky?!? Oh my…”

  Seth was tired of hearing that guy’s names roll off her lips, so he kissed her long and hard, the kind of kiss that makes you weak in the knee’s and takes your breath away, leaving her speechless for a change.

  “Would you like to go on a date with me? I’ve been waiting months to ask you that.” He asked shyly, anxious for her to answer but afraid it was too little too late.

  “A date? When?” she asked while tossing him a puzzled look.

  “Now…” He smiled as he guided her to the other side of the room where the evening’s plan had been laid out for them.

  They sat by candle light and enjoyed the expansive gourmet spread. They talked, they drank champagne, and they laughed at absolutely nothing. They ate their fill, skipping dessert, moving right on to snacking – on each other. A memorable romantic evening had started and would finish sometime the next morning given their proximity and the heat they were generating.

  Seth stood, grabbing her hands, so she would follow him to the bathroom, and began to draw a warm bath full of rose petals and the bubbling spheres that were recommended by his more than macho friend. The smile that crossed her face, and sheer pleasure his genuine care gave her, pleased him. Simple kindness, a bath, made her happy…he would do anything for this woman, he thought.

  He held her head in his hands and pulled her in for a sweet kiss before turning to leave the room. He drew the bath for her, but she had better ideas about that bath and grabbed his arm to stop him. She looked at him with parted lips, dark hooded eyes that were flooded with desire and asked, “Join me?”

  CHAPTER 12

  Seth sat in awe as the most beautiful woman stood before him surrounded in steam that was rising from the running bath, making him an offer he couldn’t refuse. He had thought about this night, many times, but never imagined it like this. She bit her full bottom lip, giving him a shy glance through her heavy lashes, making it nearly his undoing.

  He took her mouth and pulled her close so she could feel the affect she was having on him against her belly, leaving her with a sharp gasp before she parted her lips and let him in. His hands roamed up and down her sides, taking more chances with each rise and fall, eventually finding his way to her breasts where he paid careful attention to each, stroking them, cherishing them, wanting more of them. He broke their kiss, but only for a moment while he took to the hem of her shirt and raised it over her head.

  He found her neck and kissed a trail to her collar bone where he nipped and tasted before making his way to the curve of her chest. He took his time, finding his way around her body. When he finally unhooked the barrier between them and dropped it to the ground exposing her ample breasts, he couldn’t breathe.

  She dropped her gaze, turning her head ever so slightly as he took her in. Her rosy cheeks gave away her wandering emotions, showing how shy and vulnerable she really was. He hooked her chin with a single finger and raised her gaze to meet his.

  “You are beautiful – absolutely stunning.” He whispered

  Her sweet smile revealed the confidence she found in his words, and his heart fell all in. She tugged at his shirt, exposing his beautifully sculpted physique as she pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Her hands landed on his brawny chest, and she watched as they slid, feeling every inch of their fall beneath her touch. She looked back to his dark rich eyes and enjoyed the spark she found there as her nails began to drag ever so slightly across his abdomen.

  He tilted his head and let out an appreciative grunt as he found her breasts again and let his mouth have its way with her. Head back, her hands weaved through his dark menacing locks as he pulled one tight peak into his mouth where he gave it a warm knee weakening tongue lashing. Before making his way to her other breast to give it an equal assault. His hands drifted to her waist and quickly undid the closure.

  Seth’s hands slid down her sides beneath her pants shedding her of the final scraps of fabric that hid her from him. She let out a quiet but beholden moan when she felt free of her garments as they pooled at her feet followed by the clanking sound of his belt clad jeans hitting the floor shortly after. She felt him – all of him – his warm body held to hers as if it needed her to stand.

  The overwhelming sense of him, everywhere, was almost too much. The sensations and shock to her core was one thing, but the emotions she felt crossing between them was more. He flooded her body and mind with his gentle loving touches. She couldn’t remember feeling so consumed by such a feeling, ever.

  He left her breasts for only a moment leaving behind only his hands in place so his thumbs could continue to rub and toy with her swollen buds. His eye wandered from her well kissed plump lips, down her body, seeing all of her in slow appreciation as he took all of her in. He wanted to memorize every inch of her beauty.

  “So damn beautiful…” his words rushing through her leaving, behind confidence and appreciation as she took in the view he gave her in return.

  He was head to toe naked and head to toe impressive – she couldn’t help but a lingering view on a particular part of him that was generous in nature leaving her buzzing and needy. Hungry for more of him.

  “I can say the same thing about you, Seth…” she whispered between kisses, “so damn beautiful.”

  Her words were laced in a needy desire that led her to hold his length
and begin to stroke him provoking a primal sounding growl. Returning to her breasts, his hands were back to roaming until he found what he was looking for. Her head fell back with a breathy gasp and moan when he found her heated mound. Her grip tightened around him when he began to stroke her folds, and they each found themselves in a perfect rhythm.

  He grabbed her leg, placing it on the edge of the bathtub, giving him better access to his end goal. She lost all of her senses when he slipped one, then two fingers inside of her. She couldn’t think, only feel the overwhelming stir he left in his wake. She felt him move, his lips warm and tantalizing, drifting over her abdomen, then to each hip before landing on her most private, most sensitive spot, leaving her completely exposed and feeling vulnerable.

  His tongue assaulted her tight bundle of nerves, while his fingers stroked her core, and she found herself leaning against the shower wall, arms hooked over its upper ledge to hold her. Her leg remained high on the bath tub ledge bearing her wide open to his every touch and stroke.

  Her climax built as his erotic touch flooded her with heat from head to toe. He felt her begin to tighten as her moans and breathing turned to sultry gasps and pants. The sounds he was provoking were nearly enough for him to meet his happy ending, but not before hers. No, it would be his pleasure to take her over the edge before taking his turn. He would do anything for her, at the very least, in this very moment, give her an earth shattering orgasm.

  He dragged his free hand from where it rested on her ass, to her hip and up her side before grabbing a handful of her breast. A slightly rough hand massaged her breast and then nipple causing her to move hard against his fingers and tongue.

  To relieve her of her need came a grating pinch and pull of her swollen rosy nipple and a final twist that had her calling out his name, pulling his hair as she came down around him hard. Seth slowed his pace, moving his hands to her hips so she wouldn’t fall while she rode the final waves of her ecstasy before falling into his waiting arms.

  Seth lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissed her all the way to the bed where they made love over and over again. Their bath would have to wait.

  ***

  Molly woke to the sound of a bath filling and Seth scooting back in to bed behind her. His arm wrapped around her waist and a gentle kiss on her shoulder was his morning greeting.

  “Good morning.” A content and sated smile crossed her face.

  He tightened his hold and kissed her temple, trailing to her cheek as far as he could reach, and let out a growl, hungry for more of her, “Good morning, beautiful. I ordered breakfast and started the bath for you since I sort of ruined that for you last night.”

  “I am completely okay with you ruining my bath…join me?” She asked, not ready to leave the bed.

  “I already showered, right after ordering breakfast. It should be here soon. How about you relax in the bath and meet me back here in bed for breakfast when you’re done.” He said while nibbling on her neck and shoulders, his arousal obvious against her back.

  And that was exactly how they spent their morning, snacking on room service, but mostly each other.

  ***

  Molly made it to Reading Grounds in time for her book club meeting with the ladies and only minutes to spare.

  “That’s some glow you’re wearing, dear.” Chichi deadpanned

  “The what?” Molly ran her hands over her hair and shifted from foot to foot as if that would shake the floating on clouds glow she was sporting.

  “Oh my God…” Frankie eye rolled, “We all know where you were! Small town, and these two were in charge?” she said swinging a pointed finger between Chichi and Lexi.

  “Oh, that, ya…it was good.” Molly offered with a smile.

  “Good? And you look like that? I’m afraid amazing just might ruin you then.” Lexi said

  “I’d settle for good…” Clovis offered, earning a laugh from the group.

  “Okay…it was GREAT! Are you happy? Seth is…” she smiled as her thoughts wandered trying to come up with the right word to describe him, coming up short, “Amazing! I just can’t put my finger on it. He’s just…amazing.”

  “Wow…sounds like more than a book buddy and fellow ‘down with Nora’ club member.” Frankie snorted.

  Lexi chuckled and offered her two cents worth, “I think you are falling for the guy, my friend.”

  “You’re definitely past friend zone, honey,” Shay observed, sharing her thoughts between bites of her morning pastry, “I think you need to thank Nora at this point! She brought you together…just in a really strange and twisted way.”

  “I don’t know. I do like him; I like him a lot…” Molly admitted, thinking out loud, lost in thought.

  “Like him…are you sure that’s all?” Chichi asked with a knowing grin and cocked eyebrow.

  Molly sat on Chichi’s question for a long while, trying to reconcile exactly what it was she felt for Seth, how much more she felt than ‘like.’ Could he be the one? She didn’t know. What she did know was that he flooded her every thought, day and night, and every decision she made seemed to included him.

  ***

  Adam Baudouin wrote the book on women, and Seth knew he was the guy to go to when he couldn’t figure out his head from his heart. Now happily settled with his own dream girl, Adam seemed to have it all – all the answers that is. Seth felt like a love struck teenager that couldn’t think past the girl in his dreams every night. What was more was that he didn’t think he minded much. He needed good old fashion, man to man, women advice.

  It wasn’t a secret amongst the guys at the station that Seth had it bad for Molly – had wanted something official for months, but didn’t have the balls to explore that with her or simply ask. She left him speechless at every turn, and he settled for whatever time, in whatever capacity, he could get. He was a man’s man in every way. He’d outgrown his awkward phase when he moved up from FNG (fucking new guy) and became official at the station – except where Molly was concerned.

  “Are you sure this isn’t just a little bit of puppy love, Spangler?” Adam asked with a sly side eye.

  “I don’t know what it is, or I wouldn’t be here!” Seth retorted, flustered and semi-embarrassed that he was even having this conversation, “I know she is all I think about - can’t even look at another woman - don’t want to look at another woman.”

  A long drawn out whistle followed by Adam’s surprise commanded attention, “I think you got it bad, kid. Eyes for one woman means only one thing.”

  “Yeah? And what’s that?” Seth questioned, hanging on Adams every word.

  “It means…you got eyes for only one woman!” A disgusted look of ‘did you really just ask that’ crossed Adams glare and could be heard in his tone. It was as if he expected Seth to speak his language and was offended that he didn’t.

  “Okay…so that’s…love?” Seth shyly asked.

  A long sigh and eye roll followed by a slap to the back of the head preceded Adams final thoughts, “Look, if she’s your morning noon and night, every day dream and night dream, and not another woman can even compare to half of what she is? You need to get your girl. That’s a life sentence, but one you won’t regret.”

  Adam ruffled the top of Seth’s hair as he stood to leave the room, but not before offering his final thoughts, “You need to tell Nora to suck it and quit using her to date your girl undercover. In fact, give her something big to piss her pants over. A big sloppy indecent groping kiss in the town center – in front of everyone. Grab Molly’s ass while you’re at it! That ought to get her!”

  Seth had a plan.

  CHAPTER 13

  Their mission was clear. Molly had seen Nora drive by many times, same direction each time, nearly each night, parking in or around the same spot they were caught in each time. She seemed to make it inside wherever she was going completely undetected. It couldn’t be far so Stan’s made sense, but why.

  Chichi was confident in her declaration of such jus
t days prior, so confident in her statement that not elaborating on such spoke volumes. If Molly had learned anything these past months, it was that Nora wasn’t the only one that seemed to have her finger on the pulse of this town – Chichi and the Foxy Ladies did too.

  Why Stan’s though? It was long past business hours at Stan’s Soup and Service, her car was always outside, so clearly not there for service. A car needing that much service probably just needed replacing anyway. Soup…every night? Nora didn’t strike her as the afterhours soup lady. So Stan…what did she want with Stan?

  He was a sweetheart of a man, never on her Facebook blasts, or was that the answer right there? Stan had a secret? Nora knew it, and she’d been blackmailing him, hence no Facebook posts? Is she that dark and ornery? She’s Nora Kinkaid - of course she is.

  So what is she holding over poor Stan’s head, Molly wondered. This was going to be the victory worth waiting for. Not only were they going to even the score, but they would reveal Nora for the snake in the grass that she is, and spring Stan from her venomous grips!

  She’d figured it out! Molly had the mystery solved, most of it anyway, and she couldn’t wait to tell Seth!

  They needed to get there early, before she could sneak in…

  ***

  The sun had just passed the hills to the west leaving only stray shadows of light dancing across the valley. Seth and Molly had arrived at Stan’s, which had long since closed, leaving the parking lot quiet. They decided to pull straight into the parking space, rather than back in, so they could watch from the back cargo area.

  It would be less obvious to eagle eye Nora, and they could duck down low, not to be seen, without missing the action. After sharing her suspicions with Seth, he agreed with her ideas and took their sleuthing a step further. Seth had stepped in to Stan’s earlier, just before closing, to order Stan’s famous cheddar broccoli soup to go.