Page 41 of Turning Up the Heat

“So if you want to talk, I’m here.”

“Thank you.” Even though he’d told his friends of his frustrations with his father and the company, he hadn’t told them the fear he felt of losing everything. So he told Gemma—his insecurities, his problems with his father, his fear that his family and the business would sink before he had a chance to right the ship.

“Some days,” he said, taking a deep breath, “I think about quitting the business altogether.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I realized today that my father is never going to give up control if he doesn’t trust me. And I can’t stay under his thumb forever. There are things I want to do with Cain, but as long as he’s in charge, he won’t let me. Sometimes I think it’d be easier if I branched out on my own.”

“On your own?”

“Yeah, I finally realized that night we were in your distillery. I had so much damn fun with you, making rum, that I realized that’s what I want, it’s what Cain is missing—a handcrafted product. We made the biggest mistake when we automated the process. A small place is what I want. I’m like a stranger every time I walk onto my own production floor. It’s all very mechanical, with computers and robots running the show. I want to be hands-on.” He took a deep breath. “If my father doesn’t step down soon, I’m thinking about walking away.”

“That’s a big move.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“And I assume you haven’t told your father.”

“You’re the only person I’ve told.”

She moved from her seat across from him and sat in his lap. “Thanks for telling me.” She paused, pushing her fingers through his hair. “It’s a good thing I’m your girlfriend, and not your rival, right now, because I have something I want to say to you.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m really proud of you.” Tom shifted uncomfortably, having never heard those words before. “And I want you to know that if you decide to open your own distillery, I’ll help you in any way I can.”

He smiled. God, he couldn’t fight it anymore. He wasn’t just falling for Gemma; he was in deep. He loved her. “Good thing you’re my girlfriend, because master distiller Gemma Rexford would never offer her help to a Cain.”

“That’s true. Good thing we all have layers, though, right?”

Tom smiled and smoothed his hand over her ass. “As long as you think so, why don’t we get some of these layers off you?”

Outside Tom’s building, Tom was helping Gemma into the car that he’d called to take her to the airport. She had to return home to prepare for the engagement party that she was hosting for Reid and Lila. Tom would be joining her the next day.

He normally drove her, but that afternoon, they’d sipped a few too many glasses of wine with dinner. She’d used the wine to dull her sadness at leaving Tom again. It didn’t work. Even though she knew she would be seeing him the next evening, saying goodbye to him filled her with such a sorrow. It was so painful leaving him, but she knew that just like every other time, their next meeting would be even hotter and more full of love than the last.

“I’ve really come to hate this,” she said with a slight shiver. It had started snowing again, and as she looked around, she realized that she was caught in one of those movie-magical New York–at–Christmas moments. The city hustled and bustled around them, and a light layer of snow covered the sidewalk.

“Me, too.” She shivered and Tom reached out and pulled her coat closer to her neck. “You need to get a real winter coat,” he teased.

“I live in Miami. This is a winter coat,” she said of the thin coat she wore every time. And she was cold every time.

“Call me when you land, okay?”

“I always do.”

Tom wrapped his arms around her and drew her in for a kiss. She pressed against his chest, taking his warmth. When they parted, neither of them made a move to separate. The entire city hummed around them, but with the snow, the lights, it was too much to resist.

“Tom,” she said, but then hesitated.

“What is it?”

She grabbed a deep breath and took a chance. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

He didn’t say anything at first, and she felt embarrassed and wanted to take it back. “You know, I’m sorry I said that. I just got caught up in a moment, I think.”

He took her chin in his hand. “I’m in love with you, too.”

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