Page 82 of Billion Dollar Mistake

As I approach, he smoothly pushes off the bar, closing the distance between us. My eyes roam over his suit. Light gray with a white shirt, no tie and his hair styled but more in the messy way that I love. I resist the urge to reach out and touch it; instead, I curl my fingers with restraint.

We don’t stop moving until we’re directly in front of each other and he towers over me. A sharp intake of breath escapes me when he leans unexpectedly close, his warm breath sending a tremor through me as he whispers, “You look incredible.” His hand tightens on my hip and I find myself melting into the intoxicating touch.

“Thank you. You look handsome.”

He pulls back with hooded eyes and a devilish smile.

“I thought it was time to trade a dinner date for a winery instead.”

His thoughtfulness causes a smile to tug at the corner of my lip. “What’s first on the agenda? Make our own wine?”

A deep throaty chuckle escapes him. “No. It’s already prepared.”

His eyes drop to my mouth and I tip my head back ready for our lips to meet but a clearing of the throat sounds beside us. I momentarily close my eyes, regain composure and turn toward the woman beside us.

His eyes drop to my mouth.

“Lead the way.”

He links our fingers together and we walk.

“The air is so fresh here,” I say, as our footsteps cause the leaves to rustle.

In the distance, you can hear the birds chirping, insects buzzing, and the vines in the wind. There’s no traffic or city noise here.

He leads me into the wine tasting area. The large wooden barrels make a gorgeous backdrop.

“Are you ready to be a wine connoisseur?”

I grin. “Absolutely. I’ve been practicing my wrist technique.”

His eyes widen.

My hand covers my lips mischievously. “Oh sorry, I mean my swirling technique.”

“You can show me the wrist one later,” he whispers darkly in my ear.

We arrive at a rustic wooden table that overlooks the vineyards. He pulls out a chair and I take a seat.

A friendly woman approaches our table. “Good evening. My name is Shaye, and I’ll be guiding you through the tasting tonight. We’ll start with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.”

She pours the wine into two glasses, as she gives us the background information about the winery.

Jeremy’s phone rings during her talk, and he picks it up straight away. He walks off, and after a few minutes of waiting, I give up and tell her to continue. I’m embarrassed and a little annoyed, Shaye must sense my uneasiness, so she begins speaking again.

I’m enjoying talking to her and learning about all the wine, so when he rejoins I’m relaxed.

The new chardonnay she poured me is really good. Dry but still a hint of sweetness. I take another sip.

I lick my lips of the residue. “That is such a good wine.”

As the tasting continues, we make our way through the whites, rose, reds and dessert ones. We share our thoughts and discover a few new favorites.

A charcuterie board arrives and we nibble on that as we sip. Our sommelier walks away, giving us a moment alone. Simultaneously, we turn toward each other clutching our final wine. We share a soft smile.

“Thanks for bringing me here today,” I say.

“My pleasure. Have you been to a winery before?”

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