Page 113 of Bitter Rival

And yet, we’re slow dancing to Neil Young. “I didn’t say you’d be the ideal boyfriend for me.”

“You didn’t have to say it. I can read you like a book.”

He really can’t. He just likes to think he can. “Oh yeah?” I tip back my head and look him in the eye. “What am I thinking right now?”

Beckett’s lips brush the line of my jaw and his mouth moves close to the shell of my ear. “You’re thinking about my big dick and how much you wish it was inside you.”

“I think you’re confusing my thoughts with yours.” I pull back and arch my brows. “I was thinking that you are a big dick. Subtle word change. Big difference.”

He smirks. “All I heard were the words big and dick.” Without warning, he dips me so low the ends of my hair brush the floor and I whoop out a laugh as he pulls me back up and into his arms.

With a smile, he spins me out and reels me back in and everything about this dance and this moment is so perfect that I want to store it in my memory bank for rainy days.

I’m going to miss you so much when this is over.

There will be no one to come home to at the end of the day.

No slow dancing to Neil Young or watching the sunset from the terrace.

No grapes to harvest.

No afternoon siestas.

No Beckett.

But we still have a couple of weeks left so I’m making it my mission to prove to him that life on this vineyard can make him happier than the life he was living before.

This is where he belongs. With dirt on his boots and the sun on his face.

And I can’t help dreaming about the life we could have if he chose to keep the vineyard.

If he chose to keep us.

CHAPTER FORTY

Daisy

“They’re here,” I announce when the doorbell rings.

“Oh joy,” Beckett drawls. “Can’t wait to sit through another dull lunch with the Castellanos.”

“I’m sure I can make it more interesting.” I waggle my brows at him as we stride down the hallway. “Liven things up a little.”

“Just stick to business, Daisy.”

“I want to ensure that the vineyard ends up in good hands. And maybe today will be a good opportunity to start mending the rift?—”

“Daisy.” He gives me an exasperated look. “Just stay out of it. That feud has nothing to do with us.”

I’m not so sure that’s true.

The future of this vineyard matters to me. It matters a great deal, and now that we’re so close to the finish line, with only a little over a week to go, we’re still none the wiser as to why Robert set up his will the way he did.

But what if Pete was right and it has something to do with blocking the sale or mending the rift?

I almost feel like it’s my duty to get to the bottom of that feud.

So I swing the front door open and give the Castellanos a big smile and a warm welcome.

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