Page 49 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

She quiets beneath me and turns her face away, panting as her body sags from the energy it took to fight.

“Ryan and I have known each other for years. He and my brother, Leo, served together as Navy SEALs, and he’s like a member of our family. Ryan has helped us out so many times that when he asked me to come out here and track down the problem at his family’s winery, I jumped at the chance to pay back some of his generosity.”

“So Brennen is right. Youarea spy.” The accusation hangs heavy between us. But I’m done hiding things from her.

I nod, not bothering to deny it. “Ryan suspected that Brennen was in over his head, and he needed someone on the ground to find out just how bad it was. But I swear to you, Sophie, the moment I walked into that fermentation room andfound you cursing your head off at that rusty bolt, I fell in love. When you looked up at me with all that fire in your eyes, I lost my heart right then and there.”

“Why should I believe that? You’re nothing but a fucking liar, Alex,” she cries, fresh tears streaking down her cheeks.

I shake my head. “No.EverythingI said to you was true. Winemaking is what I want to do and the chance to work with you is like a dream come true for me. The fact that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met wasn’t something I anticipated. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with you, Sophie.”

“You’re full of shit,” she huffs. But I can see that my sincere words are softening her.

“Not to mention, you’re the most instinctively talented winemaker I’ve ever seen. I’ve learned so much just watching you work.” I drop my nose and nuzzle at her neck. When she doesn’t fight me, I drop a soft kiss on her salty skin. “In my last call with him, I told Ryan I was in love with you and wanted to stay after all this is over.”

She sniffs and finally meets my gaze. “After all what is over?”

I shrug. “That’s between Ryan, Emma, and Brennen. Now that Ryan knows the problem and he’s taken charge, I’m out of the mix. The only thing I’m worried about now is you and keeping what’s between us alive.”

“Do you honestly expect me to believe there’s anything between us?” she scoffs, but there’s absolutely no heat in her voice now, only a question, a plea.

“Yes, I do.” I release her hands and thread my fingers through her hair, tilting her face up. “You love me, too, Sophie. I can see it in your face. We’re gonna build a beautiful life making incredible wine and someday have gorgeous and brilliant babies.”

Her mouth pops open, and I press a kiss to her puffy lips. “Forgive me, Soph. Please. I never lied to you. I swear.”

“But you did. It was a lie of omission, and that counts, Alex,” she argues as she kisses me back.

“Mmmmm.” I pepper kisses along her jawline. “A shady developer is trying to steal the winery out from under the family. I had to find out who. But everything else I told you about me is true. Ryan is the financial backer who has promised to help me start my own winery when I’m ready.”

She stares up at me, a stunned look on her face. “Someone’s trying to take the winery from the Murphys?”

I nod slowly. “But we found out in time. Don’t worry, baby, your wine is safe. Ryan will take care of the problem and make whoever it is sorry they ever tried to mess with his family.”

“Wow. So that’s why Brennen has been so moody lately.”

“I’d say that’s probably part of it.” I give her a sucking kiss. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather talk about us right now.” I hold her face between my hands and stare into her eyes. “I love you, Sophie. I fell in love with you the moment I walked in that door. Please believe me, baby. Don’t send me back to Texas with a broken heart.”

A soft sob erupts from her throat, and her arms wrap around my torso. “I love you, too, Alex. So much it scares me to think that everything we’ve shared is a lie.”

My heart skyrockets at her words and I can’t hold back the smile that stretches across my face. “No, baby. Everything between us was real.” I press my hips into her core. “Thisisreal.”

“Hey!” comes a voice off in the distance but growing louder.

I glance up and see two men running toward us at a fast clip. “Hey! Get off her!”

“Shit!” I suddenly realize how this must look to any bystanders and I spring to my feet, pulling Sophie up with me.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, fellas. Everything’s okay here,” I call out as the men approach us, noting their balled-up fists. “My girlfriend and I just had a fight, and I was trying to apologize forbeing an ass. But she wouldn’t listen to me, so I had to tackle her.”

The men glare daggers at me as they come to a stop, panting from their exertion. “Is he right, miss? You can tell us if he was really trying to hurt you. We’ll hold him down until the cops get here.”

“There’s no need for cops, guys,” Sophie responds lightly, amusement in her voice. “Alex is right. He was being a dick, and his face was the last thing I wanted to see.” My heart pounds at the grin she throws me. “But we’re okay now.”

“Are you sure about that? It looked pretty fishy from the pier.”

Sophie’s grin widens to an earth-shattering smile that takes my breath away. Everything shifts for me in that moment, and I know I’m gonna marry this girl.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” she answers. “But thank you for running to my rescue, guys.”

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