Page 2 of A Sip of Sherry

He pulled off the oversized Mad Hatter hat, ruffling a hand through his already messy hair before motioning toward the bar with it.The yellow vest beneath the deep red jacket hugged his torso just right, and the pushed-up sleeves revealed strong forearms.“Lead the way,” he said, voice low and warm.

I stepped forward, hips swaying, confidence and sex appeal fueling me, but my heel slipped on the floor, twisting my foot sideways and throwing me off balance.My knee buckled, and I stumbled forward with all the grace of a baby giraffe.So much for confidence and sex appeal.

Ben’s hand shot out, latching onto my waist and steadying me against his hard chest.“I got you,” he said, hot against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

I turned my head, not realizing how close he was.Our lips were mere inches apart, and a strong desire to kiss him overtook any rational thought.

“You good?”he asked, knocking me to reality.

What the hell was I even thinking?We’d known each other for all of five minutes.I needed to get a damn grip.

“Totally fine,” I breathed.“Just, uh… testing the floor.”

“I’m guessing it didn’t pass.”

I stomped my heel into the wood.“Definitely a failing grade.I’ll be filing a complaint with management.”

Ben’s eyebrow lifted.“Would that be the big guy dressed as a vampire who looks like he bench presses a full whisky barrel as a warmup?”

“That would be him, but he’s harmless… unless you hurt me or anyone in my family, really.He’s a little protective.”

“I would never hurt you.”

My attention caught on the quiet and serious tone.The noise of the party faded into the background, and my breath caught, the space between us stretching tight.

I swallowed hard, my pulse ticking up.“Good,” I managed, though it was softer than I meant.

He straightened the oversize teal bowtie that would have been a turnoff under any other circumstances, but somehow made him even more irresistible.It was charming, a little absurd, but completely working for him.

Ben took a step closer, his focus lingering on my mouth before finding my eyes again.“How about that drink?”

“Yes!”The word burst out of me like an uncontrollable reflex.

His eyebrows lifted, and heat exploded in my cheeks as I turned from him and carefully made my way through the crowd, waving to all the familiar faces as I went.

“Is there anyone in here you don’t know?”Ben asked as we found an opening at the bar and squeezed in.

I scanned the tasting room, admiring all the costumes and smiling when I spotted Michael from Espresso Yourself, the local coffee shop, dressed as Nancy from the Craft.“Nope, the only person I didn’t know was you.”

“I’m the mysterious outsider crashing the party?”

A wave of confidence came over me.My lip curled in a slow, deliberate smile.“I was thinking more like the hot stranger everyone’s pretending not to stare at.”

“Here I thought I was blending in so well with my giant bowtie.”

I reached up, straightening the ridiculous piece of fabric.“It’s definitely not doing you any favors in the subtlety department.”

“Odette told me go big or go home.”

“You’ve met Odette?”I shook my head.“What am I talking about?Of course you have.”There wasn’t a single soul who entered Vine Valley who didn’t run into Odette and her infamous matching shirt and pant sets.

“She lives in the same community as I do.”

“Oh you live in Robin’s Landing?”I paused for a second then mentally slapped my forehead.“Char said that already, didn’t she?”

“She did, but that’s okay.”

I winced, silently awarding myself a gold medal for Most Awkward First Impressions.“What’s it like living in the same community as Odette?”I asked, trying to keep the conversation steering as far away from this moment as possible.

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