Page 57 of Love on the Vine
“Congratulations, man,” Apsley said once Lucie had taken Olivia to the buffet.
“For what?”
“Your hot little piece there. You been together long?” He nodded toward Olivia, and I clenched my fist to keep from shoving his obnoxious beanie down his throat.
“No.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t want to talk about it. I get it. You want to see my girl?” Before I could respond, he’d pulled his phone fromhis pocket and was scrolling through photos of some girl in a tiny yellow bikini. Jesus, she was probably the same age as Olivia. Did that put me in the same league as Spencer fucking Apsley?
“Nice,” I said icily.
“Damn, man. I forgot how deadpan you can be. No emotion. It’s incredible.” Spencer laughed and slapped me on the back again. “Are you kidding me? Look at those legs and that ass. ‘Nice,’ he says.”
Lucie sauntered over just in time to prevent me from telling Spencer to fuck off. Placing her hand on my arm, she said, “Since Spencer is here, we thought we could organize the photo shoot tomorrow.”
And there it was. “I told you I’m not doing that.”
“Oh, come on, Jake. Please. You’re not going to make me beg, are you?” Lucie batted her eyes at me and clutched her hands together under her chin.
“I’d like to see that,” snickered Apsley.
Ignoring him, I dragged my hand through my hair. “Lucie, I don’t want to be photographed or interviewed for this piece.”
“Why?”
Because I can’t taste anymore, and I feel like an enormous fraud. “I don’t want to, all right?”
“Jake, I need this issue to be a success or I’m out as deputy editor. I need a compelling story like yours: youngest master of wine in history, business in three continents. Not to mention this.” She gestured to my body. “I know it would sell.”
Her eyes started to glisten, and she cleared her throat and looked away. My stomach clenched. I’d always been a sucker for women’s tears. I couldn’t deal with them. I’d do just about anything to make them stop. And, dammit, Lucie had always been there for me. I’d just have to suck it up and do the damn article. “Fine.One day. I’m giving you one day.”
“Perfect!” Lucie threw her arms around me. “I already moved my bag into the room downstairs. Can Spencer take Jin’s room?”
I groaned and glanced over at Olivia. She smiled uncertainly at me. Was it possible that only an hour ago I’d been exploring every inch of her body on the beach?
Getting through the next twenty-four hours was going to be torture.
Chapter 19
OLIVIA
When I woke up the next morning, I wondered if had all been a dream. Had I really spent the entire night surrounded by some of the most influential people in the food industry, pretending like Jake hadn’t just given me the most intense orgasm of my life? And on a public beach?
My body still tingled where he’d had his mouth and hands on me, and I knew I hadn’t imagined it. I was practically vibrating like one of the girls in those spicy alien novels that Callie loved to read.
The unexpected arrival of Jake’s guests had also meant that we couldn’t continue where we’d left off. I’d spent most of the dinner trying not to climb on his lap while he’d sat with his arm draped over my chair or his hand lightly stroking my thigh while everyone else talked about themselves.
There was no doubt in my mind that he still wanted me last night. But now I was worried. What if he woke up this morning and regretted what happened?
I pulled out my phone and called Callie, who in addition to being best friend and big sister, was now going to be promoted to the role of sex therapist. She picked up the phone after the first ring. “Please tell me this is the call I’ve been waiting for.”
“Let’s just say, I took Levi’s advice and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. “And I had the most mind-blowing orgasm on the beach.”
“Holy shit, Liv!” Callie cackled. “You had sex on the beach?”
“No, not sex.”
“Oral?” I heard dishes clattering behind her.
