Page 50 of Trouble Me
She smiled softly. He was the only person, other than her mother, who used her full name regularly. “There’s just so much I don’t know about you.”
“All you have to do is ask.” His free hand started to roam underneath the sheet that covered her. He ran a hand flat across her belly, rubbing side to side. “Your skin is so soft,” he whispered, his face in the crook of her neck.
Breathing became difficult the more he touched her. “What’s your favorite color?”
His hand continued its caress, but he smiled against her skin. “Blue.”
“Dog or cat?”
He chuckled. “Dog, of course.”
“Good choice.” Her breath hitched when he kissed the tender spot under her ear, the tips of his fingers drawing figure eights on her abdomen, though with each pass, those skillful hands lingered a tad bit lower.
“Were you born in California?”
“Born and raised in Napa.”
“Did you go to college?”
“I did. UC Berkeley.”
“Smarty pants,” she said with a smile. “What’s your favorite childhood memory? I mean, I know you were young when your mom died, but there must be something you think of fondly.”
“Favorite childhood memory,” he murmured, rolling onto his back, reversing their positions. Pillowing his hands behind his head, he stared at the ceiling. “Well, let’s see.” He was quiet for a moment, and then a smile spread across his face. “When Colin and I were kids, we used to wander over this one section of the vineyards. It was an area they didn’t really use for wine production because the vines just wouldn’t produce enough grapes.”
Emma shifted, a small smile on her lips. Her fingers played idly with the smattering of hair covering his hard chest where she rested her chin. Shane’s face was relaxed, a five o’clock shadow covering the lower part of his face, his eyes a sparkling brilliant blue. Something in her belly fluttered, and her heart was light seeing him like this.
“Anyway, the summer after our mother passed away, Colin and I were playing in that area, and to our surprise, we found a bunch of grapes on the vines, and many on the ground. We decided to gather them all together, like our dad. We were going to make wine.”
Emma’s grin matched his. “You boys were going to make wine?”
“Yep. We found a large tub and stomped on the grapes until we’d made a decent amount of juice, put it in a bottle. Without de-stemming. I knew enough to let it sit for a while. Since Father’s Day was a few days later, we gave it to him then.” Shane laughed. “It had to be the foulest stuff. But he sat there and drank a glass right in front of us. We never saw the bottle again, but he looked like the happiest man on earth that day.” He paused, staring up at the ceiling, absently stroking her arm. “I'd forgotten about that until just now.” His voice was soft, but strained, as though emotion clogged his throat. Shadows filled his eyes and the lightness in her heart was replaced by heartache.
Emma sighed. “Your father sounds like a great man. I’m so sorry he’s sick. I wish I could meet him.”
Shane shifted and rolled until she was on her back, settling himself between her thighs. His hard, warm body was a delicious pressure that she wanted to wrap herself up in forever.
Shane looked down at her. “I hope you can meet him as well,” he said softly. He ran a finger along her cheek. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me. You trouble me,” he murmured. A smile touched his lips. Those intense blue eyes were serious, yet confused. His thumbs swept soothing, gentle arcs along her temples.
Man, this guy shot straight for her heart. A different kind of warmth spread through her blood, a kind that warmed her soul, not just her parts south of the border. She pulled him by the hair to kiss his lips gently.
She touched him, brushing her fingertips down his face, her eyes focused on her movements. “You trouble me, too. In all my life, I’ve never known a man like you.”
His eyes darkened to that sexy navy blue that was like throwing gas on a flame for her libido. His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed hard.
The emotions that ran through her body were intense and overwhelming to the point where she almost couldn’t breathe. They held each other’s stares for a few moments until he cleared his throat and broke the silence.
He lifted his head and looked around. “Did I really hear thunder?” he asked, his tone a mix of confusion and wonder.
Emma smiled, leaning into his hand that lay along her cheek. “Yeah. That’s Georgia weather for you. We have all the seasons in a week. It’s cooler tonight, but it was pretty mild today.”
He shook his head. “That’s crazy.” His eyes met hers and a sexy grin curved his mouth. “You know what’s fun to do on a rainy day?”
She pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling as though contemplating her answer. “Binge-watching Netflix?”
“That’s one thing,” he conceded. “But I had some other things in mind.” He rolled his hips against her core and dropped feather kisses along her jaw. She bit her lip to hold back a gasp.
“Oh? Like baking cookies?” she teased. “Chocolate chip is my favorite.”
