Page 3 of Unexpected Forever
He closes the doors between the living and bedroom area. I blow out a breath to steady my racing heart and shaky legs.
I roam around the large suite—willing my body to behave—focusing on my surroundings instead of the man in the next room.
The suite is tastefully done in walnut wood and colors of gray and black, with a pop of burgundy here and there. The midcentury modern vibe feels sleek and expensive, but with a cozy aspect to it.
Just like my cousin Emma, who owns the place with her fiancé, Shane.
I stop at the window and push the sheer curtain aside. This particular suite has the best view of all the rooms at the Gold Mountain Inn. The North Georgia mountains in the distance and the rolling hills of the acreage the inn sits on are spectacular.
Behind the inn, several yards from the main house, a beautiful white gazebo stands, looking regal with the greenery in the background.
Off to the right, piles of lumber sit, ready to be turned into a modernized barn that will hold weddings and other gatherings.
Gold Mountain Winery is on its way to being a premier resort destination in the area and I want to be a part of it.
Last week, I applied for the position of Events Manager. It’s a huge leap for me, as my biggest accomplishment thus far has been the ability to carry a tray of twenty tequila shots without spilling a single drop.
But I also have a degree in hospitality management and I’ve been in the service industry since I was sixteen. In ten years’ time, I went from being a waitress in high school to practically running the Silver Moon Cafe, the town’s most popular bar.
But event planning is my dream job. Megan’s party tonight is a sort of trial by fire for me, to prove I have what it takes to pull off the kind of events that will be held there.
I also want to show my family I’m capable of being more than just the baby of the family and the good-time girl. Which means it’s time for me to get my shit together, go after my dreams, and use the degree I’ve earned.
Hence, the man sabbatical. I need to focus, and men are known to be a distraction for me.
The doors open behind me and I turn. My lips roll inward to keep from drooling.
The man standing in front of me is distraction with a capital D.
Nate Gentry is a weapon of mass panty destruction.
He walks out in a pair of charcoal-gray slacks and navy blue button-down. The sleeves are rolled up, showing off his thick wrists and muscular forearms honed by years of training.
Until this moment I didn’t know I had a thing for forearms.
And whatever cologne he’s wearing makes me clench my thighs.
My vibrator is going to get a workout tonight when I get home.
He looks like he stepped off the pages of a magazine. In less than ten minutes.
It took me ten times as long just to pick my dress.
He smiles when he sees me. “I’m ready. We okay on time?”
I nod. “If we leave now, we’ll be right on time.”
The inn is quiet right now, so we manage to make it downstairs and out the door without any fanfare.
We set off down the winding path running from the inn property to the winery where patrons can easily go back and forth. It’s scenic, wide, and packed with white pebbles that crunch under our shoes. A slight breeze blows through the tree-lined path decorated with clear lights.
There’s a comfortable silence between us, but I can’t be quiet for long.
“So, you said you had a flight delay in Florida. Everything else go okay once you got here?”
“Yeah, everything was fine.” He pauses, turning his body slightly toward me as we walk, his lips in a slight smile. “How’d you end up being my ‘escort’”—he makes air quotes—“for the night?”
I kick a pebble and purse my lips. “I lost at rock, paper, scissors with Aidan.”
