Chapter 12 #2
For now, he allowed himself to be enveloped by the serenity of his surroundings, the vineyard's peaceful ambiance providing a stark contrast to the tumultuous emotions that swirled back home.
And as the stars began to dot the night sky, Jordan's thoughts remained tethered to Julesa, the woman who had unexpectedly changed his views and what he thought he knew about himself.
He had hoped she would agree to accompany him.
He had been loath to leave her alone. His protectiveness asserting itself, he mused.
But that was not the only thing. He had wanted her to see what he had built aside from his family.
This place was his. He looked around at the glow of the departing sun bathing the grapevines.
An inheritance from his paternal grandmother, but one he had made his own.
He wanted to share it with her. And he wanted to keep her close.
He sensed a hesitancy inside her, the unwillingness to commit fully, and it hurt.
But he understood the mindset. His family had treated hers with careless disregard and the hurt was still there.
So was the bitterness he wished he could erase.
He should call her. Should he? Or give her time. She said she had some business to tie up and he should really give her some space. Time to reflect and be with her brother.
Jordan's mind wandered as he savored the wine.
He admired the way the stars twinkled, reminding him of the unpredictable beauty life could offer.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of the ripening grapes, mingling with the earthy aroma of the soil.
It was a reminder of the labor and patience that went into nurturing the vines, a metaphor for the relationships he hoped to cultivate back home.
He thought of Julesa once more, imagining her presence beside him, sharing the tranquility of this place. It was more than just a vineyard; it was a testament to his dedication and dreams. He wished for her to see beyond the past hurts and recognize the potential for new beginnings.
Jordan rose from his seat, the decision forming in his mind. He would give Julesa the space she needed, but he would also reach out, letting her know that he was there, ready to support her. It was a delicate balance, much like tending to the grapevines, requiring both patience and care.
With a final look at the starlit sky, Jordan made his way inside, a sense of resolve settling within him.
He was about to get ready for bed when his phone rang.
Frowning at the intrusion, he settled on the edge of the bed and reached for it.
Stunned pleasure stormed through him as he looked at the caller ID.
For a second, he let it ring, before he realized that he really should answer it.
Forcing his voice to remain calm, he pressed the icon.
"Hi."
"Did I wake you? I know it's late."
He wanted to tell her that even if he was in a coma, hearing her voice would have brought him out of it. "I was outside sipping wine. Everything okay?"
"Yes. Just, you know—just checking in."
"I did not want to call. That's a damn lie. I wanted to check in myself, but did not want to crowd you. I'm happy you did. And I wish you were here. It's lovely, but would have been even more so, if you were here."
"Jordan—"
"Coming on too strong?" Kicking back, he bunched the pillows beneath his head, prepared to spend a sleepless night listening to her voice.
"I'm not going to apologize, babe. I want you to know how I feel and am not going to hide it any longer.
Besides, it is pretty obvious that I am in love with you. "
He waited tensely as the silence stretched out.
"We have things to work out and telling me that while you're thousands of miles away is hardly fair."
He grinned foolishly at the softened tone of her voice. At least she hadn't dismissed his declaration and sounded as if she liked it. He would give her time to say it back.
"Just in the moment. How are things going with you? Did you manage to finish what you were supposed to be doing?"
"Not completely. I meet with my agent in the morning. How about you? Any idea when you're coming back?"
His heart soared at her interest. "It kinda sounds as if you miss me. Do you?"
"I suppose I do."
"I'll wrap things up as early as I can. I miss you like crazy and am not afraid to say it."
"Neither am I." She told him airily.
"Then say it."
"I just did."
"Coward." He teased. "I'll get it out of you when I return. What're you wearing?"
"What?"
"I'm assuming you're in bed? What're you wearing?"
She paused and he could imagine her looking down at her outfit.
"An old t-shirt."
"You have anything under it?"
"I am not about to satisfy your prurient sexual fantasy." She told him primly. "Goodnight."
"Come on, babe. Give me something to get through the night."
He grinned as she paused again. "Black lace panties. Now goodnight, I'm hanging up now."
"Jules?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you," he said softly. "Do me a favor, dream of me, will you? I'll be dreaming of you."
He hung up before she could respond.
Great, he thought wryly. Good luck getting some sleep now.
Images of her played over and over in his mind.
Picking up the phone, he searched gallery and brought up pics of them.
Her dancing with Liam and laughing at something his friend said to her.
The man was a goddamned flirt, and it had taken a force of will for him not to march over and drag her away.
His eyes focused on her, instantly dismissing his friend.
She photographed well. He had the pictures forwarded to his phone by the official photographer who had outdone himself.
He captured her smile, the brilliance of her eyes and the delicious curve of her lips.
Her head was thrown back, hair rippling past her shoulders.
There was another one with him dancing with her.
Their first dance as a couple. He grinned sheepishly as he noticed how closely he was holding her.
One hand was splayed at the small of her back, while the other, covered her hand at his chest. And he was gazing down at her as if she was the most delectable thing he had ever seen.
He scrolled through some more, stopping at the ones he had taken when they were on the ship.
One with her leaning over the rail, her hand clamped on the straw hat.
Another with her by the pool and yet another with her dancing to the upbeat music.
Christ! Shaking his head, he put away the phone.
Missing her was like an aching tooth that refused to settle.
He told her that he was going to finish his business as soon as he could—he really needed to get home to her.
The night seemed endless as he lay awake, his mind racing with memories and visions of her.
The longing grew with each passing hour, a persistent ache in his heart.
He tried to distract himself by diving into work, but every document he touched seemed pointless without her presence.
He had never felt this way before, this deep yearning that gnawed at his soul.
Eventually, exhaustion claimed him, and he drifted into a restless sleep. His dreams were filled with her—her laughter, her touch, her voice. He saw them together, dancing under the stars, walking hand in hand along the shore, and sharing quiet moments that spoke volumes.
*****
Damn him, she could not sleep. He had stirred her to the point where she kept thinking about the conversation.
He was in love with her? What on earth did he expect her to do with that?
She tossed and turned, the conversation replaying in her mind.
The way he had said those words, the tenderness in his voice—it had caught her off guard.
Part of her wanted to believe him, to let herself be swept away by the romance of it all.
But another part of her was cautious, wary of getting hurt.
She stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of her emotions. He had always been a bit of a mystery to her, a man of few words but deep feelings. She had sensed something between them, an unspoken connection, but this declaration had brought everything to the surface.
Her thoughts drifted to the times they had spent together, the moments of laughter, the shared secrets, the silent understanding. She remembered the way he looked at her, as if she was the center of his world. It was intoxicating and frightening in equal measure.
The night seemed interminable, each tick of the clock a reminder of her sleeplessness. She tried to distract herself by flipping through a book, but the words blurred and faded as her mind wandered back to him. She sighed, knowing that sleep would be elusive tonight.
When had her resolve to get her revenge on his family started to take a backseat?
Now all she could think about was him, how he made her feel.
She had wanted to rub her status in his parents' face, but now it was not so important.
His mother had requested a meeting with her and the trepidation was there.
The woman had sounded cool and formal over the phone but had refused to say why she wanted to meet.
Pulling the covers up over her, Julesa closed her eyes as she recalled their last lovemaking.
The tenderness of his touch. The way he had of being gentle one minute and very aggressive the next.
His complete possession of her, the feel of his long, lean body on hers.
A shiver of excitement travelled through her body, straight down to her toes.
If she was not in love with him, she was dangerously close to it and she had no idea what to do about it, or even if she wanted to do anything.
Things had taken an unexpected turn, and she had to see how it plays out.
As dawn approached, she finally resigned herself to her feelings. Perhaps she would dream of him after all, just as he had asked.