Chapter 19
Vienna
If He Wanted To, He Would…Do Yoga
“Have dinner with me.”
His words make me freeze because that’s the last thing I was expecting to come out of his mouth in this moment. “What?”
Smirking, he toys with my bottom lip with his hand that is not holding both of mine above my head. “You know, that meal at the end of the day after lunch but before dessert? Dinner.”
“That’s…”
His grin falls as he murmurs. “I’m trying here, Vienna.” There’s a vulnerability to his voice that makes me stiffen once more. And then our eyes meet. “I’m trying to tell you that you mean something to me. I’m trying to trust that this is real. I’m just—”
He’s trying.
For the first time since our apology sex, Rhonan is finally baring himself to me in a way that lets me know it’s safe to fall with him.
He’s not Cole, Vienna. This man is the antithesis of Cole.
My body knows that, but my head and heart are having a difficult time catching up.
And up until now, Rhonan hasn’t really given me much of an indication that he wants more than that—a physically beneficial relationship.
So, asking me to have dinner with him is clearly his attempt at conveying that.
But is that what I want?
A sigh leaves my lips as he nibbles on the delicate skin of my neck. “But what about my job? I’m still Ellis’s teacher. I—I thought we didn’t want people talking.”
“I don’t care anymore, Vienna. I want people to know that we’re together.
” His eyes meet mine as he releases my wrists and drapes my hands over his shoulders.
“I want to be able to touch you in public, and I want every other man to know you’re unavailable because you’re mine—because if I have to watch other men hit on you again, I’m going to pry their eyes out of their heads and crush them beneath my boots. ”
I gasp out of shock. “My God, Rhonan.”
He presses his lips against mine in a soft, reverent kiss. “I’m not going to apologize for being honest. That’s how you make me feel. I can’t hide it anymore, and I’m sure as hell done fighting it.”
As our eyes remain locked, I think of all of the reasons why I should say no—Ellis, my past, and this double life that I’m living. But the only thing that is screaming at me right now is to let this man have me in a way that no other man ever has.
“So, what do you say?” The shakiness of his voice is subtle, but it’s there. “Will you have dinner with me?”
“I—” Dropping my hands from his shoulders, I shake my head slowly. “No.”
The confusion on his face is instant. “No?”
I plant my hands on my hips, huffing out my frustration. “Here’s the thing, Rhonan. I need a man who’s not afraid to put himself out there, to show me how much he wants me.”
Reaching up, he scratches his nails through the scruff on his jaw. “Uh…I thought that’s what I was doing right now?”
“I think there’s one more thing you could do to show me that you’re serious,” I continue, loving how this all worked out so perfectly in my favor.
“Okay…and what would that be?”
“Yoga,” I answer simply, watching his face transform from curious to downright pissed.
His eyes narrow. “Vienna…”
Shrugging, I begin to walk past him. “I really think it’s a simple request, and if you’re serious about this...”
Before I get too far, he reaches out for my hand and yanks me back into his chest, my ass pressed up against his cock, that’s still hard and turning me on even more than his original words and kiss. “You’re testing me, aren’t you?” he growls in my ear.
“Every man has a weakness. I think I just found yours, Rhonan Hart.”
“You might think doing yoga is the ultimate test for me, but you are my test, beautiful.” He presses a kiss right beneath my ear and then one to my exposed collarbone, sending a shiver racing through me and not just from his touch—it’s his confession.
I’m his test? Does that mean he wants to put his past behind him? Does he see a future for us?
But I’m still married to Cole.
Rhonan doesn’t know the entire truth, and will he still want me when he does?
“I. Want. You.” Rhonan’s deep voice vibrates near my ear, pulling me back to the present.
One step at a time, Vienna. Futures take time to build.
Yeah, but they can be destroyed so easily.
When his lips meet my neck again, he says, “You’ve been testing my resolve since the moment I met you, but now I know without a doubt, you are worth all of the fight I’ve gone through to get to this point.
” Standing up straight, he releases me from his grasp and spins me around to face him, cupping my jaw.
“If doing yoga is what I have to do to prove that I want this, then that’s what I’ll do. ”
I can’t fight the pleased smile from curling on my lips. “Damn.” I move my arms back around his neck. “You’re making it really hard for a girl to resist you.”
His mouth comes within an inch of mine. “You made it hard to resist you since the moment I picked you up off that floor.”
“Yeah, you sure did pick me up, Rhonan Hart. In more ways than one.”
***
With our hands intertwined, Rhonan leads me back to the main tasting room, where his father is behind the bar still.
They share a look, but he avoids a conversation since he knows yoga has to be starting soon.
They share a simple nod instead, and then we leave the building, making our way back out to the courtyard just in time to find Laney taking her spot on the hill to start the session.
Glancing down at his attire, Rhonan gives me an irritated look. “You know, I’m not exactly dressed for yoga.”
“Well, if you hadn’t been fighting this so hard and actually agreed to try it on your own without being bribed, you would have been better prepared.” His grin of amusement makes my heart flutter, but then my eyes drift down to our clasped hands. “You’re sure about this, Rhonan?”
I swear, I can see a wave of calm wash over him.
“I really fucking am, Vienna.” Lifting my hand to his mouth, he presses his lips to the back of it and then locks eyes with Fletcher across the grass.
The smile he boasts is like that of a proud father, which instantly makes my cheeks heat because I wonder what he and the rest of the group think happened when Rhonan pulled me away.
I don’t get a chance to ask him as he leads me over to a mat near the front where his other friends are, along with Ellis.
Her tutu is bouncing around her waist when she sees me and her father walking toward her. “Ms. Lewis! I’m ready for yoga.”
“I can see that,” I say, releasing my hand from Rhonan’s before unrolling my mat next to her and then motioning for Rhonan to do the same on the other side of her. “I definitely think your tutu is gonna help. I should have worn mine.”
“You have a tutu?” Ellis asks.
I glance back up at Rhonan to find him staring. “Yup, and I think I would have given it to your dad to wear since he’s going to need all the help he can get in just a few minutes.”
Elliot, Henley, and Fletcher gather around Rhonan. “Uh, Rho?” Henley starts. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” He smooths the rubber mat out with his boot before untying the laces and removing them.
Laney runs over to us now with Dilynne and Elodie on her heels. “Am I seeing things? Please don’t tell me that I’m hallucinating because it looks like my brother is about to do yoga.” She turns to me with wide eyes. “Is that what I’m about to see?”
“You don’t need to make a big deal about it,” Rhonan grates out.
Laney laughs. “Um, yes I do.” She turns back to Dilynne and Elodie. “My brother is about to do yoga.”
Dilynne pops her shoulder. “Then the plan must have worked.”
Rhonan straightens his spine, focusing on Dilynne. “What plan?”
Fletcher covers his mouth to stifle his laughter. “Oh, shit.”
Spinning to his friend now, Rhonan repeats, “What plan?”
Dilynne snaps her fingers twice, regaining Rhonan’s attention as Ellis hugs my legs right beneath me.
I smooth her hair away from her face while trying to pay attention because even though I knew the girls had something planned for the evening, I didn’t know the details.
But apparently, they were right about knowing Rhonan and the push he needed.
“Rhonan, you fail to realize that the male mind is actually very easy to hack into,” Dilynne starts. “And you, sir, were acting like your own worst enemy, so the girls and I decided to help you get out of your own way.”
“And how exactly did you do that?”
“By showing you what you could lose if you didn’t get over your fear,” Dilynne explains, directing her eyes over to me. “Your neighbor is a catch, and other men were starting to notice, weren’t they?” Her brow arches painfully high on her forehead.
“You mean…”
“Two of the men talking to her earlier were asked to, but the other two? They came over of their own accord.” She pats his chest. “You can thank me later. I prefer tools as gifts, but I’m sure you already knew that.”
Rhonan narrows his gaze on me, but then his eyes drop down to Ellis holding onto my legs and his face instantly softens.
Without hesitation, he marches over to us, tips my chin up with his fingers, and presses his lips to mine.
All of his friends—which I guess are mine now too—start cheering, drawing the attention of people around us.
When we part, Ellis gasps. “Daddy! You just kissed Ms. Lewis! That’s gross!”
Our group laughs around us now.
Rhonan peers down at his daughter. “Well, Ellis…when a boy likes a girl, sometimes they kiss.”
Her nose scrunches up. “That’s still gross, Daddy. Johnny says he likes me and I would never let him kiss me. He’s a dingleberry.”
I burst into laughter as Rhonan pinches the bridge of his nose.
Fletcher steps closer to us now. “I’m sorry, did your daughter just say the word dingleberry?”
“Yes.”
“Huh?” Fletcher scratches his chin. “Does that mean I’m forgiven for the stripper incident?”
Rhonan glares at Fletcher. “No, and you never will be.”
“Stripper incident?” I ask.
Elodie places her palm on my shoulder and whispers in my ear. “You should probably have that conversation with Rhonan away from Ellis. She just stopped telling people she wants to be a stripper like three months ago.”
Fletcher backs away from us with his hands up. “Just wanted to check.”
Rhonan crouches down so he’s at eye-level with his daughter. “Ellis, you can’t call people a dingleberry.” I fold my lips in to hide my smile as Rhonan continues. “But you also shouldn’t let Johnny kiss you…ever. In fact, I don’t think you should kiss a boy at all in your entire life.”
I swat at him playfully. “Don’t tell her that.”
“Ms. Lewis?” Ellis says, pulling on the waistband of my leggings, ignoring her dad.
“Yes, Ellis?”
“If you and Daddy are kissing now, does that mean you’re going to be my new mommy?”
“Oh, my heart,” Laney whispers behind us, but I’m too busy trying not to let my own heart jump from my chest.
“Um…”
“How about you start calling her Vienna for now,” Rhonan interjects as he stands, saving me from answering that question the wrong way.
Because how am I supposed to answer that at all? This man just admitted that he wants me for more than a physical relationship. That type of declaration is far from a marriage proposal.
And yet? The idea of not having this little girl in my life long-term is making me want to cry right here in the middle of the courtyard of Hart Winery.
Ellis’s eyes light up from her father’s suggestion. “Okay! I’m gonna call you Vienna now.”
“But at school, she’s still Ms. Lewis,” Rhonan adds.
Ellis turns back to her dad. “Why?”
“Because that’s how you refer to a teacher, by their last name.”
Her brows draw together and then she shrugs. “Okay, but I’m still gonna call Johnny a dingleberry because he acts like a piece of poop stuck to a dog’s butt,” she says, skipping back over to her mat.
Rhonan shakes his head, but there’s a smile on his lips as he cups the side of my face. “You sure you want to be a part of this?”
I press up on my toes and kiss him. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
***
“How are you doing over there?” I say in Rhonan’s direction, watching him shake as he holds warrior pose and a bead of sweat travels down the side of his face.
“Good. Great,” he grates out between clenched teeth.
Henley is shaking from his laughter on his mat behind Rhonan, and Elliot collapses as Rhonan nearly falls over.
“Not as easy as you thought, huh, big guy?” Henley taunts.
Rhonan flips him off over his shoulder as he struggles to regain his balance.
Meanwhile, Laney is guiding everyone to switch to downward dog, also fighting to keep her composure together.
“Is there sweat going down your ass crack yet?” Fletcher asks Rhonan from his left. “That’s how you know it’s working.”
“I second that,” Elliot says. “Just be glad you’re not wearing a one-thousand-dollar suit while you’re doing this for the first time because you came straight from work.”
“Not sure jeans are any better,” Henley mutters through a laugh. “What kind of idiot does yoga in jeans?”
“The kind that is pussy-whipped,” Elliot mutters out of the corner of his mouth.
“Will you three shut the fuck up so I can focus?” Rhonan growls.
“Daddy, you said a bad word!” Ellis shouts loud enough that it gets picked up on Laney’s microphone, making the entire courtyard laugh. “And what’s a pussy?”
Rhonan tosses his hands in the air. “That’s it, I’m done!” He turns back to the guys, who have all fallen onto their mats, clutching their stomachs with laughter.
Dilynne is also having a fit. “Holy shit, this is better than I ever could have imagined!”
Laney speaks into her microphone. “I am so sorry, everyone. It seems that my brother has forgotten his manners this evening. So, if you’d all transition into child’s pose, we’ll cool down and end a little early tonight.
” She shoots a glare in Rhonan’s direction, and he rolls his eyes as he mimics the pose, making sure to glance in my direction for a beat, shaking his head in frustration.
But me? I’m having the time of my life. Not only have I never laughed this hard, but these people? They’re everything good there is in the world. Lydia would have fit in with them so well.
But that thought right there tells me that maybe that’s the reason why I feel so at home here—because they and this town remind me of her.
Maybe she led me here after all.
I just hope my past doesn’t come back to test this newfound happiness of mine.