Chapter 13 #2
His gaze turned contemplative, and he reached out again, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. It felt like flames were licking my whole body. All from a single touch. This man was too damn sexy and too damn dangerous for his own good.
“Little Trouble, I don’t know if you could do it wrong.”
I wanted to dispute his words, but his lips claimed mine before I could. There went my vow to make it one and done. There went every thought from my head, except how it felt to have his mouth on mine, his hands caressing my scalp as he cupped my head, his body pushing me back against the seat.
A bang on the hood of the truck had us jumping apart like two teens getting caught by the cops, only now it was worse.
My cousin-in-law, Lainie, stared at us, her mouth morphing from hanging open to a grin that said I’d never hear the end of it.
She gave me a thumbs up before practically running to her car, her phone already in her hand.
“Fuck me.” Clay opened his mouth, and I pointed his direction. “Don’t say it. That wasn’t for you.”
Half the cousins would know about this by the time I got out of the car, which was exactly what I did. Leaning back, I plucked the cooler from the floor behind the seat and headed toward the door, not caring if Clay followed or not.
I couldn’t even keep my promise to myself for ten minutes, so how the fuck was I going to handle the next two weeks?
“Reese.” I didn’t stop as I heard the door slam and the gravel being kicked up from his footsteps.
“Reese.” I didn’t stop when I sensed his presence behind me as I reached for the door to the winery.
Only when he touched me, when I felt his skin on mine, did I pause moving while my entire body went into overdrive on a visceral level. “What’s wrong?”
What’s wrong? His question set my teeth on edge.
He should know what was wrong. He should be able to sense the stupidity of what occurred in his room and then almost happened in the truck, because without a shadow of a doubt, if Lainie hadn’t interrupted us, things would have gone from zero to sixty in a split second.
Or zero to sexty. Inwardly, I rolled my eyes at my beyond childish inner self.
“What’s wrong is that I just said we were forgetting about anything like that.
What’s wrong is that if stuff keeps happening, there’s no point in you staying because I’ll never be able to work with you.
What’s wrong is that Lainie has probably told half my family by now what she saw, and I’ll never live it down. ”
I sucked in a breath, trying to calm myself down.
I was not the calm one in the family; in fact, I was quite the opposite.
My temper often got the better of me, but this was different.
I was experiencing a level of frustration I didn’t really know how to deal with, and that frustrated me even more.
Letting go of the door handle, I turned around and watched as he dragged his hand off my arm before releasing me.
“I’m sorry.” His words stunned me. I truly thought he’d taunt me a little, but I sensed sincerity in his voice.
“You made yourself clear, and I let…” Clay’s voice trailed off before he spoke again, “Well, I don’t think we can deny there’s an attraction between us.
” His gaze found mine, an intensity in those green orbs that made me want to turn and run, while simultaneously climb him like a tree.
“But we’re adults and business associates. I promise to focus on that. Deal?”
“Deal.”
He nodded in agreement, then turned to look out over the vines that sloped down the mountainside.
“So, who’s Lainie?”
“My cousin Owen’s wife. Owen belongs to the winery branch of the family, but he works for a construction company out of Rockford. If I had my way, he’d be working with us and heading up our construction projects.”
Kellan was a lost cause, but I had cousins who I seriously wanted to bring back into the fold. Owen being one of them. Then, after we’re in his portfolio, he can go to work for himself like he’s wanted to do for years now.
With a gesture to the surrounding area, he asked, “Is this all winery?”
I nodded. “Yup.” I pointed everything out as I gave him a rundown. “We have the tasting room, the production building, and then obviously the vines themselves.”
“What do you see happening here?”
“Oh, so much, though Beck, Jax, and Ever have even more ideas. Most of mine center on the experience itself, probably because I drag Ever to competing wineries all the time to see what they’re doing.
Beck and Jax look at the business and winemaking aspects.
We’d love to expand our vineyards, even though it would take years to get the vines to where Beck would be happy with them. ”
“There’s more, I can tell.”
“Of course there is. I haven’t been dreaming about this for years with nothing to show for it.
Ultimately, we’d like to use the land across the street for the vineyard and production.
These vines can stay to serve almost as an attraction.
If production moves, the tasting room can expand.
This space could become a wine cellar, used for wine club dinners or rented out.
Of course, we’d need to have a wine club, but that’s on the vision board, too. ”
I gestured to the production building, sitting slightly higher on the sloped land.
“If we converted that and expanded the public areas both up and out, adding different levels of seating, almost every seat would have an unimpeded view. Imagine being another twenty or so feet higher, looking out at this view.” On a clear day like today, the view was spectacular.
The mountains soared around us, while houses dotted the valley we looked down on.
It was impossible not to fall in love with the grandeur of these mountains.
“Right now, however, the only view to speak of is from those,” I added, indicating the tables on the deck alongside the tasting room.
“None of it works with what we have naturally, and that has to be part of the selling point.”
“You certainly have a lot of plans, Little Trouble.”
I opened my mouth to tell him to knock it off when Ever pushed open the door, giving me a wink.
“Seriously? Are you two going to stand out there all day? Lainie texted like ten minutes ago, and I’ve been waiting.
” Hands propped on her hips, she did a double take over my shoulder, and without a doubt I knew what she was going to say.
“What’s up with you driving the junker? The new truck busted already? ”
I sighed and tried not to acknowledge the low chuckle Clay shot my way.
“Whatever.” Ever abandoned her questioning and gave Clay a once-over from the tips of his expensive, now dust-covered shoes to his windblown dark hair.
The way her mouth ticked up, I knew she liked what she saw.
“I’m Everleigh. You’re Clay. I’m the one who called, by the way, so you’re welcome. Nice to meet you.”
“It’s Clayton,” he responded.
“That’s what I said.” She gestured for us to enter, and I let Clay precede me. I didn’t need an introduction to the place, which I was sure she’d give.
“Welcome to Henley Family Vineyards. I know, I know; try not to let the excitement of the name startle you. I swear, the first damn thing I want to change is that boring-ass name. Not that I’m not proud to be a Henley, I am, but really.
The Storm family up the road a ways named their winery Lightning in a Bottle.
Because of their name, get it? That’s clever.
” She flicked her wrist at our sign above the tasting bar. “This isn’t. Right, Clay?”
Well, leave it to my bestie to throw all the cards on the table at once.
Clay gave all appearances of trying to figure out exactly how to handle her, and coming up with nothing. Which, in fairness, was true for most people.
“Uh, right?”
Either Ever didn’t hear the question in his voice, or she didn’t care, because she plowed ahead. “See. Exactly. I knew you’d agree.” She slipped her hand through his arm and led him away. “Let me give you the five-cent tour.”
Watching them walk off, I started to question my sanity.
Or at least my intelligence for extending this offer to Clay.
I should have sent him on his merry way for many reasons.
Instead, I invited him to stay longer, to meet and work with my crazy ass family, all while trying to keep my hands off him. HAHAHA.
“What’s in the cooler, Reese? It better not be what I think it is.” Beck’s voice, full of warning, came from behind me, and as I turned, a small human launched herself at my legs.
“Auntie ReeRee, did you get me ice cream? I looooooooooove ice cream.” The smallest Henley turned back to her father, a grin on her face. “Don’t I, Daddy? Ice cream is my favoritist thing in the whole world. Can I have it for dinner?”
Beck pinched the bridge of his nose, likely praying for patience.
“No, no, you cannot, Abigail.”
I squatted down to look my niece in the eye, placing the cooler on the floor next to me.
“I’m simply the delivery person,” I explained as a way to placate my cousin and avoid getting a lecture on not over-indulging Abby.
One I would never listen to. “Miss Maple sent it home with my mom last night.” With a wink, I added, “I think it’s your favorite. ”
Abby sucked in a breath, unable to contain her excitement.
Beck did the same thing, but likely for a much different reason.
Jumping up and down, her uneven blond pigtails bobbed along with her.
“Cookie Dough?” She squealed at my nod and threw her arms around me.
“Thank you for bringing it to me.” I glanced at her father and had to laugh at the look on his face, knowing he’d have a devil of a time keeping the sweet treat away from Abby until dessert tonight.
Wait until he saw how much was in the cooler. The man would have a coronary.
The tiny terror held the entire Falls crew in the palm of her little hand.
When her mom had walked away, leaving Abby literally on Beck’s doorstep, she became ours collectively.
He was an amazing father, but there was nothing we wouldn’t do for her.
Unfortunately for us, she knew it. Four years old and this little hostage taker had every single one of us jumping through hoops to be labeled “her favorite.” It didn’t matter that the winner changed from day to day; we would beat each other down for it.
“Hi,” Abby spoke over my shoulder, and given the entirely inappropriate way my body reacted, I knew exactly who had slipped in behind me.
“Hi,” Clay’s voice was gentle and friendly, so different from either the sarcastic or seductive lilt he used on me.
Abby wiggled herself from my hold and stepped around me, staring up at Clay, as I stood and moved next to Ever.
“I’m Abby. That’s my Daddy,” she stated, pointing to Beck and then stuck her little finger in Ever’s direction, “and that’s my Aunt Ever.
” With a glance my way, she re-focused on Clay. “Are you Aunt ReeRee’s boyfriend?”
“No,” I shouted.
“Not really.”
Not really?
What the hell did that mean? I glared Clay’s way, a look that normally would have warned any man in my family that if they valued their ability to ever have sex again, they would stop whatever nonsense they were doing.
Did he freeze?
No.
Did he look like he regretted his answer?
Absolutely the fuck not. The man laughed. Laughed! Complete with that damnable dimple that rarely made its lethal appearance.
The nerve.
“What?” Beck’s eyes widened to almost cartoon levels.
Ever, on the other hand, winked my way, before sticking out her tongue and licking her lips.
I hated my family.
And Clay.
I stepped back in front of Abby. “No, sweetie, he’s not, and he’s not going to be.”
My death stare must be inheritable, because Abby squinted Clay’s way, obviously annoyed at being lied to.
To my shock, Clay hunkered down to her level.
“I’m Clay.” It struck me that he hadn’t said Clayton.
Whether it was because Abby was a child or because he gave up trying to get us to call him that, was anyone’s guess.
Though if I had to lay money down, I’d bet on the latter.
He reached out a hand to shake hers, and I watched as the little girl preened. Traitor.
Being the only child in a family full of grownups, sometimes we forgot how much she picked up simply from being around us, and didn’t I swoon just a little bit at that.
Then he had to go and ruin it. “I’m here to help your family with their businesses.
Your Aunt ReeRee is making me work here before I can help, but she won’t date me.
Maybe you can show me what to do around here?
” Then he leaned in closer, as if he were sharing a secret.
The only thing Abby liked more than ice cream, were secrets.
“And maybe you can help convince her to date me?”
Ever spit out a laugh, resulting in her getting an elbow to her ribs.
“Watch it,” she hissed my way.
“She’s pretty, right? I think Aunt ReeRee looks like a princess.” Abby sighed and looked my way.
“A slutty princess,” Ever whispered. “What’s up with the shorts?” Then it must have hit her what Abby said. “Hey.” Ever’s disgruntled complaint captured everyone’s attention. “What about me?”
“You too, Aunt Ever, but Mr. Clay’s not here to date you. So?” Abby focused on Clay, her shoulders pulled up to her ears and hands out wide. “Do you think she’s pretty?”
Abby turning out to be a pint-sized matchmaker was not on my bingo card. Everyone in the family would have to watch out if she was going to bat her long-lashed blue eyes people’s way. Though I wouldn’t put it past Kellan to use her to get even more women.
“I do. I think she’s gorgeous.”
Ever fanned her face like she was about to go full-on Victorian female needing a fainting couch before pointing to my clothes and nodding. Meanwhile, Beck rolled his eyes, pulled out his phone and started typing.
Fucking great. This was going to be around the family even quicker than Lainie’s text.
Exactly what I didn’t need.
Hoping to end this, I started for the door. “I don’t have all day, Clay.”
With a wave, I walked out.