4. Owen
four
Owen
“Ilook ridiculous.” I pump my arms up and down, jogging in place inside the wooden half-barrel filled with grapes, the squished grapes staining my skin and clothes.
“Your technique is perfect.” Lyra covers her mouth with her hand as she laughs.
“Right.” I bend down, pick up a couple of slightly squashed grapes, and throw them at Lyra, who’s stomping grapes in her wooden half-barrel a few feet away.
“I’m a six-foot-seven-inch giant who barely fits in the wooden barrel, stomping on grapes like I’m the Jolly Green Giant.”
“You’re not exactly green—you’re more of a reddish purple.” She tosses a couple of grapes back at me with surprisingly accurate aim. “Besides, aren’t giants supposed to live in the mountains? Is that why you moved to Temptation Ridge?”
And there it is, the million-dollar question. We’ve danced around it for a few hours today, keeping our conversation light, talking only in general terms about our lives, nothing specific. I slow my pace from a jog to a more leisurely walk and decide to tell her my story.
“I had a good life growing up. My parents loved me, even spoiled me. But when I was eighteen, they died in a car accident. The police said it was their fault, and the surviving family from the crash sued the estate. I was young and stupid—I didn’t try to fight the lawsuit.
They won and took everything. I had no living relatives.
My only choice was to join the military.
” I pause, not realizing she’s climbed out of her barrel and walked over to stand next to me.
“I’m so sorry, Owen.” She takes my hand and guides me out of the barrel and into the empty changing room. When her hands reach for the hem of my shirt, I grab them.
“What are you doing?” My hands tighten around her wrists.
“I’m helping you get undressed so we can wash the grape stains off our bodies.
” She told me to bring an extra pair of clothes, one I didn’t mind getting ruined by the grape stains, but I never thought about cleaning up and putting my regular clothes back on.
“There’s a shower in the bathroom.” She nods toward a closed door at the back of the private changing room.
“You can go by yourself, or we can shower together.” The invitation is unmistakable in her eyes.
Not wanting a pity fuck from her just because I told her about my parents, I push her hands away. “I don’t want you to fuck me just because you feel sorry for me.” I know my words are harsh, but I don’t want her pity—I want her heart.
“Sure, I’m sad about your loss, but I don’t want to fuck you out of pity—I want to make love to you because I feel close to you and want you to be my first.” Shit.
I thought she might be a virgin, but having her confirm it has my cock standing at full attention.
“Will you be my first and make love to me?”
“It would be my honor.” I brush a lock of hair from her sticky cheek. “If you’ll do me the honor of being my first.”
“You’re joking, right?” Before I can answer, she answers her own question. “Actually, I’m not surprised—your kissing skills are as bad as mine.”
“Is that so?” I pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and carry her to the bathroom. “Be a good girl and take a shower so we can get home before I decide to take you for the first time in that shower.” I let her body slide slowly down mine as I gently place her feet on the ground.
“I’d be okay with that.” Her eyes light up as she reaches for the hem of my shirt again.
“Nope.” It’s my turn to pop the p. “Our first time will be on my new king-sized bed, where I plan to keep you for days.”
“In that case.” She drops her hands from my shirt. “You’d better go first. I need to gently break it to Liv that I’m taking a few days off.”