Chapter Twenty-Five
My chest is full of pride and satisfaction with how my wife handled the interaction with Preston and Sophia. Her sassy little comment made my dick jump. God, I can’t get enough of that fire in her.
Over the next hour, we tried multiple samples of wine and toured the property, where we ended up in the garden. String lights cross from each end of the tree-lined walkway. Hand in hand, we stroll down one of the secluded paths with a clear night sky hovering above us.
“This garden is beautiful. I’m surprised we’re the only people out here.” Piper swings my arm in hers as we walk.
“I don’t mind it.”
“Of course you don’t. You’re introverted and rather be left alone.” She playfully twists on one foot.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting my own space.”
She squints her eyes. “You must love having me around twenty-four-seven then.”
I hear Piper’s words hit the air, but a different thought occupies my mind. I slowly stop and turn to face her. The moonlight shines between us, adding shadows and definition to the landscape of her face.
She’s breathtaking.
My eyes roll over her petite nose, large hazel-green eyes, and naturally puckered lips. Taking one hand, I caress her cheek with the back of my knuckles. “I don’t think I formally thanked you for doing this for me.”
“Of course. But you are paying me to be here.”
“Oh yes, the money.” I rub my lips together. “That’s true.”
“And the divorce free and clear,” she adds.
I nod, frowning. “Yes, that too.”
With a gentle grab of my shoulders, she pulls me in. “I’m kidding!”
I need her to understand how much I appreciate that she’s taking time out of her own life to be with me—and as she so eloquently reminded me, I am paying her. But the more I get to know Piper on the inside, her character and her heart, I believe she would’ve helped me anyway—with or without payment. Because that’s who she is.
“I know.” I laugh, looping an arm around her waist and tugging her into me.
“Besides, I have nothing else going on in my life right now.” She shrugs.
Taking my free arm, I lightly grip her chin between my thumb and index finger, tilting her face up. “You’re not looking forward to getting your own time and space back?”
“Isolation is overrated.”
Crickets in the night and the faint sound of dinner guests from the event behind us are the only things I hear outside her short breaths. The hunger to taste her on my lips again pangs my insides. I dip my head, bringing my mouth to hers, but only stopping to suck in her tiny breaths like it’s the only thing giving me life.
“Thank you,” I whisper, then kiss her deeply. A tingling sensation slowly runs up my spine while I feel Piper shiver at the same time. I dive into her mouth, begging for more. The intimacy passing between us could light up this night sky.
Piper’s nails digging into my back tell me we both need more, but not here. I reluctantly peel my lips from hers.
She slowly opens her eyelids like they have weights attached to them. “You’re welcome.”
“We should head back in. They’ll be starting dinner and acknowledgments soon.” I release my arm around her neck to slip it back into her hand.
“I’m already getting hungry,” she says, intertwining her fingers in mine.
“You’re always hungry.” I shift on my feet and head back toward the cask room with Piper attached to my side. Her hands are safely tucked into mine while the other clutches my wrist above our embrace.
Everyone had already taken their seats by the time we got back into the event space. It looks like the President of the Wine Growers Society, also the master of ceremonies for the evening, has begun addressing the room. I peer down the long table briefly before landing on two empty chairs next to each other, presumably ours. With Piper’s hand in mine, I lead her toward our place, which happens to be in the middle of the table.
Without causing a disruption, we quickly move to our seats. I quietly slide out Piper’s chair.
“Jack Bradley from Bradley Wines is here with us tonight.” Bending to take my place next to Piper, I hear those words blast through my ears like a megaphone.
Fuck.
Stopping mid-movement, I raise my head to give everyone a friendly wave, glancing up and down both sides of the table. Members and business owners in the community dressed in more formal wear clap as I give them a quick, polite wave of my hand.
“Why don’t you come up here and say something? I’m sure everyone is eager to hear some of your thoughts and plans with Bradley Wines.” The clapping gets louder, and my ears start to ring. I have nothing prepared. What am I going to say? Looks like I’m going to have to wing it.
Fuck.
Piper’s eyes stared up at me with confusion but also empathy. Seeing the uncertainty on my face, she quickly squeezes my hand and mouths the words, “You can do this.”
I reluctantly release her hand. Feeling the immense pressure from the entire room, the barrels stacked on either side of the wall close in on me. On my way to the front, I let my fingers feather Piper’s hair. She gives me a comforting smile. Nerves inch up my back as I walk by the smiling faces of our community members.
“Didn’t mean to put you on the spot, my friend. I thought this would be a good opportunity to get in front of the wine grower members,” the president apologizes.
I extend my hand to shake his. “No worries, Tim. Next time, give me a heads-up.
He chuckles, then hands me the microphone. “For sure, Jack. Thanks for being flexible.”
Sweat mists the hairline on my forehead even though there’s a chill here. If I had to guess, the temperature is probably in the low sixties. I stand at the head of the long banquet-style table with close to eighty of Dupara’s winery and vineyard owners, as well as influential members of the community. Ones with pride, whose families can be traced back three to four generations, all involved in the wine industry in one way or another.
But more importantly, Piper.
Her strawberry blonde hair is pulled to the side. With her hand resting on her chin, those beautiful eyes stay on me.
Rubbing my lips together, I prepare to address a room full of people who understand me only as Bradley Wines’ heir and someone who abandoned his family business and the people whom he grew up with. But now they’re the ones I need the most support from if I’d like to keep the winery as successful as it has been. My brain spins with anxiety and self-doubt as I scramble to prepare the appropriate words at the last minute.
“Good evening,” I begin, feeling the weight lay heavy on my chest. Then, my eyes find Piper’s and beyond the orange glow of the dimly lit room, I can see the encouraging smile on her face. With a quick nod of her head, I know that it’s only her and I in this room.
I block out everyone else before clearing my throat to begin again. “We’d like to continue this wonderful evening filled with good food and even better wine, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. I’m so grateful to be back in Dupara with all of you. During the time I’ve spent in Arizona, I’ve obtained a degree in business and marketing, which allowed me to work for one of the most successful hospitality marketing firms in Phoenix, preparing me for this exact moment. I look forward to taking over Bradley Wines and continuing my father’s legacy while incorporating innovative marketing trends to enhance the business and the community. I plan to continue the local initiatives created and run with the support of Bradley Wines. I see my family’s winery being directly involved in fostering and cultivating the growth of smaller businesses—”
I’m interrupted by the steady buzz of clapping throughout the room. It dawns on me that these members want to be assured that there won’t be a shake-up in their small community and that things will continue to be as normal as expected. The realization washes over me, bringing a sense of peace with it. They’re not looking for perfection or glaring at me through eyes of judgment. They’re looking for stability.
“Thank you,” I say, humbled by the surrealness of this moment. This is what Preston and Steve crave. They want to inherit the adoration and respect that my father worked so hard to maintain from his fellow business owners—whom he often referred to as his wine family. An accomplishment of his that I’ve always taken for granted.
In my eyes, this world has always been a burden to bear, holding me back from being myself and the ability to chase my dreams. When in reality, they could’ve been the anchor and support system the entire time.
“Also, I hope to support our community the best way I know how. I promise to give you all my best, coupled with the unwavering backing from the incredible staff at Bradley Wines, some I’ve known since I was a child. We will continue to build and maintain the relationships needed for stable, organic growth. I look forward to immersing myself back into the people of this town, and I can”t wait to get started. I don’t want to take up too much of your time during this event. Again, thank you all. Cheers!”
With a round of applause and an unexpected standing ovation, I hand the microphone back to the president and stroll past the rows of chairs filled with members whose eyes follow me as I move. I stop to shake hands with almost every person I pass, and if not a handshake, I’m greeted with a smile of encouragement or nod in approval.
It feels good, and I know my dad would have been proud.
I’m halfway down the long table when I reach Piper. She starts to lift from her chair with open arms, but I don’t go in for the friendly hug she’s anticipating. Instead, I bring my palms to both cheeks and crash my lips into hers. A kiss not for show and not for the little thing that’s been going on between us. It’s a kiss for me—us, and who we are together.
The sound of the president speaking at the front of the cask room is drowned out by the hum of energy blasting through my veins. Piper crosses her wrists behind my neck, pulling me in closer. With her soft lips roaming over mine and a slight slip of her tongue into my mouth, I decide this night will end soon. I’m anxious to get her back to the villa where it’s only the two of us.
“Wonderful job, Mr. Bradley,” Piper whispers into my lips.
“Couldn’t have done it without you here,” I say, keeping my voice hushed that only she can hear.
“Yes, you could.”
“Maybe—” I pull out the chair behind her so we can both take our seats. “Maybe not.”
My eyes quickly glanced around and noticed that my hearing had returned because the string quartet had begun playing again. Piper and I are seated across from Leslie and Lyle Hockley. They’re my parents’ friends and come from a long line of growers. Leslie is a retired college professor and only recently started taking on more with their winery. She and Lyle both sit on several local boards.
“Such a bummer your mother couldn’t make it.” She frowned before sipping the starter soup. The first course in a seven-course dinner tonight, each paired with a specific wine selection.
“I know she looks forward to this event all year, but she had some things to take care of out of town,” I reply, gliding my palm across Piper’s leg under the table. She wiggles in her seat.
“How are you holding up after losing your father?” Lyle asks, creasing his forehead. “We all do miss him.”
I rub my chin with two fingers, retrieving the canned response I’ve been telling people for months. “It’s been tough, but I’m getting through it. It’s nice to be back here again. It makes me feel closer to him, you know?”
After he passed, I took two weeks off of work to fly up here. I spent the entire time aimlessly wandering around the property. Memories from my childhood of long afternoons running wild all over the land with my dad came rushing back.
“Yes. I completely understand that,” he says. “Well, we’re happy you’re back, and I’m sure your mom is too.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
Leslie flashes me a quick half-smile from across the table. “I wondered why you went all the way to Arizona for school, and then I wondered even more why you didn’t return once it was complete, but after meeting this lovely woman,”—she grins at Piper—“I fully understand now.”
I turn to Piper, squeezing her thigh. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“Thank you. It’s been great meeting everyone out here. I love how warm this community is.” Her eyes flicker, and her face flushes when she speaks.
Leslie dabs her face with a cloth napkin. “We do take pride in that.”
The dinner conversation flows, and I could not be more grateful to have Piper here. She is a natural when speaking to people. She’s unapologetically herself. I noticed that during the networking event at our villas a few nights ago. It’s like she can easily read people’s emotions passing through their words. It’s alluring and explains how she got me to propose marriage after only speaking to her for less than twelve hours.
The wine continues to flow as the dinner courses change. The later into the night we get, Piper gets more friendly, and her voice starts to turn into this high-pitched version of her real voice. It’s fucking hilarious.
We’ve stayed a lot later than I initially wanted to, but I catch myself alternating between cutting her off and laughing at how adorable she is. It isn’t until other guests leave for the night that I take it as my cue to get out of here. The more wine she has, the more flirty she gets. And I know exactly what she wants every time she shoots me thatlook.
“Hey.” Piper flips her hair around, and I’m hit with the delicious scent of lavender. “We should tell them what we did in Vegas a few weeks ago,” casually mentions while in a conversation with the Dueling Hills Winery owner, who happens to be sitting on the other side of her.
Shit.
“Okay!” I urgently interrupt Piper’s sentence. “It’s time to go.” I stand and hook an arm around her shoulders. If the other guests leaving wasn’t a reason to leave—this is.
Piper gives me an over-the-top frown, pushing out her plump, glossy lips. All I can think of is slipping my cock back into that tight, wet mouth of hers.
“Oh no! But we’re having so much fun.”
“I can see that.” I nudge her to a stand, then turn to face the few guests sitting near us. “It was wonderful to see all of you. Have a lovely evening.”
“Bye—”
I whisk her away under my arm. She insists on saying goodbye to every person we pass on the way out of the building—except Preston and Sophia for obvious reasons. A little unstable on her feet, we head to my car.
I slide into the driver’s seat next to her a minute later. Piper talks my ear off on the ride back to our villa. In true drunk Piper form, she insists on telling me who she liked and didn’t like at dinner. In a passionate speech about the various food options that were served, she practices detailed descriptions of the wine’s unique adjectives and metaphors people used to describe them.
I drive along the dark highway in silence, listening to her chattering. By the time we pull up to the villa, it looks like all the other guests went to sleep because there is no light except for my car’s headlights. I shut off the ignition and then turn to Piper in the passenger seat. “Okay, my lovely wife, who will not stop talking. Let’s get you to bed.”
She pouts and crosses her arms to her chest. “But I’m not tired.”
“You’re going to be hurting in the morning if you don’t get some sleep.”
A quick movement from the passenger seat catches my eye. “What are you doing?” I chuckle while Piper crawls over the center console onto my lap.
“Fuck me.”
My mouth falls open. “What?”
With her arms around my neck, she plays with the hair on the back of my head. “You heard me.”
That has to be one of the hottest things a woman has ever said to me. It’s so simple, yet fucking sexy. She demands to have my dick, and that’s what she’s going to get. “You got it.” I grip her hips, moving her slightly to the side, then make quick work of unclasping my belt. While I’m unzipping my pants, Piper gathers her dress, pulling it up around her waist.
As soon as my zipper is down, my dick pops out. “I’ve been so fucking hard for you all night.”
Piper sucks in a breath, still hovering over me. “I craved you all night,” she croons, then moves her panties to the side and lowers herself on top of me.
My head falls back the instant I’m engulfed by the smooth, wet heat of her insides. “I can tell,” I grit out.
When we start moving, a guttural groan escapes her throat. Piper’s lips are on my neck while her nails dig into the leather on the back of my seat. “Oh yes.”
Tightly gripping her waist, I guide her body as she rolls back and forth. “God, Piper, ride my cock.”
Her hands aren’t bound with a belt or handcuffs, and they roam around my chest with excitement. I crumble under her frantic touch. Piper uses me for her own pleasure, riding my dick like that’s what it was made to do. She pivots her body the way she wants while I lean back, enjoying my role of supplying her with an orgasm. “I love being in control, but I also love it when your pussy takes what it needs.”
“Mm-hmm,” she whimpers. I capture one of her breasts in my mouth. Flicking it with my tongue at first, then opening it wider, bringing the whole thing in. Her skin is smooth and tastes like heaven. “Goddamn, I’m going to come,” she squeaks as I feel her muscle tense on top of me.
Wanting my dick to be swallowed by her, I raise my hips from the seat. I immediately straighten, on the verge of exploding myself. Piper’s eyes close while her head tilts toward the ceiling. I can’t take mine off of watching her while she’s overcome with pleasure, demanding everything that I’m now spilling into her. Her pussy tightens around me, trapping me inside.
Once my legs stop shaking, Piper falls into me. “I can’t get enough of you,” she pinches out between labored breaths.
I laugh because I feel the same way about her. Wrapping my arms around her, she’s tight against my chest. Still straddling me, her body curls to one side. I still manage to stay nestled inside her. “My pants are ruined now.”
She lifts her head to bite my chin lightly. “Yes, they most definitely are.”