Chapter Twenty-Eight
Isit back confidently as Tom, our lawyer, slides a folded-up piece of paper across the table. My mother, not so smug as I am, has barricaded herself behind folded arms at her chest. We are approaching the situation differently, but we both hope they’ll accept the offer so we can put this behind us and move on.
“The amount shown reflects my client’s first and final offer to buy out your portion of the winery,” Tom states.
I dart my eyes over to Steve and Preston as their lawyer reaches out to grab the paper with an annoyed look. He quickly angles it in view for all three of them and opens it. Steve reacts first. His eyebrows raise, and then his head bounces between his son and the lawyer. That money-hungry bastard was not expecting us to present as aggressive of an offer as we have.
After a couple of brief exchanges between them, Steve turns to me. “Jack, Heidi, would you give us a moment?”
How his tone has suddenly changed since our last meeting. Yes, take the bait.
“Of course,” I say, placing my palms on the table and lifting from my chair.
My mother nods in their direction. We’re both followed out of the conference room by Tom.
As soon as we’re in the hallway and the door closes, Tom turns around and says, “They’re going to take it.”
My mother’s optimistic eyes brighten. “How do you know?”
“I’ve been doing this a long time.” He clasps the lower button on his blazer. “And what we’ve offered is more than sufficient.”
“He’s greedy and power-hungry. I’m sure he’ll take it,” I add.
A few minutes pass before their lawyer cracks the door and invites us back in. Preston’s head is down, avoiding eye contact, and Steve suddenly sits up straighter. I knew he’d succumb to all those zeros.
The three of us return to our seats.
Steve clears his throat. “Heidi, can you and Jack even afford this amount?”
He addresses my mother, but I answer instead. “I don’t think that’s any of your business,” I snap.
“Before this gets contentious once again, will your clients accept the offer?” Tom turns his focus across the table.
Still refusing to look in our direction, Preston gives a subtle nod, followed by Steve.
“Yes.”
I open the back door to see Piper sitting by the pool on one of the patio chairs with her legs hugged tight into her chest. She’s resting her chin on her knees while reading on her Kindle.
“I’ve got great news.” I cheerfully walk across the small patch of grass.
She quickly sets down her device and gets up from the chair. “You’re back!”
“Yes—”
“Hopefully, this time is better than the last—” she casually interjects. “Never mind, I take that back. Last time went extremely well for me.” She runs her tongue along her front teeth.
I smile, remembering that first night we had together. “It ended pretty well for me too.” She giggles. “But seriously—” I start once again.
“Is it wrong that I was secretly hoping that you’d come home pissed off? So, you’d take your anger out on me once again?” She smirks.
A smile slips, slightly annoyed but also turned on by her admission. “If you keep interrupting my good news, we will have a repeat of last time.” I bring my lips into hers, and I dive my tongue down her throat, playfully silencing her.
Piper laughs, gently pushing me away. “Okay, okay. Sorry. I won’t do it again. Now tell me.”
“So,” I pause, anticipating her interrupting again. She stands with her hands on her hips while biting back a smile. “Pending any further negotiations between our lawyers, it’s official. They’ve agreed to the buyout,” I say excitedly.
Her face lights up, and she jumps into my arms. Her legs swing around my waist, and her arms fold behind my neck. “Stop it! That’s so great!”
Piper’s eyes shine bright green in the sunlight, and I smile because this success is hers too. “I can’t fucking believe that we did it. The winery has never been fully ours. My dad has always had Steve as an investor, but now it truly does belong to the Bradley family.”
Piper sweeps her fingers through my hair. “I bet your mom is thrilled.”
“Yes, she’s cried several times already. I know this is what my dad would have wanted,” I tell her, feeling a sense of pride.
“This is the best decision, and you’ll do amazing. I’m so proud of you!”
I slide her down my body until she’s on her feet. “What I would love to do is to celebrate,” I dip my head to whisper into her ear. “Then, I plan on making a shrine out of you and worshiping every inch of your body.”
Piper sharply inhales. “Anything you want.”
“Don’t move. I bought something for us.” I jog back into the house to grab the 1,500-dollar bottle of champagne I picked up on the way home and two sparkling wine flutes.
With two glasses in one hand and the bottle tucked into my armpit, I head back to Piper. She’s sitting in one of the chairs, her body twisted toward me and her face beaming. I love that I get to share this with her. There’s no one else in the world I’d rather be enjoying this celebration or making this huge life change with.
This means that I will no longer have the need for us to be together. A landslide bowls me over as the reminder hits me. My shoulders automatically drop, and I force a weak smile. A heavy sinking feeling settles in my core. I’m not ready to let her go yet, but she’ll be ready for the divorce I promised her. Until then, I will take full advantage of the rest of my time with her as my fake girlfriend—and wife.
“Mmm, what’s that?” she asks as I approach the pool’s edge.
“I picked it up on the way home from the meeting. I thought we could celebrate.” I shift my body away and aim the bottle outward before popping off the cork and shooting across the grass.
“Yeah!” Piper laughs, grabbing the two glasses I set on the table between our chairs.
“How does it feel to be the sole owner of Bradley Wines and Vineyards?” She lifts her champagne in the air.
“Relief and excitement—and also terror.” I breathe out a chuckle.
We toast, and both take a drink with a quick flash of silence.
“I bet. It’s a big decision, but the correct one. Now all you have to do is get the town to accept you again”—she tilts her—“which, after what I witnessed at the Harvest Dinner during the speech you made, won’t be a difficult feat.”
I smile, but my sense of joy isn’t from my decision. It’s also about the woman I chose to bring along for this ride. “I hope you’re right,” I say, glancing over the rim of my glass. My eyes briefly lock with hers, and I get this bubbly, light feeling in my chest. One that Piper always brings out of me. Looking over at her with a devious half-smile on my face, she notices.
“You’re always so hard to read when you get that little flicker in your eyes and that look on your face.”
I purse my lips together and shake my head. “I don’t have a specific look.”
She squints her eyes, suspicious of my smirk.
When she’s not looking in my direction, I place my glass on the table, bend down, wrap my arms around her legs, and throw her over my shoulder.
“Jack!” she shrieks, attempting to wiggle out of my arms. “What are you doing?”
I growl playfully and tighten my hold. I give her ass one hard smack, then toss her into the pool, fully clothed.
Piper yelps midair before hitting the water. Almost immediately, her head springs up from the water. She’s laughing and pushing the soaked hair away from her face. “What the hell?”
I pull my shirt off from over my head. “I’d move if I were you. I’m coming in,” I warn, then remove my pants.
Piper looks away, covering her face with her hands, while I leap off the side of the pool with only my boxers on, splashing her directly in the face.
I can hear her unintelligible shrieks of random words from above the water. While under, I see her legs frantically moving away from me. Four years of swimming in high school has led me to this moment as I reach Piper at the other end of the pool within seconds. When I get close enough, I grab her around the waist while still under the water.
“It’s freezing out here!” she squeals. Her head falls back as she lets out a belly laugh when I break the surface. “What the hell, Jack! I still have my clothes on!”
I lower my forehead to hers, and water droplets drip from my loose strands of hair that fall into my face. “I’m sorry about that. I should probably help you take off your clothes.” She rubs her nose on mine before she lowers her wet lips to kiss me. On instinct, I pull her waist closer so our cores are flush. My hard dick escapes from my boxers, but I don’t care this time. I want her to feel what she does to me.
Clutching my shoulders, she sucks in her bottom lip. “That would be gentlemanly of you.”
Bringing my hands from around her hips, I slide them up her back. She lifts her arms, helping me raise her undershirt and sweater from her shoulders. I toss it outside of the pool. Piper’s drenched clothes slap the concrete on impact.
My heart races when I face her hard, pebbled nipples. “Cold?”
“Maybe.” She plays coy, wrapping a warm palm around my sensitive length that’s already standing at full attention. She pumps me a few times before leaning in to whisper in my ear, “You don’t seem to be, though.”
“Not since you’ve been around,” I quip, slipping my hands under the waistband of her cotton shorts. She wiggles her hips a few times, and they come right off. I throw them out of the pool as well. My cock prods at her core, poking it a few times without sliding in. Grasping her ass, I lift her up, while she simultaneously wraps her legs around my waist.
In the water, we’re weightless, and I barely have to use any strength to hold her in place. Our mouths connect. A short murmur slips through before my tongue is in her mouth, not forceful but eager. Piper responds by latching it with both lips and pulling it into her mouth. The sound of a low grunt vibrates inside my chest. Sucking my tongue in and out a few more times before she releases. A few drops of pre-come bead at the head of my throbbing dick, only feeling it for a second before it dissipates into the cool water.
Hungry for more, I leave a trail of small bites along her chin, neck, and chest. She raises slightly, giving me full access to open my mouth over her nipple. Pulling her chilled skin into my warm mouth, I suck in rhythm a few times, then flick my tongue over her sensitive small bump.
“Oh, Jack,” she moans.
Breathing only when switching sides, I give her other area the love it deserves. Piper’s firm grip continues to stroke me as I slide one palm down her back, over her hip, and around toward the heat between her legs. “Open up for me, love,” I mumble into the soft sweetness of her skin. With the other placed on her ass, I gently push up, giving her the angle she likes.
“That’s so good.” Her eyes fall closed, and her grip tightens even more. “Where’s my blindfold, Mr. Bradley?”
I crack a smile. She’s asking me about the blindfold. Does she like it? I knew she would. “We’re going to have to pass on that because if I’m not in you soon, I’m going to blow in your hand,” I tell her. “Now open for me.”
Piper releases her strong hold on my dick. Instantly, it’s cold, twitching to be warm again and begging to be inside her. She brings her hands to my face before lowering her head to kiss my open lips. My hips thrust forward, aiming right for the slick wetness that coats the inside of her walls. The second her pussy clenches around me, I’m pulled in. It’s inviting and safe, like a warm hug.
“Fuck,” I murmur, my forehead dropping to her shoulder.
As I thrust in and out, small whimpers escape from her light pink lips. She feels so good—so perfect. Piper’s body molds to mine like I’m meant to be there. Her body moves with me until we’re pushed up against the side of the pool. With her arms crossed behind my neck, I extend myself around her, further caging her in and grabbing the ledge. I can pound harder with better support, raising visible small goosebumps that span her skin.
“I’m coming,” she cries.
I lift my hips forward to reach the sensitivity of her clit. “That’s right, come for me. I’m here for you,” I say, biting her neck.
“Oh yes,” she squeaks.
“I am too,” I grunt, picking up my pace. “Come for me, my love.” Her thickness coats my dick in slick warmth, causing me to break. Right as I start to release, her pussy clamps down on me, squeezing out everything I have. My eyes roll back, and my legs lock in place. I crash my weight into her with my muscles limp and tired. At this point, I can’t tell where I begin and she ends.
Piper’s body is still cloaked around me when she slows to a still after her final few tenses. She lifts her head from the crook of my neck and flutters her eyelashes. The shades of green and specks of brown mixed in have become one of my favorite things to look at. “Now I’m freezing.”
“I’m sure.” I straighten to a stand on unstable legs. “Let’s get the fuck out of here before it gets really cold.”
“Burrr,” she says through chattering teeth when our bodies disconnect.
“I’ll get out first and grab your towel.” Placing both hands on the ground, I lift myself from the water. The wind picked up in the short time we were there, and now that it’s late afternoon, the temperature will quickly drop.
I grab the top towel from the stack on one of the bistro tables next to the pool, give myself a quick wipe down, and then grab one for her. “Come here.” I stand by the stairs.
With Piper’s arms stacked across her body, she walks to the open towel and into my waiting warmth. “Thank you,” her voice quakes with shivers.
The cool breeze whips at my bare back as my towel drops. “Let’s get inside.”
Piper nods, following close behind while we sprint the short distance back into our villa. I slam the sliding glass door, then turn to see Piper standing completely naked in the middle of the living room with her towel gone. We make eye contact, and she breaks into an explosive and unrestrained laugh. “I’m so fucking cold, but I’m so fucking alive and I love it.”
“Freezing to death?” I tease.
“It wasn’t my idea to swim today, was it?”
“I guess not. Oh shit, we left the champagne outside.”
Piper shakes her head. “That’s all you. I’m getting into the shower to warm up.”
“I’ll go get it.” I throw on one of my sweaters that was strewn across the back of the couch. I wrap the towel around my waist, run outside, and grab the bottle.
When I get back inside, I hear the faint sound of the shower running. She has the door open. An invitation? I think. I can be ready for round two, but I’m also hungry, and I’m sure she is too. I peek my head around the side of the door, warm steam hitting my face.
Piper’s blurry silhouette behind the misty shower door is tempting. I clear my throat, knowing that if I give in and join her, then I will barely have enough energy to get the job done.
We need sustenance. “What do you want for dinner?” I ask, elevating my voice over the rushing water.
Piper whips her hair around, then cracks the shower door, poking her head out. “Are you coming in?”
The stream pouring from inside creates an apron around her entirely delicious body. “How hot do you have that water?”
“Not hot enough.” She runs her fingers through her long, wet hair. Tempting.
I ball one of my fists, painfully biting it. “God, I want to climb in there with you so fucking bad, but we need to eat—well, I definitely need to eat.”
“Your choice,” she says, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t care what we have. Is there anything here we can cook?”
I nod, squeezing my eyes closed to get the image of her glistening, smooth curves from my mind. But it doesn’t help because she’s now permanently painted on the back of my eyelids. “I think we have the ingredients to make spaghetti. How does that sound?”
“Perfect.” She bats her eyes at me before closing the shower door. “I’ll be out in a minute.”