Chapter 12
Francesca
We continued our walk around the vineyards for a while after dark.
Holding hands.
Talking about how nicely Carlo and Giselle's wedding turned out. Even though there were definitely some rough patches.
I didn't mention anything about the—odd—make out sessions earlier in the kitchen. The night was too. And Stefan really seemed to be quite taken with his ring.
I didn't tell him what it cost. Which was practically nothing. Especially compared to what I had on my own finger. And the huge diamond he'd bought for me.
Anyway, after such an emotional twenty-four hours—I didn't want to ruin the wonderful vibes we shared right now.
There would be plenty of time to talk about everything else another time.
Maybe tomorrow.
By the time we wandered back to the house, it was mostly dark inside.
No one was on the patio. And the kitchen was clean and quiet.
“Let's go down here for a while.” Stefan pulled my hand. and I followed him into a room down the hall from the kitchen. It had overstuffed, comfy-looking furniture in it. With a large, square ottoman in the center of the room.
Stefan had similar-looking furniture back at his place. In the room with the door to his dungeon.
I wondered when I'd get to explore down there again. And exactly when I'd be finished Stefan's spreadsheet timeline.
“Come, sit,” he said, leading me to one of the big couches. I sat down and Stefan picked up a remote. I figured he’d turn on the TV.
But instead—he put on music. It was beautiful, soft classical music. Stefan sat beside me.
A few minutes later—in sauntered Nick. A bottle of wine in one hand.
And three glasses in the other. “How was your walk?” he asked, wandering over to us.
He set the bottle and glasses down. “Anyone care for a glass or two of wine?” He didn't wait for a reply.
Instead, he went right ahead and started pouring.
When he was finished, he handed me a glass. “Here you go,” he said, his gaze falling to my cleavage and then back up to my eyes. “Drink up.” He gave me a devilish smirk that I felt as if it were a physical touch.
A really, really, really great physical touch.
He gave Stefan a glass, too.
I took a sip. It was sweet. A hint of peaches. This wine was definitely drier than the others I had. But still, very good. I immediately took another sip.
“Do you like it?” Nick asked, sitting down right beside me.
And I mean—
Right.
Beside me.
His thigh touched mine. Actually, I think he was closer to me than Stefan was at the moment.
“It's very good, thank you.”
Nick and Stefan drank their glasses faster than I did.
“Drink up, Francesca. You need to keep up with us.” Nick gave me a wink. So, I quickly finished off the last half of the glass.
Nick graciously filled our glasses again.
We drank for a few minutes in silence, enjoying the music. And the company.
Until Nick cleared his throat and set his glass on the coffee table in front of us.
When he sat back, he turned to me. “Francesca,” his hand touched my thigh, and he squeezed, “I can't seem to stop thinking about the kisses we've shared. Especially the last one. At the table. It was quite,” his hand rubbed my thigh, and his other hand touched my hair, brushing it over my shoulders, “intense. Did you feel that way, too?”
Instead of answering, I looked at Stefan, wondering if he was going to kick Nick out or what?
“Answer Nick, please,” Stefan said. Then he placed his hand on my other thigh.
I peered over at Nick. “Yes, it was very intense.”
Nick nodded. “That's good. I'm glad you felt it as well. I thought you did. But I wanted to discuss it with you before we moved any further.”
I frowned and took another sip. “Further?” I asked, not understanding what he meant. Further than what? Our kiss had been pretty freaking far if you asked me.
“Further. Your husband and I have been talking about you and I doing—more.” Nick's index finger trailed down my neck—to the top of my cleavage.
“More?” I asked, confused.
“Yes, Francesca.” His eyes held mine, and I saw and felt the sheer desire and hunger in them. “More.”
Yikes!!
What kind of “more” is Nick talking about???
To find out, go grab Vows of Trust by Jessa York