Tempt Me

by Cali Caliente

  Crap!

  She had never exchanged cellphone numbers with Brent. She couldn’t even text him and let him know about the meeting this morning. The only number she had for him was his office, and he only had her home phone. It hadn’t been a problem until now. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be too upset that she ran out without saying goodbye. Once she got all the details settled here, she would head back home and straight to his office to apologize in person.

  ****

  The Monarch Lavender Farm and Winery’s parking lot was full by the time Brent arrived. When Danielle was gone from her room, he recalled she had an appointment with the farm’s owners to discuss his brother’s wedding. He wasn’t sure how she got here, but her car was still parked in the same spot as it was last night. That meant she hadn’t left the area yet. He decided to walk around and see if he could find her, before he made arrangements to transport the wine for his uncle.

  Walking out through the flower gardens, he noticed a group of people by the large gazebo that overlooked the lavender fields. He headed that direction. As he neared, he spotted Danielle dressed in a pantsuit, her short dark hair blowing in the slight breeze. She was the most beautiful woman God created. He didn’t understand this passion consuming him. Was it love? How would he know when it had never happened to him before? Whatever it was, he enjoyed the immense satisfaction of simply being near her.

  He was almost to the gazebo. She was talking to a woman and two men. One of the men he recognized as the owner, George Reymont. Their conversation and laughter carried toward him on the gentle breeze. He loved the sound of her giggles and couldn’t wait to be closer. Her back was turned toward him, and she didn’t see his approach. It would be fun to sneak up from behind and slip his arms around her waist to surprise her.

  The tall, blonde guy standing at Danielle’s side leaned forward and kissed her. What the hell? He stopped walking and stared in disbelief. After her talk about him being a playboy and not ready to settle down, here she was with another man and less than an hour after they’d parted. It didn’t make sense.

  But it did piss him off.

  He wanted to turn on his heel and leave, but he couldn’t let it go. He had to know who this jerk was, kissing what he now considered his girl. Hell, he’d as much as told her so. He took the gazebo steps two at a time and caught her eye, as well as the other people present.

  “Brent Lovella?” George held his hand out to shake hands.

  He’d met the owners a few years back. The three of them—his brother, Uncle Tony, and himself—visited all the Virginia wineries and tasted their very best wines for use in Antonio’s restaurant. His uncle loved the lavender infused wines from this winery and ordered shipments on a regular basis.

  Brent accepted the man’s outstretched hand. “Yes. Uncle Tony sent me.”

  George grinned. “How’s Antonio doing?”

  “He’s fine, thanks.” He turned and met Danielle’s blue-eyed gaze. She looked nervous and uncomfortable in his presence. “Good morning.”

  ****

  Danielle studied the men around her. What was going through Brent’s mind? He had probably seen George’s son, Jon, kiss her. It meant nothing. Jon was the man who’d two-timed her while she planned his wedding to another woman. But she couldn’t let hard feelings stand in the way of doing business. What was important here was the current wedding she was planning for Rory and Bryce.

  “Good morning.” She turned to the other woman present for introductions, hoping to prevent any problems erupting with Brent. He was angry and had the right to be. After all, she’d disappeared from the hotel room without letting him know why. And then there was the little matter of Jon. “So everyone, this is the groom’s brother. He’s here to help make the wedding arrangements.”

  “I am?” Brent grunted and crossed his arms.

  Ignoring his prickly attitude, she introduced the blonde woman at her side. “Brent, this is Della Abbott. She is the events planner for the lavender farm.”

  “Good morning, Della.” He nodded to the middle-aged woman, who smiled in return.

  “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Jon Reymont, Dani’s boyfriend.” He extended his hand to Brent.

  Brent shook it—hard.

  Jon chuckled and dropped his hand to his side. “Nice grip you got there. Say, we were about to have a glass of wine while we discuss the wedding. Would you care to join us?”

  “Is there a time an Italian doesn’t love his vino?” Brent chuckled but it didn’t ring true.

  Danielle smiled, ignoring his rudeness. He was upset and barely keeping his temper under control. It was flattering and a little unsettling at the same time. She sure didn’t need a fiasco while she was working.

  “That sounds great. Let’s go.” She walked away from Jon without success. He was on her like a cat on a butterfly. But she wasn’t his butterfly. She was done with his nonsense. As soon as she could get him alone, she would tell him off. Big-time.

  Jon slipped his hand around her waist possessively. “Come on, baby.”

  “Jon, don’t.” She smacked his hand away. He was just trying to stir things up.

  Had she known Jon was going to be here, she would have made another appointment—when he was far, far away. China sounded great about now, or even the Himalayas. She picked up her pace and headed toward the wine bar.

  Brent caught up to her. “Boyfriend, huh?”

  Jon caught up. “Yes. We go way back.”

  “Jon, please stop it. What’s your dad going to think?”

  “He’s going to think this time I’ve got me a keeper. I’ve missed you so much.” He kissed her cheek and grinned. “I’m available as of last month. I’m all yours, sweetlips.”

  She grimaced at the nickname he’d given her. “Jon, I’m working right now.”

  “Yeah, she’s working,” Brent chimed in with candor.

  Jon smiled, not one bit intimidated, but acting quite competitive toward Brent. “Okay, Dani. Have dinner with me before you return up north. Say around eight?”

  She shook her head. Jon could be a pain in the butt. She decided to ignore him. Maybe he would get the hint and just go away. “Brent, have you talked to your brother today?”

  “Bryce?”

  She smiled. “Do you have another brother I’m not aware of?”

  He chuckled. “Right. He’s still angry with me for leaving him to do this pick up for Uncle Tony, and to be down here with you.”

  “But you didn’t.” Had he really come to help her?

  “But I did.”

  Jon opened the door for them to enter the wine bar. “Ladies first, especially beautiful brunettes.”

  “Jon, really. That’s enough. We need to talk later, after I accomplish what I came down here to do.” Do I sound irritated? He was itching to be punched. She suspected Brent would agree.

  Jon nodded and bussed her cheek. “Sure. Let me go pour a glass of wine for everyone.”

  Once he was out of earshot, she turned to Brent to explain why she left the hotel without telling him. “I want to apologize—”

  “Boyfriend? Who the hell is this guy, Danielle? I know he’s George’s son. I’ve never actually met him before, but who is he to you?”

  George walked up with a glass of wine in each hand, and handed one to her and one to Brent. “They met when Dani was planning my son’s first wedding. He never loved the other woman and never should have married her. It was Dani he wanted all along. And now, he can do it right this time.”

  She shook her head no. “George, I wanted—”

  “I know. I know. You wanted to wait to announce your engagement, but now is as good a time as any. Don’t you agree?” George’s crazy idea that all was well between her and his son was, well—crazy.

  She swallowed a big gulp of wine for courage. “I don’t think—”

  “Forget it, Danielle.” Brent glared at her and turned away.

  She had to get this all under control and set straight. She wasn’t marry
ing anyone, least of all Jon. She finished off her wine and set the glass aside on a nearby table.

  George took a long sip of wine and lowered his glass. “Don’t be embarrassed in front of Brent. He’s an old family friend. He’ll understand.”

  Oh God, no he won’t. “Can I just say—”

  “No.” Brent downed his glass and held it out for the server to pour more. “Let’s talk business, George. I have to get back on the road.”

  “I thought we were talking business.” George seemed confused and a little off kilter. “What about your brother’s wedding? Are you planning this event with Dani or not?”

  ****

  Brent looked at the woman in question. “Dani can handle it on her own. Uncle Tony needs his vino as soon as I can get it up to the restaurant.”

  Brent wouldn’t let Danielle say something she might regret later. She looked frustrated at not getting a word into the conversation. But whatever she had to say could wait. He didn’t want to hear any more excuses about what he’d seen with his own eyes.

  She tapped his shoulder. “Brent—?”

  “So, do you have the cases ready to load, George?” Brent ignored her and took George by the elbow to lead him away from Danielle. He didn’t want to hear any more about George’s son and the woman he loved. He was done with this bullshit. All along she doubted who he was, and all along she had a boyfriend on the side. How was that okay?

  Women were downright false-hearted. All they wanted was a good time, a hot fuck, and loads of money spent on them. There was not one sincere woman in the world. No wonder he’d never met one. Well, he had. But here she was, every bit as deceitful and full of lies as every woman he’d ever dated. A total waste of his time.

  He swallowed his last gulp, knowing he was drinking the wine far too fast on an empty stomach. He followed George’s stock boys out to the truck and helped them load the wine cases. When they were done, he walked back inside to pay the bill.

  Danielle was giggling and carrying on with Jon. God, it made him want to pound his fist into the guy’s face. But it was George’s son. His hands were tied. He didn’t want any of this getting back to Uncle Tony—or Bryce.

  The best thing to do was get back on the road as soon as possible. He could make it home before nightfall. He climbed up into the delivery truck with a huff. He hated driving this damn truck with ‘Antonio’s is for lovers’ written along the van’s sides. A constant reminder, he couldn’t find true love. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove back through town, but remembered he’d left his duffle bag at the hotel. He had planned to return there with Danielle tonight.

  Dani…Danielle…cara mia.

  “Dammit, Danielle. Why did you have to be like all the rest?”

  ****

  The wedding arrangements were complete, but it was well past two o’clock in the afternoon and Danielle was exhausted. Too much wine. She wasn’t drunk by any means, just laid back and feeling far too amiable. George had insisted she stay for lunch, but she couldn’t eat very much with Jon hanging on her every word and George pushing for them to become engaged. Had Jon told his dad they were dating again? It wasn’t going to happen. She wasn’t a fool. She could never go back to someone who had deceived her like Jon did.

  Jon had kept their relationship a secret from his bride-to-be. Danielle didn’t have a clue he was her client’s groom until the day she ran into him, coming out of the winery office with his arm wrapped around his fiancée—her client. It was awkward having his fiancée introduce them when they’d been seeing each other intimately for weeks. Bad news for the bride since she was being deceived too. It was one wedding she never wanted to revisit. It had been a total nightmare for her, even though the wedding itself turned out beautiful.

  Danielle glanced in the rearview mirror. Good. Jon hadn’t followed her. He promised to return the Cadillac to the hotel for her later, so she could get on the road. She would love to stay one more night and relax, but Brent was gone and it didn’t have the same appeal. Still, she had to swing by and grab her things from the room and pay the additional fee for using the room past check-out time. She turned her VW into the hotel parking lot.

  What was Antonio’s van doing parked on the far side of the hotel? Brent had left the vineyard hours ago. She pulled into the vacant spot beside the van, the perfect place to hide from the hotel’s front door and the desk clerk who had loaned her the Cadillac. And if Jon showed up, she didn’t want him following her up to her room before she got checked out.

  She peeked inside the van’s front window, but the glass was slightly tinted. The door wasn’t locked, so she opened it. A noise came from the cargo area. She climbed inside the van. Brent’s slouched form was on what looked like an exercise mat wedged in-between stacks of wine cases. His hand clutched a wine bottle, but he looked passed out or fast asleep with his chin resting on his chest. He’d been drinking, but was he okay?

  “Brent?”

  He grumbled something unintelligible and rolled onto his side.

  At least, he was alive. She stepped down from the driver’s seat, closed the door and went around to the back of the truck. Only one rear door opened, the other was locked. He might be mad at her, but she hadn’t done anything wrong. She simply hadn’t had the chance to explain. She yanked the door closed behind her and crawled forward.

  “Brent? Wake up.” Shaking him didn’t do the trick. She kissed him full on the mouth. A wonderful sensual delight with a bit of wine aftertaste.

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. “Cara mia, you broke my heart.”

  “You’ve been drinking your uncle’s vino, haven’t you?” She pushed his wavy hair back from his face. She cared about him far too much to see him this way. She removed the almost empty wine bottle from his hand.

  He belched.

  He’d never been drunk in her company. How much wine did an Italian raised on wine have to drink to get a buzz like this? He was not fit to drive anywhere. She looked around and counted at least two empty bottles. She wasn’t sure about the third one, it was almost gone, but there was a puddle of wine next to him on the mat. He might have spilled some.

  “Your uncle will be angry you drank his good wine.”

  “He will understand. It’s amoré.” His eyes closed and his words mumbled.

  Her pulse increased. Could he be in love with me? “What’s amoré, Brent?”

  He opened his eyes and pulled her closer. “The way I feel about you. But you don’t feel the same about me.”

  She settled into a secure position by his side. “How do you know? Maybe I do.”

  “Jon says he’s your boyfriend. You can’t have more than one. Didn’t you tell me that once?” He reached behind her into a box. With a yank, he pulled out another open bottle of wine she hadn’t seen. “Would you care to join me?”

  An ache deep inside had her nodding yes to his offer. He held out the bottle and she drank far too much in one swallow. She wiped her lips and coughed. “I’ll be so drunk, I won’t be able to drive home either.”

  “Then stay.”

  His dark eyes begged her, pleaded with her in a way only a lover would do. He really did care about her. He’d gotten drunk over thinking she was engaged to Jon. What a shame he didn’t know the truth. She should tell him…soon.

  “Is it hot in here?” She brushed her hair back from her face. “I think I’m dressed too warm.”

  “So, take it off. Take it all off. Let’s see what great lovers we can be, cara mia.”

  What a perfectly wonderful and naughty idea. She shrugged out of her jacket, pulled her tank top over her head, and stood in a hunched position to remove her shoes and pants. He worked on removing his slacks and shirt, and laid back naked and waiting. She couldn’t get her bra undone and turned to allow him to help. Her breasts sprang free and the cool air hit them, making them pebble with the excitement of freedom. She laid down half over him and rubbed his big beautiful pene.

  He groaned and shifted his hi
ps. “Dani, you make me shout with passion for you.”

  She put her fingers to his lips. “Please don’t do it here. We might get arrested for indecent exposure or having sex in the back—”

  “Shu… Kiss me, cara.”

  “You know, I’ve had people interrupt me all day and I just want to say— Oh…God, I love your long fingers!” She gasped. Not exactly what she wanted to say, but he was good at making her squirm. He drove her crazy with erotic desire.

  ****

  Brent wasn’t too drunk to make love and that’s what he intended to do with Danielle. He would prove to her he was the better man and better lover. His fingers circled her nub before he slipped them deeper inside to find her touchy G-spot.

  Ah…there it is.

  He loved how she responded to his caress and bucked erotically against his hand. She was beautiful during sex. Her sweet face flushed with passion. Her lips begged to be kissed.

  He pushed her busy hand from his cock and pulled her on top of him. She straddled his hips and lowered herself onto his erection. It was explosive and so damned hot. She had control on top, and he loved it when she teased him.

  “Tell me if you like this,” she whispered against his jaw.

  She found the little ridge between his balls and rubbed there gently, sending him into spasms of sexual delight. Hot damn, she is good.

  “Ahh…I love it…do what…you will…with me, Dani.” He flexed his thick cock and she squirmed.

  She bent to lick his nipples, first one and then the other. While they were wet, she blew on them and made him shiver. Little electric shocks zipped through him from his nipples to his cock. Her mouth slid to his neck. She licked and sucked at his collarbone. Her fingers kept busy too, flicking and twisting his nipples. It was titillating, and sent a loud and clear message to his groin.

  He was rock hard and ready. He raised his hips to push deeper inside. Moaning, she arched her back with her arms in the air like she was riding a horse in a rodeo. She was riding him and it was one hell of a ride too. He could do this all day long and never tire of it.

  She leaned forward again and bent to suck his lower lip into her mouth. Slowly, she raised and lowered her hips, sucking him both ways and driving him to the brink. A groan of pleasure slipped from him as she increased the pace. He pushed up when she came down and the sensation was exhilarating. He was so close—an explosion of white lights filled his mind’s eye. She pumped him relentlessly. His heartbeat accelerated. He grabbed onto her and pushed himself as deep as he could go, clasping her butt so she would give him release.