by Alicia Rae
Apparently, I was going to have to be more direct. “Surely, you haven’t brought me here for a second time to argue over twenty-five thousand. The offer stands as is. Take it or leave it, Mr. Adams,” I said firmly.
Frederick eyed me for a second and then let out a loud, defeated sigh. “A pen, Miss Madison?” he asked, outstretching his hand.
I reached for one in my briefcase and handed it to him. He signed the contract and slid it over to me. We all rose to stand.
As Frederick stepped forward, I politely extended my hand. “Thank you for your business, Mr. Adams.”
“Uh-huh,” Frederick nearly grunted, shaking my hand.
Then, I let go. I turned toward the door, ready to exit. I took the lead with Jason and Frederick behind me.
“Miss Madison,” Frederick said, placing a hand on my shoulder, “may I have a word with you in private?”
In an instant, Jason stretched his arm around my waist and pulled me to his side. “I don’t think so. Hands off,” he threatened in a dangerously low tone.
I tried to diffuse the situation. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Good day, Mr. Adams.”
Frederick glanced between Jason and me. His mouth opened, but he didn’t speak.
“Good-bye, Mr. Adams,” Jason said without looking at him as he gently nudged me forward.
I barely made it out the front door before erupting into nervous laughter. Jason took my hand in his, tugging me toward my car.
He looked at me with a raised brow. “I don’t know what you could possibly be laughing at. That was the most fucked-up meeting I have ever been to in my life.”
“That’s what I’m laughing about.” I actually didn’t have the slightest clue as to why I was laughing, except that I might have a small breakdown if I hadn’t laughed. I reached into my purse and unlocked the doors with my keyless entry.
We climbed into the car and put on our seat belts.
“Are all of your meetings like that?” Jason asked me with a baffled expression.
“No. Thank goodness,” I sighed in relief, starting my car. “Just with Frederick. He’s a jerk.”
“I can think of many better names for him than that,” Jason grunted. “I wanted to pound the fucker into next week.”
“Don’t let him get under your skin,” I said, reaching for his hand.
He was still tense. “Does Kyle know how Frederick speaks to you? Because if he does, Kyle and I are going to exchange a few words when he gets back from his honeymoon,” Jason nearly growled.
“No,” I answered quickly. “And I don’t want him to know either.”
Jason looked confused. “Why haven’t you told him?”
“Because I already backed down from Frederick once before. I let him rock my confidence, and Kyle had to step in.” I exhaled, exasperated. “When Kyle asked me to close the deal this morning, I knew without a doubt that he had no idea how Frederick had treated me, and this was my second chance to prove to myself that I’m a strong businesswoman who can hold my own.”
“It was hot as hell, watching that business side of you take charge and put him in his place.” Jason grinned before his eyes suddenly darkened. “But I saw red the second he put his hands on you. It took everything I had not to give him a black eye.”
The way he had hauled me toward him at Frederick’s advance warmed my heart. A part of me felt it might have been an overreaction, but it had also shown me how much he cared about me.
I cupped his cheek, grateful that he was with me today. “Thank you,” I whispered, leaning forward. I kissed him tenderly.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled against my lips. Then, he backed up slightly to look at me. “So, I want to take you somewhere nearby.”
Intrigued, I smiled at him. “Oh yeah, where’s that?”
Jason shook his head and grinned at me. My eyes caught on his dimple.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Another one?” I asked, not knowing if I could bear the anticipation of another one of his surprises.
“Yep. The only hints I will give you are that it’s not far from here, and we could probably stop along the way to change into more comfortable clothes,” he said. “Are you up for it?”
“Definitely.” I smiled back at him.
Jason pulled his phone out of his pocket, swiped his finger across the screen, and then opened an app that looked like a map.
I racked my brain, trying to guess where he wanted us to visit, but I came up empty-handed. Deciding that the quicker we got there, the faster I’d find out, I slipped the car into reverse and backed out of our parking space.
“It’s only a few miles up the road,” Jason said, lifting his hand to point. “Take a right out of the parking lot.”
“You got it,” I replied, turning the wheel with a permanent smile on my face.
With Jason, he always seemed to be full of surprises.
As we exited the car, my eyes skimmed back and forth across the endless rows in the vineyard in front of me. Jason came to stand behind me as he wrapped me in his arms, pressing his chest against my back. I placed my arms on top of his while still gazing at the stunning view.
He nuzzled his head closer to mine. “I thought you might like to come here since you always seem to order wine at dinner,” he said thoughtfully.
I tilted my head, so I could look up at him. “I love wine. Thank you for bringing me here,” I said, observing a tender smile spreading across his face. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed my forehead. “They have a tour going on today, and then we can join in on a tasting afterward.”
Excitement ran through me. I had never been to a wine tasting before. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Come on,” Jason said, taking my hand in his. “Let’s go check out the place.”
To my right, I noticed a large two-story white house. Blue shutters were on each of the windows, and the front had a long wraparound porch with a wooden swing.
“From what I read on the website, that is the owner’s house,” Jason said as we kept walking forward. “Wouldn’t it be neat to walk outside of your home and make a living off your own land every day?” he asked in amazement.
“Yes,” I agreed, still gazing around. “It is so peaceful out here.”
I turned my attention to the left to see a long row of multicolored rose bushes lining the grass. The other side looked to be filled with more rows in the vineyard. I didn’t have the slightest guess as to how many acres the grapes covered, but it must have been nearly a hundred.
We came to a sidewalk and continued forward, approaching a large wooden barn that looked to be recently renovated. The windowsills held hanging baskets filled with different arrangements of vibrant flowers that were all in full bloom. Jason opened the door, and I strode in first.
Inside, a woman greeted us. “Hello.” She smiled. “Welcome to Scribner Bend Vineyards. May I help you find anything?”
“We would like to join your tour today, if possible?” Jason asked.
“Of course. It’s just about to start.” She lifted her hand to point at the red wooden double doors behind her. “Everyone is gathered right outside those doors.”
I nearly charged forward with eagerness to learn more about the process of making wine. Jason let out a chuckle as I took the lead, pulling him alongside me. Outside, a huge John Deere tractor was attached to what looked to be a handcrafted wagon. Jason swooped me up into his arms and then set me down on the first step to climb aboard. I felt a smile creep across my face as I blushed at the onlookers who were watching us. Jason climbed in behind me, and we took our seats along the back bench.
The tour guide shut the gate behind us and stood just on the other side. As the tractor began to move, the guide informed us that Scribner Bend was privately owned with over eighty acres of vineyards. They currently bottled over ten types of wines with many varieties of blending. Red wines took a couple of years to create, starting from the vine to
bottling. White wine was prepared in stainless steel tanks that only took about one month.
After our tour around the premises, we went back inside the barn to learn that the most important parts of wine were the color and aroma. We smelled a few to pick out individual scents—like clove, allspice, and cinnamon—and then we finally tasted them to catch flavors, such as cranberry plum or spice. The guide informed us that there was no right or wrong way to choose a wine and that it should be based on our own personal palate. By the time I tried my sixth tasting, my tongue felt numb. I could no longer tell the difference between all the flavors. They all tasted delicious to me.
After our wine tasting, Jason and I walked around the barn. He bought me five of the red wines I had sampled, saying we would be opening one of them later tonight. We walked back out to my car. The sun was starting to set in the west, creating a stunning array of colors just over the tree line.
“Would you like to take a walk before we head out?” Jason asked, shutting the passenger side of my Camaro.
“Sure.” I beamed over at him.
“I think we have a good hour before dark. That should give us just enough time,” he said, coming to a stop at my side.
“Sounds great,” I replied.
I locked up my car and tucked my keys into my front pocket. Jason took my hand in his and walked us toward the back of the lot. Behind us was the Sacramento River.
“So, did you enjoy the tour and tasting?” he asked as we strolled hand in hand toward the water.
Between the trees was a narrow path leading to the river. A picnic bench was placed off to the left, but we continued to walk past it. I could now see a mixture of oranges, blues, and yellows in the sunset. The way the sun reflected off the water was so beautiful.
“I loved it. Although, after the sixth glass, I think all the red wines started to taste the same,” I admitted sheepishly.
Jason chuckled softly. “At least you made it to six. I think it was after the third glass for me.”
I tilted my head, smiling up at him, and we walked onward, stepping over fallen limbs here and there. “I did learn a lot. I never knew how much went into the process of making wine.”
He shook his head thoughtfully. “Me either. I have a whole new appreciation for winemakers.”
“Me, too,” I responded in agreement.
Just ahead, there was another wooden picnic table. The temperature was slowly starting to cool off, and I felt a light breeze across my face.
“Would you like to sit?” he asked kindly.
“That sounds great actually,” I replied, reaching the table.
Jason held my hand as I lifted my leg over the bottom plywood and hopped up to sit on it. He gracefully sat next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder as he pulled me into his side. I snuggled into him, keeping the chill at bay. His body was so warm and comforting.
I was so glad I’d asked him to make this trip with me. I loved his company, and I was enjoying this time alone with him, away from our jobs. It was fun to work with him, but he’d seemed to relax after our meeting. He looked like he needed this getaway as much as I did.
“So, are you enjoying Lake Tahoe?” I questioned, breaking the silence. I wanted to know if he was still happy with relocating from Colorado.
“Of course,” he answered, tightening his hold on me.
I gently placed my hand on his chest and peeked up at him. “No regrets?”
Jason faintly shook his head. “None at all,” he replied, glancing out at the river. “I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved out here. As much as Lily and business were parts of it, I also felt like it was time to move on and venture out on my own. I’ve always lived in Colorado with the same job, same house, same people.” He paused, looking to be in deep thought. “I was ready for something more.”
I wasn’t sure what he’d meant by more. However, the thought of asking him to elaborate made my nerves go haywire, so I left the topic at that.
Before I could think of a response, he asked, “Do you like your job? I mean, is it what you’ve always seen yourself doing as a permanent career?”
I nodded and smiled. “Yes, I love my job. There are some days when I find it tough, especially when I’m being bullied, but I remind myself to lock my backbone in place and never give up,” I admitted for the first time out loud to anyone.
He looked down at me, and his eyes were full of pride. “I must confess that while growing up, I believed the woman’s place was at home, raising a family, even though I never voiced those feelings—”
I cut him off by playfully nudging my upper body into him. “Geez. Thanks! And here I thought you were cute!” I teased.
“Wait! I wasn’t finished!” He chuckled as he drew me closer. “As I was about to say, working with you for the past two weeks and seeing the way you handled Frederick today gave me a whole new outlook on that perspective.”
I perked my brow at him. “I think that’s a compliment.” I chortled. “Then again, I’ll need you to clarify your new perception with a little more detail.”
He grinned at me. “For starters, you have this fire inside of you that comes alive when you’re in your business mode, and I greatly admire it. Your determination not to back down helped you a great deal today. It proved to me that you’re strong and independent, which are profoundly admirable traits in a woman, and that you really do your job just for the love of it—as anyone should in a career.” He hesitated, raising his hand to tip my chin up to meet his gaze. “You’re such an intelligent and beautiful businesswoman.” He shook his head. “Don’t ever let anyone rock your confidence.”
Tears threatened, but I held them off. All I could do was nod.
“Promise me,” he demanded. “Promise me you won’t let anyone get to you the way Frederick did the first time again.”
“I promise,” I breathed.
As if he didn’t need any more reassurance, his mouth captured mine. His lips and tongue were full of passion as his hands came to my jaw, cupping it and pulling me closer.
How much he was becoming to mean to me over the short time we’d spent together passed through my mind. The thought was frightening yet comforting at the same time.
He leaned back, breaking our contact, and I noticed the vivacious colors in the sky were starting to dim behind the trees.
“As much as I could stay out here with you forever, we better head back before it gets dark. We still have to find a hotel to stay in for the night,” he said, running his thumb across my cheek.
“Okay,” I said, rising to my feet, feeling bummed to see our evening coming to an end.
Out here by the water, there were no meetings, no renovations on buildings to keep on schedule, or paperwork that needed to be completed. I realized I could stay out here with him and Mother Nature forever. Jason took my hand again, and I smiled softly at the contact. My grin broadened, and my cheeks were starting to hurt with how much smiling I’d done since I met him.
After eating at the nearest diner Jason and I could find, we walked back to the parking lot. I paused at the trunk of my Camaro and opened my purse to pull out my car keys. Jason stopped alongside me. Between driving a little over a hundred miles from Lake Tahoe to Sacramento, enduring my meeting with Frederick, and our adventures at the winery, I was feeling the day’s events catching up with me. As much as I adored my car, I was tired of driving for one day.
I tilted my head up at him, outstretching my hand midair between us, while eyeing him inquisitively. “Can I trust you with my beauty?”
The distant streetlights around us lit up his face just enough so that I could see him lift his brows in surprise. A boyish grin settled over his features as he gently tried to snatch my keys, but I held them tightly, not allowing the warmth of his touch to distract me.
“You’re really going to let me drive it?” he asked in amazement and then answered, “Of course,” before I could respond.
“With one request,” I replied.
/> His grin broadened. “And what’s that?”
“I’m still breaking her in, so be gentle. And if you spin the tires before I have a chance to, I’ll kick your ass. Oh, and careful shifting my gears. With it being new, they are a bit touchy,” I said, letting out a deep breath.
I felt like I was leaving my newborn child for the first time or something. More precautions entered my mind, but I resisted when I noticed Jason’s humored expression. Jason bit his lip as his chest shook with laughter. His eyes reflected nothing but adoration.
“What?” I huffed.
“You.” He chuckled huskily and bent forward to place a tender kiss on my lips. “That was definitely more than one request, but I think I can handle them all,” he teased.
“Good,” I exhaled, surrendering my keys to him.
We both started to walk toward the doors, him to the driver’s side and me to the passenger’s side. He paused abruptly and rotated to face me. I could see the wheels turning in his mind.
“Wait, why in the hell did you let Lily drive your car if you were worried about burnouts?” he asked in a perplexed tone, stifling his amusement.
“I blame that misjudgment entirely on my inebriated state on that particular night, and I didn’t find out about her love for the throttle until afterward,” I joked.
Jason opened his door as did I. Laughter was rolling through him as we took our seats and clicked our belts into place. He started the car before glancing over at me. His hand came to the lower part of my seat belt, and he gently pulled it snug.
“Might want to buckle that seat belt a little tighter, baby. Things might get rough.” He grinned devilishly.
His deep voice sent butterflies soaring in my stomach.
As hot as he’d sounded, my eyes widened. “Jason!” I shrieked, lifting my hand to punch his firm bicep.
“Sorry! I couldn’t resist!” he replied, laughing uncontrollably. He raised his left arm to rub his bicep, pretending to be wounded. Then, he leaned over the seat and gave me a scorching kiss.