by Reina Torres
All of the larger growers and vineyards got in on the celebration for the weekend, volunteering flatbed trucks and drivers to offer hayrides up and down the long road. Local restaurants and other food sellers set up tents in the grassy field at the beginning of the lane. When Teo pulled the jeep into the parking area, he touched her arm and gave her a wink. “Stay right there.”
Stepping down from the cab of the Wrangler, he moved around to the passenger side and pulled open the door. Mira took his hand and hopped down from the jeep and gasped as Teo’s hands wrapped around her hips and pulled her against the side of the car. Before she could catch her breath and ask him what he was doing, she had her answer. His lips covered hers in a kiss.
Mira's hands flattened against his stomach and slid up over his chest. She felt his muscles contract under her palms, and she smiled against his lips.
He felt the movement of it, the parting of her lips against his, and it teased a smile from him as well. Turning slightly, he traced the tip of his tongue over the curve of her bottom lip and when she opened her mouth on a sigh, his tongue swept in to tangle with hers. Her fingertips curled into his shirt as she leaned back against the Jeep, the steady pressure of his body against hers kept her on her feet.
“Hey, Teo-”
“Oh, wow-”
Teo’s mouth froze against hers and he gave her another soft kiss mingled with a sigh before he turned to greet their friends. “Jonah... Shay. So nice to see you.”
His words may have been friendly, but his tone was too flat to be the truth.
Mira turned and tried to laugh away the prickle of heat burning across her cheeks. She felt Teo's hands close over her shoulders with a warm squeeze. “Are you working the festival?” She noticed Jonah’s uniform once her heart settled into its normal rhythm. "I'm sorry, stupid question."
Shay gave Mira a wink. “Sometimes I make him wear the uniform for fun.” She ignored Teo’s painful wince, continuing on, “Jonah’s working half the festival and while he's working I'll be helping Emi at the food truck. Make sure you stop by,” she gave Teo a playful smirk, “and bring grumpy with you and make him pay.”
Jonah’s laugh was infectious and lightened the mood. “See you around, Teodoro.”
As they walked away, the two men nodded at each other and the women leaned in to kiss each other’s cheek. It was only when Shay and Jonah walked behind the jeep that Mira turned to look up at Teo. “You are so bad!”
He leaned closer, whispering in her ear, “If I was really bad, I'd take you home.” He brushed his lips against the shell of her ear and felt her tremble slightly. “Maybe,” he felt her hand on his arm as he touched his lips to the sensitive spot beneath her ear, “we wouldn't make it out of the car.”
“Oh wow...” Her fingers bit into his arm.
He looked down at her. “I would really love to do just that, but I also want to enjoy the festival with you.”
Mira blew out a long breath. “Then let's get going before I drag you back home.”
Taking her hand, he led her toward the crowds. “We’ll start with the hayride if the line isn’t too long.”
It was perfect timing, she mused as they walked up to the loading platform. There were a couple spaces left on the DeLuca Winery truck so that they wouldn't have to wait. Teo climbed up first and helped Mira up onto the platform. They moved between the straw bales to the back, where Mira found a seat and waited for Teo to settle beside her before she set her hand in his. He linked their fingers together, sending a thrill up her arm.
A young couple hurried over with a toddler in arms and a blanketed infant carrier, looking up at the crowd already seated on the flatbed. The mother juggled a camera and a toddler whose hand was wrapped around her hair. "Is there room?"
The driver turned to look at the nearly full truckbed, pushing back his beanie cap as he ruffled his shaggy hair. "I dunno. Maybe there's one space, but..."
"We can share." Mira gave Teo such a smile that he would have agreed to anything, but if the offer had Mira sitting on his lap for the entire ride, he didn’t need to be convinced. The harried young mother gave them a grateful smile and a single rider shifted places so that the couple could sit together, toddler on one lap, the carrier at their feet. With everyone settled in, Teo arms tightened securely around Mira as the truck shifted into gear, and gently pulled away from the loading stand.
As they trundled down the road, Mira laid her head back on Teo’s shoulder and snuggled into his embrace. The riot of colors swaying gently above their heads lulled her into a daze as his hands wrapped around hers, his thumb sliding over the pulse in her wrist. It was, in a word… bliss.
After the hayride, they ventured to the festival tents and saw some of the folks from the St. Helena Senior Center. Teo stood back and watched as Mira charmed and was charmed in turn by the smiling volunteers manning the craft table. It only took his encouraging smile for her to sit down and join in.
Leaning against one of the tent poles, he couldn't help but enjoy the opportunity to learn a little more about the woman who was quickly stealing his heart. Mira had such an easy way about her that she fit in with the residents of St. Helena as if she’d been born here.
Teo tried to imagine Andrea in Mira’s place, and couldn’t see her perched on a folding chair in the middle of a small-town fair surrounded by blue hair and orthopedic shoes rather than club-hopping socialites.
He watched as an older man, with a name tag that said "CARL" in over-sized letters, lean over the table and show Mira how to turn some fall leaves into a corsage. It was a simple procedure made all the more interesting by the eagerness of the participants, and the lack of coordination on the part of Carl. When all was said and done they'd put on quite a show: a table nearly upended, a glue gun that would never be the same, and one blushing old veteran who got a kiss from his girl.
Mira stopped just outside the Senior Center tent, determined to pin her corsage to her sweater.
“Here,” Teodoro stopped beside her and took the corsage in his hands, “let me help.”
Over the years he'd done his share of corsage pinning. Every year they had Sweetheart Pinning at the Winter Garden Gala, pinning his mother, and then grandmother when he lived in St. Helena. Add that to all the Mother’s Day celebrations! It wasn't the same with Mirella.
Instead of pinning someone beaming in maternal pride, he had the added pressure of her distracting smile. When he felt her eyes on his face and the strong pulse of her heart through the backs of his fingers and her forest green sweater, he struggled to keep his hands steady.
“Excuse me.” Someone, whose voice he didn't recognize, stepped up to his shoulder. Teodoro was less than eager to acknowledge the stranger.
Unluckily for him, the intruder wasn't going to make things easy. “You're the lady who does the tours at the Heritage Garden, right?" Where Mira had blended into the old agricultural community with ease, this man’s pristine white shirt was nearly swallowed by a thick cable knit sweater that would have fit a coastal town, but seemed a little stuffy for the lush fall weather of St. Helena. To top it off, Teo wasn't sure he liked the overly eager smile on the man's face and bristled beside her.
When Mira reached out her hand, she nudged Teo with her elbow as she introduced herself.
He shook her hand, pointedly keeping his eyes off of Teo. "Ross Gephardt, I teach culinary arts at St. Helena High." Teo noticed the dusting of white hair at the man's temples and the slight pull of wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and stood a little straighter beside him. "I wanted to bring my classes to the Heritage Garden,” his words tumbled out, “to talk about farm-to-table cooking, honoring the heritage of our local produce..." Ross just kept talking, complimenting Mira on pretty much everything he could think of.
Teo couldn't help but think that Mr. Gephardt seemed more interested in the lady, than the tour, but he watched Mira light up, and his heart beat with pride for her. He wrapped his arm around Mira's back, letting his hand rest lightly on
her hip. The gesture seemed to stop the flow of compliments from the teacher and give Mira a chance to get a word in edgewise.
Smiling at the uncomfortable way that Mr. Gephardt swallowed, he listened to Mira talk about the connections to the history standards in the State Curriculum. Teo reconsidered his actions. They were more than a little Neanderthal, but he immediately blamed it on his Italian ancestry. He’d seen it enough over the years from the men in his family and in Gabe’s as well. The instinct to protect went beyond just the safety and happiness of their women, it was the need to let other men know where the line was drawn. And Teo was letting Ross know exactly where he stood.
A subtle brush on his hand turned his head back to Mira. Her fingertips stroked the back of his hand in a soothing gesture, much like he’d done to hers when they were on the hayride. Teo relaxed into the intimate gesture and felt the tension ease from his shoulders.
Mira had reached a stopping point and Teo leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. "I'm going to get us some cider, okay?"
Mira shifted slightly in his embrace and raised a hand to gently rub his back. Any more contact and he'd have growled against her skin. Her touch was magic. "Thanks, I’ll be right here."
Unable to resist one last urge, this one wholly about the woman in his heart, Teo pressed a kiss against her lips. He saw the slightly dazed look in Mira's eyes before he turned to the other man. "You want some cider, Ross?"
The other man waved off the offer. "Ah, no thanks. I’m just fine."
When he made his way back to Mira’s side Teodoro was happy to see the teacher make a quick retreat. "I don't even have to turn around to know you're there." But she did, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "You're shameless!"
"No," he argued, "but when I get you home… I’ll show you shameless." He pressed his mouth against hers, giving her a taste of what she could expect when they returned to the little Victorian. It could only be a taste, since he held steaming hot cider in each hand. When she pulled back with a grin, she held out her hands. “One of those is for me?”
He held out a cup and she took it with both hands, absorbing the heat. Mira leaned over the cup and took a deep breath, inhaling the heavenly scent. “This is just what I needed. Thanks!”
Teo lifted the cover off of his cup and blew over the surface of the cider. “I wish they wouldn’t serve it at the temperature of lava. Careful with the first sip.” He looked at the brew with suspicion.
“You’re just a big baby.” She caught the look he gave her and took a sip of her own cider. “Yummmm.”
“I think I’ll wait.” He set the cap back on and held the cup in both of his hands.
Mira saw the tight press of his lips and melted a little. “I know what you can do while you’re waiting for it to cool.” Not waiting for a reply, she grabbed hold of his coat sleeve, and pulled him closer.
“Oh!” Someone bumped into Teo’s arm and the lid of his cup fell to the grass, splashing cider down the front of Mira’s sweater. “Oh my goodness! Sorry, I should’ve been watching where I was going.”
Mira shook her head. “Nothing to worry about. It’ll wash right out, I’m sure.”
Teodoro took Mira’s cup while she fished a napkin from the pocket of his coat, but he could see the tension in her face.
“I’m really sorry,” the woman was about Mira’s age, perhaps a bit older, “so clumsy.”
Mira stopped blotting at the cider rallied a smile. “Really it’s fine, I’m sure you were distracted with all the fun. I know I was.”
“Oh good,” the woman beamed, “I just would feel awful if something had been ruined!”
She tried to shrug it off. “At least now I’ll smell like yummy apples and-”
“Wait, I know you!”
“Me?” Mira looked at the woman closely for a moment and then shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t think so.”
“I know this sounds crazy,” she leaned closer and squinted at Mira over the top of her glasses, “I know I've seen your face.” She grinned brightly at them both. “I’m not from here, finally got my husband to take me on vacation to the wineries.” Looking over the assembled crowd she gestured toward the bandstand at the other end of the clearing. “He’s over there, somewhere, looking for deep-fried food. My Larry isn’t one for healthy. He’d rather clog up his arteries with fat and cholesterol than live to a ripe old age at my side. Anyway,” she narrowed her gaze at Mira again, “I’m going to figure this out. I love a good mystery.”
Teodoro could see that Mira was unnerved by the close inspection and tried to help smooth things over. “Maybe you passed by the Heritage Garden and saw her with one of the tour groups.”
The woman reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. “No, no… I’m sure I’ve seen your face before, maybe in the paper?”
Mira paled, even in the golden light of the late afternoon sun. “You know, I really should put some water on this just in case.” She gave the woman a tight smile. “If you’ll excuse me.”
The stranger didn’t get a chance to answer, Mira was gone.
The woman turned toward Teo. “I feel so sorry about-”
“You know,” Teo gave her an apologetic smile, “I should check on her.”
“Sure, and tell her…” she sighed. “He left me talking to thin air.”
Chapter Thirteen
Teo caught up with her halfway across the festival grounds, managing to slosh a fair amount of hot cider over his own fingers before he tossed the cups into a nearby trashcan. The pain barely registered, it was the stark look of fear that turned Mira’s skin entirely too pale.
“Mira, wait!” He managed to catch up to her with his longer stride. “Stop. Please.”
She came to a quick stop, her gaze stuck at his feet, her lips made a tight, pale line only a shade darker than her skin.
He reached out to her, but she flinched away, and he dropped his hands at his sides. “What happened back there?” He waited for her response, but she remained silent. Teo tried to meet her eyes, but she turned away.
“I can't. Please, just leave me alone.”
“Alone? Honey, tell me what I can do?” He held out his hand, not to touch her, but hoping that she'd reach out to him. She looked at his hand, and a twinge of movement in her own fingers caught his eye.
“I'm sorry,” the words tumbled from her lips in a rush, “I'm so sorry.”
He didn't know why she was apologizing. He could hear the pain and worry in her voice, and saw the strain in her body. “Let me help.”
She looked up at him and he felt the pain in her eyes like a kick to his gut. “I tried.. believe me, I tried.”
Her words ended on a small hiccupping sob and Teo couldn't bear it anymore. He could feel the curious stares on them and wanted to have some privacy. “Let me take you home, Mira.”
“I'm not,” she declared, as she skewered him with a look, “going to talk to you about this right now.”
He didn't argue, not when tears were threatening to fall onto her cheeks. “Let me take you home.” Her eyes closed slowly when she heard the caress of his voice. “Let me hold you for awhile.”
She took his hand and let him lead her back to the parking lot.
As the morning sun crawled across her bed, Mira rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. She was exhausted, unable to remember much after they left the festival. There was a vague memory of cuddling in her thick blankets and Teo's soft caresses. She remembered going still in his arms and managing to fall asleep. It had been a fitful night wrestling with guilty feelings and painful memories, but now, half awake, Mira felt the terrible ache in her middle.
She heard a moan from deep in the pillow behind her, and an answering caress of emotion rolled through her body. Teo had stayed. He had faced her tears, the stubborn refusal to answer his questions, the fearful pleas when she asked him to leave... he'd understood that she'd wanted him to stay.
Mira knew that she was probably driving him to distraction. She didn't u
nderstand why he was so willing to try, when she was so willing to mess things up.
She felt the bed dip down behind her, and a moment later, his chest pressed up against her back, his arm snaked over her hip. He wrapped her up in his embrace.
The heat against her back made her realize how cold she'd been. She stretched, her neck rubbing against the muscled strength of his chest, then her legs against the scratch of the hair on his shins.
Even awake, she seemed to need to wrestle with the idea that her run in at the festival had been so very close to disaster. And how had she handled it? Like a complete idiot. Instead of laughing off the woman's words, she’d panicked, leaving Teo even more confused.
Taking in a long breath, she let it out again, enjoying the way Teo's arm rode the curve of her hip when she did. Another indrawn breath and his arm touched the underside of her breast, his fingertips tantalizingly close.
Moving closer, she wished she had the courage to turn and nudge him awake, but before she could something gave her a little 'good morning' nudge of its own. Arching back against him, she slid down to cradle against his hips, making no secret of the hardened length between them.
Mira reached back, setting her hand on his thigh, her fingernails lightly scoring his skin. When they caught on the hem of his boxers, she felt him tense up behind her.
"Are you trying to drive me insane?"
She loved the rough scratch of his voice and told him so.
"If you like that," he leaned forward and rubbed his cheek against her shoulder and felt her shudder.
Her toes pressed into the blankets. "Oh, yes," she felt his open mouth against her skin, and a bite on the rise of her shoulder, "that too."