by Darcy Burke
He exhaled and took a step back from her. “Cool. I get it. See you around.” The words were clipped, but not rude. He was trying to be a gentleman, because, well, maybe he was a gentleman, and since she’d given him the brush-off, he was doing his best to hide his disappointment.
Ugh. Now she felt bad. She turned from him before she could change her mind. Before regret took hold of her.
As she made her way back to her table, she realized it was too late.
Chapter Three
By the time noon rolled around on Friday, Cam and his cohorts—Luke, Jamie, and Hayden—were sweaty, disgusting messes. They’d spent the morning in the uppermost region of the vineyard, checking fruit, removing leaves, and pretty much getting as hot as possible. Not that Cam minded. He loved this job more than he thought possible. This morning, he was sweating it out in the vineyard, but later he’d be working in his office on a variety of things, from marketing to event planning and coordination to updating their website.
The four of them walked into the shade and air-conditioned comfort of the winery. Hayden turned as he took off his hat. “Too bad there’s no salmon bake to look forward to tomorrow night.” His exhalation held a wistful quality.
“Dude, you read my mind,” Cam said, grinning. “I was just thinking about that. What a great night. We’ve had a lot of interest this week—the wine dinner next month is filling up fast.”
“Excellent.” Hayden shook his head and looked around at the other three. “I still can’t believe this is actually happening.”
Luke swept his hat off and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Believe it.”
Two years ago, Jamie had pitched the idea as a joke as they’d sat drinking beer in Hayden’s family’s flagship brewpub, The Arch and Vine, in the center of Ribbon Ridge. It hadn’t been a serious discussion, but every one of them had walked away thinking about the possibilities. For Cameron, he’d been tired of traveling, of feeling disconnected. His parents, particularly his mother, had constantly hounded him about being gone so much, but in the early years, he’d needed that lifestyle. He’d thrived on the unexpected, the sense of adventure, and excelling at his job.
But the opportunity to start something with his brothers and his best friend had grabbed him hard and fast. He’d immersed himself in it ever since.
“How are things coming for the wine dinner?” Jamie asked.
Cam and Hayden were working on it with Hayden’s brother Kyle and his sister Sara. The Archers owned and operated a luxury hotel, The Alex, in the hills over Ribbon Ridge, and Kyle, a world-class celebrity chef, managed the restaurant, The Arch and Fox, while Sara was the event manager for the entire property. It was a no-brainer for them to unveil the wines of West Arch there. The dinner would take place the weekend after Labor Day, just six weeks from now.
“Kyle and Sara are on top of the logistics,” Cam said. “I’d like to get some high level wine critics in so I’ll be working that angle.”
Jamie threw him a humor-filled, teasing little brother look. “Is Brooke Ellis coming to the dinner?”
Cam knew Jamie was flipping him shit. “I didn’t invite her.” Not after she’d turned his overtures down flat.
Luke set his hat back on his head. “I was surprised she left before you. Or did you hook up later?”
“Nope.”
Hayden looked at him in mock pity. “Damn, I think you’re losing your touch.”
Cam snorted, but there was a bit of truth in Hayden’s words. Since Cam had noted that his love life had tamed over the past two years, he’d started to think about why. It had to be because he was too busy. Anyway, he wasn’t a monk.
Jamie set his hands on his hips. “What happened there? She seemed kind of flirty when we were tasting the wine.”
Yeah, Cam had thought so too, but she’d set him straight. He’d certainly tried—three times, and that was his rule: three strikes, and he was out. Total bummer because he’d really liked her. She was funny and smart. He could’ve talked wine with her into the wee hours. Now he was disappointed that he never would.
Cam lifted a shoulder as he answered his brother. “It’s no big deal. Just no connection there.”
Luke blew out a breath. “Too bad. Man, her friend was pretty eager, though. She stalked me all night.”
The tall one with the long, dark hair and the sultry eyes. Very attractive, and yeah, she’d hung around, even after Brooke had gone. “I saw that,” Cam said. “What happened?”
Luke shrugged. “Nothing.”
“You give me shit about being a player, but you’re a regular hermit when it comes to female companionship.”
Luke arched a brow. “And how would you know?”
Cam nodded toward Jamie. “Because you live with him, and you apparently hardly ever date.”
Luke elbowed Jamie in the arm. “What the hell, bro?”
Jamie elbowed him back. “What the hell is right. You don’t date. No big deal. I guess it’s because of your ex back in California, but who knows, since you never want to talk about her.”
Luke made a noise that was half snort and half scoff. “Whatever. I’m grabbing some lunch, then heading back out.” He’d spend the rest of the day with his vines.
“I’ll join you later,” Hayden called after him.
Luke waved his hand as he started up the stairs to the uppermost floor, where they all had offices with bathrooms—and what Cam was most after: a shower.
“I’m running home for lunch,” Hayden said. He and his wife, Bex, had built a house last year on a couple of acres just up the road. “See you guys in a bit.”
Jamie turned toward the stairs that Luke had gone up. “I need a shower, and then I’ve got numbers to crunch.”
“Ditto,” Cam said. “On the shower anyway. Keep your numbers away from me.”
Jamie was terrifyingly intelligent, with multiple master’s degrees from the London School of Economics. He took care of everything and anything to do with money, and Cam had no doubt he’d see this winery turning a profit in no time.
Jamie chuckled as they went upstairs together. They parted at the top. Jamie’s and Luke’s offices were on the south side of the building, while Cam’s and Hayden’s were on the north. The center portion was claimed by a large space, some of which would go to employees they would hire down the road, plus a conference room overlooking the vineyard.
Cam went to his office and beelined for the bathroom he shared with Hayden. While toweling off after his shower, he heard his phone ring. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he dashed out and picked up the receiver, but it was too late.
He set the phone down and started back toward the bathroom, then froze at the sound of a feminine voice.
“Hello?”
The query came from outside his office. He went to his door, which was ajar, and peered through the space. At the same moment, Brooke Ellis’s blue-green gaze connected with his.
And here he was in nothing but a towel. He stifled a smile at his luck.
“Uh, I can come back later,” she said, clearly trying not to look south of his face and failing miserably.
“No, it’s fine. Come in.” He opened the door wider.
She hesitated.
“You can sit while I get dressed,” he said.
Her eyes widened briefly. “Really, I can come back later. Or wait out here.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t going to get dressed in front of you. Unless you want me to.”
Pink bloomed in her cheeks. “Clearly, I don’t.”
“I have chairs in here. And a couch.” Her eyes widened again, and again he tried not to laugh. “That you can sit on while I go into the bathroom, close the door, and make myself presentable. Sound good?”
Still, she hesitated, but finally said, “Sure.” She walked toward him slowly, and he couldn’t help but appreciate the view. She wore a sleeveless red-and-white-floral sundress with red sandals. Her toenails were painted red too, and they’d been coral the other ni
ght. Yeah, he noticed things like that. Just like he noticed the sexy gold chain hugging her ankle.
She stepped into the office, and he gestured to the mini fridge tucked beneath a granite counter in the corner. “Help yourself to whatever,” he said. “There’s water, iced tea, and a Riesling.” He winked at her before going into the bathroom to get dressed.
He hurried, half afraid she would leave before he could finish and curious as hell as to why she’d come.
When he went back out, she was standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows, which afforded a stunning view of the vineyard and Ribbon Ridge beyond.
“This is gorgeous. How do you work? I’d just stare at this all day.”
He moved to stand beside her. “Sometimes it’s tough, I’ll admit. But I do love my job, so that helps.”
“I bet,” she murmured, and he loved the dark, seductive sound of her voice.
He looked at her empty hands. “You didn’t get anything to drink?”
She turned her head to look at him. “I didn’t want to open the Riesling.”
“Not one of your favorites?”
“Just the opposite. It would be a shame to open it now and have just one glass.”
Cam grinned. “So, we’ll have more than one.”
Her lips curved into a half-smile. “I’m working.”
He went to the fridge and grabbed a sparkling water. “Is that why you’re here?” He downed half the bottle before sitting in the comfy leather chair that was angled near the couch.
She came to join him, perching on the dark brown leather sofa, where she’d dropped her shoulder bag. “Yes, actually.”
“Bummer. I was hoping you’d changed your mind about going out with me.”
She smoothed her hand over her skirt, which fell across her knee. “I don’t remember you asking me out. You asked if you could call me.”
“You are such a stickler for details.”
“I’m a stickler for accuracy.” She straightened, assuming a businesslike posture. “Anyway, let’s stay on topic, shall we?”
Damn, he loved talking to her, even if they were sparring. Especially if they were sparring. She was sharp and engaging—flirty, even if she didn’t mean to be. “By all means.”
“I came to talk to you about your wine. Have you selected a distributor yet?”
He should’ve seen this coming, but he’d been too distracted by his attraction to her. “No. You think it should be you?”
“I do. I love your wines, and I think I have a good handle on how to sell them.”
He didn’t disagree. Her comments about them reflected a keen knowledge and a true love of wine. Still, he wanted to make her work for this. A woman he used to see had once called him sadistic because he’d taunted her too much in bed. Maybe she was right.
“Tell me how.” He sat back in the chair and took another drink of water, all while scrutinizing her and thinking about his damn three-strikes rule. He wanted to ignore it and try again. Hell, he wanted to torch it to the ground and put everything he had into pursuing her, but he wasn’t a stalker. Still, if they hired her as their distributor, they’d see each other often enough, and maybe that would be all he needed to wear her down. She couldn’t be disinterested. Not with the way she flirted. And definitely not with the way she’d checked him out in his towel.
“My territory is western Oregon and Washington. I have great contacts. Before I moved here, I worked for the Southern Oregon Wine Collective.”
Cam had worked with them a little when he’d been at Blackthorn Cellars. “That’s a great outfit. Why’d you leave there to come here?”
She hesitated just long enough to make him curious. “It was a promotion.” Her gaze darted toward the windows, and that slight telltale sign of nervousness made him even more curious.
“Is that where you’re from—southern Oregon?”
“Yes, Medford.”
He wished she would open up more. He wondered if she was just trying to keep things focused on business with him or if she was this closed off with everyone. “You go to Southern Oregon University?”
“I did.”
“I went to Oregon State.” He cocked his head and studied her a moment. She looked confident in the way she held herself and assured in the manner in which she spoke. Even so, he sensed an underlying uncertainty. “You don’t like to talk about yourself, do you?”
“Not in this sort of environment, though I understand you wanting to understand my professional experience and expertise.” She then launched into an overview of her accounts in her territory and how she went about selling wine. She also impressed the hell out of him.
“You really know your stuff,” he said when she was finished. “But this isn’t just up to me. I have to talk about it with my partners.”
“Sure, I understand. Let me know what you decide. I’d love the opportunity.” She grabbed her bag and stood up.
He jumped to his feet, sorry that their interlude was over. That meant they needed another one. “I’ll talk to them as soon as possible,” he said. “We’re formally unveiling the pinot at a wine dinner in early September. It would be great to have a distributor in place to spark some buzz. How about we have dinner to discuss it?”
She’d started walking toward his office door, but paused and turned, her brow arched. “Tonight? I'm headed down to Medford for the weekend. It’s my younger sister’s birthday.”
“Next week then. How about Tuesday? We could go up to The Arch and Fox. Or Georgia’s.” Those were the two best restaurants in Ribbon Ridge.
“Sure, I’d love to talk to the others in person.” She flashed him a bright smile that made his stomach flip with its intensity and beauty. “That way they can see what a great salesperson I am.”
Oh, he could see it, and he was completely smitten. He’d buy whatever the hell she wanted to sell him. She’d neatly turned what could’ve become a date into a business meeting with other people so that she didn’t have to be alone with him. He couldn’t help but respect her prowess. “You’re formidable,” he said as he held the office door open and gestured for her to precede him. “I’ll walk you out.”
She started down the stairs. “This is an amazing facility. When will you be open for tasting?”
He trailed her to the main floor. “Not until November. The tasting room’s not done yet. Hey, do you want a tour?”
“I do, but I can’t today. I have another appointment I need to get to.”
He understood. The workday of a wine distributor was busy at best and positively frenetic at worst.
He moved through the unfinished tasting room and passed her to open the door to the parking area in front. “After you.”
She walked by him, and he inhaled her sweet, intoxicating scent. It certainly looked as though he was going to blow right through his three-strikes rule. He couldn’t seem to help himself.
She dug into her bag and pulled out a pair of sunglasses, then slid them on, shielding her magnificent blue-green eyes. What a shame. But he couldn’t deny she was just as sexy with the Burberry shades.
He didn’t have his sunglasses on him, so he used his hand to shield his eyes. “I’ll see you Tuesday night—you didn’t pick where.”
“Georgia’s. It’s close to where I live. I’ll meet you there at seven.”
“Perfect.” It was close to where he lived too, and he wondered if they were maybe neighbors. He surely would’ve run into her, but maybe she was new to the neighborhood. He wanted to ask—hell, he wanted to know everything about her—but decided to save it for Tuesday night. For their date. Because, sadly, his partners weren’t going to be able to make it.
“See you then.” She turned and went to her car, a fairly new, dark gray Acura MDX, and climbed inside.
He waited until she drove away before going back into the winery. That was when the reality of what he was doing hit him. He was pursuing her. But for what? He hadn’t lied about not being a player anymore, but he also didn’t usually feel this
way about a woman.
And what way was that? Like he wanted to know everything about her. Like he wanted to talk with her long into the night. Like he wanted to share himself.
Cold dread curled up his spine. He liked women. Loved them, in fact. And he did his best to be honest and give them a great time for however long they were together. He never, ever wanted to hurt anyone, and he’d been careful not to do so. Eight years on, and his own pain still lingered, still made him want to keep things casual and…safe.
He’d be damned sure to continue that.
Chapter Four
Brooke walked into Georgia’s just before seven on Tuesday. It seemed especially dim inside after the brightness of outside. The hostess greeted her, and Brooke said she was meeting the Westcotts.
Smiling, the hostess said, “Right this way.” She led Brooke to a small table in the corner in front of a window. It was empty but only had two seats.
“You beat me here.” Cameron came up behind her, and Brooke turned.
She narrowed her eyes at him, uncertain of his motives before looking at the hostess. “We’ll need a table for five, actually.”
“Uh, no, we don’t,” Cameron said. He went to the table and held out a chair for her. “I’m afraid it’s just us. My brothers and Hayden couldn’t make it.”
She didn’t believe that for a second but didn’t say so. Not yet anyway. She threw him a skeptical glare but took the proffered seat and set her purse on the floor beside her.
Cameron sat across from her as the hostess handed them their menus and told them about the specials. He looked up at her and asked, “Can we have a bottle of the 2012 Bergstrom Pinot?”
“Sure thing.” She turned and left.
Brooke peered at him over her menu. “I don’t get to choose the wine? Or at least consult?”
He looked mildly offended. “That’s a fantastic bottle of wine I ordered. You disagree?”