The Winemaker's Dinner: Dessert (The Winemaker's Feast)

by Rusilko, Dr. Ivan

  He didn’t notice that the blonde had returned to the room until she cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned his attention to her and was surprised to see she was dressed and stepping into her shoes. “You can stay if you want to, but I have to go.”

  Yanked from his fog, Ivan reached for the towel she’d tossed his way and roughly cleaned himself as he gathered up his clothes. “No, I should be going too.”

  “Do you need cab money?” she asked as she stared into the mirror and reapplied a thick layer of rich-girl-red lipstick.

  He snorted a soft laugh as he pulled up his jeans and buttoned the fly. “No, I’m good. Thanks, though.”

  She turned back to him, her small purse tucked under her arm and a parking valet claim ticket and some cash in her free hand. “All righty then…”

  Ivan didn’t reply but kept on with the task of getting dressed. He turned his black T-shirt over in his hands and looked up at her.

  “You wouldn’t mind giving me a ten-minute head start, would you? I’d hate for anyone to see me at this hour with a shadow,” she said. “You know how fast gossip travels in Miami Beach.”

  He put his arms through the T-shirt and pulled it over his head. “No problem.”

  “I knew you’d understand.” She blew him an air kiss and turned her sky high heels toward the door. Just before the door clicked shut he heard her call out to him, “You’re a doll!”

  He blew out an exasperated sigh and dropped his chin to his chest. He knew every second spent in a hotel room doing the freak’s bidding, getting his goddamn fix, was accruing a debt that was tallied by the minute, one his soul might never repay.

  He slipped on his flip flops, picked up his sunglasses, and tucked his keys and wallet into his pockets. He took a quick glance around the room and then went to the bathroom, where he splashed cold water on his face and ran his hands through his hair. In the mirror was a virtual stranger with beads of water dripping down his face and over his beard. He hated the man who stared back at him. God, who have I become? His guilt worsened. He splashed cold water on his face over and over.

  Washing away your sins, are you? the freak taunted.

  Ivan picked up a towel and scrubbed it hard over his face, then released a heart-wrenching, guttural groan of a yell into the cotton he held tightly over his mouth. The day-to-day stuff was hard, but this shit—the aftermath of one of these sex sessions—was when the real torture began.

  He tossed the towel to the floor, raked his hands through his hair, and wondered if it had been ten minutes. Screw that. He put on his sunglasses and stalked out of room 1020 toward the elevator bay. The doors slid open, and Ivan stepped into the elevator. With a whoosh he sped toward the ground. Then, as he had so many times before, he traversed the hotel lobby, sidestepping the throngs of people as they made their way toward the counter. An overwhelming sense that he was on trial for the act he’d just committed burdened his heart, and for a moment it froze him in his tracks. He was suddenly unsure he had the strength to face the day.

  Fuck it. Progression! The freak roared in victory, but Ivan couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled in his soul. He looked out through the glass front doors in the lobby, cracked his neck, and ran a hand though his just-fucked hair, wishing he’d taken the time to find his hair tie. But there was no avoiding it. His life wasn’t going anywhere.

  Muggy air embraced him as he stepped through the doors, raised his arm, and hailed a taxi.

  “Where to?” the cab driver asked.

  “South. Just head south.”

  Chapter 5

  “Miami”

  “PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR SEAT BELTS are fastened and your tray tables are in their upright and locked position. We are beginning our final decent into Miami. Flight attendants, please take your seats. Thank you.”

  The sound of the captain’s voice jolted Jaden awake. God, I love redeye flights. She stretched out every inch of her body, thankful that the seat beside her was unoccupied, and relished the momentary rush of endorphins that accompanied the lengthening of her muscles. Once her mind shook the cobwebs clean, excitement coursed through her. It had been too long since she’d seen her best friend. Tasha’s last visit to L.A. had been more than a month ago. Jaden told herself that her jittery stomach was all about the anticipation of catching up with a dear friend. But she knew that wasn’t true. Though it still scared her to death, the chance of running into Ivan now tantalized her.

  She’d done her best to distance herself from all thoughts of him after her attempts at contact had gone unanswered, but this time it felt different. Calls and texts and emails could be ignored, but if she happened to run into him, that would be her chance. Surely she could convince him to hear the truth of her terrible mistake. It was still terrible, of course, but not the betrayal she’d once thought it was. She’d just been confused and lonely and way, way too drunk. Growing agitated, she ran her hands through her hair. She needed to explain things face to face. If Ivan saw the truth in her eyes and heard it in her voice then maybe, just maybe, he’d forgive her. For everything.

  The plane came to a stop at the gate and Jaden gathered her things with renewed purpose. This was going to be a good trip. She’d be a new woman by the time she returned to L.A. She smiled to herself, fighting off nerves, as she walked through the nearly deserted airport to baggage claim, where she retrieved the two oversized suitcases she’d packed for her extended stay.

  After wrestling her bags off the conveyor, Jaden found a pleasant looking Latin man with a thick mustache who held up a sign displaying her name.

  “Hello,” Jaden said as she waved to the man.

  “Good morning, Ms. Thorne. May I take your bags?”

  Feeling a bit of guilt, she looked over her shoulder at the two large suitcases behind her. “Thank you. That would be great.”

  “You’re welcome,” he replied.

  As she watched him manhandle the bags, she was struck by a vision of Ivan, who had toted her bags everywhere they went, no matter how heavy they were or how feminine they looked. Her breath caught in her throat as the doors slid open to reveal the warm Miami morning. Jaden breathed in deeply, then exhaled, feeling overjoyed with the familiarity of being home. She pulled her oversized sunglasses from her purse and slid into the backseat of the waiting black sedan.

  The car sped off to the hotel that would act as her temporary abode for a few days until her two-month lease started. She’d entertained the idea of staying with Tasha and Micky, as Tasha had insisted, but in the end she’d decided that might be a bit too much togetherness. Hearing Tasha talk about their fantastic sex life was plenty without having to experience it for weeks on end. She’d convinced Tasha this was the way to go after she found the perfect little condo for rent, which Tasha was bound to enjoy as well. She smiled again at the thought of her friend. All she wanted to do was let her hair down and lounge by the pool while sipping mojitos with Tasha. To just be. A girl can spoil herself now and then, can’t she?

  The towering concrete buildings whizzed by and yielded to the glistening blue of Biscayne Bay. As they crossed I-195, Jaden felt surprisingly at ease. Everything felt so familiar, so right. She’d loved her time in Miami and suddenly realized she hadn’t just been missing Ivan or missing Tasha, she’d missed being here. The car exited the causeway and returned to land, and in no time it had pulled up at the hotel.

  Jaden adjusted her sunglasses and was surprised at the flow of people and cars coming and going from the hotel. It was still pretty early.

  “Here we are, ma’am. The Fontainebleau,” the driver called.

  Yet another surge of emotion pulsed through her body, but this time she knew it was nerves. Feeling uncertain, she realized she had no idea what she’d do if she saw Ivan, and she felt exposed, leaving the safety of the car. Would she have the presence of mind to initiate a conversation? Would he?

  The driver made quick work of unloading her bags and handing them off to the bellman. He waited whi
le Jaden fished a tip out of her wallet, then with a nod, he and the car disappeared. She followed the bellman inside and took her place in line for the desk behind two eager tourists who were anxious to get on with their sightseeing. She scanned the bustling lobby, finding the entrance to the night club where she and Ivan had spent many nights with Tasha and Micky. She closed her eyes and smiled at the flood of memories. The sights, the sounds, and the essence of Ivan’s signature scent filled her with nostalgia, which grew stronger and stronger until it seemed as if he were standing right next to her.

  Feeling a jolt of panic, Jaden opened her eyes and caught a passing glimpse of a man moving through the lobby. The shape of his body seemed familiar. Long, tousled brown hair swung across the back of his black T-shirt in time with a distinctive and recognizable gait.

  No. She was letting her mind run away with her. Why the hell would he be at a hotel, let alone this early? Yet she couldn’t break her stare as he walked farther and farther away, the alluring scent fading with every step he put between them. Just as he reached the exit, he stopped as if he’d hit an invisible force field. Turn around, dammit! She willed him to shift just an inch. She needed to confirm it wasn’t who she thought it was.

  Slowly, the man turned, ran a hand through his hair, and scanned the lobby as if he were looking for someone. As his profile came into view, Jaden’s eyes locked on his arm and the bulging vein that ran down his bicep. Oh, God! He lifted his face toward her, revealing a trimmed beard and a pair of aviator sunglasses. Oh, God, no! Her stomach plummeted as her eyes came to rest on the one thing she could never mistake for anyone else’s: his face. His hair was a bit longer, and she’d never seen him with more than a few days of scruff before, but there was no mistaking it. Behind the beard, it was Ivan.

  Shit…With what she hoped was a nonchalant move, Jaden ducked her head as her heart jumped into her throat. Please, don’t let him see me, she pleaded with the universe. And after a few moments, when she dared raise her head enough to steal a glance in his direction, her prayers had been answered.

  Chapter 6

  “Creep”

  IVAN SMILED AS HE STARED DOWN at a pair of freshly plumped lips. He’d even impressed himself. This was a job well done.

  The sixty-year-old beauty smiled up at him. “Thank you, doctor. You’re just as good as they say you are. I must admit, you’re the best I’ve ever had.”

  “Is that right?” He looked down at her with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk.

  “Oh, God, yes. You’re definitely the best. I didn’t feel a thing.”

  “In any other situation I would take offense to that, young lady.”

  “Oh, behave!” She laughed and continued to marvel in the mirror at her new lips. “I’m old enough to be your mother.”

  “Behaving is no fun, Mrs. Merandez.” He offered her his hand and helped her up from the chair. “Let Liz know when you want to come back in.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  Ivan left the procedure room and went back to his office where he found his assistant, Liz, waiting for him with a curiously sexy look on her face. As he passed her on the way to his desk, he couldn’t help but steal a look at her ass.

  “Mrs. Merandez is ready to go,” he informed her as he took a seat behind his desk. “Give her seven months before you schedule her for a refill. What do I have next?”

  “Next you have a medical club membership consult in room two with a VIP from Panama and his wife.”

  “Okay, I’ll get right to it.” When Liz didn’t reply after a moment, Ivan knew there must be something more she wanted or needed. He was notorious for an occasional missed signature here or there, but normally she’d just leave the chart on his desk with a Post-It note attached. “Is everything okay? Did I forget something?”

  “No, you’re up to date,” she said with a laugh.

  “Good to know. Gold star for me!” And yet she still stood there, now giggling like a schoolgirl. Ivan looked at her closely, trying to judge her disposition.

  Finally she got around to her point. “So, umm…The word on the street is you’re back with your ex.”

  Ivan froze, his heart sending a rush of sweat down his back. Relying on his go-to defense mechanism, he laughed. “What? Where did you hear that?”

  “Well, a friend of mine is friends with someone whose sister is the concierge at the Fontainebleau.”

  “Huh. Is that right?” He wiped a quick hand across his now-sweaty brow. “The Fontainebleau, you said?”

  “Yep. She also said she overheard Jaden talking on her cell. She told someone she was staying there a few days until her apartment was ready.”

  His mind went into overdrive as it tried to absorb this information. Jaden was back in town, at the Fontainebleau, and apparently staying for a while. “Well, I can assure you I don’t know anything about that. That book is closed, my dear.”

  “Good!” Liz replied a little too quickly. Catching herself, she shuffled from foot to foot. “I mean, it would be a shame if you were off the market.”

  Her flirting caught him off guard—or maybe it was the bombshell she’d just dropped on him. If there was one thing he knew for certain, office romances were a big no-no. He thought he’d always been clear on that point, but then who knew what he’d been doing with himself lately. Slipping behind his best poker face he replied, “I’m still out there and still shopping.” Good God, he needed to clear his mind. He could barely keep himself in his seat.

  “Good to know.” She smiled a smile that had no place in an office as she turned to leave. “I’ll go get the next patient ready for you.”

  What the fuck? The door shut with a resounding thud. Was Jaden moving back to Miami? What about the show? Liz’s words were no doubt the sounding bell for another fresh round of heartbreak. He’d fooled himself into thinking Jaden’s life was in California now and that Miami Beach—much like their dead relationship—was a thing of the past for her. Sure, she’d visit Tasha and Micky every now and then, but dodging her on the occasional weekend was a breeze. However, having to avoid her at every turn would be a much bigger challenge.

  “Shit.” Ivan scrubbed his hands over his face and pushed back his hair. Would Jaden come knocking on his door? The distance between California and Florida had made it easy to ignore her attempts to reach him, but on an island that was only 18.7 miles wide, if she wanted to see him, she would be unavoidable. He sighed again. Would that be so bad? He’d been so desperate to stop the bleeding that he’d never really tended to the wound. He’d avoided communication with her at all costs, but maybe if he just dealt with it and talked to her, he’d be able to move on.

  Then again, maybe Liz’s intel was all wrong. Maybe he was freaking out over nothing. Liz! the freak demanded.

  “No!” Ivan shouted into his empty office. He was hanging on by a thread, and this was no time to give in to his addiction. He needed to simplify his life, not let the freak complicate it any further. Better to just medicate the fucker now before he did something stupid like picking up the phone and calling her. Reaching for his cell, he dialed the concierge at the front desk of the hotel that housed his office.

  “Hello?” The man’s smooth voice came over the phone.

  “Hey, boss. It’s Ivan. Tonight I’m going to need a bottle and a table.”

  “Any particular table, sir?”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be there at ten.” With that, Ivan hung up the phone and slumped back in his chair, his mind numb.

  The door opened and Liz peeked in. “Doctor, they’re ready for you.”

  Yesssss! For a moment he forgot she was a lawsuit waiting to happen and narrowed his gaze. “Thanks,” he purred.

  “Anything for you.”

  The sultry sound of her voice, so ridiculously inappropriate for a work environment, snapped him back to reality. He sighed as the door closed behind her. His job was to help people feel better about themselves. Too bad he couldn’t make it work for himself.

  Ivan we
nt to the sink and washed his hands. As he did so he looked himself over in the mirror and shook his head. He looked as shitty and shell-shocked as he felt, but his schedule had no space for any kind of meltdown today, big or small. Good thing he was a pro when it came to quarantining unwanted thoughts and emotions these days, because tucking away the idea that Jaden was in Miami Beach behind door number three was now a priority. He smoothed his hair back, fastened it into a ponytail, and then went in for his next consult.

  For the rest of the day, he moved from appointment to appointment, allowing himself no time to think about anything but IV administration, hangover cures, libido-boosting cocktails, and the new club membership he’d secured with the Panamanian VIP couple. And when that was done, the hours between his last patient and his ten o’clock reservation downstairs were occupied with reading patient labs and catching up on dictation.

  At nine thirty he gave himself permission to clock out. In an instant, as he shed his lab coat and powered down his computer, the freak began to whisper his intentions for the night that lay ahead. Ivan had spent all day keeping himself together, and he was exhausted. He was left with nothing to fight off the freak, if he even wanted to. Now it was time for surrender to the sweet sedation only the freak knew how to deliver.

  Chapter 7

  “Dream a Little Dream”

  JADEN LOOKED DOWN AT IVAN and ran her hands through his hair. His tongue lavished her pussy as waves of pleasure crashed over her. He had one hand wrapped around her legs, holding the flimsy bikini bottoms aside, while the other fondled her naked breast, teasing and twisting her nipple between his thumb and forefinger until she thought she’d burst.

  “Oh, God, Ivan! Don’t stop!”

  Faster, he worked his tongue in and out of her. She writhed with the sensation as warm ocean water pooled around them. Her body tensed and trembled as she inched closer and closer to orgasm. She grabbed a fistful of hair and forced his face hard into her. The sensation of his rough beard against her soft flesh was unfamiliar, but not unwelcomed, and she ground harder into him, forcing more of his tongue inside. Each stroke brought her closer and closer, and just when she thought she could take no more, he spoke to her, replacing his tongue with his fingers without breaking rhythm.