by Jan Moran
“You didn’t look nervous. You looked, ummm, horny.”
She was horny. Sex wasn’t something she thought about all the time, but lately it seemed to be on her mind and more than once she caught herself wondering what one Aiden Black looked like with nothing on. Because, da-amn, the man could kiss.
“I have schoolwork to do,” she said. It was almost ten o’clock. She had a full day worth of posts to read through and respond to for two classes. She had no other assignments due today, but her Small Business Marketing project proposal was due Monday. Until she’d been hired at Black Vines, she hadn’t a clue what her project would be, but throughout the course of the last two days, she’d developed an idea that would not just fulfill the degree requirements, but would woo Aiden Black into moving her into marketing.
Courtney moved to the coffee maker and set to brewing a small pot. A direct line into her veins would be a better approach to focusing on schoolwork. Too bad Cyn refused to use her nursing skills to administer coffee IVs.
“Um, so, Jill stopped by.”
“Shit,” Courtney muttered. Jill only stopped by unannounced when she needed Courtney to foster one of the animals from the rescue. “Please tell me it’s a cat.” Cats were easy, didn’t require a lot of attention, and didn’t demand much.
“Sorry, it’s a dog. She has him tonight, but they are taking Erik to camp tomorrow before going on vacation.”
Courtney didn’t have time to deal with a foster dog, but she couldn’t say no. Jill and Austin were generous and kind. Courtney was indebted to them for keeping her on the volunteer staff after Jill’s aunt Sissy, the previous owner, died.
They had also given her and Cyn a great deal on rent, only requiring them to pay the utilities. Of course, Austin was a billionaire, so they didn’t need the rental income, but it was still generous.
“Okay, well, I better get to work.”
“You need to be careful. This whole burning the candles at both ends is going to burn you.”
“I’ve been doing this for two years and it hasn’t burned me yet. I only have a couple months left.” Courtney planned to take a well-deserved break before jumping into the master’s degree program, but her long-term plan was to earn the master’s in social media marketing. Since that program was offered online too, it wouldn’t change her schedule all that much and if she doubled up on occasion, she could do it in less than two years.
With her coffee in hand, Courtney got comfortable in the recliner with her laptop and set to her mission.
That kiss replayed in her head, like a glitch on a DVD that kept skipping and jumping back to the beginning when he cupped her face and pressed his mouth to hers.
“Focus, Court,” she commanded, but her brain wasn’t following orders tonight. If it was, she’d never have gone to dinner with Aiden and never would have kissed him.
After her third cup of coffee, Courtney set out to achieve the minimum requirements, responding thoughtfully to two posts in each class. Then she opened up an online document and began outlining her project, trying to ignore the tingle in her lips and the longing stirring everywhere else.
Bosses were off limits. She’d learned that the hard way and Courtney wasn’t the type of person who made the same mistake twice.
~~~
“Court, wake up.”
Courtney stretched, immediately aware she wasn’t in her bed. She sprang up, Cyn coming into focus in hot pink scrubs. “What the hell?”
“You fell asleep in the chair. Jill and Austin are here with Humphrey and I got called to fill in for someone at the ER. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Humphrey?” she asked, trying to remember who Humphrey was.
“The foster dog. Ohmigod, he is adorable.”
Courtney put the computer on the table and shot out of the recliner, stretching once more and wishing she had time for one of Cyn’s massages. Her roommate had put herself through nursing school working as a massage therapist and maintained her certification by giving her friends massages a couple times a week.
“I’ll get you on the table tonight,” Cyn said after every bone in her back cracked during her stretch.
“Thanks. That recliner is comfy, but not all night. I need to change. Can you let them know I’ll be right out?”
“What, you don’t want to meet your new pup in a wrinkled power suit?”
“First impressions and all,” Courtney laughed. Cyn gave her a hug before Courtney darted upstairs and slipped into jeans and a t-shirt. She’d grab a shower after the Hales left.
A few minutes later, Courtney found Jill and Austin in the kitchen, each with a cup in their hands, courtesy of Cyn. She was always the gracious hostess, even when heading out the door.
“Good morning. Sorry, I overslept.”
“So I heard,” Jill cooed. “Making out with your boss will do that to a girl.”
Oh, she was so going to kill Cyn for that one. “It was the wine.”
“Don’t blame the wine. You need a little nooky, Courtney.”
“Oh my gosh, I don’t need…”
“Can we get down to business?” Austin cut in, saving the day. “We need to hit the road.”
Jill laughed. “Come on, babe, we talked about this and you agreed that Courtney needed to loosen up a bit. Nooky is the perfect way to unwind.”
“You think I’m uptight?” she asked.
“Not uptight. Focused,” Austin insisted.
“I’m close to finishing my degree. I need to be focused.”
“And I commend you for it,” Austin said, clearly trying to stay neutral. “Now, you ready to meet Humphrey?”
“Yes, please. Where he is?”
“Erik’s got him out in the field. Poor guy is a mess. His fur is all nappy and matted and he is malnourished, but he has spunk. You’ll love him.”
Austin snickered, raising Courtney’s hackles. “Define spunk.”
Jill jabbed her husband in the side with her elbow. “He’s very affectionate. Like I said, you’ll love him.”
Courtney would be the first to admit she had trust issues, but Jill had become a good friend, one Courtney trusted implicitly except when it came to how she described the pets she needed Courtney to foster. Every single one of them had had an issue that no one in their right mind would want to deal with. Based on Austin’s snicker, Humphrey had some sort of issue too.
“Here’s all the information we were able to gather. I trust you’ll get it into the database.”
“Of course,” Courtney replied, taking the handwritten notes. She had created the database for the rescue as a project for her Green Marketing course. The shelter now operated paperless, saving them money on ink, paper, and other office supplies while being able to brag about being an environmentally friendly non-profit. Jill was still old-school, though, and kept a small notebook instead of using one of the tablets.
“He can’t be left alone,” Jill added as Courtney skimmed the notes. “He needs a little food and water every hour. We have a crate for him. You’ll want to put him in that even if you’re only going to the bathroom. He’s a runner, so keep him on a leash when you take him out.”
“Got it.” Courtney stuffed the note in her pocket and started for the door. She wanted to be to work early, so didn’t want to waste any more time.
She saw Erik out in the field, but the grass was too tall to spot the dog. Austin called to his son and Erik came running. When they reached the lawn, which was freshly cut, the little ragamuffin dog appeared, keeping pace with his running mate.
Cyn was right, the little terrier was adorable, but as they got closer, Courtney saw how right Jill was too. He was in desperate need of some grooming and food. “Do you know how old he is?”
Jill shook her head. “Not sure, but Clarissa said she’d stop by to check him out anytime this weekend. Just give her a call.”
Clarissa Dean was their friend and local veterinarian who offered her services free of charge to the rescue. “Will do. I have to work tod
ay, but I’ll work something out with her.”
Erik slowed to a walk and handed the leash off to Jill before stepping back. Austin stepped back too. “What’s going on?”
“Just giving you some space to get to know him,” Austin said. Based on Erik’s chuckle, Courtney knew there was more to it than that, but the dog just licked her face and wagged his tail. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
“Jilly, we need to get going,” Austin said.
“Right. Good luck. We’ll be back next Sunday, but call if there are any problems.”
“I can handle it,” Courtney assured Jill.
“I know you can. Have fun. Keep me posted on things with your boss.”
“Nothing to keep you posted on,” she replied, turning her attention to Austin. “That reminds me. You don’t have any Black Vines wines on your wine list at the tavern.”
“I tried, but Neil had an ax to grind with my father, and therefore with me. He said he’d be dead and buried before any of his wines were offered at the Hale.”
“Well, Aiden wants to change that.”
“Good. Call Sadie and set up a meeting.”
“Thank you,” Courtney said, her cheeks aching from the smile. She knew Austin would be receptive and couldn’t wait to get to work and let Aiden know.
Erik grabbed the small crate from Austin’s shiny truck and handed it off to Courtney.
She debated whether to call Aiden and ask permission to bring Humphrey to work or to just show up. As she’d learned in the air force, it was better to ask forgiveness than permission, so Courtney put the pup in his crate and jumped in the shower. When she was dressed in slacks, a more practical pair of shoes, and a nice blouse, she headed out the door, only to realize she didn’t have a car, or a ride.
Chapter 6
By nine o’clock, Aiden had interviewed two potential chefs and checked on the wine-making staff. He’d been lucky to retain a few long-term wine-makers when he’d cleaned house. Chuck had been working there for as long as Aiden could remember and though he was past retirement age, he preferred working over sitting on his ass waiting to die. He simply asked that Aiden be flexible with his schedule when his kids and grandchildren came to visit, which Aiden took no issue with. His grandfather had taught him family was the most important thing, even if Aiden didn’t get to experience that for himself with his parents and sister.
Chuck was also happy to train the new staff members and Aiden trusted him to do it the right way, his grandfather’s way. Wine production continued, even though they were short-handed and the restaurant and store were closed. Aiden hoped to have both open by next weekend, but he had to make a decision on the head chef.
When the phone rang at the main desk, he was surprised Courtney wasn’t there. She wasn’t scheduled to be in until ten, but based on yesterday, he expected to see her already, if for no other reason than to spite him.
Maybe she was trying to avoid him after that kiss. He needed to talk to her about it, assure her he didn’t mean anything by it, that he’d just got caught in the moment. It’d be a blatant lie, but she’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him that way. Not that he was looking for a relationship. The winery demanded all of his time.
“Black Vines Winery,” he said into the phone.
“It’s Courtney.”
“Hey,” he said, the guilt ripping through him for kissing her the way he had.
“I need a ride.”
That little admission pushed aside the guilt, a smug satisfaction mixing with an unhealthy surge of desire. “What do you want me to do about that?”
There was a long pause before she sighed. “I want you to come and get me. You offered last night.”
“That was last night, before you insisted you had a ride.” He loved getting her riled up and imagined her on the other end of the phone, licking her lips as she got all flustered.
“Forget it. I’ll figure something out.”
“No, I’ll be right there.” He hung up before she could argue. Apparently, she wasn’t easily flustered this morning, but since he liked her all feisty, he was looking forward to the ride back to the winery.
Lilac Ridge was small, so it was a quick drive out to her house. He turned around in the parking lot by the Barn and before he came to a stop next to the house, she was standing on the grass on the passenger side of the driveway. No sexy little business suit today, but she looked just as cute in slacks and a sheer blouse with a camisole thingy underneath. Before he could talk himself out of it, he was fantasizing about stripping her out of those casual business clothes. Since she didn’t have a visible panty line, he imagined her in a thong, the perfect ass he’d gotten a quick survey of last night begging for his hands to be on it again.
“Shit,” he muttered and focused on something other than his employee. She carried an animal crate and when she climbed in the truck, he spotted a little furball inside. “What’s this?”
“My foster dog. He can’t be left alone, but I promise he won’t be a problem at work today.”
Her stern voice invited no argument. Aiden didn’t have a problem with dogs and when things settled down, he planned to adopt one of his own. “It’s fine as long, just don’t make it a habit. We can’t have a dog around when the restaurant re-opens.”
“I know that. By then he shouldn’t need constant care and maybe he’ll be in his forever home.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Aiden asked as he started out the driveway.
“He was rescued from an abandoned home outside town. No one knows how long he was on his own, but he’s malnourished, so food has to be reintroduced in moderation and at regular intervals. It will take a week or two before he can handle a normal diet and be left alone, but Jill and Austin will be back next Sunday, and my roommate can watch him when she’s not working.”
“Okay, sounds good. What’s his name?”
“Humphrey.”
Cute name, and fit the little terrier.
Silence echoed in the cab of the truck, last night’s kiss taunting them. He needed to say something, and the truck was the best place because she couldn’t run away from him.
“About last night,” he started.
“I know it was the wine. No big deal. I haven’t even thought about.”
Her quick response told him the opposite. “I think you have thought about it.”
“No, I went home and did my schoolwork. Oh, and I saw Austin this morning. He wants your wine at the Hale and asked me to call his assistant to set up a meeting.”
“I said I’d take care of that,” he snapped. Establishing a relationship with Austin again was important. He didn’t want to give the appearance of pawning it off on the hired help.
“I know, but he was with Jill dropping off the dog this morning, so I seized the opportunity.”
“You’re the receptionist, Courtney, not the marketing person, not the operations manager. When I say I’m going to take care of something, I will do it.” No one ever believed him capable of running the winery. His father had constantly called him a good-for-nothing ski bum and his mother had called him irresponsible and reckless. Maybe he’d been that way as a kid, but he’d forged a career in search and rescue because of his love of skiing. It didn’t matter how many lives he saved, his parents had never seen the value in his job. He was just the reckless boy who would rather ski than find a responsible career.
“You have a lot on your plate. I’m just trying to help.”
“Well don’t. If I need you to do something, I’ll tell you.”
Silence filled the cab, giving Aiden time to reflect on what a dick-response that was. “Thank you,” he said as a peace offering.
“For what?” she snapped.
“Talking to Austin Hale.”
Her silence was the response he deserved. “I’m sorry,” he offered as the silence continued to gut him.
“If you are so desperate for help, maybe you shouldn’t act like such an ass when someone gets the job done.�
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He appreciated her candor. He had only known her for a couple days, but the fact she didn’t sugar coat anything inspired trust. “You’re right, but it’s important that I get the winery running my way.”
“You want your wines at the Hale. How is me mentioning that to Austin not doing it your way?”
Because when his mother got wind of it, she would give Courtney all the credit for forging that partnership, just as she’d always done with Abby. Aiden never got the credit he deserved. “It’s just personal, that’s all.”
He wasn’t about to air his family’s dirty laundry because it would only sound like whining and that was worse than being a dick.
“You’re cute when you get pissed,” he added, hoping to lighten the mood.
Her sigh was more of a huff. “You cannot flirt with me. You’re my boss.”
“I’m your boss, I can do whatever the hell I want. Besides, it’s all your fault, for being so cute and all.”
“I’m not cute,” she retorted.
The woman was adorable — and beautiful and sexy — and Aiden was going to be in a world of trouble, he knew it, but he couldn’t resist flirting with her.
“Denying it just adds to your charm.”
When the truck came to a stop, Courtney grabbed the crate and slid out with all the grace the monster thing allowed. She stepped it out in a quick march, hoping to get into the building and behind her desk before Aiden could catch up with her.
No such luck. He caught up to her before she reached the granite steps. She slowed her steps, hoping he’d keep on keeping on, but no, he slowed too. “I’m pretty sure this is borderline harassment,” she said.
“Well, Amber doesn’t come back until Monday, so you have no one to report me to.”
What was with this man? Didn’t he understand boundaries? When she stopped, he did as well. “Listen, Mr. Black—”
“I’ve had my hands on your ass, I’m pretty sure that means we’re on a first name basis.”
“I’m, you,” Courtney groaned at her inability to grasp English around this man. “You are my boss,” she insisted, enunciating each word to keep from rambling like a maniac. “Last night never should have happened. I appreciate the dinner and learning about wine, but the kiss and the groping, well, it was a mistake. A big one and it won’t happen again.”