His wicked smile confirmed that he had no intention of obeying their wishes.
“They’re right to be worried.” Susannah raised an eyebrow. “You seem to be looking for trouble.”
“You’re wrong. Trouble has come looking for me.”
His heavy lidded stare made her legs wobble.
She was in trouble. At least she would be if she didn’t find a nice way to turn down his bold invitation to spend the night in his bed, yet still get her sample.
She couldn’t go home without the sample. If it proved Amado wasn’t Tarrant’s son, then there might still be time to find the right person before Tarrant died. She couldn’t forgive herself if incompetence on her part denied him the chance to meet his child. She had to get Amado to agree.
Still, she didn’t want to press her point too hard and scare him off. He did seem intrigued by the prospect of doing business with Hardcastle Enterprises. Maybe she could somehow use that to persuade him to go along with her request.
She leaned back in the leather passenger seat and cleared her throat. “How many cases of wine do you produce each year?”
Amado chuckled, staring ahead out the windshield. “Changing the subject? I guess you don’t need my DNA so badly after all.” His lips hitched into a sensual smile. “I’m disappointed.”
His gaze lingered. Would he dignify her question with an answer? And what would she do if he didn’t?
She wished she could be a witty flirt like her best friend Suki. Being the daughter of devout missionaries didn’t really prepare you for situations like this.
His big hands rested on the steering wheel. “Last year we produced nearly four thousand cases. This year, there’ll be more, as several hundred new rows are coming into full production.”
“You’re growing fast.”
“We have to if we’re going to make a name for ourselves.”
She nodded. “Are you trying to expand your markets overseas?”
“Absolutely. I’d especially like to expand into North America.” His expression was entirely genuine, nothing sexual about it.
Somehow that touched her. “If your other wines are as good as this, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble securing distribution.”
“We’re still small, so it must be the right distribution. Outlets where our wines will reach the right people.”
“Where they’ll be appreciated.”
“Exactly.”
Amado drove the familiar road apparently by instinct. His eyes seemed mostly to rest on her face, which heated under his intense gaze.
She struggled to keep her composure. “I think Hardcastle Enterprises could do a lot for you. In addition to our restaurants, we offer a boutique wine-selecting service for our customers. We keep their cellars stocked with the very best wines available that year.”
Amado’s keen interest was written all over his handsome features as they pulled into a parking area behind the large, stone winery building. “I look forward to showing you our winery. I’m confident you’ll enjoy our wines.”
Susannah resisted a triumphant smile. Finally, she had some real leverage. If she played her cards right, she could get the DNA she needed.
Was it the flattering glow of sunset, or was Amado getting more ridiculously handsome than ever?
Susannah sat at a wide, polished table, rows of fine stemmed glasses in front of her, their shimmering contents ranging in color from darkest garnet to pale silver.
Across the table, standing, Amado inhaled the bouquet of a youngish red, sipped it, then tossed his head back to swallow with a lavish gesture.
He’d rolled up his creamy-white sleeve to reveal a tan forearm, and she couldn’t help imagining the rest of his body would be equally hard and well-formed.
The tasting room was warm, and she’d removed her jacket. Her nipples stood to attention inside the loose-fitting top of her dress. The curved chair with its velvet padding was deliciously comfortable after the long drive crunched into her tiny rental car, and she longed to stretch like a cat.
She felt downright...tipsy. She’d blame the wine, but as an experienced taster she knew how to sip tiny amounts that couldn’t possibly get her inebriated.
At least she thought she did.
Amado poured Chardonnay into a glass. The liquid sparkled in the afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows.
She inhaled then tasted. Flavor tingled across her tongue and caressed her throat with its smooth, golden warmth.
Like Amado, the wines seemed to be getting more delicious by the minute.
“Tierra de Oro—is there real gold in the earth around here?” She set the glass back on the table.
“I don’t think so. If there ever was, it’s long gone. The only gold around at Tierra de Oro is the kind stored in bottles.” He caressed a stemmed glass of pale liquid between finger and thumb.
Susannah’s belly shivered in response.
“I enjoy this kind of gold much more than the metal.”
“It costs less per ounce but gives more pleasure.” Amado’s smile revealed his white teeth.
Why did he have to be so great looking?
And she was entranced by the way he treated the wine like a sacred liquid. He handled the bottles as if they were sentient—firm yet gentle.
The way he might handle her if he removed her dress and layered kisses over her breasts and belly.
Susannah sat upright as a rush of heat swept through her. “It’s getting late. I’d better go to my hotel.”
Amado frowned. “What hotel?”
“Any hotel.” She hadn’t booked a room, as she wasn’t sure if she’d have to stay locally, or if she could just collect her sample and head back to the city.
Apparently, she’d have to stick around for one more night to talk him into giving the DNA. What if he balked tomorrow, as well?
“There are no hotels here.”
She groaned. The vineyard was over two hours from Mendoza. If she returned there for the night, she’d have to drive back here in the morning to resume her campaign.
“Where do people usually stay?”
He blinked. Innocent. “Here.”
“At the winery?”
“In my house.”
Buy The Grapes of Wrath
Join the new release mailing list at www.jenlewis.com
Author Biography
Jennifer Lewis loves heat in all its forms including spicy food, steamy temperatures and smoking hot heroes. She is a USA TODAY bestselling author and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in sunny South Florida and when she’s not sitting at her laptop she can often be found at the beach. Read more about her books or join her new release mailing list at www.jenlewis.com.
Copyright © 2016 by Jennifer Lewis
All Rights Reserved.
Published 2016 by Mangrove
25883 N Park Ave
Suite 521672
Elkhart, Indiana, 46514, USA
Without limiting the rights under copyright above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without prior written permission of the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
sp;
Volatile Chemistry (Billionaires' Secrets Book 1) Page 18