Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance Novel

by Rochelle Katzman

  “You’re a breath of fresh air, Olivia.”

  He didn’t want to call her Livvie.

  “And I like fresh air, Mr. Morganthal.”

  “Shit,” he said under his breath. “My manners seem to be nonexistent with you. Please, call me Drake.”

  “Okay, Drake.” Hearing his name on her tongue felt strange. She’d said it a thousand times to Carly, but saying it to him was a different story.

  His eyes became super intense. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you around my vineyard. You’re old enough to drink wine?”

  “Are you serious? I’m twenty-nine.”

  “You look young.”

  “I use a good moisturizer.”

  Drake laughed and shook his head. “I guess I should have asked if you liked wine?”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Fine as in good, or fine as in okay?”

  “Fine as in fine.”

  Drake laughed and shook his head again. “I’ll teach you to like wine.”

  She didn’t want him to teach her anything. After this encounter, she wanted him to be busy at work and forgetting she even existed. This man was a charmer. A dangerous charmer.

  “You don’t have to, but thank you. I’m sure you’re super busy. I’ll make sure I stay out of your hair.” She’d almost said “sexy hair,” but she’d resisted the urge. Barely…

  “I’ll make time for you.”

  Livvie sighed. Great. Now she was in trouble. “Thank you,” she said.

  “Come, I’ll show you to your room. Mr. Birkshire will bring up your luggage later.”

  Livvie followed him up the stairs and down a long hallway. Walking beside him like this felt strange. She felt there was an expectation when a woman walked with a man, especially with a man she’d just met. She’d have to be charming and make small-talk. There was an intimacy about walking side by side, even if there was no hand holding, which, of course, there wasn’t. But she wasn’t making small-talk or being charming. They were both silent. And it felt natural.

  Drake held the door for her, which led to another hallway. He was acting like a gentleman. A charming, good-looking gentleman…and one who wasn’t known for making a commitment. Bad combination in her eyes.

  Maybe she should leave now, but she didn’t want to. Especially when he opened the second-to-last door in the hallway.

  Livvie gasped. “It’s beautiful. Is this my room?”

  Drake chuckled. “For the week, it is.”

  Livvie thought he emphasized “week,” which made sense. That was probably longer than most of his relationships had lasted.

  Livvie walked farther into the room as she took it all in. Three of the walls were painted a very pale pink, and it looked as if an artist had painted beautiful white roses on them. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered the wall across from her, allowing a view that overlooked the vineyard and the mountains. She felt as if she was standing on a cloud with the magical view in front of her. The room had a big white couch. Throw pillows covered in a pink-and-white rose-patterned fabric were lined up across the seat. In fact, all the furniture in the room was white, and on the night table stood a vase filled with real pink and white roses. She looked at Drake over her shoulder.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She walked toward the enormous windows overlooking the vineyard. Before she drove up the hill to come here, she’d parked at the side of Main Street and had gotten out of her rental car to get her first glimpse of Morganthal Winery. She had gazed up at the breathtaking, fairytale-like white castle, and she’d felt hopeful, excited even. She must have spent thirty minutes standing there staring like that, but she didn’t care. Even if Drake Morganthal himself saw her, it wouldn’t have mattered.

  She felt Drake come up from behind her. Gently, he moved her hair away, uncovering her eyes. The action started her.

  “Sorry, I had to do that. I wanted to look into your eyes and see what you see when you look at my vineyard.”

  Talk about feeling thrown off. “It’s beautiful,” she answered honestly. “It’s perfect. Exactly what I needed.”

  “And what do you need?” he asked softly.

  “A week of freedom.”

  “I’ll personally make sure you have the week you’ve envisioned,” he said, touching her hair gently again.

  It was driving her crazy. His nearness alone made her body pulse and her cheeks flush. And his touch added to the heady excitement, like an electric force going from his hand to her hair. Not being able to help herself, she subtly moved into his hand that was caressing her. And then she recalled she’d only just met him.

  “I envisioned a week alone, walking through your vineyard,” she said, her voice breathless.

  “We’ll see about that,” he said, before stepping away. “Mr. Birkshire will come at seven o’clock and take you to the dining room for dinner. I’ll see you then.” He walked away, but when he reached the door, he turned.

  “Don’t worry if you don’t like wine. I’ll think of other things to do to occupy your time. And I can be very creative.” Then he turned back around and left Livvie standing there dumbfounded.

  And in an instant, a fear of Livvie’s came true. Another man in her life had uttered the last word, and he was sleeping right next door.

  Chapter Three

  At seven o’clock on the dot, Mr. Birkshire knocked on her bedroom door. With her luggage and purse having been delivered to her room immediately after her arrival, Livvie had time to rummage through it and pick something to wear for dinner. First, she had to decide what look to go for. What does an unemployed writer wear to dinner at Drake Morganthal’s house, with Drake Morganthal himself? She contemplated for some time, and she almost called Carly. Almost. She wasn’t ready to hear the familiar sound of her best friend’s voice for two reasons. One, she was worried she would burst into tears, and two, she knew Carly would make a bigger deal than necessary about being near Drake Morganthal for the week. And it wasn’t such a big deal. Well, it was because it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, yet it wasn’t for the same reason.

  After spending what felt like an endless amount of time in thought, Livvie chose an off-the-shoulder, black cocktail dress that stopped just above her knee. Sexy but not over the top. She could have chosen something less sexy, but she felt Drake expected her to wear a dress. Not that she needed to impress him or anything, but she was also wearing the dress for herself, as it gave her more confidence. When she’d packed, she hadn’t been sure what she would need, but luckily, she had brought a little of everything. Once she’d finished dressing, she slipped on her high-heeled black sandals and then opened her door to a serious-faced Mr. Birkshire. Did Drake pay him not to smile?

  “Good evening, Miss Collins. Drake is awaiting your presence in the main dining room. Please, follow me.”

  “Thank you.”

  Livvie inhaled, feeling as if she was taking her last breath, and followed him down the long hallway until they reached the grand staircase. She imagined what it might feel like if she lived here and walked down these steps every day.

  Once in the entrance hall, he led her through an enormous room filled with oversized couches, a large, marble bar, and full-length windows overlooking the vineyard. She liked how all the floors throughout the house were a dark shade of wood with rugs to give it a comfortable feel.

  The dining room was also beautiful. Again, windows overlooked the vineyard. The walls were the same shade of green as the outside hills and the vines themselves. There was a long, dark wooden table—the exact one Livvie had seen in a movie. More candelabras decorated the walls, and the white candles had been lit for ambiance. But the most magnificent sight was the dark-haired, extremely tall, green-eyed man standing perfectly straight in a black suit that clung to his body as if it was made for him. And with all of his money, it probably had been. Livvie’s nerves increased, and her body trembled.

  “Cold, Olivia?” Drake smirked and motioned for her to walk farther into the r
oom.

  He jarred Livvie out of her thoughts, and she turned to thank Mr. Birkshire for walking her here when she noticed he was gone. She had been so engrossed in analyzing Drake’s appearance that she hadn’t even heard him leave.

  Drake had asked her a question, but she didn’t think it required an answer, so she took a deep breath and gracefully walked toward the handsome man who was holding her captive with his eyes.

  “Why so formal?” she asked once she reached him.

  Drake raised his eyebrow, looking as sexy as hell.

  “The suit or calling you by your full first name?”

  Livvie couldn’t help but smile. “Both,” she said.

  Drake didn’t answer. Instead, he gently put his hand on Livvie’s arm, but the feeling his touch invoked inside her felt anything but gentle. Once again, his flesh against hers made her feel as if she was on fire…intense and crazy. Livvie looked into Drake’s eyes as if he could explain why she reacted to him that way. His gaze seemed distracted.

  Unfortunately, it seemed as if he was able to un-distract himself pretty quickly. Regaining his composure far easier than she did, Drake pulled out a chair for her, which was right next to his. The feeling of panic overwhelmed her. She gripped the back of the chair, fearing she would faint.

  “Is there a problem?” Drake looked concerned.

  “No one else is joining us?” Livvie tried to mask her panic.

  Drake shook his head. “No, does that bother you?”

  Yes, it bothered her. She wasn’t exactly disappointed; “uneasy” would be a far more accurate description. Panic stricken, more like it. When she’d won the raffle ticket, she had imagined herself eating at a table filled with tourists or his employees who worked in his vineyards. Not just with him…alone.

  “No,” she whispered, which was a direct lie, and she despised lying. Trying to avoid further eye contact, she sat down.

  Drake remained standing but moved closer to the back of Livvie’s chair. Goosebumps erupted on her back, causing her heartbeat to speed up. She felt so unnerved with him behind her; she wished he would sit down. Instead, he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  “I didn’t take you for a liar.”

  Livvie didn’t move a muscle for two reasons. First, his breath tickled her cheek and felt amazing. Second, Livvie just happened to be inhaling as he’d bent down, and she got a good whiff of him. Oh my goodness. He smelled of cedar and a trace of what she’d imagined was his vines. His scent was intoxicating and masculine. Carly once told her that if a woman liked the way a man smelled, she was finished. Livvie hoped her best friend was wrong.

  She had no idea how to respond. How did he know she was lying? They had only met a little while ago. Drake straightened and then sat down in his chair. At last, she could breathe again!

  “I wasn’t lying.” Another lie.

  Luckily, Drake seemed to have ignored her.

  Mr. Birkshire appeared and placed two square white plates in front of Drake and her. Two men followed and placed the sterling silverware down. Each man was dressed impeccably in a dark suit. One of them looked at Livvie and smiled. He placed a napkin on her lap and smoothed it out for her in an almost sensual way.

  Okay, that felt uncomfortable.

  “That’s enough, Andrew. She’s more than capable of straightening the napkin on her lap,” Drake said in the most authoritative tone she’d ever heard.

  Andrew’s eyes widened, and then he immediately exited the room, followed by everyone else.

  “Thank you,” Livvie said.

  Drake looked up at Livvie and half smiled. “For what?”

  “For coming to my rescue. I felt a little uncomfortable.” Livvie smiled back.

  “You don’t need a man coming to your rescue.”

  Livvie’s smile faded. Drake’s words hit a little too close to home. She’d always thought she did need a man. That was how she had been raised. But since Zach had hurt her, she had decided she was okay on her own. He was right. She didn’t need a man to come to her rescue.

  “Thank you,” she responded.

  “But you’re still more comfortable lying than telling the truth.”

  Mr. Birkshire and the others returned to the room and placed a wineglass and a water glass in front of each of them. Livvie was relieved. She wasn’t a liar. She had just refused to tell him her deepest, darkest feelings. She had only just met the man, after all.

  Mr. Birkshire poured red wine into Drake’s glass. Drake swirled it, smelled it, and then tasted it. It was the sexiest thing Livvie had ever seen. She had watched pretentious men and women taste wine that way before, but the way Drake closed his eyes and sniffed it seemed like a passionate act. He was revering it, treasuring it, almost making love to it.

  All sorts of images sprang to Livvie’s mind, such as how his long fingers would feel against her body. He was touching the glass gently yet firmly at the same time. Is that how he touched his women? How he would touch her? When his lips tasted the wine, he savored it. Is that how he acted when he kissed a woman or went down on her? Livvie blushed and immediately stopped her dangerous train of thought. Drake, on the other hand, opened his eyes and stared directly at her. She was sure he knew what she was thinking. Without breaking his stare, he spoke.

  “Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Birkshire.”

  Mr. Birkshire nodded and then left the room. Andrew placed salad plates in front of them both, and the no-name employee placed salad from a large bowl onto their plates. The second they turned around to leave, Livvie became nervous. There was no way she could avoid the lying issue. She sighed as they closed the door. But she needed to be an adult and deal with this head on.

  “I don’t lie,” she said the minute they left.

  Drake raised his eyebrow. “But you do avoid the truth. You’d rather avoid telling others how you really feel.”

  “And what do you think the truth is?” She hated it when men thought they knew her better than she knew herself. It infuriated her.

  Drake began eating his salad but remained focused on her. Then he dropped his fork onto his plate and sat back in his chair. Livvie picked up her fork but stopped before she loaded it with lettuce.

  “If we’re going to survive the next week together, Olivia, I need you to be honest with me. I don’t want you thinking of me as the Drake Morganthal you’ve read about.” Drake ran his hands through his hair. “Fuck, I don’t even think of myself as that Drake Morganthal.”

  “What do you want from me?” Livvie replied, although what she really meant was: What do you expect from me? Because men always expected something from her. All she ever wanted was to be herself with a man and for him to accept that. But she always had to be who they wanted her to be. Not anymore. Those days were done. If her next boyfriend didn’t love her for who she was, then screw him.

  Drake inhaled and then spoke in such a serious tone that left Livvie feeling as if she was being hypnotized.

  “I want you to be honest with me about how you’re feeling. Communicate with me. I understand you’re here because you won the raffle, but I’d also like your opinion on some of my wines. You’re not a big wine drinker, so your opinion and ideas will be fresher, not clouded, more innocent.”

  Of course, this is all about his precious wines. Maybe if she weren’t a raffle winner but some gorgeous model or actress, he would want her to be honest for different reasons.

  “I like wine,” Livvie responded honestly. “I don’t enjoy the feeling of not being in control.”

  Drake smiled softly. “We have that in common then.”

  Livvie swallowed hard. “You like being in control?” Of course he likes being in control.

  Drake picked up his fork and resumed eating but paused and looked intensely into her eyes. “I don’t like it, Olivia. I need it. I demand it.”

  Drake delved into his salad, and Livvie joined him. Her appetite was non-existent, but eating gave her something to do besides staring into Drake’s intoxicating eyes. After
a few minutes of silence, it became awkward.

  “You told me your family doesn’t live here, but do some of your friends?” Or a girlfriend?

  Unfortunately, he looked up at her again, his eyes even more intense.

  “No, and I have no girlfriend. Nor do I plan on getting one. I have no interest in that type of relationship.”

  Livvie inhaled. He seemed good at reading her mind. Not that he needed to explain to her in detail that he was commitment phobic. She wasn’t asking him about his dating life. But they were spending an entire week together, and if they were going to be eating alone like this, she needed to make sure she wasn’t acting inappropriately or saying anything wrong. Like touching his arm as she had earlier. The sparks that had gone off inside her were not something she would want to repeat if he had a girlfriend. Even though it was completely innocent.

  But she could sense in Drake’s changed demeanor that her prying into his personal life pissed him off. She wouldn’t care if he had a girlfriend. Well, that was another lie. She would care, but not for the reasons he thought. Zach had cheated on her with his assistant, and she never wanted to be the woman with a man who had a girlfriend—or a wife, for that matter.

  “You don’t need to be composed around me,” Drake said softly.

  “Is that why you’re mad at me?”

  “Why would you think I’m mad at you?”

  They had both completely stopped eating.

  “Because I asked you a personal question.”

  Drake pushed his chair closer to the table and to Livvie. He then took a big sip of wine and motioned for Livvie to do the same. She listened, and as the delicious wine touched her tongue she felt calmer.

  “I don’t mind the personal questions. I expect them. You’re as curious about me as I am about you,” he told her.

  Livvie took another sip of the wine.

  “But I’d like you to remove the walls around you that you’re holding on to so tightly. Remove the baggage.” Drake took a sip of wine.

  “So I can give you an honest and innocent opinion of your wines?” Livvie asked with a hint of sarcasm.