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A tremble ran through her, subtle but unmistakable, and for a second, she didn’t move.She didn’t pull away.She stayed in my arms.
Her breath hitched, and my hand stayed firm on her waist, thumb brushing the soft fabric of her sweater.Her back pressed lightly against my chest, and I swore I could feel her heart pounding as hard as mine.
Then she straightened, her spine stiffening.“I’m fine.”She stepped out of my hold, leaving cold air in her place.“That board needs to be fixed.”Her voice wasn’t as smooth as usual.There was a frazzled undertone, and a breathless edge.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to tell me I wasn’t the only one who still felt the undeniable pull.
“Can you handle that?”She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, eyes fixed back on the screen.
“I’ll take care of it.”
And just like that, it was business as usual.
Chapter 3
Sherry
New Year’s Eve was the night before the world dove into resolutions and gym memberships.But first they partied, and it was my job to throw the best celebration Vine Valley had ever seen.I moved through the tasting room of my family’s vineyard, greeting familiar face after familiar face.
Twinkling fairy lights softened the rustic wood beams above and cast a golden glow over the large space, creating a luminous warmth to the festivities.Flickering votive candles sat atop repurposed wine barrels, and black and gold balloons rise from every corner.
The room hummed with laughter, clinks of glasses, and jazz music from the small string quartet set up on the far side of the tasting room.Dressed in crisp white shirts and black aprons, the caterers maneuvered through people, offering plates of brie and fig jam crostini, lobster bisque shooters, and mini caprese skewers.
Nero, my older brother by barely a year, and tasting room manager, stood behind the polished tasting bar, filling glasses and cracking that smile filled with too much charm every chance he got.When he glanced at Lainey, his girlfriend, and my best friend, there was nothing but love in his gaze.I was happy for them, truly, if not a little jealous.Nero had been dominating Lainey’s time, and I missed my best friend.At least she’d finally have someone to kiss when the clock struck midnight.
“You outdid yourself.”The silky voice slid through my ears, and the warm breath caressed my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.Heat curled in my stomach as I turned, coming face to face with the man who had been haunting my dreams since Halloween despite my attempts to forget him.
“It’s my job.”
His dark blond hair was freshly cut and the slight stubble made him more dangerous in that tuxedo.The glittering lights from the crystal chandeliers caught his eyes as he scanned the room, and when our eyes locked, a slow, devastating smile curved his lips.“It’s more than that, and you know it.Not anyone could pull this off.”
The compliment flowed through me, sending a wave of warmth to my heart.The treacherous organ would find his compliment and charm irresistible.It was getting harder and harder to resist him, though I’d been able to hold my ground.He was no longer just an employee and coworker.He had proven to be efficient, professional, and exactly the kind of person we needed to replace Wyatt as he stepped into a new position.In a short amount of time, he’d become a vital part of the vineyard, and I would never allow myself to jeopardize that.
His gaze held mine, unreadable yet searing.
I forced a polite smile and stepped back.“Enjoy the party.I have a job to do.”
“Do you have anyone to kiss at midnight?”
A response stuttered up my throat and tumbled from my lips in an incoherent sound.“You know I don’t mix work and pleasure.”
“You have several times, as a matter of fact.Before and after, I was inside you.”
My eyes widened at his blatant arrogance, heat rushing up my neck and spreading through my cheeks.“Keep your voice down.”
“Why are you afraid someone might hear?”
He was baiting me, but I wasn’t an idiot.I turned my nose up and glanced away as if I didn’t care.“There’s nothing to tell because nothing happened.”
He laughed at the blatant lie, and the sound echoed around us.I darted my eyes away from him, scanning the crowd to see if his laugh caught the attention of anyone.
“You can pretend all you want, but we both know it happened.”
“Nothing happened, Ben,” I stated without room for argument.
We had one single beautiful night together, but that’s all it was.A moment in time that I was grateful for, but just like all moments, life moves on.
“If that’s what you want to keep telling yourself.”His finger dragged ever so slightly up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.“I will never forget how you screamed my name, how your eyes fluttered back when you came.”