Page 47 of Bit's Bliss

“You mean when I got mad at you in my kitchen?”

“You have no idea how much that excited me. If your father hadn’t arrived home when he did, there’s no telling what I might’ve done.” I sighed. “There’sone more thing I need to say, and this might be the most important of all.”

“I’m listening.”

“When I’m with you, I feel safe. Not judged or discounted—you accept me as I am, who I am, and how I am. You have no idea how much that means to me. How precious it is.”

“I do know, Trevino, because it’s how I feel when I’m with you. Even when you say I’ll face ‘consequences,’ I’m not afraid. I know you’ll take care of me, take carewithme.”

“I will, Eberly. I promise that I’ll look out for you, keep you safe, and soothe you in the same way you do me. I’ll protect and honor your body, your mind, and your emotions.”

“I’ll do the same for you.”

“Now, we sleep.”

She sighed. “If we must.”

“Under the covers, little dove.”

“Will you sleep next to me?” she asked.

“I will.”

“Will you take off your clothes?”

Rather than answer with words, I pulled my shirt over my head with one hand while I unfastened my jeans with the other. After toeing off my boots and socks, I dropped my pants and shirt to the floor and crawled in beside her.

“I really want you to make love to me, Trevino.”

“I want that too.”

“But I understand why we’re waiting.”

“And then again, we’re not. Feeling your skin next to mine is still making love, little dove. Every touch is that same expression of desire and caring. It’s all love, Eberly.”

When she didn’t respond, I knew she’d fallen asleep. What I didn’t know was whether she’d heard the most significant words I spoke tonight. Not only tonight, though, but the most important of my life.

15

EBERLY

Yesterday, I’d fully expected that, when I woke up this morning, I’d no longer be a virgin. While I still was, the decision to put off intimacy felt like the right one.

How could I even think about it with my father missing? He’d been gone close to forty-eight hours, and I had no idea where to look for him. Given his best friend hadn’t spoken to him in weeks and the last time his latest girlfriend saw him was the night of the ball, I was out of ideas. Adding in the argument I’d overheard him having on his cell phone, and his disappearance was distressing.

When I asked Trevino if I should contact Tiernan, he passed the question on to the sheriff, who said I should wait.

I was facing away from him, but since he was snoring, confirming he was still asleep, I wouldn’t ask if that had changed yet.

It seemed logical that Tiernan showing up at the gate the same night my father disappeared was somehowrelated. That Trevino said his brother heard my ex-fiancé had played a role in my father selling Eberly Winery to the Wine Consortium made his relentless attempt to get me to open it suspicious.

Now, I regretted that whenever Tiernan and my dad discussed winery business, I’d tuned them out. I’d never had an interest in either making wine or growing grapes, which was surprising since I loved gardening so much.

When Trevino’s hand moved from around my waist to my breast, I glanced over my shoulder at him.

“Good morning.”

“That I woke up with you in my arms makes it better than Christmas.” He nuzzled my neck. “How long have you been awake?”