Page 35 of Love Among Vines

He turned into his driveway and they crawled down the lane. It was shaping up to be a beautiful night. The sky was missing its usual scatter of clouds, and the sun and moon both hung low on the horizon. It was warmer than she had expected.

“Wait for me,” he said sternly as he pulled to a stop in front of his house. “I don’t want you to break your ankle in those boots. A trip to the ER is not on the agenda.”

“Fine,” she said with a smile. In seconds, he had opened her door and helped her down. He lingered a bit on the descent, far slower than he needed to. Her body slid down his, the hem of her skirt sliding up a little.

With her boots on, she was significantly closer to his height. Their lips were just a breath apart.

“Thank you,” she said in a whisper.

“You’re wel?—”

Jade’s arm nearly separated from her body as Penny tore off across the front yard. Rett caught her, and she managed to hold on to the leash. Penny came to a halt and looked disapprovingly over her shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Told you she can’t be trusted off-leash. She’s one errant rabbit away from ending up in Newfoundland.”

He opened the front door, and Penny dragged Jade inside.

Jade unclipped the leash and took off her shoes before following Penny deeper into the house. The kitchen smelled tantalizingly of vanilla and almond. Maybe they weren’t leaving at all? That would certainly make seducing him easier.

She followed the tip-tap of Penny’s nails into the kitchen, where a brand-new set of dog bowls waited. Penny lapped loudly. A small tote with toys was next to them.

“I thought you didn’t have any pets,” Jade said over her shoulder.

“I don’t.”

“So you just went out and bought dog toys and bowls? We could have just used a cereal bowl.”

“I told you, I want her to be comfortable while we’re gone.”

“About that. She won’t destroy anything, but she will almost certainly jump on your furniture while we’re gone.”

“As she should.”

Jade raised her eyebrows. “This couch probably cost more than my apartment.”

“And it should be used.” He glanced at his watch. “We better get going.”

“Okay. Bye, sweet pea.” She bent down and pressed a kiss to Penny’s furry face.

Penny immediately dove into the toy bin and came up with a tennis ball. She trotted over to the living room and hopped onto the couch, looking very pleased with herself.

Rett fiddled with the remote on the TV for a moment until a YouTube video of birds appeared. Penny sat straight up and tilted her head. He gave her a pat and then turned to Jade.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded and started to follow him. She cast a glance over her shoulder at Penny, who was happily sitting on the couch that probably cost $15,000. Her heart skipped a beat.

Rett was generous to a fault, sure. But he had picked up dog toys and equipment for a couple hours’ absence. Things were starting to feel a little…not fake.

She was reading too much into it. He was just being nice.

This didn’t mean he was getting attached, or that feelings were surfacing.

And maybe spending time with Penny had made him decide that he wanted to get a dog once Jade was out of his life.

Even if Jade wasn’t the kind of girl you fell in love with, Penny definitely was.

“You seem quieter than usual,” Rett said after they climbed back into the truck.

She had never been good at covering up her emotions. “Oh, I was just disappointed that I didn’t find the source of the incredible smell coming from your kitchen.”

“Later,” he said with a smoldering glance. His hand rested on her thigh, and his pinky brushed the bare skin an inch underneath her skirt.

All worries promptly fell out of her head. Tonight was the night. Finally. All she had to do was make it through whatever incredibly thoughtful and romantic evening Rett had planned, and then she could finally, finally experience the full package.

In the past, her one-night stands had always scratched that itch and provided mental clarity, an inner peace, and a readiness to move on.

It would be a relief to find the same sensation after being relentlessly teased by Rett for the past week.

She was starting to confuse hormones with feelings.

Sleeping with him would help realign her priorities. She would be set free.

She inched slightly closer to him, and he smiled as he swung the truck around. His hand slid a centimeter higher.

“There’s a little bit of a drive. But it should be a nice night. We’ll be up a bit late, though.”

“I’m fine with staying up late.”

She usually got up before the sun, but one late night wouldn’t kill her.

They trundled up the road, and Rett noted points of interest along their route. They passed wineries, breweries, shops, and chateaus. The view was stunning. Sunset was approaching, elongating the shadows of the trees.

Finally, they pulled to a stop along a random road.

“Where are we?” She looked around, but didn’t see anything familiar.

“You’ll see.” He hopped out and came around to her door.

He helped her down in that same infuriatingly slow way, bodies brushing against each other and strength rippling in his forearms.

Screw it. She leaned in and kissed him, pressing every part of her body she could against him. His hands snaked around her waist, and he pulled her in even tighter. Heat formed between them like a geyser had opened up in the inch of earth that separated them.

Their tongues danced, and his grip tightened for a moment. Then he pulled back.

Jade frowned. Her body called out for his in a way she had never experienced. It was equally as spiritual as it was physical. So why the hell did he insist on constantly holding her at arm’s length?

“Later,” he said with that infuriating grin. His hand found hers, and he tugged her down the road on foot.

She looked to the left and right, lips still throbbing from their kiss. There was nothing around, not even a stray house or mailbox. So where was he taking her?

An iron gate appeared out of nowhere, and Rett led her through it and down a rocky incline. A magnificent stone chapel appeared in front of them.

She stopped in her tracks. He turned to look at her.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. What she would have given for her oil paints and a few more hours of natural light.

“It’s the first stop on our Artist Constipation Elimination Date,” he said in a low voice.

Jade pulled her phone out of her purse and swung it around, capturing as many pictures as she could. Eventually, she took his hand again and allowed him to pilot her around.

He spoke about the history of the chapel and the family who owned it. They had once been some of the most prolific wine producers in the United States.

A view of the lake over a stone wall nearly stole her breath away. Trees in hues of orange and red crisscrossed the vista.

“Rett.”

“Hmm?”

“Stand there.” She pointed to an outcropping. “Next to the arch.”

“Okay,” he said slowly.

“Face the lake,” she said.

He obligingly turned around, propping his hands on the low wall and looking out over the lake.

It was almost too perfect.

“Stay. Please.”

She took another picture before pulling her sketchbook out and setting to work. Deep shading for the shadows under the stone arches. Bricks of varying age and material. The curve of Rett’s deltoids beneath his collared shirt.

“I should have brought your oil paints along,” he said.

“Shh.”

In minutes, she was done.

“Can you move up there next?” She gestured to a wall that overlooked a curving stone staircase with a wrought iron handrail.

“One more pose. Then you have to come upstairs and see the sunset with me,” he said sternly. But he smiled as he stood at the wall, staring off into the distance.

Leaves fell softly to the stone pavement. Rolling hills dotted with vineyards and dense clumps of trees stood on the opposite shore.

One series of moody pictures and one sketch later, Jade flipped back and forth and looked at her handiwork. It wasn’t like anything else she had ever created. But there was something beautiful about these sketches.

“Come on, we’re losing the light.”

She jumped up the stairs as quickly as she could, and he led her up another set to the top of a bell tower.

“Oh, wow,” she said. The lake spread out before them, tinged pink with the dying light.

“Take a picture with me,” he said. He pulled out his phone.

“Is this part of the ruse?” She snuggled in under his arm, which he draped over her shoulders. It was warm and comforting. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend it was real.

“Maybe. But I also just think it’ll be a nice picture.”

He snapped a couple selfies, then they turned back to the majesty of the sunset.

They stood side by side, hands brushing against each other as they stood on the tower.

The sun had almost disappeared, no more than a brilliant speck on the horizon.

Deep blues set in all around them, blending with the pinks and oranges of sunset.

His hand brushed hers once more. He had turned to look at her, and there was something different in his eyes.

Almost like he was seeing her for the first time.

Her heart staggered in her chest again, and she reached over to take his hand.

They stood together, fingers intertwined, and watched until the light faded.