Without a Hitch(76)

“I like seeing you like that,” he admits quietly.

Turning to face him, I wiggle my body to lie on my side. “Like what?” I ask, propping my head up onto my hand.

“Relaxed. Happy.”

“It’s hard not to be when you’re in a hammock at the ocean, lover. So, tell me about your plan.

Why are you on a pseudo-vacation for three weeks?”

“There’s nothing pseudo about it. Perhaps, before I met you, I would have planned to fill every waking second with meetings, but my mother ran Bryer-Blaine for years without me. She can handle the day-to-day for three weeks. And to answer the second part of your question, I had told Ross that I would be here to learn everything he wanted to teach me about the winery. It turns out, it isn’t so much about how wine is made but the people who run it. He’s big on family and taking care of his employees.”

“But so are you.” Okay, I may have researched him even if I never put him in the blog.

“How do you know that?” He leans back in his chair, appearing relaxed for the first time in hours.

But his gaze remains intensely focused on me. A reminder that I’m the prey in his chase.

“I know because every time we’ve stayed at one of your properties, every employee I spoke to, from the kitchen staff to front desk clerks, all loved and respected you. Even if they did fear you a little.” His lip quirks, but he remains silent. “You work hard to make sure your staff is a priority, and they recognize that.”

He nods thoughtfully, but then his face clouds over.

“Thank you,” he eventually offers. “I know there will always be the occasional bad apple, but my parents believed in respecting our employees. It’s why Nova and I both worked every job in the hotel as teenagers. You learn to treat people with respect when you’re slinging drinks to assholes all night only for them to leave a fifty-cent tip. Or walking in to clean a room and finding shit on the walls and used condoms on the floor.” He shudders at the memory.

“I’m impressed.”

“So am I.” He doesn’t take his gaze off me, and his intensity is unnerving, so I glance away.

“What impresses you, Lochlan?”

He moves quickly and is standing over me a second later. Leaning down, he captures my lips, but it’s a gentle kiss. It’s different, more controlled than I’m used to from him. “You, Tilly. You impress me.”

My heart flutters, but I tamp it down. Don’t get carried away here, Tilly. Three weeks. Three weeks. Three weeks. That’s all we have. Instead of fishing for the information I desperately need, I focus on our time. “What is the plan while we’re here?”

He lazily scans my body, causing my toes to curl. “There are two dinners and a gala that I know of. Ross may want to do some tours and some informal get-togethers. He’s run his winery as a family business his entire life, but with no heirs to take it over, he’s forced to sell. He wants to make sure that the family vibe continues with its new owners.” He’s quiet for a moment before finishing. “And he likes you.”

I’m sure he can read the confusion on my face like a flashing neon sign because he smiles, and I get the oddest sensation that this specific expression is reserved just for me. “Me? What do you mean? How do I know him?”

“You probably don’t, but he’s Audra’s godfather, and she spoke very highly of you. He’s who we ran into at her wedding when I was taking you on the tour.” His voice drips with sexy innuendo, and my tummy tightens.

“So, you needed me to get this deal done. Not just anyone, but me specifically?”

“Darling, I think I need you for a lot of things.”

“You don’t sound so happy about that.” I try not to hold my breath as I wait for his answer, but I can’t expel the air from my lungs no matter how hard I try.

“I am happy, Tilly. I just don’t know how to handle it.”

“O-kay.” My gaze darts to the melting sun on the horizon. The sound of the ocean eases the tension in my shoulders and my anxiety slips away. When he doesn’t immediately speak, I force us back on track. “So, a couple of dinners and we’re at his beck and call?”

“Pretty much.” He shrugs, suddenly appearing so much younger, and I grin.

“Otherwise, we’re free to do whatever we want?”

“As long as it includes you naked.”

“Lochlan! We’re getting to know each other outside of the bedroom too.” His hand lands on my ankle, momentarily stunning me into silence.

“Sounds delightful.” His eyes twinkle as his hand methodically roams up my leg at a snail’s pace.

“Parasailing,” I blurt. His hand pauses near my knee. “And a campfire. Fishing. Umm…pedicures.

A movie marathon. And…and reading in the hammock.”

His hand rises from my leg to pull at his earlobe. It’s oddly endearing to see him so confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Dates. Vacation. I mean. Gah! Those are the things I want to do on vacation. With you.”

Laughter that warms my heart escapes his lips in a deep, soul-pleasing sound. “Parasailing and a campfire?”

“And pedicures, fishing, movies, and reading.”

“All at once?” He’s still laughing, but his hand travels up my leg again, making it hard to think.