the property, my cottage nestled in the hills with a private drive and spectacular view. “It really is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I reach behind me and grab the large picnic basket full of wines and other goodies I spent half my day preparing and thrust it toward him, hearing the bottles clank.
“Peace offering?”
He raises a brow. “We’ll see.”
He moves to reach for the basket, and I hold it with hesitance as he looks down at me quizzically. “I’ve done nothing but look forward to our date all day.”
It’s honest, and it’s all I’ve got to try to smooth down the feathers I’ve inadvertently ruffled.
His lips twitch with amusement at my ploy to make nice, and he flips open the lid of the basket and wrinkles his nose. “It’s not a date,” he deadpans. “And this looks…nice. I guess.”
I lean down toward the bottles. “Don’t listen to him. He’ll love you, I promise.” He grins, taking the basket before walking to his Land Rover and opening the door for me.
“Thank you,” I say, stepping up into the spotless SUV as he places the basket in the back behind me before shutting my door.
Nervously I watch as he crosses the hood. The blinding afternoon sun gives me only a partial view of him.
My chest is already constricting with the recollection of just how much I loved our exchange last night and the anticipation of more. The chemistry is intoxicating, he is intoxicating which has the makings for an easy new addiction. Butterflies swarm my insides as he climbs into the driver’s seat and eyes me before starting up the car.
“I’ve got a place in mind.”
“Oh?”
He nods. “Huntington Library. Have you been?”
“No, but I’ve always wanted to go.”
“I’ve never been, either.”
“A day of firsts.”
“Sounds good to me,” he says.
“Me too.”
We make small talk on the drive over as he navigates the hills. It’s a warm day with just enough breeze to make it perfect. “Step” by Vampire Weekend plays in a lulling melody in the background.
“So, what exactly is it you do?”
“I’m a sommelier, which is just a fancy name for wine steward. I don’t like to call myself an expert, but I’m hoping to get there. My dream is to have my own label one day, my own vineyard. Nothing too fancy, just a place to grow my own grapes.”
He nods. “That’s admirable. What does one have to do to become a wine expert?”
“I studied viticulture and enology in school. I was practically raised on a vineyard during spring and most of the summer months. My parents rented the same house for years, so it felt like a second home. My mother said she loved the peace, but I think she loved it more because it was hard for me to get into trouble there.”
“You, trouble? That’s surprising.”
“I’ll have you know I appreciate good sarcasm.” He twists his lips to hide a smug grin and I have to rip my eyes away to keep in conversation. “Anyway, her ploy to keep me from becoming a pregnant teen paid off for both of us. I got interested in crafting wine, albeit it made me a little bit of an alcoholic at fifteen, but that’s how it came to be. But what she never discovered was I wasn’t the only kid isolated out near the grapevines.”
My confession wins me his suppressed grin. He glances over at me, his eyes drifting from the exposed cleavage of my sundress to my lips before darting back to the road.
“You are trouble.”
“I disagree. For the most part, I followed the rules and hid my rebellion well amongst the vines. Mostly in an old cellar.”
“We don’t have to go into the details,” he assures me with a pointed look. I love the little hint of jealousy that leaks from his words. It’s cute, if not a little premature.
“For now, I’m just taking odd jobs. I got back from France a year ago. I was there as an understudy to a world-class sommelier. I even got to test my own label.”
“How did it turn out?”
“I wasted a few vines,” I say with a laugh. “No one was impressed.”
“Sorry,” he says, catching my eyes briefly.
“You never know unless you try. It takes years to perfect a recipe and a fortune to execute. I’ll try again. For now, I’m just taking odd jobs, like last night.”
“Nothing to sneeze at.”
“I agree. Making a living in this profession has been a dream in itself. At the moment, I’m networking, and it’s paying off. I’m getting