Just a Kiss: The Single Girls Wine Club (A Wine Country Romance #1) (13 page)

“Sarah, I’d like you to meet the twins, my brothers Gianni and Nick. You can tell them apart by their personalities. Gianni has no sense of humor, but Nick has even less,” Jamie said.

“Isn’t he just so very funny and so very charming?” Gianni offered her a glass and let loose a slow, hypnotizing smile. “Very nice to meet you.”

“And you.” Sarah nodded, gulping.

“Sarah.” Nick latched his dancing eyes on to hers and gave her a naughty grin. He extended his hand over the bar and held hers for a warm shake. She shook, all over.

“Nick,” she said.

What kind of gene pool lottery jackpot did the Santino brothers win? Was it even genetically possible that one couple could create so many variations of magnificent? No wonder Danica had pounced on Jamie’s invitation yesterday. The three brothers together completely overwhelmed Sarah, and her lips quivered just holding a smile.

Jamie picked up his wine glass and clutched her hand, leading her away from the bar to a quieter area off to the side. She accidentally brushed her arm against his, and her body ratcheted up its hormone level. She promised herself she’d keep it cool with no kissing, and certainly no tonguing or body pressing tonight. She flamed hotter just thinking about it.

“Let’s toast.” His intense stare drilled into her as he raised his glass.

Sarah held her glass higher.

“To you, Sarah, for putting up with me at your charming café, for teaching me more than I’ll ever need to know about pan washing and bussing tables,” he said. “And here’s to dough rolling.” He smiled. “Although I could do that all day as long as my arms are around you.”

She felt her eyes fill remembering that morning.

“For being so generous, and so sweet and so…” He sighed and shook his head. “Utterly captivating.” They touched their glasses with a clink.

“That’s quite a toast,” Sarah said, taking a sip of the rich cabernet. When she looked up from her glass, she found Jamie searching her face like he’d lost something.

“You are captivating,” he almost whispered.

She fell silent.

“You do know that you’re all I think about, don’t you?” He asked softly and waited.

“I don’t know what to say.” She took another sip of wine.

Her brain began to blur, and she knew if he kept talking to her that way, she’d end up lost in his kisses again. She worried that the woman from the newspaper, his exotic costar, would show up and shatter her again.

Walking toward the band in the backfield, Sarah asked, “Do have any hand in the family business?”

“No, afraid not,” Jamie said. “I know a little, it would be impossible not to, in my family, but my brothers know a lot more. Michael knows the most.”

“Just not interested in making wine?” Sarah asked. They continued walking, talking louder the closer they got to the music.

“It's not that. I came a little late for the business. It was well underway and established by the time Luca and I came along and my older brothers had it pretty much covered.”

“So you're the youngest?”

“Not quite. Luca's two years younger, Leo's two years older. The twins came before him, and Michael is the oldest, a ripe old thirty-five.”

“Wow, six boys.” She nodded her head. “And not a lot of time in between you guys.”

“Four runs and a double,” Jamie said. “My poor, poor mother… I don’t know how she manages to corral all that testosterone in our family.”

By nine o‘clock, a whole different kind of party was going on at the Santino Family Estate, and Sarah and Jamie were in the thick of it on the dance floor. Other than occasional “wine rests,” they danced nonstop. The band's volume had been cranking up little by little and now, it was raging.

The saucy lead singer in a short, red fringe dress and ankle boots clutched the microphone and yelled, “Are you ready to get
rowdy
all you party people?”

The dance floor whooped “Yeah!” in response.

Another female voice called to the crowd over the speakers, “I. Can’t. Hear.
You
!”

“Is that Juliet on the mic?” Sarah got a quick taste of Jamie’s sweaty, salty cheek when she got close to his ear to ask.

“Come on you
party
people,” Juliet called out. “You are ready to
party
aren’t you?”

The crowd cheered, “
Yes!
”

The band pumped into the next song. Juliet and three unknown friends took the position of backup dancers in the far, back of the stage, behind the “real” backup dancers.

“This is insane!” Sarah hooted, throwing her hands up a wave facing the stage with the crowd.

Danica strutted in time to the beat across the dance floor and joined Sarah. They grooved together, doing the same steps Juliet and her friends did on stage. Michael and Jamie, now dance partnerless, followed along in the crazy hand wave, hip shake, Napa-Sonoma-something move.

“Where’s Lulu?” Sarah shouted over the music to Danica.

Danica's head bobbed at several bales of hay, the impromptu dance rest area.

“I’m going to check on her,” Sarah yelled to Danica and turned to Jamie. “Do you Santino’s always party like this?”

“Only when it’s a
real
party.” Jamie grinned and something caught his eye. “Look at that Sarah. Quick. Oh my god,” he said laughing. “Look!”

“What?” Sarah didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “Where?”

“Right there!” Jamie pointed to two figures on a bale of hay in the shadows, secretively sharing something. “There… Sarah.”

“Is that Lulu? Who's that with her?” Sarah asked. They were about forty feet away from the couple on the hay bale.

“That’s my great uncle Leo,” Jamie said. “And I swear to you, she pulled a flask out of her blouse.”

“She did not,” Sarah said, but stopped walking. “Maybe we shouldn’t interrupt them. Lulu’s all right there alone with your uncle, right?”

“Of course, she’s okay,” Jamie said. “Uncle Leo is just a little crazy and that’s only when he’s off his meds.” Jamie pulled her in another direction. “C’mon I want to show you something.”

“I’ve met your mom and dad, all of your brothers, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles,” Sarah said. “Who haven’t I met?”

“Oh, just you wait my little butter cream. It’s not a ‘who’ it’s a ‘what’, and you haven’t seen this.”

Dense trees darkened the way leading to the Santino Family wine cave. Only remnants of a footpath remained on the old back route, but Jamie Santino could manage it blindfolded. Christmassy scented pine needles filled the chilly air. Sarah struggled in her heels, maneuvering slowly over occasional rocks and gnarly vine clumps. Despite his strong grip, she took a mean stumble and reached for a tree for balance.

Jamie kept a firm hold of her, preventing her from falling hard and pulled her upright. Carefully running his hands down her arms, he felt for breaks or bumps. He walked around her and felt her shoulders, all the way down her spine, and the small of her back, before finally standing in front of her. Jamie beamed, fascinated by how the moonlight peeking through the tree canopy illuminated her stunning face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just tripped a little.”

“Would you like me to carry you?” He leisurely reached down to lift her.

“Are you out of your mind?” Sarah said. “Please don’t do that.” She seemed miffed but giggled so he couldn’t be sure.

“Hmm.” Jamie touched her thigh. “I think I like it down here.” He moved his hand down her incredible legs over her jeans taking his time feeling every graceful line of her calf, and the sweet dip behind her knee.
What does she taste like here?
He stroked back up lingering on her thighs right under her very cup-able bottom. How many times had he dreamed of doing this?

“Get back up here,” Sarah said quietly.

He stood, positioning his face close to hers. “Your wish is my command.”

She didn’t respond but shifted her body slowly, tempting him like a languorous feline, and leaned back against the tree. She cast her eyes down. When she looked up, she locked her gaze on him and didn’t let go.

At that moment, everything became a slow motion movie for him, but he wasn’t acting. There was no script for this, and he had no moves or any memorized lines to fall back on. Her hazel eyes shined back at him in the moonlight. God, he ached to kiss and taste every inch of her. He’d scare her if she knew how much he wanted her.

Help me get a grip, I’m melting into her eyes…
He took a beat to compose himself.

“What would you like me to do Sarah?” he asked.

She moved closer and parted her lips.

I’m going, going…

“I think I’d like you to kiss me now.”

Gone…

On tiptoe and cradling the back of his head, she guided him to her.

No one could surprise him in the love department except Sarah Dupont. He skimmed his hands over the outline of her soft curves and pulled her in tighter. She tasted like cabernet and cake, and he closed his eyes so he could savor her lips.

A low moan escaped her, and it hit him in the gut. He didn’t know where to start with his hands and moved them over the sexy arch of her back and pressed her closer to him.

“The tree,” he said quickly, not wanting to be away from her mouth. “Does the tree hurt your back?”

“Don’t stop kissing me,” she said. The need in Sarah’s voice surprised him, making him strain against his jeans. He fought to slow down, to wait, to catch a breath before he lost it.

He swept his lips across her cheek. “Sarah.” When he reached her earlobe, he nipped. She felt luscious and pliable in his arms. He almost couldn't handle listening to her quick breaths and the feeling of her heart pumping so fast against him.

“Sarah.” He nuzzled behind her ear, kissing and sucking her neck. “Don’t make me stop.”

She groaned between breaths.

He felt drunk, but he’d had only had a few glasses of wine. Touching, kissing and listening to her whimpers made him feel like he could tip over any minute and bury himself into her.

“Kiss me harder,” she said from her throat and ground her hips into him, pushing him to the edge as he clung to her in a frantic tongue dance.

Close to insanity, he devoured her lips.

He wedged his hand between their bodies and found the top of her jeans. He unfastened the button and moved his fingers down, rubbing lightly over her silky belly and into her panties.

“Touch me… touch me.” She squirmed closer to his hand and moaned between hot breaths and tongue licks.

“Oh god, Sarah.” He dipped his finger into her. She was soft and slick as butter, and ready for him. Concentrating on not skyrocketing, he matched Sarah’s rhythm with his fingers. Stroking in and around, as Sarah pushed harder against his palm.

God, she is so hot
. His heart pounded. Her sexy moans drove him closer and closer to the edge he desperately wanted to avoid. Rock hard against his jeans and pressing against her, he concentrated on touching her on the exact spot that made her moves looser and wilder.

Sarah squirmed to spread her thighs wider, but couldn’t, they were still trapped in her jeans. Spellbound by how wet she was for him, he hung on for the ride, loving every breath of the tornado they were making. Sweeping and pulling them into a heady swirl of desire. He wanted to give her more.

He pressed his mouth against hers and kept his fingers in her panties when he reached under her with his left hand and lifted her, bracing her against the tree for better position. He stroked harder and faster.

Trembling against him, “Oh, oh, oh,” she cried out passionately in his ear.

Sarah let out another loud cry and a whimper, and he lost it.

She went limp in his arms, and he rested his head against her hair. He stayed like that for a moment. “You are so beautiful, Sarah.” Kissing the soft skin under her right ear, he trailed his lips down her cheek. “So.” Making his way over to the other side, he licked and kissed behind her left ear. “Beautiful.” He stepped back and his heart ached from the beautifully soft moonlit smile she gave him. “Come with me, Sarah.”

She tugged at his belt buckle. “You mean there’s more?”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “But I think I need to change my pants first.”

Sarah raised her eyebrows and gave him a laid-back smile. He grabbed her hand saying, “C’mon,” and led her over the crunchy pine needles to the footpath.

“The wine cave will have to wait, but you can see it there.” Jamie pointed to a large gray boulder visible in the moonlight. “You can see part of the roof peeking out from behind the rock.”

She stretched on her toes and moved her head. “I see it.”

“I’ll give you the full tour soon, but now I’m taking you to Fort Jamie. Hold my hand, it’s not well lit down here either.” The footpath disappeared in the fern covered ravine.

Sarah brushed a vine from her leg. “This is Fort Jamie?”

“Anyone home?” Jamie said opening the door and turning on the lights. He held the door open for her.

“I’m impressed.” Sarah leaned against the wall by the door. “Fort Jamie has electricity.”

The river rock floor and stone fireplace were the same materials as the main house. Rough plaster lined the walls and wood beams crisscrossed the ceiling. A small row of cabinets, a sink, microwave, and tiny fridge were all Jamie ever needed during his stays.

She dropped her purse on the table and inspected the room.

He quietly waited for her reaction.

“This place is a dream.”

“Glad you like it,” he said reaching for a strand of hair caught on her lips. He tucked it behind her ear. “This used to be a caretaker’s cottage, way back in the day.” He moved to the fireplace, grabbing a box of matches on the way. “I don’t usually bring people here.”

Sarah eyed him. “You sure ‘bout that?”

He smiled, lit a match and tossed it into the wood and tinder already prepared. “I haven’t been here in a while, but my folks keep it stocked and ready just in case.” He crouched, waiting for the flames to start. “Come over here by the fire, it’s cold by the door.”

Sarah settled into the love seat.