Risking the Vine (Romancing the Vine Book 1) (13 page)

In answer, Luke grasped her wrist and pulled her into the room. She landed against his T-shirt as he swung the door shut with a quiet click behind her. He curved his palms over her shoulders, steadying her. The only illumination in the room came from a soft bedside lamp.

“I’m not going to kiss you, because if I start I won’t stop,” he said.

“Oh.” She couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

“No, you should have come. I just wanted you to know why I’m not kissing you. I feel like I need a cast iron jock strap. One with a lock.” His laugh was pained.

“I was going to ask if I could sleep here tonight, but if you’re too uncomfortable—”

He stopped her words with his fingers against her lips. “We’re adults. I think—well, I hope we can behave. Climb in.” He gestured to the queen-sized bed.

She crawled across the mattress and slid between the luxurious cotton sheets. Before he joined her, he pulled the top sheet up and tucked it in around her.

She arched a brow. Luke smiled. “Better safe than sorry, right?”

“Oh.”

He stretched out on top of the sheet and turned toward her, elbow crooked and head propped on his hand. She bent her knees, allowing him to slide his thighs under hers.

Jac pulled her hand from under the sheet and reached up to stroke along his jaw. Stubble scratched her fingertips. As she drew near his mouth, he nipped at her wandering digit, then dragged her hand away and laced their fingers together.

“How did your meeting with Jules go?” he asked.

“I think I’m cut out to be a farmer.” Jac couldn’t hold the grin back. “She gave me a lot of tips and pointers. References. Now I just have to make sure my cousin doesn’t mind me moving into the farmhouse. She’s been looking for a reason to get an apartment in the city, so this might just do it. Jules told me about an Ag convention in Sacramento I’m going to register for. Lots to learn for sure.” She didn’t bother to stifle the yawn claiming her.

Luke released her hand. His chest brushed hers as he stretched across to snap off the light. The pressure of his body over hers was electric, shooting sparks from the peaks of her breasts to her center. She gasped as sharp heat throbbed between her legs.

Luke paused for only a second before finding her lips in the dark. He drank tenderly, sipping at her mouth like it was an exquisite vintage of wine. He ran the very tip of his tongue over her lips, not asking for entry, but rather promising something in the future. He tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her face to deepen the kiss. Other than the hold he had on her face and his thigh under hers, he didn’t touch anywhere else.

As much as she wanted to take it further, she knew she shouldn’t. Too much of her future remained uncertain. When she touched a hand to his chest, he eased away and laid his head on the pillow next to hers. Whispering goodnight, his breath was soft on her cheek.

He draped an arm over her waist, heavy, comforting. Before sleep dropped over her like a blanket, her last thought was of how easily she could get used to curling in his arms every night.

Chapter 11

Luke’s phone rang, startling him out of deep slumber. His cock was stiff and aching, a residual from sleeping next to Jac all night. Her spicy perfume scented the room. Choosing to ignore the phone, he shifted his hand over the sheets next to him. He popped his eyes open when his hand encountered the cool fabric that should have covered Jac, and found empty sheets.

The phone rang again as he flopped to his back, searching the small room for his missing sleep partner. The bathroom door was open, the room dark. His cock stopped throbbing like a snare drum when he realized he was alone.

Disappointment flooded him as he pushed up on his elbow. Dammit, he wanted her to be in the bed next to him. A faint glow seeped through the gauzy curtains covering the windows. Close to daybreak, if he had to guess. The ringing on the phone got louder, a feature he now regretted setting.

He seized the instrument from the table next to the bed, and swiped his thumb angrily across the screen. “What?” His tone was gruff. Hell, pissed off. He wasn’t sure if his anger was because some dumb shit thought it was a good idea to call at the ass crack of dawn, or because he’d woken alone.

“Good morning, sunshine. Did you get up on the wrong side of happy today?” His boss, Brian Evert, sounded freaking chipper by comparison.

“I wasn’t up.” Idly scratching his chest, Luke turned to glare at the clock. “Fuck, Brian, it’s oh-dark-thirty. Why the hell are you calling so early?”

“I thought you should know I’ve received notice the nurses are calling a sick-out today.”

Luke struggled to a sitting position, cradling his head in his free hand. “I’m afraid to ask why you sound so damn happy about this.”

Evert’s laugh bordered on evil as it crawled down the phone line. “This puts them right where I want them. We’ve conceded to everything they’ve asked and they’re still pushing. In the court of public opinion, the union will appear greedy and the hospital will come out like a fine, upstanding corporate citizen.”

Shaking his head, Luke countered, “Brian, it’s not going to look that way at all. The hospital still stands to lose. The last thing they asked for, the pay bonus for anyone working a holiday, away from family on a special day, was a drop in the bucket. We should have given it to them.”

“I don’t get bonus pay for holidays I work. Neither do you. It’s a matter of equity.”

As CEO, Brian wasn’t paid an hourly wage. And he might not get holiday pay, but he received a six-figure bonus every year.

Luke scraped the back of his fingers down his face, the stubble on his chin rasping against his knuckles. “The lack of your bonus not the point,” he argued.

“I need you back here today. I’m calling an emergency board meeting. It’s all hands on deck. Two this afternoon. The sick-out is supposed to begin with second shift. We want to form a response to be ready before it starts.”

Doing a quick calculation of drive times, Luke’s frustration surged. Even if he left now, he couldn’t make it home much before the meeting time. And he wouldn’t leave without talking to Jac. “I can’t be out of here before seven. Can you conference me in for the first half while I drive?”

“Catch a flight if you have to. The hospital will pay any tickets. We need you here to run the numbers before we go public.”

“I’ll do my best.” Luke disconnected while Brian was in the middle of saying good-bye. He stared at the empty pillow next to him. A strand of Jac’s soft russet hair stretched across the cotton. What time had she left? He’d slept better than he had since he’d accepted the job with St. Simeon. He must have been nearly unconscious to not hear her leave. Or she had some reason to sneak out. God, maybe he’d snored.

Tossing the phone to the mattress, he swung his legs over the side and arched his back. After shuffling his feet into the flip-flops he’d left under the dresser, he finger-combed his thick hair to flatten it. The shoes slapped against the soles of his feet as he moved. Cringing at the idea of making too much noise, he ditched the shoes. He was out the door and headed down the hall before he could change his mind.

Light shone under Jac’s door, painting the carpet in pale yellow. Luke tapped lightly against the wooden door and leaned his ear against it, listening for sounds of her moving within. Nothing. He knocked harder, gratified to hear what had to be chair legs scuffing across the floor.

He stood back as Jac opened the door. Backlit from the lamp on the desk, her hair became a fiery halo, her long legs tight and toned below her sleep shorts.

“Hi,” he whispered. “Are you okay?”

She beckoned him in. The door shut softly behind him. She pitched her voice low. “Yeah. I guess I was too excited to sleep. I came back here to send an email to my cousin. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

Luke made himself comfortable on her neatly made bed. “You didn’t. I got a call from the office.”

“This early?” She moved to stand in front of him.

Skating his hands over her waist, he maneuvered her between his knees, curving his fingers over the soft cotton covering her hips to reach the small of her back. Jac stroked her fingers through his hair. Her touch made it difficult to find his voice. “Yeah. There’s trouble brewing. Unfortunately, I’ve received orders to get my behind back to Medford this morning.”

She frowned, her fingers stilled. “Seriously?”

He nodded as he snaked one hand up her ribs. “Problems with the nurses. The CEO thinks it will work to our advantage in the contract negotiations. He’s called an emergency board meeting. Attendance is mandatory.”

“Oh, Luke. I’m sorry you have to deal with this. But I’m sorrier to lose my teammate. We work really well together.” She dropped her hands to his shoulders.

Heat jolted from the point where she massaged his muscles, to the pit of his stomach, continuing the rest of the way south. When he pulled her onto his lap, her soft bottom nestled into the curve of his hip with a burst of electricity and something more. He palmed her cheek, urging her mouth to his.

“Yes, we do,” he whispered against her lips before he claimed them.

He kept the kiss gentle, sipping softly, his mouth clinging to her lips. And as easy and gentle as it was, it was maybe the most sensuous kiss he’d ever shared. Jac responded with joy and passion, freely taking what he offered and returning it with heat and heady desire. Heart thudding behind his sternum, he gave up trying to analyze his emotions and just went with the feeling.

Pulling his lips from hers tore at his soul. He rested his forehead against hers. Each soft exhale she released brushed his face, another form of a kiss. He whispered, “I want to see you in Medford. What day will you be back?”

“Not until Saturday afternoon. Jules invited me to stay an extra night, so she could share more about easing into agriculture. I’ve already changed my flight home.”

“Do you have plans that night?”

“I’m supposed to meet Bella for dinner and a movie.”

“Damn!”

She lifted her head, staring directly into his eyes. “I can cancel.”

Hope exploded in his chest. “Really? You don’t think she’d mind?”

“She’ll understand. She was disappointed you and I didn’t have a chance to get better acquainted the last time we met. I know I was.” A happy grin played over her mouth. “I think she was secretly hoping we’d hook up while we were here.”

This was good. Not only was Jac interested in continuing a relationship when they returned to the real world, but her best friend was in favor of it. “Text me as soon as you get in. With any luck at all, this problem with the nursing staff will be resolved by then, which means,” he caressed her knee while holding her gaze, “you’ll have my undivided attention.”

Moving his hand near the juncture of her thighs, he gripped her soft flesh and reclaimed her lips. Gentle be damned. This time, he unleashed the passion he’d held in check earlier. He slipped his tongue past her lips, a promise of things to come. She wove her fingers through his hair and responded with abandon.

Blood sang through his veins and his cock stiffened under her lush behind. She wriggled against the pressure, adding more steel to his shaft.

After a minute, she eased away. “I think I’m going to adore your undivided attention.” She chuckled, the sound swirling around his heart like a gentle breeze. “How soon do you leave?”

He gusted out a heavy breath. “I should be on the road already.”

Jac scooted off his lap and backed away from him. Her gaze dipped to his groin, where evidence of his need was a solid ridge in his athletic shorts. Dragging her eyes back to his face, desire stamped her features. He resisted the urge to grab a pillow from the end of the bed and pull it over his lap, not exactly sure why he’d bother to hide his arousal from her. They shared a mutual attraction and had already enjoyed each other’s bodies.

Struggling to will his cock into submission, Luke stood and jerked his T-shirt low on his hips. He met her sweet smile with a grin of his own before he walked to the door.

She followed, resting her hand on his forearm, stalling his departure. An invitation stood out in the sultry heat in her eyes. “I’m looking forward to seeing you Saturday.” She stretched up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

His heart shifted in his ribcage at the unbelievably tender brush of her lips. At the promise of what could be between them. He laid his hand atop hers and tightened his grip. “Me too. Have fun the rest of the week, and learn lots. I’ll be eager to hear your plans for the future.”

And with any luck, he’d figure prominently in them.

Jac closed the door with a quiet sigh. She’d come into the week with expectations of a bright, professional future, but not such a terrific personal outlook. Now, her professional plans had been derailed—or to be fair, rerouted—and her private life, like a chrysalis, had morphed into a brilliant opportunity. She tossed herself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, seeing hazel eyes filled with passion instead of the patterned plaster.

It was early yet. Ninety minutes before she had to be in the dining room for the scheduled breakfast meeting. The prospect of working on the team building exercises with anyone other than Luke dimmed her enjoyment of the program. But she was determined to stay and complete the course. And she welcomed the chance to pick Jules’ mind again. It still amazed her the woman hadn’t grown up in the industry. She’d chosen her course and done everything she could do to steer her new path.

It was what Jac wanted for herself.

Rising, she headed toward the desk to collect her iPad. Tablet in hand, she climbed back on the bed, nestled against the pillows that carried a faint whiff of Luke’s distinctive scent. She already missed him. Her feelings for him had grown surprisingly fast. They’d spent the last two days nearly attached at the hip. A small grin accompanied the sweet anticipation of their date upon her return to Medford.

She checked her email to see if her cousin had responded yet. Of course she hadn’t. It was much too early for a woman who typically slept until ten or later. As a self-employed medical transcriptionist, Rowena set her own hours, preferring to work late into the evening, after doctors posted their daily notes. Since the schedule worked for her, Ro had never bothered to change it to a more conventional eight-to-five workday. The woman was too free spirited to conform very much.

Jac launched her browser, and after a moment’s thought, searched for agricultural trends in the northwest. She knew which herbs she’d grow, something with dietary emphasis on super foods. She wanted to see if her growing season and climate would be conducive to pursuing alternate crops. She was particularly interested in blackberries.
Jeez, I’m already learning.

Staring at the photo of the vineyard on the wall, she idly wondered if she should consider growing grapes. The area around Eugene had just the right soil and conditions for the vines. She wouldn’t have to open a winery if she could find a small vintner to buy the fruit.

Excitement plumped like a grape in the sun as she considered the idea.