Sitting with August alone in her cottage was asking for trouble.
This was exactly the situation Leila had tried to avoid since they’d arrived back at the winery after their date and Forrest had burst their fairy-tale bubble.
Rain still beat against the windows, a romantic serenade, and the occasional flash of lightning lit up her dim living room. The cold from her wet clothes had started to seep in, even with the towel pulled around her shoulders. Yet she couldn’t move. August needed to talk about his dad. She could see his internal battle playing out—his smile while they reminisced but also his jaw tightening with an unexpressed pain. Working through the memories, talking about them, going back in time, seemed to unburden him, and she wanted him to be free.
“I can’t talk about him with anyone else,” August said, drawing her attention back to his face. “But I feel like I can tell you anything.”
There’d been a time when they had told each other everything. She’d never had a relationship like that with anyone else before or after August. No one had ever known her the way he once had.
“It’s probably because we used to be close.” She downplayed the sudden uptick in her pulse with a shrug. Their connection was much more than simple history.
They’d always had this current running between them. Even while she’d been telling herself to keep her distance emotionally, she couldn’t deny her energy would change whenever August was close. She didn’t even have to look up to know he was nearby.
“I think it’s more than the fact that we used to be close.” August scooted forward on the hearth. “It’s you, Lei. It’s your compassion. Your understanding. You get me. You’ve always gotten me in a way no one else ever has.”
She could say the same. Auggie had known what she needed, what to say, when to make her laugh. Pretending to be together simply didn’t work with the two of them. Maybe because her feelings for him weren’t make-believe.
But feelings wouldn’t get them very far in their current situation. “Being with you has been wonderful,” she admitted. “But now with Forrest making things difficult—”
“I found a different vineyard for him to buy.” August moved to his knees on the floor and inched his way to her. “There’s a place on the Western Slope. It’s perfect. Fifty acres with mountain views and a full wine-making operation.”
Hope swept up her heart, carrying it away. “Really?”
“Really.” He stayed where he was, on his knees in front of her, close but not touching her. “That’s why I left last week. When you told me what the reporter said, I knew this was our chance to save Valentino Bellas.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks. And here she’d thought he’d run away from her again.
“I spent the last week brokering an acquisition deal with them,” Auggie went on, sweeping the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I haven’t talked to Forrest about the possibility yet, but I think I can convince him that the other property is a better investment. He’s walked away from vineyards he’s wanted to acquire before. I’m hoping I can convince him to do it again.”
“I don’t even know what to say.” God, the relief brought light back to every part of her. “This is amazing, Auggie. You’re amazing.” She drew his lips to hers, and paused, just feeling him there, close and warm and still so much a part of her. Shivers ran through her, maybe more from the intensity of her feelings for him than the cold.
August pulled back and gazed into her eyes. “You’re shivering. You must be freezing.”
“I’m a little cold.” At least she had been before he’d touched her…
He stood and pulled her to her feet. “You should get out of those wet clothes.”
“What about you?” Her heart had slipped into that different rhythm again—the one that played when August came close. She toyed with the first button of his shirt. “You must be cold too.”
“I’m not,” he assured her in a low growl.
Hearing the want in his voice brought Leila a step closer to him. “I’m actually warming up too.”
His arms came around her waist and drew her closer to his body. “Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah.” She touched her lips to his skin and kissed her way up his neck. “We should probably both get out of these wet clothes, though,” she whispered in his ear.
“Yes, that would be best.” He pulled her long-sleeved T-shirt up and over her head, dropping it onto the floor next to them.
“And maybe we should take a shower to warm up more.” Leila undid the buttons on his shirt and shoved it off his shoulders.
“A shower is a great idea,” he agreed, moving her bra strap out of the way and lowering his mouth to her shoulder.
Leila let her head fall back with a moan as he kissed her collarbone and unclasped her bra. Forget everything she’d said about how impractical it was to be with August. What did logic matter when he made her feel this way?
“You’re going to have to stop wearing these complicated belt buckles,” she informed him, going to work on the metal clasp.
“Gladly.” He took over for her, opening the buckle and then shoving his jeans and boxers down to the floor.
Growing more impatient, Leila stepped out of her pants, too, kicking them aside. “I have an amazing shower,” she told him, pulling on his hand to direct him to the bathroom. “It’s the one thing in this cottage I had professionally renovated.”
“I can’t wait to see—”
“Leila!” Nonna’s frantic voice outside her door froze them both.
“Are you in there?” Her grandmother pounded on the wood. “You wouldn’t believe the mess out here after that gully washer! The event staff just arrived, and the tablecloths are all gone.”
“Crap!” Leila tore away from August and found the towel she’d discarded earlier, wrapping it around her body. “Get down behind the couch!” she instructed him.
He stood in the middle of the room in his full naked glory. “Seriously?”
“Yes!” She tossed him a towel. “Get down. I have to let her in.”
“So let her in.” He secured the towel around his waist. “She won’t care that I’m here. We’re not sixteen anymore, thank God.”
But they were both naked! “She’s my grandmother and she doesn’t need to know what we were doing in here.”
The knocking started again. “I hear you in there, Leila! Is everything all right?”
“I’m fine, Nonna! Be right there!” She tugged August behind the couch and pushed on his shoulder until he lowered himself to the floor and out of sight.
“I’ll make it up to you later,” she whispered.
The promise toned down his scowl.
Leila smoothed her wet hair and rewrapped the towel securely around her on her way to the door. She pulled it open with a smile. “Hey. Sorry. I was in the shower.”
“Oh, that’s why it took you so long to answer the door.” Her grandmother stepped inside, but Leila held her position so the woman wouldn’t move toward the couch.
“I didn’t mean to make such a fuss, but there’s still a lot to be done.” She noticed the pile of tablecloths by the door. “There they are! Thank goodness. I thought all the linens had blown away.”
“No, we—I mean I—wanted to get them somewhere dry.” She cleared her throat to drown out the rustling and shuffling behind the couch.
“We have no time to lose. Not with the mess.” Her grandmother stooped to pick up the bundle of linens. “I asked Sam to find some new tablecloths from the restaurant. We’d better get back to work. Is August here?”
“Oh…um…no.” She’d always been the worst liar. Her eyes were probably bugging out of her head right now. “He’s definitely not here. I haven’t seen him all morning.” An image of his naked body flashed through her mind.
“His truck’s in the parking lot.” Nonna glanced over her shoulder. “But he wasn’t outside, and he wasn’t in the office.”
“Huh.” Her voice went so high it squeaked. “That’s weird. Maybe he’s in the bathroom somewhere.” She heard the man snort but covered up the sound with a cough. “I’ll throw on some clothes real quick.” She started to dart down the hall, but stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of August lying on his side sans towel, fully displaying all the goods.
He grinned at her and bounced his eyebrows.
Leila did her best to disguise her laugh as another cough. “Just wait right there, Nonna,” she called. Her grandmother would have a heart attack if she walked over and saw Auggie like that. “I’ll be fast.” She stumbled into her room and pulled on some of her nicer undergarments—in case she and August could sneak away later—and then threw on shorts and a dry T-shirt. As she rushed past August again, he flexed his biceps.
Another laugh slipped out, but she quickly recovered. “I’m sure August will join us shortly,” she said, rejoining her grandmother at the door. “He knows how much we need his help out there.”
“Let’s hope so.” Still holding the bundle of tablecloths, Nonna stepped onto the sidewalk, and Leila closed the door securely behind them.
Whew. That had been a close call.
The sun had come out again, which was par for the course with fast-moving mountain thunderstorms. “At least the rain stopped.” And it had made every color seem brighter. Or maybe that half hour with August had brought more vibrancy to her world. “We’ll get everything set up again in no time.”
She took the bundle of tablecloths from her grandmother and walked back to the tent with a bounce in her step. For the first time since she’d signed that partnership with Forrest, the heavy stone of worry that had sat in her stomach had disappeared. Of course August could convince the man to buy a different vineyard. Why had she been questioning him? Auggie made it clear he was fully on her side. He wanted her family to stay, and he would do everything he could to help her.
“Hey, ladies.” The man in question crossed the parking lot, fully dressed in his still-damp clothes, unfortunately.
Leila smirked at him. He must’ve slipped out her back door.
“There you are.” Nonna hurried to meet him. “Where’ve you been? We were looking all over for you.”
“Let’s just say I was lying around.” August’s eyes found hers, and Leila fought off another giggle. He’d sure looked good lying around.
“But I’m here now. Ready to help out. Put me to work.”
“Poppa is trying to fix all those globe lights the wind blew down.” Nonna pointed to the tent where the rental company had set up a dance floor. “I don’t want him on the ladder.”
“No problem. I’m on it.” He paused, holding Leila’s gaze, and then leaned in to brush a kiss across her lips.
Her heart responded with a desirous shudder.
“I’ll be back,” he murmured as though they were the only two standing there.
Leila watched him walk away. God, she loved those jeans on him.
“That man,” Nonna mused with a shake of her head. “You sure caught a good one, my dear.”
“I did.” And without the takeover hanging between them, maybe they really could build a future together.
“All right, I’m here.” Sam lumbered down the sidewalk in his slow, carefree gait, with an armload of new tablecloths. “I found plenty of clean linens in the storage room.”
“Great.” Leila dumped the soiled clothes in a heap on the ground. “Let’s get these tables set up so the event staff can put out the dishes.” In keeping with their Italian heritage, they’d agreed to serve the hors d’oeuvres family style from the tables, so everyone wouldn’t have to walk around while they ate.
“You want me to help put on the tablecloths?” Her brother looked at them in disbelief. “I was experimenting with a new red blend.”
“You’ll have plenty of time to experiment later.” Their grandmother took one of the linens and shook it out. “We only have a few hours to finish up here.” She smoothed the cloth over one of the round tables. “You two start over there, and we’ll meet in the middle.”
“Roger that.” Leila snatched half of the tablecloths and beckoned her brother to the other side of the tent. “Don’t worry. We’ll get this done fast, and then you can go spend more time with your beloved grapes.” She flung one of the tablecloths out, and he caught the other side.
“I still don’t see why we have to have this event.” Sam spent way too much time pulling the material to exactly the right angle on his side.
“Come on. It’ll be fun.” She was surprised to be looking forward to the mingling and the dancing and the celebrating with old and new friends. But, then again, Auggie had managed to wipe out her worries. Now she could simply enjoy the evening. Hopefully with him.
They moved to the next table, but Leila kept getting distracted. August had climbed up on the ladder and was reaching a strand of lights higher. His shirt rose slightly, revealing a nice sliver of his very firm abs.
“Hello?” Sam held out his hands. “We’re not going to get through this fast if you keep ogling the enemy.”
“I’m not ogling him.” Leila flung one end of the next tablecloth in his direction. “And besides, he’s not the enemy. He’s doing everything he can to help us.”
“Sure he is.” Her brother pulled the material so it was perfectly symmetrical over the table. “Please tell me you’re not getting wrapped up in this fake relationship.”
Leila moved onto the next table, peeking over at August again. He and Poppa were laughing about something together. “I don’t know that our relationship is all that fake anymore.” August had said he could open up to her in a way he couldn’t with anyone else, and she felt the same way.
“You can’t trust him.” Sam came around the table. “He had no problem walking away from you before.”
“Right. When he was nineteen, after his father died.” Seeing Auggie’s perspective had allowed her some space to look past her own hurt and acknowledge his. The time she’d spent with him had revealed the other side of the story. She understood why Sam was trying to protect her, but that was a completely different time. “He was lost and upset. I really think he’s finally dealing with the past. He wants to move on.” And so did she. “He told me he found another place for Forrest to buy on the Western Slope. He’s going to convince him to walk away from Valentino Bellas.”
“And you believe him?” Sam shook his head. “His promises have meant nothing before. Why would they mean anything now?”
“I know him.” They might have been apart for years, they might have led completely different lives, but she and August were finding their way back to each other. They’d both grown up, and now she believed with her whole heart that they could build something real.
Her brother uttered an exasperated sigh. “And what if he can’t convince Forrest to buy that other property, Lei? What then?”
Leila watched August again as he and Poppa laughed together. Then getting her heart broken again was a real possibility.