Jaden
The last thing I wanted to do was to make a bad impression on Lana, but James had it coming. No way in hell was I going to stand there as his personal punching bag. If Lana hadn’t stopped us, things could have ended badly for him.
Lana was upset at the situation, especially today. This was an important day for her, and the last thing she needed was an incident. As two of her employees hauled James off the property, we watched what little dignity he had left vanish as he made his last threats toward me. “You’re a dead man, Edwards.”
I held Lana close, trying desperately to calm her down. “Everything will be fine. James’ words are only threats, nothing more.”
“Did you hear what he said? He’s crazy and belongs in a straitjacket,” she replied in a shaky tone.
“I can handle James.” I held Lana at arm’s length and gave her a reassuring smile. “This is your day. Let’s not let James or anyone else ruin it.”
Concern was written all over her face and the only way I knew of to erase it was to lower my head and kiss her soft lips. Her body melted into mine and I could feel her relax. As much as I wanted to continue this, the wine tasting event was less than two hours away and I still needed to take care of a few things. Regrettably, so did Lana.
After a few more moments in each other’s arms, we finished getting everything ready for the wine tasting. When we left the building, James was nowhere in sight. Hopefully, he accepted that he had been beaten and left.
When we got to the house, I was shocked to see Ben sitting on the porch. Damn! He wasn’t supposed to be here. Everything was going as planned, and I couldn’t risk him ruining everything I had worked so hard to achieve. “Ben, what are you doing here?”
I watched him stand up and walk toward us. “Jaden, aren’t you going to introduce me?”
I wasn’t sure what his game was, but I played along. “Lana, this is Ben Tate, the manager of my nightclub.” No way could I let her know he was the VP at Dynasty Development.
“It’s nice to meet you. Are you here for the wine tasting?” she asked innocently.
“Why, yes. Jaden has told me so much about it. I thought I would come and check it out myself,” Ben replied convincingly, lying his ass off, playing along with the charade.
We headed inside the house, one at a time, with me in the rear. Lana was in front and turned toward us. “If you two will excuse me, I need to get ready for the event. Please make yourselves at home.”
When Lana was out of view, I laid into Ben. “What the hell, Ben? Do you want to ruin everything?” I snapped.
“I wanted to make sure we kept our promise to the board. They are only going to make good on the Deadwood Project if you can deliver the signed deed by the end of the month.”
I knew there was a timeline hanging over me, and him being here wasn’t making it any better. “Let me take care of getting Lana to sign the vineyard over. You need to go back to Sioux Falls.”
“And miss this event? No way.”
* * *
The wine tasting was in full swing, and Lana looked beautiful. All who attended were seemingly having a wonderful time. As Lana continued to introduce me to the partakers, I couldn’t help but feel guilty that this would all disappear for her. I began questioning whether or not I was doing the right thing. She had put forth so much effort for this event and, actually, in making Porter Vineyards a success.
As the evening went on, all I wanted was to sneak away with Lana. So, the first chance I got, I took hold of her hand and whisked her away. Making our way through the crowd, I led her to the back entrance.
“I’ve wanted to do this ever since I saw you coming down the stairs.” I whispered as I placed my hand on her cheek and captured her lips.
Guiding her away from the bustling event building, I led Lana into the cool and dimly lit cellar. The musty scent of old oak barrels filled the air as we made our way toward the back of the room. Pressed against my side, Lana walked with purpose and confidence, leading us to a secluded area between two rows of barrels. She fit perfectly in my arms as we continued where we had left off earlier. I relished in the feeling of her body pressed against mine, exploring every inch of her essence with my hands. Her dress clung to her curves in all the right places, highlighting the beauty of her womanhood. Lifting one of her legs, she granted me even more access to pleasure her in ways that only she could guide me toward.
With each kiss I placed along her collarbone, she let out a soft sigh, her breath hitching in her throat. “I’m falling for you, Jaden,” she whispered, her voice thick with longing. “I don’t want what we have together to end.”
A surge of desire shot through me as I heard her words. “I feel the same way,” I replied, my fingers tracing patterns along her skin, enticing her further.
Feeling emboldened, I wrapped myself around her, our bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. As we moved together, our movements synchronized and fluid, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was all just a game of seduction to gain control over the ultimate prize: the vineyard. Due to my growing feelings for her, the thought of winning the vineyard was no long a top priority in my mind.
Pushing back my true emotions, I explored every inch of her body, drawing out pleasure from within her. But even as we lost ourselves in the heat of the moment, a small voice in my head reminded me that this was all just a means to an end. And yet, as she moaned and gasped, I couldn’t deny the strong pull toward her that went beyond any material desire. Now more than ever, I wanted her—for keeps.