Valentina
What the hell do you wear to Sunday dinner in the freaking middle of nowhere?
Pulling a third printed top over my head, I let out a loud, exasperated sigh as I tossed it into a pile with the rest of the rejects. I went back to rifling through my suitcase, pushing various fabrics and colors aside in search of an outfit that would make me feel cool, calm, and collected—basically the exact opposite of how I was currently feeling.
It’s not like I’d never been to Shady Grove before. When I’d flown out for Luke and Charlotte’s wedding, I’d thought the town was cute enough, and on some level, I understood why Charlotte had decided to stay. But something about this place just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe it had to do with the lack of Starbucks or anything remotely familiar, but I wasn’t the kind of girl to have a panic attack over a lack of creature comforts. No, my problem with that place wasn’t a what. It was a who.
An arrogant, frustrating, sexy-as-hell who.
Duke Wilder.
My fingers landed on a soft, silky piece of fabric, and I immediately pulled it out of the rat’s nest. I held it out, the beautiful marigold dress unfurling before me. Charlotte had convinced me to buy it when we were out shopping the year before, but I’d never worn it. Honestly, I’d only thrown it in my suitcase to make her happy. But with only a few minutes before I was officially late to my own welcome dinner, it was the only option I had left.
After slipping the dress on, I swept my hair to the side, wrestling my dark, unruly curls into a loose braid over my shoulder. Pulling out a few pieces in the front to frame my face, I took a step back to check my reflection in the floor-length mirror. The dress hung just right around my body: it cinched at the waist, its hemline just brushing the midpoint of my calf, the off-the-shoulder cut perfectly showcasing my tanned shoulders.
How is this the first time I’m wearing this dress? I really needed to stop doubting Charlotte’s taste.
Slipping on a pair of strappy leather sandals, I slung my purse strap onto my shoulder and walked out the front door. If there was one thing I was grateful for that night, it was that the walk to Luke and Charlotte’s was short. After waking up at an ungodly hour for the redeye and then gritting my teeth all through breakfast with the official pain in my ass Duke, I was pretty damn tired. Staying in the guest house just a short walk away from Charlotte’s was one hell of a blessing.
When I got to their door, I rang the bell, taking a step back to look around and admire the porch. There were a couple of chairs, and the whole thing was so cute and country, I half-expected to find a porch swing. It might not have been my cup of tea, but I couldn’t deny that there was something charming about this whole small-town living thing.
The door swung open, and my stomach dropped when I saw the green-eyed, dimpled face smiling at me from the doorway.
Puta madre.
“Hey there, darlin’, long time no see.” Duke raised one arm over his head and rested his elbow against the doorjamb, leaning his muscular body in a way that made all kinds of dirty thoughts cross my mind.
“Nice to see you remembered to put clothes on this time,” I said, trying my best to make my once-over of his body seem cold and disinterested, despite the familiar ache between my legs. Just looking at his hips brought me right back to our initial meeting in his kitchen that morning. Let’s just say those boxer briefs left little to the imagination.
And what I saw? Was way bigger than I ever could have dreamt up.
“Only the best for you.” He stepped aside and ushered me through the door, his fingertips just grazing the small of my back.
Goddammit if even the slightest touch of his didn’t make me weak in the knees.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” Charlotte squealed, rounding the corner from the kitchen and practically knocking me over with a hug.
“Almost wasn’t sure I’d make it,” I replied, watching Duke leave us to say our hellos out of the corner of my eye.
“Tell me everything. Was the flight okay? How’s the LA apartment? Do you have everything you need in the guest house?”
Once Duke was out of earshot, I grabbed Charlotte’s arm, pulling her into the nearest bathroom.
“You could have warned me he’d be here,” I whispered, jerking my head in the direction Duke had left from.
“Who, Duke? I thought he would have said something during your meeting.”
“Well, you thought wrong. I almost had a fucking heart attack when he answered the door.”
“Why, is something wrong? Did the meeting go south this morning?”
“No, the meeting was fine. Well, sort of. I don’t know, it was just…weird.”
Charlotte took a step back, crossing her arms and giving me a knowing look.
“He made a pass at you, didn’t he? Oh, god, I’m sorry, Val, I tried to warn you about him.”
“No, it’s not like that. I mean, sure, he was flirty, but I told him at the end of breakfast that nothing would happen between us, and he agreed to keep it professional.”
Charlotte nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.
“I’m serious, Char. Sure, he’s attractive in a rugged kind of way, but none of that matters. I’m here to do a job, and that’s it. Case closed.”
“Whatever you say, Val. I support you, no matter what.”
We looped arms and walked out of the bathroom. When we entered the kitchen, we found the two brothers standing by the table, sipping what I assumed was their own whiskey.
“Good to see you again, Valentina,” Luke said, putting his arm around me for a side hug.
“I just wish I was here for a less lawyer-y reason.”
“Well, we appreciate your help. My brother filled me in on the meeting earlier, and we have full confidence in your legal guidance.”
Duke dipped his chin in agreement, and my stomach flip-flopped at the thought of the two brothers talking about our meeting. What did Duke say about me? Did he think I was some fast-paced, know-it-all asshole who wouldn’t make it three days in his town? Suddenly, I was determined to make it work here, creature comforts be damned.
“Glad to hear it.”
“All right, enough business talk. Let’s eat!” Charlotte said, motioning for us to take a seat. She’d decorated their long farmhouse table with wildflowers and fresh fruit, neatly arranged around large platters of food.
Charlotte and I sat on one side, and the men sat on the other. Seeing Luke and Duke right next to each other was a little unsettling, but even after only one day with Duke, I was starting to notice the subtle differences between them. And not just the small ways their hair fell differently, or the slight change in mole placement. The way they carried themselves was different, their speech patterns, how they held a drink. Not to mention how only one of them could make me feel like he saw right through me with just a look.
“Sure you’re okay with that brisket, darlin’? There’s a good amount of marble in it, you know,” Duke said, raising his brows at me and motioning to the piece of meat on my plate.
Without breaking eye contact, I sliced myself a hefty bite and placed it in my mouth. After chewing and swallowing, I turned to Charlotte.
“It’s delicious.”
“You’ll have to thank Luke for that one. I’m just getting a handle on heart-healthier versions of his favorite sides.”
I raised my glass to Luke, who simply clinked his against mine in response.
“You should have seen her at Sue’s this morning. Egg white and veggie omelet. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she was saving it for her pet rabbit later.”
“If you want to die of a heart attack at forty-five, be my guest. I, on the other hand, plan on keeping my arteries clear for the foreseeable future. No offense,” I added, nodding at Luke.
“None taken,” he replied, giving Charlotte an amused look.
We kept on like that for the rest of dinner, the conversation light and easy until Duke or I felt the need to take a jab at one another. Part of me worried that I was being too openly rude to my hosts and clients, but a larger part of me couldn’t resist. Sparring with Duke was fun—and easy. It was like we knew exactly which buttons to push to drive each other crazy.
After dinner, we all took our drinks to the front porch for a night cap. I was really feeling tired by that point, my exhaustion mixing with the whiskey to put a warm, comfortable haze over everything.
Charlotte sat on Luke’s lap in one chair, and Duke leaned against the railing so I could sit in the other. Luke began explaining his idea for a new signature cocktail at the distillery, which was already blowing up with tours and guests in the tasting room. I could feel my eyelids growing heavy, the warm Texas breeze moving gently against my skin. After a few minutes, I woke with a start to Duke’s fingertips brushing against my shoulder.
“Come on, sleeping beauty, I’ll walk you home.”
I didn’t argue, instead thanking Luke and hugging Charlotte goodbye.
“Sorry I’m such a party pooper. You know if it was any other day, I’d be down to drink the night away on this porch.”
“Don’t worry about it, Val. You’ve had a long day. We have plenty of time for all that. Get some rest.” Charlotte pulled me in for a second hug, squeezing me extra hard this time.
After we parted, Duke and I walked down the steps, waving one last time before turning down the path to the guest house. We walked in silence, which should have been awkward after the day of banter we’d just had. But for some reason, it wasn’t. It felt comfortable, familiar, even. When we reached the door to my place, we paused to face each other, and what happened next felt as natural as the multitude of stars scattered across the wide-open sky above us.
“I’ve never seen this many stars,” I breathed, tipping my head back to admire the dazzling display above us.
“Pretty damn beautiful,” Duke replied. But when my eyes met his, I saw that he hadn’t been looking up at the stars at all. Instead, he was looking at me.
He slipped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling my face to his. Gazing into each other’s eyes, our lips only centimeters apart, everything else melted away. The lawsuit, his business, my insistence that we keep things professional. With his hand around my waist and the warmth of his skin against mine, our lips met with surprising tenderness, the exact opposite of what you’d expect after fifteen hours of bickering.
“Sleep well, darlin’,” Duke said after pulling away, his fingertips trailing over my wrist as he walked down the steps of the porch, quickly disappearing into the darkness.
“Bye,” I breathed, practically floating through the house to my bed.
As I lay there, a small voice in the back of my head kept whispering at me, even as I drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
You’re in deep shit, pendeja. Deep, deep shit.