“I’m alone a lot.” He let go of the glass and brought his eyes back to hers. “For all the really great people in my life, at the end of the day, it’s just me.” He twisted his lips in a wry smile. “Maybe I shouldn’t complain about that, though. Seems like such an insignificant thing in comparison to what other people are missing in life.”
Slowly, as though the movement were seduction itself, she lowered her hand to his and rested her palm in his. The touch was light, but he felt it with an unparalleled intensity.
“I don’t think it’s insignificant at all. And thanks for telling me.”
She began to draw her hand away, but he curled his fingers around hers, rubbing over them lightly while keeping his eyes on hers.
He could see heat flaring there.
“S-so, what’s waiting for you back in California?” she asked, and he didn’t miss her slight stumble over the words.
And she didn’t take her hand from his.
He considered her question for a moment. Was she asking about his personal life? Whether he had a wife or a girlfriend? Or was her interest more general? What should he tell her?
He went with the truth. “My father ran our businesses for decades until he had a stroke nearly a year ago, but I only officially stepped up as the CEO a couple of months back. The first shipment of wine from this year’s harvest is supposed to arrive in California in the next couple of days. It’s a long-held tradition that, on that day, we have a big party for the entire company, and the CEO is there to make a speech and such. If I didn’t make it, in my first year at the helm, it would be…not good.”
He shrugged. “And, of course, my parents are there, and my sisters and their husbands and my nieces and nephews. My family.”
Lily frowned. “I’m so sorry. If you get a flight out tomorrow—which I think you will, by the way, since the weather seems to have calmed—will you still make it in time?”
He nodded. “I should.” And then, because he didn’t want to start worrying about it, he glanced at her glass and changed the subject. “You need a refill.”
She pulled her hand from his, and he exhaled heavily, immediately missing her warmth. She picked up her glass and held it out for him to pour. When he set the bottle back down, though, she kept her arm raised. “Cheers.”
He raised his own glass and touched it to hers, briefly, his eyes not wavering from hers. “What are we toasting to this time?”
She gave him a slow, relaxed smile. When she spoke, her voice was low and husky. “To not being alone. At least for tonight.”
It took every ounce of control he had to bring the glass to his lips instead of plunking it back down on the table and hauling her into his arms. She took a long sip, sighing and sinking back into her chair. She certainly seemed relaxed enough for him to test the waters. “So…still don’t want to talk about it?”
Lily gave him a puzzled look for a moment, but then understanding lit her eyes. “Oh! You mean about Jason.” She blew out a mock-annoyed breath, but the wine really must have done its trick, because she leaned forward and winked conspiratorially at him. “Okay, but only if you promise to comfort me after I tell you this traumatic, heart-wrenching story.”
She was so cute. And sexy as hell. And she had just come on to him.
She dropped back in her chair and held her wineglass in both hands, staring at the liquid inside as she began to speak. “Jason and I were supposed to have gotten married last Saturday after more than three years together. Except that, four months ago, I came home early from a consulting trip—I own a boutique consulting firm, by the way.” She waved her hand as though this was a minor accomplishment, and he just nodded. “Anyway, I came home and found my fiancé fucking my best friend in our bed.”
Bruno saw red. He was definitely going to kill this Jason dipshit. Suddenly her teasing words about a “traumatic, heart-wrenching story” didn’t seem like a joke anymore.
She frowned at the memory. “I wish I could say I did something awesome, like kick his ass and take her clothes so she would have to walk home naked. But I didn’t. I simply cleared my throat, they panicked and started protesting, and I just took off my engagement ring and left it on the kitchen counter as I walked out. By the time I returned back home, they were gone, and I spent that weekend packing up his stuff and leaving it in the hallway for him to pick up. I didn’t even slash his paintings, or anything like that.”
He gave her a grim smile. “It sounds like you were very mature about it.”
Lily snorted. “I was a doormat,” she retorted, but there was no heat in it, just an amusement that he worried was at her own expense.
“Anyway, we had planned to come here for a ski trip and some sightseeing for our honeymoon. I went back and forth constantly about going, anyway, but finally I convinced myself that not going would be letting Jason and Isabelle—my former best friend—get the best of me. So I went, even though it means that now I might miss my little sister’s graduation.”