Page 56 of Love Among Vines

“Not broken. You didn’t have to come get me.”

“With your luck, you probably would have gotten run over on your way to the winery.”

She cracked a small smile. “You’re not wrong.”

He picked up her sunflowers and offered his hand. She took it and stood.

“I would like to revisit our discussion on your living arrangements,” he said.

Nailed it. He hadn’t shouted even once.

“There’s no need. Margie kind of bullied me into staying at her guest house.”

He instantly deflated. “Oh. Good.”

He had almost been looking forward to convincing her to stay with him. But it was better this way. It was only two weeks. Having her under his roof could have made things complicated.

“Was Penny okay today?”

She had peed on the welcome mat and knocked over a display of wine-themed oven mitts in the gift shop, but it could have been worse.

“Of course. But I’m sure she’s eager to see you. Shall we?”

He offered his arm, and she took it.

“See you later, sweetheart. I’ll leave the keys under the mat,” Margie called as they left.

“Are you okay?” Rett asked when they reached the sidewalk.

“I’m fine,” she said, but her expression told a different tale.

He pulled her around in front of him. He brushed a thumb over the cut on her cheek.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

She turned to look at the café. “What if I can’t do it?”

“Do what? The mural?”

She nodded. “Margie wants me to ‘encapsulate a feeling’ about the town. How am I supposed to do that?”

He held on to her arms. Her skin was so soft. And what was that smell? Vanilla?

She shivered under his grip.

“You can do this. But I don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for by staring at a blank sketchpad for six hours. You need to go outside and explore. Sit in the gazebo. Attend a festival. Do someGilmore Girlsshit.”

She laughed, and the sound was like music. The light was back in her eyes. A bit of color had rushed into her cheeks.

Before he could stop himself, he dipped his mouth to hers. She froze for a second, then pressed herself close to him. Her arms snaked around him, and her heat washed over him. When he opened his mouth, she mirrored the movement. She tasted even better than she looked. His finger slipped beneath the hem of her T-shirt.

There weren’t words to describe the feel of her wrapped around him. It was like the first sunrise after weeks of overcast skies. The smell of a fresh harvest.

Crash. They sprang apart and Rett put himself between her and the sudden sound.

A mail carrier was sprawled on the asphalt, bike with a bent-rimmed tire lying next to him. Damn it, Tom.

Jade gasped and sprinted across the street to him without bothering to look both ways.

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