Page 40 of Ambrosia Kisses
"Because you can't grow and bottle sunshine, baby."
"Ridley." Tears well in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat.
"I thought this wine would be the closest I ever came to tasting you again," he whispers. "Every single aspect of it is you, down to the name. It's been aging for the last three years, waiting until the flavor profile was just right." He tips my chin up, his thumb ghosting along my lips again. "Never thought I'd be kissing youagain when it finished aging, Dimples, but I'm so fucking glad it's your taste on my tongue right now, and not the wine."
I sob his name, tears slipping down my cheeks. If ever I needed confirmation that he never stopped wanting me, this bottle in my hand is it. He crafted a whole damn wine just to taste a hint of me again.
"I love you," I choke, throwing myself into his arms.
"Christ," he whispers, holding me so tight I think he means to fuse us into one being. "Say that again."
"I love you."
His lips come down on mine, and I'm not sure whose tears I taste, but they taste like hope. They taste like healing. And they taste like us.
"I love you, Dimples. I never fucking stopped," he rasps. "Not for a second."
We cling to each other for long moments before he pulls back slightly, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears. "You ready to taste it now?"
I nod instead of speaking, not trusting my voice.
He takes the bottle from my trembling hands to decant it. I wrap myself around him as he lets it breathe for a few minutes before carefully pouring it into a glass and then handing it to me.
I swirl it around like Haven taught me to do years ago and then lift the glass to my lips. Ridley watches silently as I take some into my mouth. The sweet notes burst on my tongue, widening my eyes. It's good. Really fucking good. The sweetness of the grapes and peaches meld with a tart bite of apple, blending perfectly.
"That's good," I whisper after swallowing. It goes down just as easily as he said. "It's really good, Ridley."
"You like it?"
I carefully place the glass down on the tasting counter before pushing my way into Ridley's arms. My hand cups his jaw, myfingers feathering across his cheek. A smile tilts my lips up. "It's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me, Ridley. It's perfect. The world is going to love it."
His brows furrow. "The world doesn't get this one, baby. Just us."
"What?"
"We're not releasing it."
"Um…not to be rude, but have you lost your mind?" I cry, staring at him in shock. "The wine is perfect. Youhaveto release it."
"It was never meant for anyone else. I crafted it because…because I had to have it. Because I needed one more taste. Because if I had to live the rest of my life without even a shade of you, I'd have cracked."
"You have me. But the world needs that wine," I murmur gently. "It's perfect, Ridley."
"Yeah, because it's you."
I shake my head, smiling up at him. He's so perfect it actually hurts in the best way possible. God, what am I going to do at the end of the week? I can't leave. This is where I belong. Iknowit is.
I never wanted a job with Crudup, and I want it even less now. That isn't my future. This is. He is. But does he want the same thing?
I don't know.
"Just think about it, okay?" I ask him.
"Fine," he grumbles, sliding his hand down my back to grab my ass. "But you should know that Lucy is going to be pissed."
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm about to make you late for lunch," he growls, pulling me into him. His lips come down on mine in a heart-stopping kiss…and I don't tell him no.
