Page 81 of Meet Me in the Vines
Damn, I love saying that.
She dramatizes her puppy eyes, her friends echoing a collective disappointment in my answer. I’ve been getting ogled all day by the girls trip groups and the bachelorette parties. Frank takes the groups with the older ladies, trying to find himself a good time since his divorce last year. Damn him. I get the occasional group dates and married couples, which is what I prefer these days.
“Well, that’s too bad. You got any single brothers?” she teases as her friends lean in closer, curious for an answer. I clear my throat and start introducing the flight, ignoring her question. I’m doing my brothers a favor.
“So this one here is a 2021 Pinot Grigio that has hints of green apple and white peach with high acidity for a crisp and refreshing flavor. It’s light body and?—”
“Donovan, you didn’t answer my question,” she purrs, using her arms to squeeze her cleavage together. I glance at the door when an angel walks through it.
Thank god.
“Excuse me, ladies. I’ll be back to bring you your food pairings.” I politely nod and make a beeline toward Audrey. We lock eyes and she does a cute little hop and waves, skipping in my direction. My heart flutters when she smiles, already craving her touch.
“Baby!” she squeals out, leaping into my arms. Strawberries and fresh flowers fill my nostrils as I breathe in her scent. I lift her off the ground and kiss her deeply.
“Hey, Mouse. Damn, I missed you. Did you have fun with Tia?” I cup her face in my hands, wanting to sneak away and have my way with her.
“I missed you, too,” she whispers, smiling as she places a peck on my lips. “And yes, we had so much fun.” I look her up and down, appreciating her body.
Her tank top contrasts against her milky skin, pushing the swell of her breasts up. It takes everything in me not to bite them. Her jeans hug every curve of her ass, tight around her toned thighs and flared at the bottom. Fuck, she looks delicious.
“Baby, you’re making me hard by just standing there. I’m at work,” I tease huskily, getting turned on that she’s making me feral in public. I love seeing her cheeks turn pink when I tell her what she does to me.
“What are you gonna do about it?” she counters, arching her eyebrow at me in challenge. I groan against her neck and kiss it lightly, pulling back from her to adjust my erection.
“I have a group I’m taking care of right now, but after,you’re mine,” I growl, lacing her fingers through mine.
I glance over her shoulder and see Tia walking in. I nod my chin in her direction and she waves, skipping her way toward us.
“Hey, D! We are ready to get our flight on,” Tia sings. She leans in to give me a hug, and I make sure I shift my hips back so she doesn’t feel my dick that’s still hard for Audrey.
“Hey, T. Alright, I have you girls set up right over there,” I say, pointing to a section across the room. I lead them to their table, taking Audrey’s hand in mine. We pass the group of women that I’m serving, earning a glare from Ms. Flirt and whispers from her friends. A grin flashes on my face, knowing that I have the most beautiful girl on my arm.
And she’s all mine.
“Okay, ladies. I’ll have Jake bring you a flight. I gotta finish up this group and I’ll be with you later. Enjoy.” I lean down and kiss Audrey, heading into the kitchen to grab the pairings.
“Jake, my girl is at table four. Can you bring out the summer white tasting for her and her friend, please?” I ask as my eyes scan the kitchen for everything I need. Jake is one of our youngest sommeliers. He started with us this summer and has amazing potential. He’s Kerry’s age, so it’s nice having him around like a little brother.
“On it, sir,” he salutes, and I chuckle at his formality. “Please, it’s Donovan,” I reply as he grabs the freshly washed glasses from the rack above him. “Okay, Donovan. I’ll make sure I take care of your lady and her friend.” I walk past him and clap his shoulder, grabbing the food pairings I need for my table before loading them on a tray. As I’m about to walk out, my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Chief Harper
Hey Donovan. Can you stop by the station early tomorrow morning?
Donovan
Sure thing, Chief. Thanks.
Guilt rises from my stomach as I push my phone back down in my pocket. I know she told me not to reach out to Logan’s dad, but we have to be one-hundred percent sure that Kellan is going to stay out of her life.
I may not understand what Audrey is going through or has gone through, but my only instinct is to protect her. Protecting her means guaranteeing her safety, so that’s what I’m doing.
I push through the double doors and walk to my table, placing the food pairings with their respective wines. The girls at the table sear me with their eyes, flirtatiously giving me their full attention. A slight discomfort settles in my stomach at the eye contact, but it eases when I glance at Audrey and her bright green eyes across the way.
“Okay, ladies. Here are your pairings. We have candied orange dark-chocolate for the?—”
“Donovan, is that your girlfriend over there?” Once again, I am interrupted. The leader of the group points her manicured finger right at Audrey, who is sipping her wine, listening to Tia ramble about something. Her lips wrap around the glass and I’m turned on again, imagining those lips on my cock.
