Page 58 of An Inconvenient Marriage
Until a gasp startled us.
Zach stilled, and when he pulled away slightly, I didn’t miss the curses rolling off his tongue.
Embarrassment filled me at the thought of someone walking in on us like this, and when I heard the soft feminine voice, I was utterly mortified. I had no idea what she was saying, but I knew it had to be an apology of some sort.
Zach answered her in Spanish and then thankfully took a step back so I could hop off the table. I turned around just in time to see the young woman slip out the door. Although I was embarrassed out of my mind, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it.
I liked it when Zach kissed me.
I liked it even more when he touched me in ways no one else had.
I might’ve been wrong, but I thought he liked it, too.
“What is it about you?” Zach’s thumb brushed over my wet bottom lip. “One look, one touch, and I lose all control.”
He didn’t sound mad about it. More fascinated, to be honest. His fingers slipped around my nape, and he leaned his forehead against mine. “You’re dangerous, Natalie.”
For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me again, but then he took my hand and started walking.
“Come. We have more exploring to do.”
17
Natalie
Whataday.
After he’d kissed me stupid at the wine bar, Zach took me to the winery where they produced and bottled the wines. As we walked through the rows of tanks that stood as large as the building, Zach explained to me that was where the grapes went to be fermented.
It was like science. They had to add yeast and sugar, and I forgot what else because I was too busy staring at Zach. The more he talked about all this, the wider his smile grew. He couldn’t hide how passionate he was even if he tried.
I loved it.
Listening to him and the winemaker exchange ideas or talk about the current harvest and what issues they might face was enlightening. In so many ways. I got to witness different sides of Zach.
The passionate side.
The business side.
The happy side.
And now, as I was sitting on a barstool at the kitchen island, I got to see his culinary side.
When we’d returned from the winery earlier, Zach had called Martina and Renata to inform them they didn’t need to worry about dinner, that he’d take care of it.
After the two women were gone, he’d marched me to the kitchen and ordered me to sit while he got to work. Every time I offered to help, he just leveled me with a stare and said, “I told you to sit and let me do the work.”
So that’s what I did.
The problem was, just sitting there watching him stir and mix things together got my mind wandering again. Specifically, to the wine bar. How far would I have let it go if we hadn’t been interrupted?
The other night at the hotel, I knew I wanted more, but I was too nervous and scared to voice it. And yes, the nerves were there today, too, but this desperate hunger I felt for Zach’s touch completely outweighed it.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Zach’s voice interrupted my musings.
Dragging my water closer, I ran my finger through the condensation on the glass. “Today. It was amazing. Thank you.”
“But?”
