Page 4 of Cru's Crush
“Yeah. So?”
She shook her head and walked around me. Rather than block her again, I followed, hoping she was headed to the house.
“I never knew you were such asook.”
“No need to call names, and I’m hardly a wimp.”
She rolled her eyes and opened the back door that led from the patio into the living room.
“Fucking Brix,” I muttered.
She walked over to the counter and raised a bottle. “Fancy a cab sav?”
“Sure.” I gazed out at the ocean.
“Why’d you curse Brix?” she asked, handing me a glass.
“I left before he did. He was supposed to lock up.”
“He did.”
Daphne sat on the sofa, grabbed the throw draped on the back, and crawled under it.
“You walked right in.”
She held up her hand. “I’m programmed. You’re not?”
I’d forgotten the doors would open by palm print. “I’m not here that often.”
“We can share.” She offered half the blanket when I sat down, rubbing my cold hands together. “Get closer,” she added when I was still a foot away.
“I’m good. It’s warm in here.”
Before I realized what she was doing, Daphne grabbed my hand. “You’re like ice.” She closed the distance between us, tucked the blanket around me, then held both my hands in hers.
My arms itched to pull away. My legs too. And my cock? Hard as steel.
Daphne had no idea the torture she was putting me through or how much easier on me it would’ve been if she’d just let me continue freezing my ass off.
2
DAPHNE
The tension reverberating off Cru’s body was almost palpable. If he’d pressed to know why I was crying earlier, I would have had to admit his reluctance to touch me was one reason. Cru and I had always been close. God, we’d known each other since we were teenagers. He’d never hesitated to hug me, rub my shoulders, nudge me with his elbow, or even curl up under a blanket with me when we watched a movie. Why had that changed all of a sudden?
Was it because I wasn’t with Beau anymore and Cru didn’t want to give me the wrong idea? Did he think I was so desperate for companionship that I’d expect him to pick up where my other boyfriend had left off? Did Cru, who I believed knew me better than just about anyone else, think I was the kind of girl who was afraid of being single? That I always had to have a boyfriend?
Another reason for my tears was Brix’s comment. I hated that everyone—not just Cru—thought I wasdevastated by Beau’s relationship with Sam. It wasn’t that I didn’t care. In fact, I was happy for them.
Finally, the thing weighing heaviest on my mind was what I would do with the rest of my life. That worry wasn’t new. Two weeks ago, I’d turned twenty-six—the same age my mum was when I was born.
I’d gone to university, graduated, and went on to get my master’s in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, but had done nothing with it. No doubt, my parents hoped I’d return to Australia and work for them, but they were well aware I didn’t want to. I loved them, but they didn’t own awinery. Instead, it was one of the largest privately held global wine-making and distribution businesses in the world. An MBA would’ve served me far better if that had been the kind of work I wanted to do.
The problem was no one wanted to hire me. Or that’s what I believed. I hadn’t looked for a job, either here, on the Central Coast, or in Napa or Sonoma, because I knew the kind of work I wanted didn’t exist.
The only way I could make wine for a small vintner was if I purchased vineyard property myself. Even then, I’d have to hire someone to help me for the first five years at least.
I sighed, rested my head against the sofa, and closed my eyes.
