Wine and Whiskey (Surviving Absolution #1) (23 page)

Nick holds up his finger. “Patience. I
said when we land.”

His breath catches as she rolls her eyes
and laughs, soft and silky, warming him in the cool cabin. He didn’t think it
was possible for her to be more beautiful than she already is. Her face flushes
and eyes sparkle with excitement, matching the hint of glitter across her bare
shoulders, completely exposed with her hair in loose curls behind her head. He
would take a beating just to taste the soft, sweet skin at the base of her
neck.

At the bump of the landing gear rolling
across the runway she looks back at him again. “We’ve landed. Tell me!”

“We’re slightly northeast of wine
country. I read an article in one of the business journals about a man from
Indiana re-opening his grandfather’s winery. I thought we could check it out
before he launches.”

“Oh, I love it. I can’t wait.”

Once the pilots open the door and
disembark, Max and the two security men accompanying them file out. She starts
to stand up, but he puts his hand on her arm. Loath to rouse any uncertainty,
he attempts a casual tone. “Just a minute, sweetness. Let Max take care of
things first.”

Two black SUVs sit on the tarmac with a
young woman wearing a navy blazer standing next to them. Max talks to her as
the other two men open the doors and inspect the interiors. A slight frown
darkens Shae’s angelic face, and his stomach clenches at her anxiety.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s just a precaution. I don’t want
anything to ruin our day.”

Her lips curl into a smile and she
squeezes his hand, releasing some of his tension. “Nothing will.”

After the inspection is complete, Max
signs the woman’s clipboard and takes the keys from her. Nick pulls Shae up
from her seat and leads her down the steps. “Let’s go.”

They drive along the countryside with Max
and his team following behind. Tall trees border farm fields, separating them
by owner or crop. A few stray clouds float above the distant mountains, no
barrier to the abundant sunshine.

Resting her head against the seat, she
turns to him. “How did you arrange for us to have such beautiful weather?”

“I’m good at charming angels.”

She laughs and shakes her head. “You’re
still as slick as the day I met you.”

He brings her hand to his mouth and
kisses each knuckle. Somehow, she saw past his arrogance and gave him a chance.
And somehow, he’s lucky to earn more even when he fucks up. “You’re still as
beautiful.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

“Love me.”

The fresh smell of cedar welcomes them as
they enter the winery. Reminiscent of a ski chalet, the exposed wood beams and
stone fireplace create a warm, relaxed atmosphere.

A barrel-chested man with salt-and-pepper
hair and goatee strides toward them, hand extended. “Mr. DeMarco, it’s a
pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s Nick, and this is my girlfriend,
Shae.”

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Erik
Altmeyer
. Please have a seat.”

He gestures toward two high back, brown
stools facing a large picture window overlooking endless rows of grapes. As
they sit, Erik tells them about the winery. “My grandfather started this place
about sixty years ago. After he died, no one was left to run it. I flew out here
and fell in love with the place. I’ve been restoring it for three years, and I’m
almost ready to open. You’re my first customers.”

Shae gives Erik a small smile. “Thank you
for having us. Did you know anything about wine making before you came here?”

Nick wraps his hand around hers as it
rests on his leg. She leans in to the proprietor, enjoying their conversation,
laughing at his stories. No smoothing of her dress or picking at her fingernail
polish. She’s utterly content.

Her fingertip traces the lettering
branded into the wooden countertop. “How did you pick the name Heaven’s Devil?”

“Wine tastes like heaven when you drink
it, but can make you feel like the devil got ahold of you the next day.”

She laughs and squeezes Nick’s thigh,
making every nerve in his body flare from her happy touch. “I love that.”

“Okay, Miss Shae, what kind of wine do
you like?”

Erik’s easy-going, friendly personality
matches the persona he conveyed on the phone, cementing Nick’s decision to
select this winery from all the others. Rather than fawn over her or attempt to
impress, he allows her to simply enjoy the experience.

“Someone once told me drink what you
like, so that’s what I do. It doesn’t matter to me where it’s from or how much
it costs.”

“Smart lady. Some snobs think good wine
only comes from a few places.” He eases the cork out of an open bottle and
pours wine into two glasses. “You can get some wonderful wines from Australia,
Chile, even the Midwest. Did you know Illinois and Indiana have the same
topography as France? Grapes grow wonderfully there, and they produce some
excellent wines.” He slides a glass to each of them. “Like this one. Try it and
let me know what you think.”

She tips her nose in the glass, smelling
the bouquet before taking a long drink. “Definitely heaven.”

Erik’s round belly shakes the counter as
he laughs. “Good! When you finish that one, I have another one I think you’ll
really like.”

Over the next hour, Erik gives them
tastes of several wines, pairing them with cold and hot hors d’oeuvres to help
bring out the flavors. When Shae sets her glass down, he pours another and
places squares of dark chocolate on the tiny, white plates in front of them.

She snatches the candy before pushing her
goblet back toward him and raising her hand. “I’m sorry, but I think I’ve
reached my limit. I’m getting tipsy.”

Of course, she keeps the sweets.

Nick rubs over her thumb as Erik smiles
and nods his head. “Better to quit while you’re ahead. Keep the devil away.”

Her eyes light up, and she reaches over
the bar and gives him a hug. “Thank you for everything. It was wonderful.”

“You’re welcome, but you’re not finished
yet. Your boyfriend has plans for you.”

“Thank you, Erik.” Nick stands up and
shakes his hand before turning to her. “Come on.”

With his hand caressing the small of her
back, he guides her out the back door and into the vineyard. They walk through
about ten rows of vines trailing over wire and wooden trellises. Her eyes widen
at the oversized red blanket covering the ground adorned with a wicker picnic
basket and ice bucket chilling sparkling water.

“What’s all this?”

“Wine and outdoors…two of your favorite
things.”

Pressing her hands against his chest, she
looks up at him. The alcohol in her body is unable to diminish the love flaming
in her eyes. “You’re my most favorite.”

“Me too.” He takes a deep breath,
restraining the fire she ignites in him too. “Have a seat, madam.” He flips
open the lid and pulls out a plate of cheese and sliced fruit. As she slips off
the wrapping, he pours her a glass of water and drops in an orange slice. “Did
you like the wine tasting?”

“I loved it. You know me too well.”

He clinks his glass against hers and
takes a long drink. “Then tell me something I don’t know.”

Her nose crinkles in confusion. “What?”

“You know, like regular people on first
dates. We have to tell each other things the other person doesn’t know.”

Her bubbly laugh echoes across the grape
rows. “Are you tipsy too?”

“No, I’m serious.”

“Okay.” She tilts her head, his groin
twitching at her tongue grazing her top lip as she thinks. “I can’t roller
skate.”

“How’s that possible? You’re a great
dancer.”

“I don’t know. I just can’t find my
balance on wheels for some reason.” She pops a mango slice into her mouth.
“Okay, your turn.”

“I can’t whistle.”

Her eyes grow as bright as her smile.
“Everyone can whistle.”

“Nope. Never been able to.”

“Maybe you’re not holding your mouth
correctly. Here let me see.”

She leans forward and presses her silky
lips against his, trying to coax them apart with her tongue. A deep moan radiates
in his throat before he forces himself to pull away. “You’d better stop, or I
won’t be able to.” He laughs as she pretends to pout, thrusting out her lower
lip. “Are you ready for dessert?”

Her face lights up in a huge smile again.
“Yes!”

“Why am I always second choice to
sweets?” He reaches into the picnic basket and lifts out a silver and pink box.

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

He slides his hand around her waist and
rests his head on her shoulder as she unties the white bow. Her back snuggles
against his chest, warming him at her desire to draw him closer. A chocolate
masterpiece lays nestled inside pink tissue paper. “It looks amazing.”

“It’s from the bakery Max told you about.
The last day we were there it had one of those wooden chalkboard signs out
front that read ‘Give your wife a chocolate orgasm.’ I ordered one for you and
had it delivered today.”

Chocolate lava trickles out from her fork
slicing a small piece from the center. A gasp leaves her mouth as soon as the
bite touches her tongue. “It works on girlfriends too.”

Squeezing her left ring finger, he
whispers in her ear. “I thought it might make you say yes.”

Her cocoa covered fingertip rubs across
his lips. “
Shhhhh
.”

He tries to catch her, but she laughs and
pulls away too quickly. They lock eyes as she puts her finger in her mouth and
sucks off the syrup. He’s never seen her as sexy as she is in this moment.
“What are you doing?”

“Trying to distract you.”

“Not this time.”

Her shoulders slump down as she sighs.
“Nick…”

Before her, he never planned for a
future, not ever thinking there could be something more than his solitary
existence. Now, he wants it all. Everything she gives him. “You asked me the
other night what my fantasy is. It’s you. Wearing nothing but my ring. I want
you to be my wife.”

She leans forward, pressing his hand
between hers. “It’s too soon.”

“Says who?”

“We’ve talked about this…”

Before she moved in with him, before she
proved what he always knew. In just one week of coming home to her, floating in
her peace, holding her as they drift asleep, she already gives him the perfect
life. “You have to know you’re the one. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want
you.”

“Is that enough reason to get married?”

He squeezes her fingers, always amazed
how delicate they are lying against his. “Yes. It doesn’t have to be today or
tomorrow. I don’t care when. Just say you’ll marry me.”

She takes a deep breath, tucking her
dress around her legs. “I know you love me, but why is it so important to you?”

“It makes what we have real. I know you
won’t disappear.”

“But, then you’ll be stuck with me
forever. What about when I’m old and wrinkly and blue haired?”

His heart drops. He’s messed up, failed
to let her know this is so much more than sex. What she gives him beyond the
physical. What he needs every day for as long as he survives this world. He
strokes her cheek, the soft skin flushing under his fingertips. “I’ll look at
you and know I’ve had the best sixty years imaginable.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Love will do that to you.”

“I guess I’ve lost my mind then too.” Her
whisper makes his heart race. “Okay, I’ll marry you.”

“God, I love you.” He cups her face
before placing a gentle kiss on her lips, a warm ache radiating out from his
groin at her pink cheeks and sparkling eyes. “I promise I’ll never make you
regret saying yes.”

Laying back on the blanket, she clutches
his despised curls as he delves into her mouth tasting the sweet combination of
chocolate and fruit. His fingertips trail up her thigh and under her dress,
until she giggles and pushes his hand down. “Not here. We’ll offend Mr.
Altmeyer
.”

He growls in her ear before rolling next
to her. “I need you.”

She stands up and smiles, holding out her
small hand to him. “Come on then. Let’s go home. I’m ready to make your fantasy
come true.” Licking her lips, she winks. “Oh, and don’t forget the cake.”

A cold sweat engulfs his body at the
rustle of leaves behind her. The glint of metal in the bright sunlight burns
his eyes before gunfire pierces the air, and she crashes to the ground.

Chapter Twelve

Every nerve in
Nick’s body screams under his skin from Shae slumped at his feet and the rifle
pointed at his chest. He keeps his Glock aimed at the guy’s forehead. A shot to
the head, one to the heart, just like always. Once he knows she’s safe.

Their eyes bore into each other, neither
man willing to lower his gun. The rider nudges his horse forward and sunlight
glints off the
silver star
pinned to his jacket.
A badge. A god damn fucking cop
. Nick
hangs his head, and his arm falls to his side. “Fuck!”

“The first shot was a warning. The next
one won’t be. Drop your weapon and step away from the girl. Now!”

Nick tosses the gun a few feet in front
of him and kneels down, his gut rolling at her motionless body, knocked out
from the force of him tackling her to the ground. Missing the fact, in his
panic, the man on horseback is a county sheriff rather than a hired hit man. A
sleeping angel, curly hair frames her beautiful face, hurt once again from her
relationship with the devil. He strokes her cheek, the soft skin warm under his
fingertips. “Sweetness? Please open your eyes.”

The rider’s boots smack against the hard
packed ground as he dismounts, his gun trained on Nick. “Stand up and put your
hands behind your head.”

Hooves clip-clop on the gravel path
behind him before another officer reaches for his arm. “If you don’t stand up
right now, I’m charging you with resisting arrest.”

Fire rages through him. At them. At himself.
He swallows down the bile crawling up his throat. “Fucking wait! I have to make
sure she’s all right.”

“Sir, when you pointed a loaded weapon at
a law enforcement officer, you ran out of time. The faster you cooperate, the
faster I can check on her.”

“Shae, please wake up.”

Her eyelids flutter before flying open,
her eyes wide with fear just as he’s yanked up. Handcuffs dig into his skin,
and he’s dragged backwards. Away from her. Too far to alleviate her panic or
his guilt.

“Nick?” Her raspy voice muffles in her
gasps for air. She arches her back off the blanket, as if opening her lungs as
far as possible, before rolling on her side and clutching the front of her
dress.

He forces himself to sound calm, for her
as much as himself. “I’m here, sweetness. You just got the wind knocked out of
you. Everything’s—”

“Do you have a permit for the gun?”

He ignores the sheriff’s question as the
man pats him down and removes his wallet. “Everything’s okay, Shae. Let me get
this—”

Pulling out Nick’s driver’s license, the
officer taps it on the back of his gloved hand. “Mr. DeMarco, I said, do you
have a permit for this weapon?”

“Yeah, it’s in there.” Nick never takes
his eyes off of her. Yet again, she suffers because of him, and he can’t do a
thing to help her.

After a few seconds her, breathing calms,
and she sits up. Tendrils of hair fall loose around her delicate shoulders,
hunched in uncertainty as she looks around.

The other sheriff kneels down next to
her. “Are you okay, miss?”

She gives a slow nod before her groggy
gaze meets Nick’s, relief filling her eyes as they lock with his. The tightness
in his chest loosens. She’s okay, and inexplicably, finds comfort in his
presence.

“Did he hurt you? Was he holding you here
against your will?”

“Of course not…” Her voice falters, and
she clears her throat. “We were having a picnic.”

“You realize it’s against the law to
trespass on private property?” Even and soft, the deputy’s voice implies
sympathy, yet an accusation simmers under the surface, already building his
case against them. Leading her into his trap.

“We’re here for a wine tasting.”

“This winery has been closed for years.”

Nick’s jaw clenches at the interrogation.
No one is more innocent than her. “Fucking ask Mr.
Altmeyer
.
He’s the one who served us.”

Squeezing the radio clipped on his
shoulder, the deputy requests a check on Nick’s license and assistance with a
female victim. Shae stands up and
smoothes
her dress.
“I am not a victim.”

The officer tips his head down to hers,
curling over her shoulder to create a barrier between her and Nick. “He pulled
out a gun and threw you to the ground. It would be reasonable and appropriate
to file assault charges against him.”

She turns back, her eyes meeting Nick’s
again, and shakes her head. “My fiancé isn’t that kind of man. He was
protecting me.”

Nick releases a long breath. Her words
and smile signal her forgiveness of his overreaction, defending him regardless
of his mistakes. Even when he doesn’t deserve it.

“From what?”

“Sometimes, I have problems with overzealous
fans and paparazzi.”

The sheriff looks closer, studying her
features. “Are you…Shae Armstrong?”

“Yes, I’m Shae.”

“Well, Miss Armstrong, you and your
entourage have caused quite a bit of trouble today.” The man’s voice drips with
disgust. “Neighbors reported a huge convoy of vehicles racing back here and a
crowd of people overrunning the place.”

She holds up her fingers, signifying the
truth of their situation. “Two vehicles, five people, zero reckless driving.” Her
voice conveys poise and self-confidence as she meets the sheriff’s scowl.

Now is the sexiest he has ever seen her.
He’s rubbing off on her in more ways than one.

“That’s what I’ve got.” The officer
holding Nick’s arm nods down the hill toward the tasting room. “Three men and
two SUVs in the parking lot.”

The other man shakes his head and reaches
for his radio. “Let’s see if Mr.
Altmeyer
corroborates your story.”

* * * *

Shae squeezes Nick’s hand after he helps
her from the limo, trying to pull him out of the guilt immersing him,
attempting to end the blame he inflicts upon himself for only doing what makes
her love him.

He shakes his head, his face drawn and
dark under the lights lining the entryway. Max gives her a sympathetic frown as
they walk inside. He too knows the battle she faces in trying to relieve Nick
of his misguided torture.

Carter sprawls across the sofa, his soft
snore greeting them in the otherwise empty house. Nick nudges Carter’s leg with
his foot. “Wake up, pretty boy. We’re home.”

The most Nick’s said since they left the
winery. Engulfing her as soon as the restraints were removed, he murmured his
apologies into her hair as he held her. On the plane, he flinched at her touch
against his wrist, rubbed raw from the tight metal, not allowing her to comfort
him. Only kissing her forehead and drawing her closer when she tried to assure
him she’s okay.

His cousin yawns and stretches before
sitting up. “Fuck you. I’ve been waiting here for hours. What else did you
expect me to do?”

“Yeah, sounds like you had a real rough
night. Unlike some of us, who’ve enjoyed being handcuffed for four
hours.
”

“You owe me. If Luther hadn’t been able
to sweet-talk the district attorney with a whole song and dance about your
right to protect yourself, you’d be sitting on your ass in jail right now.
Lucky for you, Shae didn’t press charges either. They were really gunning for
that too.” A smirk plays on Carter’s lips, and he winks at her. “Don’t worry
though. It’s not too late to change your mind. Charges can be pressed for years
after an assault.”

Nick’s grip tightens on her hand as his
body stiffens. Carter pushes it too far, and she must extinguish the fire he
flames, smother the fury that can only lead to more violence between the men.
“Can you give us a minute, please? I’d like to talk to Nick before you guys
hole up in his office.”

Carter stands up and rolls his eyes.
“Come on, Max. I’ll let you tell me all about your sob story too.”

Once they’re alone, she wraps her arms
around Nick’s waist, meeting his searing gaze. It’s her turn to soothe his
fears. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s just trying to be funny.”

He cups her face, his eyes scanning hers,
long fingers curling around her hair. “At the vineyard, I thought he was going
to…” His mouth twists as he shakes his head, his voice falling to a pained
whisper. “Shoot you. I would never push you down for any other reason. I would
never put my hands on you.”

She wraps her fingers around his. So lost
in his anguish, he can’t accept what she knows, what she sees in him. Never
concerned with himself, not worried about the accusations against him or the
possible punishment. Only scared for her safety, afraid she doubts his
intentions. “You don’t have to worry about me thinking anything else. I know
you were trying to protect me.”

With his forehead pressed against hers,
he conveys an exhausted relief. “I love you, sweetness.”

“I know, fiancé.”

His eyes darken and shivers trail over
her bare shoulders at his lips on her ear, “Wait up for me. I’ll be there as
soon as I can.”

They walk hand-in-hand to the steps, her
racing heart slowing at his calmer demeanor. He’s come back to her. As he
kisses her cheek, his office door opens and Max steps out. “Nick, we need to
talk to Shae.”

Nick’s head flies up. “What are you
doing, Max?”

“There’s no way this was a coincidence.
The story about the neighbors doesn’t make any sense. Someone tipped off the
sheriff with fake information, trying to set us up. I need to know who she told
about going to the winery so we can figure out who it was.”

“It was a surprise. She couldn’t have
told anyone.”

Max shakes his head, lines squeezing his
forehead. “Then you and I were the only people who knew the entire itinerary. I
can’t figure out who else could have known about your plans.”

The second time someone’s been spying on
them, listening to their private conversations. Her stomach clenches. For the
past two days she thought keeping the truth about Spencer from him was the best
thing do to. Telling him now is going to be so much worse.

“I know who it was.” She grasps Nick’s arm,
her legs shaking from his body stiffening. “I think it was Spencer.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He said a few strange things to me. I
tried to ignore him…”

Her voice falters at the redness racing
up his cheeks, matching the anger flaming in his eyes. "Tell me, Shae. I
have to know."

“He threatened to blackmail me. He knew
things, private things only you and I know. He’s been eavesdropping on us.”

Max swears as Nick’s eyes widen. Nick
nods to him. “Go!”

He races to Nick's office, barking out
orders into his phone. Cold chills race through her at Nick’s blank expression.
She would rather see fury than the deadness staring back at her.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

She rubs her arms, trying to calm the
trembling. The hardness in his voice strangles hers, and she can only whisper,
“I was scared. I thought if you knew what he did, you would kill him. I
couldn’t be responsible for his death.”

His jaw ticks with rage. He closes his
eyes and kneads his forehead with his fingertips. “What did he do?”

“He climbed into bed with me when I was
sleeping. I tried to scream, but he put his hand over my mouth.” She purses her
lips to keep them from quivering. All of her insecurities blowing up to hurt
him even more. “He said if I told you, he would say I seduced him. That you
would believe him, because I…”

The words stall on her lips. She’s never
told him before, and now, only because of the threat. Not in the way she
should. Not the way she wants. Not how he deserves.

“What?”

“I never tell you I love you.”

“That god damn fucking bastard.” His head
droops forward as he shakes it, pressing his fists against his eyes. “He was in
our bed? Did
he
…”

Covering her mouth, she tries to stop a
sob from escaping. “No, I swear. He just talked and asked me weird questions.”

“Fucking shit, Shae! I can’t believe you
didn’t tell me. We promised no secrets.”

“I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the
right thing.”

“The right thing?” His head jerks up, his
voice a low rumble in the quiet room. “I trusted this man and let him into my
home. While he was here, he threatened you and listened to our conversations,
and you kept it from me?”

She steps toward him. She can fix this,
make him understand, beg his forgiveness. “Nick, I—”

He puts his hand up. “You’d better stay
with Carrie tonight.”

Turning on his heel, he stalks into his
office, still shaking his head, and slams the door behind him. Her stomach
rolls. Now she knows what it feels like to be pushed away. How painful it is to
be rejected by the person you love.