WMIS 08 Forever With Me (6 page)

“Us?” I ask before I can catch myself. What happened to keeping this strictly professional?

“My two cousins and myself. We all lived on my grandparent’s vineyard.”

“In Tuscany.”

“In Tuscany.” He nods and takes my hand in his, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world and laces his fingers with mine.
 

“I’m sure it’s beautiful there.” My eyes are locked on our hands.

Pull away, Alecia Marie. Right now.

“Mm.”
 

My eyes find his again and I have to blink and shake my head to pull myself out of his trance.

This man is potent.

I pull away and return to my iPad. “So, we need to go over the vendors for the wedding.”

“I’d like a list of the vendor’s employees as well,” he replies without missing a step.

“Why?”

“I want my security team to run background checks.”

“That’s not necessary—”

“Yes. It is.” He holds my gaze firmly. “This is my family, Alecia. My very public, wealthy, celebrity family. I have hired security, and they will run background checks on all of the vendors. Even you.”

“Me?!” I toss my head back and laugh. “I’ve been working with the Montgomery and Williams families for two years.”

“Why is that?” he asks and the smile immediately leaves my face.

“Excuse me?”

“I think it’s a valid question.”

“I think it’s an asshole question.”

He quirks a brow. “If you like.”

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest, all warm and fuzzy feelings toward Dom out the damn window.

“I work for them because I do a damn good job of it. I know their preferences, and I have a good relationship with them, especially the girls. I’m not star struck by them and I don’t allow my staff to be. I
like
them, damn it, so if you think I’d hire vendors that would put any of them at risk—”

“I didn’t say you would.”

“But you think I continue to work for them because, what, it gives me a rush to work with celebrities? Let me fill you in, Mr. Salvatore, I plan weddings and events for politicians, professional athletes, actors, and owners of Fortune 500 companies you can’t even pronounce the names of.”

“I’m quite good with languages, actually.”

“Screw you. Do you think they’d continue hiring me if I wasn’t excellent at what I do?”

“No.”

He’s perfectly calm, sipping his coffee while I rail at him, pissed and offended, and it occurs to me that it was a test.

I deflate and brace my head in my hands.
 

“I passed that test, I take it?”

“With flying colors, yes.”

I glance through my fingers to find him grinning at me.

“You’re not funny.”

“I enjoyed that.” He shrugs, his muscles straining under his T-shirt. His arms are tanned and strong, his hands long-fingered and I can’t help but wonder if he plays the piano.

“Do you play the piano?”

“Yes. Why?”

“You have hands for it.”

“That’s not all my hands are good at.”

I bite my lip and continue to stare at his hands as he runs the very tips of his fingers up and down his coffee mug.

I bet those hands are good at lots of things.

“Did you also hire your own security?” he asks.

“Mm.”

“Excuse me?” He chuckles, and I blush furiously.
 

“Yes, I did.”

“I’ll have the head of my security contact them so they can coordinate.”

“I’m going to want to meet with both teams next Friday on the site and go through the choreography of it all. Nothing can fuck this up.”

“Agreed.” He pulls a muffin out of a brown paper bag and peels the paper off the bottom, then passes me half of it. “Here.”

“I’m fine.”

“Did you have breakfast?”

“No.”

“Here.”
 

I sigh and take the muffin from him, knowing that arguing is futile. “Thanks.”

“I hope you like chocolate.”

“I’m female.” I chuckle and take a bite of the delicious pastry. “It’s in my DNA to enjoy chocolate.”

“I have a wine that goes perfectly with a nice dark chocolate.”

“I know. The late harvest Cabernet Sauvignon. You don’t bottle much of it.”

He narrows his eyes and takes a sip of his coffee before responding. “You know your wine.”

“I do. I love wine, but it’s also part of my job. I can’t serve bad wine at events.”

He reaches down and pulls the bag onto the table and sets it before me.

“For you.”

Inside is the limited edition white wine that I covet every summer.

“Oh,” I breathe, stunned. “I love this.”

“I know.”

I glance up in surprise.

“When I brought it to Brynna and Caleb’s wedding last summer you practically drooled over it.”

“It’s so great. I try to order some every summer. I’ll share this with Emily.”

“Who’s Emily?”

“My assistant. This is her favorite too.”

He runs his forefinger over his bottom lip. “I’m sure I can find a bottle for her as well.”

“Thank you.” How am I supposed to resist a man who brings me my favorite wine and is generous enough to offer the same to my staff?

“When are you going to come out to the vineyard to work?” he asks quietly.

I’ve been avoiding this. I love his vineyard. And I’m attracted to
him
. And that’s just not a combination that makes me comfortable.

But he’s right. I have to go out there.

“Does Wednesday work? You don’t have to show me around. I’m sure you have staff who can help me out.”

“I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of,” he replies noncommittally.
 

“Thanks. Well, I have another meeting in Seattle in an hour, so I should go.”

“Of course.” He stands and holds his hand out for mine, helping me to my feet. “Do you need directions to the vineyard?”

“No, I know where it is.”

He nods and holds the door open for me.
 

“Where are you parked?”

“Oh, there wasn’t any parking when I got here, so I’m a block over. You don’t have to walk me.”

“I’ll walk you.”

“You’re rather stubborn, aren’t you?” I ask, as we walk toward my SUV.

“That’s what mama always said,” he replies with a laugh. “But she also taught me to make sure a woman reached her destination safely.”

And, queue the butterflies.

“Chivalry isn’t dead after all,” I mutter.

“It shouldn’t be.”

I unlock the doors and he opens the driver’s side for me, leans in to lay the wine on the passenger seat, and takes in the back of my packed vehicle.

“What do you have in there,
cara
? It’s packed.”

“Decorations, samples. Stuff. I never know when I might need something.”

He turns back to me with a smile, but when his eyes catch mine, his face sobers. He reaches toward me and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, then gently cups my jaw in his palm and lightly traces circles on my cheek. My nipples pucker, my breathing increases, and he licks his lips as his eyes drop to my mouth.
 

He’s going to kiss me. I lean in, just an inch, craving his lips on mine, yet knowing this is
such
a bad idea.

The worst idea ever.

I don’t want him to kiss me.

I so want him to fucking kiss me.

But rather than tip his face down to mine, he backs away, takes a deep breath, and gently pulls his fingers away from my face, leaving me yearning for him.
 

“I’ll see you Wednesday,
cara
.”

I bite my lip in disappointment, but offer him a quick grin.
 

“Wednesday.”

And with that, he turns and walks back the way we came, his hands in his pockets, those jeans moving deliciously over his ass and his black T-shirt showing off every muscle in his back and shoulders and every part of me is screaming for him.
 

Such a bad idea.

    
Chapter Four

“Good morning,” I say with a smile as I answer my phone via the bluetooth on my car.

“Hi Alecia, it’s Meg.”

“How are you today?” I ask and change lanes. The traffic on Interstate 5 is surprisingly light this morning heading south. I’m just passing by Fort Lewis, and with each passing mile, I keep getting more nervous.
 

This is a welcome distraction.

“I’m stressed out. Why didn’t anyone tell me that getting married was such a pain in the ass? I should have just followed Leo’s lead and gotten married in Vegas.”

“Getting married in Vegas suited Leo and Sam, but I don’t think that’s your style.” Meg’s mega rock star brother, Leo, married his long-time girlfriend Samantha Williams just last month in Las Vegas when the whole crew, all of the Montgomery and Williams siblings and their significant others, were there for a combined bachelor/bachelorette party for Will and Meg.

I was supposed to join them, and was looking forward to it, but I ended up picking up a last minute wedding and had to bow out.

Then Leo and Sam go and get married on me, and I missed it! Damn them.

“Well it would have been much less stress, let me tell you.”

“Okay, talk to me. The stress is
my
job. What’s up?”

Meg takes a deep breath. “Twenty-eight new RSVP’s since I saw you last week.”

“Okay.”

“
Okay
? What is wrong with people? All of the RSVP’s were supposed to be returned six weeks ago! That’s twenty-eight more people that we need to find seating for, Blake has to cook food for. Party favors! Oh, my God, twenty-eight more party favors!”

“Take a deep breath, Meg.” My voice is crisp now and all business. “This is what you’ve hired me for, remember? I have this covered.”

“It’s twenty-eight more people to pay for, Alecia. I know Will says that he doesn’t care about the money, but this wedding has turned into this enormously expensive affair with celebrities and so many people, and it’s costing him a fortune!”

I nod, knowing she can’t see me. It’s costing a fortune.

“Meg, Will
wants
to give you this wedding. He loves you
big
. Anyone can see it.”

“He does everything big,” she whispers, and I can hear the tears in her voice. All brides are nervous and worry about their day, and few handle the stress of an affair of this size this well.
 

“It’s a lot of people. Celebrities and wealthy people, yes, but Meg, they’re your friends. You know every single person you’ve invited.”

“I know. I made sure of that. We’re not turning this into a media circus. Only guests we know and care about will be there.”

“Exactly.”

I hear her take another deep breath.

“I’m being ridiculous.”

“You’re being a bride,” I reply with a chuckle. “It’s okay. There will be several more moments like this between now and next Saturday, but seriously, don’t sweat it. Everything is under control. We have wiggle room for extra people. This doesn’t concern me at all.”

That’s not entirely true, but she’ll never know it.

“Okay. I feel better.”

“Good. I’m actually about to turn into Dom’s winery right now. I’m going to go over the plans for the set up and start to get things underway.”

“Oh, my God! It’s happening! The butterflies are back.”

“Why do you have butterflies, sweetheart?” Will asks her. He must be hugging her because his voice is very close to the phone.

“Alecia is going to the winery today to start on things.”

“Hi, Alecia,” he says into the phone.”

“Tell him hello. Go attack him or something to take your mind off things. I have this handled. I promise.”

“Yes, go attack him,” Will agrees. “Bye, Alecia.”

“Bye guys.” I chuckle and end the call as I park in the circular drive in front of the large villa before me. Meg gets to go have sex with Will Montgomery.

Lucky bitch.

I turn the engine off and stare at the villa for a moment, take a deep breath, and pray that Dom’s assistant will be showing me around. He’s a distraction I don’t need today.

And he
does
distract me.
 

But luck isn’t running in my favor when the door to the villa opens and Dom steps outside and saunters to my door, opening it for me.

You can do this! You’re a professional!

“Good morning,” he murmurs and holds his hand out for mine.