The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée (7 page)

“Jaden, I would never keep secrets from you. I swear.” Taking a step back, he cocked his head to one side and offered a mischievous smile. “Well, maybe one.”

“Ooh! You and your surprises!” She tackled him, bowling him backward onto the bed. She eyed him from above for a moment, then draped herself over him, snuggling in for a full-body hug.

“You like it so far?” he asked.

“Yes, I love it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and you’re the reason,” she said, sitting up to look in his eyes.

Only the sound of Marta calling to them from the bottom of the stairs saved them from working up an even bigger appetite. But there’d be plenty of time for that later. Eyes twinkling, Ivan led Jaden downstairs to the feast awaiting them.

“I Wanna Know What Love Is”

“K
UDOS
T
O
T
HE
C
HEF
, M
ARTA
,” Ivan said as their hostess passed by the door. She nodded appreciatively.

Jaden smiled as Ivan sank back in the chair, seeming contentedly full and perhaps a little tipsy. They’d polished off a bottle and a half of wine with dinner. She stood and began to clear the plates from the table, thinking again of work despite her attempts to relax, but Marta reappeared to stop her in her tracks.

“Please, miss, leave the dishes. I’ll tidy up before I go home.”

“Really, it’s okay, Marta,” Jaden assured her, but with her mind preoccupied by an impending co-host, she didn’t notice the small rug on the floor by the fireplace. As she stepped past Marta, her toe caught on the rug’s corner and she fell ass over end, the plates smashing into white ceramic shards.

“Oh! Miss!” Marta gasped.

Ivan rushed to Jaden’s side. “Are you okay?”

With Ivan’s hand on her shoulder, she regained her composure.

“Has someone had a little too much to drink?” he asked, helping her to her feet. He looked her up and down, examining her body for any signs of injury.

“No, someone has
not
had too much to drink. I just didn’t see the rug.” She playfully smacked Ivan’s hand away. She could feel his eyes on her, assessing her, and she tried to change the subject. “It’s a beautiful evening. Why don’t we go for a walk?”

Giving her one final look, he agreed. “Sure, but let me get your jacket. It’s chilly out.”

Jaden brushed herself off and continued to the sink to help finish the dishes.

“Please, ma’am,” Marta implored. “The dishes are my job, and I don’t wish to anger Señor Shok. I’ll get to them right after I clean up this mess.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be our little secret.” Jaden smiled. “It’s the least I can do since I
made
the mess!” She took a pot from the dish rack and began to dry it. As she rubbed the towel over its surface, her thoughts again returned to
One Hot Kitchen
…and one ridiculous playboy.

“Are you ready to go?”

Jaden jumped at the sound of Ivan’s voice, almost dropping yet another plate. She turned to find him staring at her, grinning with a bag slung over his shoulder. She’d know that look anywhere: a wicked grin to match his wicked thoughts. At that moment she knew what the night had in store, and a familiar warmth spread through her body. Her heart beat in anticipation. She smiled at Marta, dried her hands on the dish towel, and joined Ivan at the door, all thoughts gone except for the promise of what this evening would bring. Would she ever tire of him—of the feel of his hands as they caressed her and the touch of his lips as his mouth claimed her? No, never.

Taking her jacket from him, she shrugged it on and matched his devilish grin. With a goodbye and thank you to Marta, they stepped out into the vast expanse of the vineyard. After just a few minutes, they were lost among the overgrown vines, strolling hand in hand and deep in conversation.

“I’m looking forward to moving to an independent medical practice. I can’t believe it’s about to happen. Just a few more weeks. It’s a big change, but I’ll really be able to provide customized, concierge service—something my clients demand.”

“I know you’ll do great. I’m so proud that you’re taking a chance and doing this.” She squeezed his hand. “It will totally pay off!”

“Thanks, babe. And don’t worry—I’m also doing a photo shoot here and there for shits and giggles, and working with a few charity events. I do manage to have a little fun. Your old restaurant just opened a night club underneath it, by the way, and it’s amazing. We’ll have to check it out next time you’re in Miami.”

“I know! Tasha tells me she’s there all the time. She and Micky love it.”

“Yeah, I see them there sometimes, crazy in love as ever. They’re getting pretty serious. I think you’ll see Tasha trade in nightclubs for diapers and baby strollers in the near future.” Ivan looked at her pointedly, as if trying to gauge her reaction to this declaration, but she just smiled.

They continued walking, talking about the latest goings on with Micky and Tasha, when they came upon a small clearing in the vines. Jaden paused to drink in the scene before her. Clusters of purple grapes clung to the vines, glowing in the setting sun, and Ivan glowed as well, the sun glinting in his hair. The silence was beautiful, accented only by an occasional bird chirping or leaf rustling. The smell of clean country air mixing with Ivan’s amazing scent created a memory she would call upon soon enough. They’d have to say goodbye again, and she’d be without him. Jaden silently cursed the dreaded and all-too-frequent goodbyes. Ivan said they were “see you laters,” but calling them something else didn’t make them any easier.

But tonight was breathtaking, and memories like this helped ease the loneliness, so she collected as many as she could.

“Do you want to stop here?” Ivan’s voice was barely above a whisper.

She nodded, and as she did, he handed her two flutes, which he’d produced, along with a champagne bottle, from his bag.

Pop!
The sound of a fine bottle birthing a cork echoed through the vineyard, startling a flock of birds and accenting the tranquil sound of the breeze that ruffled the leaves. He poured two glasses. After a delicate clink, they each took a long sip of the bubbly, their eyes locked over the rims of the glasses.

A few quiet moments passed as they leaned against a pair of posts, and Jaden realized she’d slipped into some kind of daze. She shook her head to clear away the trance and returned to the earlier conversation about their friends. “So…uh…Tasha and Micky…” she stammered and took another long drink of wine. “You’re right—she seems more and more sure about settling down every time I talk to her. It’s scary.”

“Scary? Why is it scary?” Ivan asked.

“Well—”

“I can see why it might be scary,” he suddenly continued. “But when two things fit so perfectly together, it’s almost a crime not to unite them, right?”

“Well, I do think they’re great together but…I don’t know. It’s been so fast, and they’ve had a few fights here and there over stupid little things…But I know she loves him, and he loves her. So I guess it wouldn’t be too scary, now that I think of it. But babies? Yikes! That
is
scary—for Tasha, I mean. She forgets to breathe sometimes,” Jaden said with a laugh.

“Fair enough. So, I’m curious…” Ivan continued after a moment.

She turned to look at him, and he took a sudden healthy sip of his wine before finishing his sentence.

“Would it be scary for you?” he asked. “Hypothetically speaking, if I were to ask you to be my one and only, to spend the rest of your life by my side, what would you say?” He waited for a beat and offered up a few potential responses: “Too soon? Maybe? All in?”

A resounding
yes!
screamed in her brain and nearly burst out of her mouth. But instead, Jaden lifted her eyes to meet his gaze and looked deep into his soul as she responded. “Hypothetically speaking…if you were to ask me such a question, I would be the happiest girl in the world.”

“Even if it meant giving up your dream and moving back to Miami?”

She stilled. This question served up an unwelcome dose of reality. Could she let go of everything she’d worked so hard to achieve? There had been a wild glint in his eyes only a moment ago, but now she recognized love, admiration, and something else…fear. His face held so much hope, but at the same time he was clearly treading water and, without a doubt, nervous. Though she too felt a pang of fear deep within, Jaden’s heart warmed. In that precious, vulnerable moment, she knew how she had to answer his question—hypothetical or not.

“Ivan, there’s nothing that could keep me away from you—not three thousand miles and definitely not some job. I’m all in.” She watched the smile bloom across his face, and she couldn’t hide a sly smile of her own. “Hypothetically, of course.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and as she pressed her forehead to his, she could feel moisture. He
had
been nervous. He buried his face in the nape of her neck and held her tight. Ghosting tender kisses down her neck, he whispered, “Jaden, in a world filled with heartache, pain, and uncertainty…your love is the mountain I needed to climb, the song I needed to sing, and the chance I needed to take. I wanted to know what love could be, and I found the answer in you. You’re everything to me.”

Jaden’s heart leaped in admiration of the man who held her. He would give her his world, and equally, hers was his for the taking. It just had to be. No matter where life took her, she knew she’d always remember this perfect moment. They stood in their own little universe: a rugged landscape with a cool breeze caressing them, birds singing in the distance, the setting sun painting a masterpiece across the sky, and their hearts beating as one. Their souls had fused for an instant, but an instant was all they needed. It was right, and it was hers forever.
He
was hers forever.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“I should be thanking you.”

Some say sex is the physical manifestation of love, but Jaden knew what she’d just experienced was much more. Something she’d never felt before. Ivan’s soul had penetrated hers. She now understood what fairy tales promised and why so many were desperate to find this. This was a spiritual manifestation of love—something no word, touch, or expression could define. Something only those who’ve experienced it could ever understand. It was beautiful.

They walked back to the house in silence, sensing that something had changed, something that would forever alter the course of their relationship. After their “hypothetical” conversation, Jaden couldn’t help but wonder if Ivan intended to propose to her. Why else would he have brought it up? She longed to savor the perfection of the evening, but her thoughts continued on to his other question, a question that had been nagging her since the moment he’d asked it:
Even if it meant giving up your dreams?
If marrying Ivan meant giving up the show and everything she’d spent the past year working for, she’d be ready to do it…right?

Returning to the house, they slipped inside, whispering and tiptoeing as if there were someone they might disturb. But everything was in its place, and Marta had left for the evening. They found another bottle of wine chilling in a sterling silver bucket and a plate of fresh fruit on the counter. Releasing Jaden’s hand, Ivan dropped off their empty bottle from the vineyard and pulled the chilled wine from the bucket. But not once did his gaze stray from the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Long, slender legs, tanned skin, toned stomach—a stomach that might one day carry his children—and willowy fingers that would wear a ring as a symbol of their love for each other. He sighed, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks: whether Jaden moved back to Miami or he transplanted to LA, he’d found his place in the world. It was at her side.

Only logistics stood in his way. He needed the perfect ring and the perfect setting for his proposal. As much as he wanted to get down on one knee right here in the middle of the kitchen, this was going to require some thought and planning. It was going to be fun.

Jaden picked up two fresh wine glasses and took his hand. As she turned to go up the stairs, he followed along behind her, admiring the view. Before she reached the top, he’d swept her into his arms. He was surprised when she didn’t resist or squeal or giggle, but simply wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on his lips. He staggered down the hallway, absorbed by Jaden’s kiss as he carried her to their bed.