Cherished (Steel Brothers Saga 17)

“Why should it? I’d expect nothing less from a doctor of wine.”

“She’s not a doctor yet.”

I resist rolling my eyes. “Whatever.”

“I haven’t seen her yet this morning,” Ryan says. “What do you have her working on?”

“I gave her the day off.”

He lifts his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yeah. As a reward. You know, for the tasting.” The tasting that I just refused to give her any credit for other than “she did well.” Uncle Ry is going to see right through this crap.

“A reward for doing her job after one day?”

I sigh. No, I gave her the day off because I can’t face her. In fact, I don’t know whether I’ll ever be able to face her again.

“Yes. She’s not being paid. It seemed…appropriate.”

Ryan inhales. “All right. Good enough. Not the way I’d have handled it, but I gave her to you. She’s your responsibility.” He turns to leave.

“Uncle Ry?”

He looks over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“She’ll be back tomorrow.”

“I expect so.” Then he leaves.

I throw the papers back into their manila folder. I won’t be good for anything today. At least I won’t have to see Ashley since she won’t be here. I’ll stay away from the main house when I get home. In fact, I’ll just grab Penny and spend tonight in the vineyards.

“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath.

“Good morning.”

That voice. That sweet and soft voice.

I look up.

The object of my affection stands in my doorway.

God, she’s even more beautiful this morning. She wears skinny jeans and a pink T-shirt. Her hair is still damp and hangs around her shoulders in a golden cascade. Her lips, pink and full and slightly glossy.

No makeup. She doesn’t need it.

Just Ashley.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice taking an edge I don’t expect.

“I work here, remember?”

“I gave you the day off.”

“I chose not to take it.”

I look down at the folder. “I’m deluged with paperwork today. I don’t have time to deal with…”

“With what? With me? Or with us?”

I draw in a breath, trying to stop the wildebeests stampeding across my heart. “There is no us, Ashley.”

“There was last night.”

“Last night was a mistake.”

The words taste bitter on my tongue.

Because they’re a lie. A big-ass lie. Last night was the most wonderful time of my life. More wonderful even than watching the stars alone among my vines. It was heaven.

All my life I’ve avoided heaven.

If I acknowledge heaven, I also have to acknowledge hell.

And now hell is coming for me.

My intercom buzzes. Saved by the bell. I press the button. “Yeah?”

“Dale, I have Bridget from Qwest Labs for you.”

“Qwest Labs?”

“Yeah. You know them?”

Then it hits me. Qwest Labs. That’s where I had my blood drawn for the paternity test. Dad and I put a rush on it.

“Put her through.” Pause. “This is Dale Steel.”

“Mr. Steel, this is Bridget Miles from Qwest Labs.”

“Yes?”

“I have your DNA test results.”

I clear my throat. “Go ahead.”

“Both the blood test and the cheek swab show a 99.9 percent chance of paternity with the subject Floyd Jolly.”

I shouldn’t be surprised. I already knew. Floyd’s eyes told the tale better than DNA ever could.

Still, it’s a jolt to my psyche.

After all these years, I have a biological father. One I know. One who’s a drunk and a derelict.

I have to call Dad. Then we have to tell Donny. He doesn’t know anything about Floyd Jolly yet. Dad and I decided to wait until we had actual proof.

Fuck.

“Thank you for getting back to me so promptly,” I say in a robotic monotone.

“You’re very welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No, there isn’t. Bye.” I lay my phone down and look up.

Ashley.

She’s still here, standing in my office, looking like a feast for all senses.

Here comes that ride into hell.

“Close the door,” I tell her, my voice still monotone.

She lifts her eyebrows but doesn’t move.

“Close the door,” I say again.

She edges backward, never dropping her gaze from mine, reaches behind her for the doorknob, and pulls the door shut.

“Come here,” I say.

“What do you want?”

“I think you know.”

“Wait, wait, wait… You leave me in a hotel room with money on the night table. Make me feel like nothing more than a common whore, and then you—”

“You want to talk? Fine. Go talk to someone else. If you want to fuck, you can stay here.”

“Dale, I—”

“It’s a simple question, Ashley.”

“It’s anything but simple. We need to figure out—”

“I don’t need to figure anything out. I already know what’s happening. I’m on a ride into hell. You want to come along?”

She wrinkles her forehead. “What?”

“I can’t explain it. I don’t want to anyway. If you want to be with me, you have to take the bad with the good. Otherwise, there’s the door.” I gesture.

She bites her lower lip, and all I can think about is how much I wish those were my teeth instead of hers. I want to bite her there gently.