And tonight he was going to find out what being inside her felt like. But the next few hours were all about business. “Ready to go, beautiful?”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I am. You look pretty damned sexy yourself.”
It took all his willpower not to drag her off to one of the bedrooms awaiting them.
They met Stephan Romano in a private dining room. He was an older man with a big personality who liked to talk about the old days, and he meandered in his storytelling. As much as Sebastian tried, Romano couldn’t be pushed, swayed, or moved on in conversation until he was good and ready.
While they made small talk, they consumed the vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon and a delicious rib-eye steak and potatoes au gratin and green beans. The man was alone, as his wife had passed away a few years ago, as he’d informed them, and he felt like he’d had the best. He wasn’t about to go looking for someone who could never live up to replacing her.
A pang had settled in Sebastian’s gut as the man had uttered those words, his body, mind, and soul aware of and consumed by the woman sitting at his side. For someone who’d never thought about a future, it was strange, the gnawing pain in his stomach as he considered Stephan’s words. And how they might change his future if he let them. Then again, he was dealing with a woman who had a life – even another man – waiting for her in London, and who didn’t believe in giving up her emotions to the opposite sex.
Whoa. He was getting ahead of himself, he thought. They hadn’t even slept together yet. Just because she made him feel things … new things, didn’t mean he was ready to want more, either.
With that, his stomach settled, just in time for dessert, as a hefty piece of homemade Italian cheesecake had just been served.
As he refocused on Romano’s ramblings, Sebastian realized the man had moved from discussing how his father had started the winery to how the American consumer’s buying habits had changed and all businesses had to adapt along with them.
Somehow, despite his preoccupation with Ashley, Sebastian still felt his frustration grow because he desperately wanted to talk to Stephan about Knight Time Technology’s contract with Keystone.
“Love the stories about your great-great-granddaddy helping Billy the Kid escape from jail,” Stephan said. “Now there was a man who had his locks down pat.”
His words captured both Sebastian and Ashley’s attention.
She sat up in her seat, leaning in closer. Sebastian was completely ready to promise the man whatever he had to in order to appease him while they figured out their next steps.
“Now you know I’ve known your family for a long time, which is why I wanted to meet in person,” Stephan said.
“And I appreciate that, Mr. Romano.” Sebastian met the older man’s brown-eyed stare.
“I told you, call me Stephan,” he said in his booming voice. “I hate to say this, but we can’t afford any more delays on the project.”
“I know and I’m here to reassure you.”
Stephan clasped his hands on the table in front of him, his gaze still on Sebastian. “This is our biggest headquarters ever, and we plan to open other facilities. Now, I wanted Knight Time Technology in on things, but when the most basic piece of security, the locks, aren’t working properly…” He shook his head but didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. But I have to kill our contract due to nonperformance and bring in someone else to take over.”
A wash of panic assaulted Sebastian at the man’s words and definitive tone. This was his chance, his big opportunity to help his family, and goddammit, he was going to do it.
“Stephan, give me a week to find out what’s going on and fix it.” He managed to speak in a confident tone, understanding how badly they needed this extension.
“Now, son, I’ve given your company months, and we’re no closer to solving the issue. What’s so different now?” Stephan asked.
“Me. I’m the difference.” Sebastian swallowed hard and did his best to exude complete faith in himself. “I’m out here now. I have a fresh, new perspective on things. Ethan’s going over the prototypes again with our people–”
“Forgive me but hasn’t Ethan been distracted because he lost his wife? I mean no disrespect–”
“None taken,” Sebastian said. “We received your flowers and he appreciated the gesture. But I promise you, he’s on top of things on his end, and I’m here in person to handle mine.”
He felt Ashley’s gaze on him, watching him, felt the pressure to succeed. “One week,” he said, hearing the slight edge to his voice and wishing he could make it disappear.
Beneath the table, Ashley’s hand slipped onto his leg, her palm wrapping around his thigh. She meant it as another sign of reassurance, he knew, but his body reacted immediately, his cock swelling thanks to the nearness of her hand. But he gritted his teeth, and as she loosened her grip but kept her hand on him, he found himself calming down. Her touch grounded him.