In fact, he knew that she never would. That wasn't who she was. She saw him as a man, a friend, and a lover- not a money source.
He knew it wasn't conventional or logical, but she was who he needed in his life. She was the missing piece that would keep him from becoming his father. Just the thought of his father running through a vineyard playing hide and seek with someone was completely inconceivable.
She darted through a break in the vines just before he caught her. He laughed. He hadn't expected her to be so light on her feet, yet she practically danced through the vines as if she were a fairy.
She'd certainly practiced her magic on him as if she were one. Three days and she was all he could think about. He'd smiled more in the past twenty-four hours than he had in the last twenty-four months. She'd made him laugh.
Not to mention that the sex was the hottest he'd ever had.
She tried to skip around one of the vines, laughing as he reached to catch her and missed. Her blonde hair streamed out behind her. He tried again, but his fingers barely skimmed her skin as she pulled away, teasing him with her touch.
It would have been fine, except he tripped and sent his entire body thudding into the soft earth. His hands and knees sent up a fine layer of brown dust. Luckily, it didn't hurt anything but his pride.
“Are you okay?” Ella was there instantly, her eyes big and concerned.
He pushed himself off his hands and knelt in the dirt. Ella was beside him, her skirt in the dirt as she looked him over. It made Jace smile. Any of the other women he'd dated would be standing and calling for help. They'd never let their new clothes get dirty. Then again, none of them would have been playing hide and seek in the first place.
“Let me see your hands,” Ella commanded taking them in her own. Her brows drew together as she inspected them for any injury. “No cuts. How are your knees?”
“They're fine,” he assured her. It was adorable how concerned she was.
“We should get you to the main house and wash you off.” She bit her lip, obviously unhappy that he might be injured.
“I'm fine,” he told her. “The ground is actually really soft.”
“You're sure?” she asked.
Her eyes met his and he couldn't help himself. He leaned in, kissing her softly at first, then pressing himself into her more urgently. She seemed to forget all about his injury as she pressed back into him. His hands pushed her hair behind her ears and cupped the back of her neck as their kiss grew more feverish. She tasted like sun-warmed strawberries and for once, he knew that the woman he was kissing wouldn't care if he mussed up her clothes with his dirty hands.
He finally released her from the kiss. “I'm sure I'm fine,” he said.
“Apparently,” she murmured, her eyes still glazed from the kiss. There was now a smudge of dirt on her cheek, but it suited her. Somehow, everything she wore, even dirt, looked good. She shook her head, and focused on him. There was still a spot of color in each of her cheeks. He knew from last night that it meant she was enjoying herself.
He wanted to make her cheeks flush again. Only they couldn't do that out here in the vineyards. Despite having rented the place out, it wasn't exactly the most secure location. The last thing he wanted was for some tabloid to get a hold of a picture of the two of them hot and heavy and post it next to his sister's wedding photos.
“You know, maybe we should head to the main house,” he said, rising to his feet.
Ella's mouth instantly frowned and her brows knitted again. “Where does it hurt?”
“If I tell you, will you kiss it?” he asked.
Ella's eyes narrowed and her frown lessened. “Depends. You wouldn't try and trick me, would you?”
He held up his hand as if he was swearing an oath. “Never. Unless you really would kiss it.”
Ella laughed and his heart danced at the sound. How could one woman have such an intoxicating laugh? How could she make his heart soar just by smiling at him like that?
“Where's it hurt?” she asked. Her eyes twinkled, already suspecting the answer.
He pointed to his groin. “Here.”
“Oh, poor baby.” Ella shook her head. “We'll have to get you back to the main house. I can't kiss it through your pants.”
She took his hand, looking perfectly pleased with herself as she pulled him toward the main house.
His jaw nearly dropped. Smart, beautiful, funny, and sexy. She really was perfect.
“Ella...” He pulled to a stop so she would turn and look at him. He didn't expect anything from her. He was having such a great time that he didn't want it to be just about sex between the two of them. “You don't have to do this.”