Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 249(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 249(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
Sutton went to bed an hour ago. She has a terrifyingly long day tomorrow, the kind that makes working at the vineyard seem like lightwork.
"Koda, behave," I warn the little monster before he can make up his mind.
Bastian squats, holding out a hand toward Sutton's dog.
Koda looks at me with what I can only describe as a puppy smirk and then dashes toward Bastian to sniff him. I guess he decides that Bastian isn't the enemy because he immediately flops over onto his back, all four paws in the air.
"Cute," Bastian says with a chuckle, scratching his belly.
"He's a terrorist," I mutter, shaking my head. "Come on. If you leave it up to him, you'll be there all night."
Bastian scratches his belly again and then rises gracefully. Koda grumbles and then gets distracted when Caleb steps through the front door. He immediately scurries to my brother for attention, forgetting Bastian and I exist.
We don't say anything else as we climb the steps to the guest room, Bastian's footfalls heavy behind me. He doesn't try to touch me, though. And I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. Actually, that's not true. I hate it. He's always touching me, always in my personal space. It feels…wrong now that he isn't.
He stands in the doorway to the guestroom once I close it behind us, not even noticing the luxury around us. He's too busy staring at me like I might turn to smoke and vanish if he looks away.
"What are you doing here?" I finally ask, wrapping my arms around myself. It's as good a place to start as any. Why did he follow me?
"Where else would I be?" he asks, his green eyes intense as he stares at me. "I tried to go home after you left, but that just pissed me off because pieces of you were all over, but you weren't there. I was losing my mind, worried that you might not come back. I had to come."
"Do you know why I left?"
"I fucked up." He shoves a hand through his hair, swallowing convulsively. "I thought I was making life easier for you, giving you what you needed…But I fucked up."
"That's not why I left," I whisper.
He tilts his head, silently waiting for me to explain.
"I fell for you," I admit, my heart threatening to beat out of my chest. "And I've been so fucking scared to say it out loud because I thought if I did, I'd lose everything. You were talking about getting me pregnant and building a future with me, but then you turned around and acted like my boss. And I guess…" I shrug helplessly. "I guess part of me felt like maybe this was just a big game to you."
"Jesus," he rasps, staring at me in shock. "You really think that?"
"I don't know what to think." I sink down onto the side of the bed, staring at the floorboards at my feet. "I know we can't work together and be together at the same time, but you've been so adamant about having it all. I guess when I saw that listing today, it felt a little like you were deciding for me what pieces of you I was allowed to have. You were redrawing the lines the way you wanted them to look, and I didn't have a say in what image they formed. That hurt," I whisper. "It hurt like hell."
His steps thud across the floor as he walks toward me. I expect him to stop in front of me or sit beside me, but he doesn't. He kneels at my feet, reaching for my hands. They close around me, so strong and sure, so steady.
"Look at me, Constance."
I slowly lift my eyes, meeting his gaze.
"Every fucking piece of me belongs to you, baby," he rasps. "Every piece. I love you. Christ, I love you so fucking much I'd crawl through hell just to be near you."
Tears spring to my eyes, his name sticking on my tongue.
"Maybe I went about trying to show you all wrong, but I wasn't trying to pick and choose what pieces you could have, baby. I wasn't trying to redraw the lines to my satisfaction. I swear to you that thought never even crossed my mind."
"Then what were you doing?" I ask. "Why did you list my position"
"You said there's a power imbalance between us because I'm your boss, and you're right. I fucking hate that you're right, but you are. It's not fair to you to feel like your livelihood depends on me." He sighs. "I didn't list your position to fire you. I listed it because you get to decide what title you'll have now that you own part of the winery."
"What?" I blink at him in shock.
"I don't own a stake in the winery anymore. You do."