“I should leave,” she whispered.
Rafi placed a hand on hers.“Carys, you’re starving.I can see it in your eyes.”The sommelier stepped up to their table and gave Rafi a small bow.Without asking her, Rafi decided, “We’ll have a bottle of the Chateau Margaux.”The man said something fawning, then quickly disappeared.
“That sound expensive,” she argued, frowning at him.“Call him back and tell him the house red wine is fine.”
Rafi laughed, leaning back in his chair as he shook his head.“No.”
Carys blinked, glaring at him.“No?Just no?”
He shrugged one shoulder in a very European manner.“No.I like good wine and I’m not going to order the ‘house’ wine by the glass.”
Carys’s eyes narrowed and she subconsciously tilted her head slightly.“Are you a wine snob?”
He chuckled again.“I suppose I am.And I hope that you might become a wine snob after trying the wine I ordered.Once you try it, you’ll never be able to go back to house wines again.”
Carys folded her arms over her chest, resting her elbows on the table.“Then I’m not going to try it.”
“Why would you deny yourself a taste of one of the best wines in the world?”
“The best?”
He grinned.“Okay, maybe just an excellent wine.Not the best.”He leaned forward.“The best vintages are in my wine cellar.”
Carys rolled her eyes, shaking her head.“Of course you have a wine cellar.”
He lifted a dark, mocking eyebrow.“You don’t?”
She grunted.“Not only do Inothave a wine cellar.But I don’t even have a wine pantry or a wine fridge.In fact, I store my wine in one of those cross-hatched things on top of my fridge.”
He cringed.“You should never store your wine over a fridge.Heat rises from the top of the unit, which alters the structure of the wine.”
Carys laughed, leaning back into her surprisingly comfortable chair.“You’re kind of cute when you’re protecting a bottle of wine that I got on sale at the grocery store.”
He shuddered mockingly, and then the sommelier arrived with the bottle, showing the label to Rafi.He examined it gravely, then nodded his approval.The wine pouring ritual started and Carys watched with fascination.Rafi sniffed, swirled, and then sampled the wine, nodded, then the wine was poured for her as she kept a straight face, watching with suppressed amusement.Rafi watched her…no, frowned at her, during the entire ritual.
“I’m not going to try it, Rafi,” she told him firmly, crossing her hands in her lap.She was unaware of the playful smile curling her lips or the sparkle of daring in her eyes.
“Why not?”
She toyed with the scarf she wore.“Because if it’s really as good as you say it is, then I’ll love it.And the wines that I currently have stored on top of my fridge are going to taste horrible in comparison.I’ll never be able to drink wine again.”
He threw back his head, laughing at her logic, and warmth washed over her, like stepping out into the sunshine.His amusement took Carys’s breath away.Goodness, he was gorgeous!Those high cheekbones and sharp jawline were the kind male models dreamed of having.But there was a confidence in him that most handsome men could never achieve.It was…intoxicating!
Carys had never had a confident male role model in her life, so she pulled back from Rafi’s allure.In that moment, she knew that she could lose herself in his magic.She’d craved a strong, male figure in her life, one that hadn’t rejected her since she was twelve years old.
“Carys?”Rafi asked, leaning forward.“What just happened?”
Carys fiddled with the silver knife and spoon beside her plate, refusing to look at him.“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied.
“One moment, you were laughing with me, and now you look as if you’re about to cry.”He reached out and, for some reason, Carys put her hand in his.His warm fingers wrapped around hers comfortingly.“What were you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” she said, dismissing that horrible time in her life.She’d gotten past her father’s rejection.She was stronger because she’d learned to be independent.She lifted her chin and banished the painful memories.She reclaimed her hand, tucking it under the table but immediately missed the warmth.
“Something obviously happened, but I’m won’t press you about it.”He nodded to the glass of wine.“I will, however, dare you to try the wine, because I truly think you’ll appreciate this vintage.”
Carys eyed him for a long moment.He waited patiently.She sighed, accepting defeat as she rolled her eyes.“Fine!But only because I really love wine.”With a sigh, she gave in.“This might be the only time in my life that I’ll get to taste a really good one.”She lifted the glass and sniffed, swirling the wine as she’d seen him do.The “legs” of the wine were pronounced and the aroma…complex.She couldn’t identify the various scents, but they were compelling.
When she took her first sip, Carys let the flavors flow over her tongue, paying close attention to the different notes.After swallowing, she closed her eyes, sighing at the aftertaste that just…warmed her mouth with hints of pear and berry, maybe a touch of brandy.
