Something about that lodged deep in his chest.
He didn’t need a blanket. He was fine. But he wouldn’t say no to Ani’s concern for him.
“Yes, and in fact…” She opened up the blanket and invited Raffi inside her cocoon.
“I really don’t—”
But when the warmth of the cotton, and the warmth of her body, pressed against his skin, he acquiesced. He pulled it around himself and put an arm around her to bring them closer so they’d both be wrapped.
“This okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, breathlessly.
She was soft, still so wet, but her body was warming from being cloaked.
He could hardly help himself as they walked; it took every ounce of his willpower not to pull her in all the way to his body, tilt up her chin, and kiss her.
Instead, he directed her toward his car. They both stared at the vintage leather interior for a moment.
“This is totally going to ruin your seats, isn’t it?”
If Raffi was alone and happened to be fountain-soaked, he would have simply taken off his clothes and driven in the buff. That wasn’t really an option here.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to put the top on, bump the heat all the way up. You keep the blanket, I’m—”
“I don’t want to completely ruin your seats. Just take off your shirt. Maybe even your pants. I won’t look.”
He raised an eyebrow at her while his pulse skyrocketed. “You won’t look?”
She shrugged.
He hesitated. “You can look.”
“I can?”
“I mean, if you— It won’t, you know, it won’t embarrass me, is what I’m saying.”
“Right, right,” she said quickly.
“All right so, let’s get to it.”
Raffi exited the blanket, and the press of her body, the windy Napa air freezing him immediately. He worked to set the roof of the car in place and snapped it in.
Ani swaddled herself and slid into the car, looking snug, he was happy to see.
Now his part. He unbuttoned his shirt and had the distinct thought that this was not how he wanted to be undressing in front of Ani. He had imagined a more intimate scene, not the parking lot of the DePietro Winery, free for any tourist to see.
Ani kept her eyes forward as he undressed, studying the dials and switches of his car. Raffi placed his hands on his pants waist, then felt terribly embarrassed and decided he’d rather destroy his car’s interior than sit in his wet Calvin Kleins in front of Ani. If he ever got the chance to take his pants off in front of her, it was going to be on his terms, not dictated by the delicacy of his car.
“I’ll get you back to your car so you can go home and rest,” he said.
“Thanks,” Ani said.
He slid in, Jaguar gods forgive him. Then, true to his word, he turned the heat on as high as it went.
“Would you be okay if I did a more thorough exam when we get to my place? I mean, right before I send you off? I just want to make sure you’re okay to drive.”
“Of course, that’d—”
