Me:The kind that usually leaves preheat Omegas tired.
Another message buzzes through to my phone, only this time it’s not the guys.
It’s her.
Lia:Just let me know when you’re on the way. I’ll wait outside for you.
She’s going to be waiting outside for me. Which means I won’t be able to walk up to her door and knock like a gentleman.
My jaw tightens in disapproval.
She really hates that place.
Me:Give me twenty minutes and I’m out the door. Just need to shower, beautiful.
Then I hop back to the group text, where Eli and Knox are going back and forth discussing details of the afternoon that make my cock hard just with the memory of it all.
I interject into their conversation with a text of my own.
Me:Time to clean up. You guys have a good evening.
Knox:Let us know how it goes!
Eli:Let me know if I need to do damage control in the morning.
I roll my eyes and shoot one last text to them.
Me:Ha. Ha. Ha. Assholes. Goodnight.
I find myself grinning when I put my phone away, though.
The guys really aren’t so bad once you get to know them.
It takes me no time to wash down before I’m changing into a charcoal button-down with my sleeves rolled up twice. Only twice. I can’t stand the bulky feel of them against my arm unless I roll them all the way up to the crook of my elbow, and that’s more of a casual feel.
What I feel for Lia is anything but casual. Which means she gets my best.
Instead of opting for a pair of slacks, I choose some jeans I have yet to break in. They’re new, dark, and go well with my polished boots. I intend to take her on a walk through the vineyard tonight after we’re done eating.
Which reminds me.
I fish my phone out of my pocket and open the text message thread with Lia.
Me:On my way. Make sure you’re wearing shoes that allow you to walk. The vineyard is beautiful at night.
Her message is damn near instant.
Lia:I’ll change them now. Can’t wait to see you. I’ll be here.
Part of me wonders what kind of shoes she had on in the first place, but the rest of me doesn’t give a shit. I slide into my shining boots that I always use for stomping around the vineyard before I grab my wallet, then I check on the food in the kitchen one last time.
The kale and amaranth are just beginning to cook down. I pick up a lemon wedge and spritz it into the slow cooker before placing the lid back on it. I remove the salmon from the fridge so it can come to room temperature while I’m picking up Lia. Then I move to the mashed sweet potatoes, tossing in the butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. I give it a stir, place the lid back on the pot, and wash my hands.
All there’s left to do is aerate the pinot.
By the time I pull up to her place, the sky has melted into a deep violet that the moon dominates. The first stars are twinkling above our heads as my headlights wash over the beauty that is Lia. There she is, standing beneath the first streams of moonlight, her blonde hair twinkling like the very stars above our heads.
For a moment, I forget to breathe.
