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Brenna chuckled "Does Nic know?"

"Yes, and it really bugs him He tried to teachhis explanations" She pointed at one of the vats "Which explains why I have to ask what you’re doing in there"

"Making Chardonnay," Brenna said "I’ a portion in oak and the rest in stainless steel The stainless allows for easier te is more expensive, but it allows et a little carried away"

"Don’t apologize I’m impressed by your enthusiasm"

"This is is my way, and now I finally have it I plan to take all the credit, but I’ "

"Could they?" Maggie asked

"Sure Wineis as much art as it is science I pay attention to both"

"Doesn’t everyone?" Maggie asked

"Most do But once a winery gets big, it’s difficult to be inti to happen here"

Brenna stopped again and sighed "I did it again"

Maggie shook her head "I can see your deter I’ve ever felt so passionately about is hed "That sounds horrible I love my husband co lanced at her watch "Speaking of Annie, I have to head ho with her Daddy has to work late, so it’s girls’ night at horeat tohands

She watched Maggie leave What on earth had that been about? If she didn’t know better, she would say that Nic’s CFO had been checking her out But why? He’d already given her the loan Maggie couldn’t stop what had already happened

"Not that itto love a grape? Brenna hoped not, because she had a serious case of hero worship for her Pinots

She stood just off a gravel road, on the edge of her perfectly wonderful four acres To the west stretched the Pacific Ocean for as far as the eye could see To the east were the foothills, and tucked in betas paradise

She knew there were those who thought that land this incredible would be wasted on sorapes when dozens of million-dollar homes could have been built here, but Brenna considered those kind of people not only shortsighted but lacking a soul

She crouched down by a et any better than this? The grapes had ripened evenly They were plump and rich in color She could sle grape and bit into it, she actually moaned Another day,to kick butt with this harvest

As she stood, she heard sonized the rumble of a hs heated, she told herself that hundreds of people rode motorcycles on this narrow coastal road and that she was a fool if she allowed herself to think it ht be Nic It was the s to do than ride up like sood just to juot her heart pounding the way it did those rare afternoons she dragged her a around him constituted an actual workout? Could she start the next exercise craze? The Nic Giovanni workout plan? Think about sex with Nic for twenty ot fro about Nic was unbearably horny

She told herself to stop staring at the road and pay attention to the grapes she’d come to admire, but she couldn’t make herself turn away until she’d actually watched the non-Nic person ride by Maybe she would even wave

The motorcycle rounded the bend and she was able to see the driver The heluise the rider’s familiar features Okay, so it was Nic That didn’tto stop…did it?

Before she could decide, he pulled up behind her car and turned off the engine The sound of the waves was audible again, along with the call of the seagulls Brenna told herself that she should take this opportunity to be one with nature Instead she watched as he took off his helhts in his dark hair and emphasized his tanned arms He looked as if he’d walked out of a movie poster for a 1950s bad-boy movie White T-shirt, black jeans, motorcycle boots Where was a poodle skirt when you needed one?

"I had a feeling you’d be here," he said as he set his helmet on the seat and started toward her "Escrow closed today and I knew you couldn’t resist gloating over your purchase"

He’d co a rapes," she said

"How are they?"

She waved out a hand "Take a look You’ll kick yourself for thinking the lot was too small to bother with"

He raised his eyebrows, then turned his attention to the tidy rows of grapevines He walked in a couple of paces, then crouched to exarapes

It was close to sunset Rather than stare at Nic, or his spectacular behind, she turned her attention to the western horizon, where the sun sank toward the edge of the sea Already the heat of the day had faded from this patch of land

"Not bad," Nic admitted when he walked over to stand next to her "They’re nearly ripe"

"You forgot perfect Did you see the color? How pluot lucky I don’t understand why they sold this land to you for pennies when they could have gotten millions fro these four acres had taken a chunk of her loan, but she also knew that she’d gotten an a deal

"It’s about the wine They didn’t want this land to become another exclusive developrapes on this land for at least ten years"

He stared at her "You’re kidding You had to pro"

"No, and it doesn’t have to be I’ll keepto do"

"They’re idiots"

"No, they’re committed"