When Connor and Sophia finally went downstairs and entered the kitchen, Kris smirked and wordlessly hand a $20 to Riley.
“Easiest twenty bucks I ever made,” said the Marine.
“Did you bet each other that we’d…” Connor trailed off.
“Yep,” said Riley. “We’d offer breakfast in bed, but it seems like you already had that.”
Kris elbowed him in the ribs. “Now that you’re up, we’re leaving. Riley scouted around this morning and didn’t see any signs of trouble overnight.”
Connor said, “Thanks for staying, guys. I owe you one. If Seth had any idea Riley was here, I’m sure he stayed away.”
The Marine got up, motorcycle helmet in hand. “Call if you need anything. I’ll be at the winery.”
Kris rose also, giving her little brother a look of approval. “I’ll leave you lovebirds alone.”
“Actually,” Connor began, “I was thinking we could go for a ride this afternoon.”
Kris paused. “Okay, come by the stables at two. I’ll have Valentine and Indy ready. Have you ridden?” she asked Sophia.
“I’ve taken lessons for years,” she replied. “I’m not in your league though, from what I hear.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Kris demurred, “especially from this guy. I’ll see you later.”
As Kris left, Sophia turned to Connor, joking, “I thought you were the only thing I’d ride today.”
He had a sudden image of her nude on the back of a horse, long red hair flying around her as she cantered through a field, her lush mounds bouncing, the dark triangle of pubic hair catching the sun. It would give new meaning to the term “bare back.” His cock stirred again.
“If you don’t stop turning me on,” he said, leaning in to kiss her, “we’re never going to leave the house.”
“Promise?” Sophia whispered as their lips met.
With an effort, Connor pulled away. “I think you could use a day out in the sun, doing fun things. I want to take you to the winery for a tour.”
Before leaving, she decided to call her mother. Seth might’ve had access to her phone and been texting awful things to whomever he pleased from her address book. She hadn’t thought of it until this morning. Sophia had already cancelled the lone credit card and bank card with Ryan and Connor’s help, but not before several things had been purchased locally, adding credit card fraud to Seth’s growing list of crimes. She didn’t want to think about him today—or ever—and debated with Connor what to tell her mother, finally settling on a light version of the truth, that her laptop, phone, and purse had been stolen and she was staying with a friend for the week.
While Sophia talked on the phone in another room, Connor stood in the kitchen, planning a surprise. He texted Tristan, suggesting he and Tristan’s fiancée, Victoria, join them for the afternoon. Then he made everyone lunch and snacks, which he slipped into a cooler he hid under a blanket in his car’s trunk. A few roses followed, plus plates, glasses, silverware, blankets, and everything else they’d need for a picnic. He finally called Kris to make additional arrangements and then escorted Sophia to his waiting convertible.
“Is it a good idea to leave the top down?” she asked, getting in.
“Sure. I love seeing you in the sun.”
Smiling, she said, “I mean that if we pass a certain someone on the road, it’ll be pretty easy to identify me.”
He grimaced. “I hadn’t thought of that, but it won’t take long to get there. The odds are small.”
“Okay.”
Not five minutes later, they pulled into the gravel parking lot of Comus Winery, where two dozen cars and a bus sat. On the lawn beneath Sugarloaf Mountain, visitors played games or sat at picnic tables with umbrellas, adults with a wine glass in hand, kids running around screaming like children do. The winery was a long rectangle of connected but separate rooms, one for tasting wines, another for bottling, a third for fermenting, and a fourth being where a tractor drove in from the vine-covered fields all around, delivering boxes of freshly picked grapes to the pressing room. Like every Kendall property, the building was white with a blue roof and trim. Connor and Sophia waited on the flagstone patio out front for Tristan and Victoria.
“So,” Sophia began, arms around him, “do I get to taste any wine? I’m underage, you know.”
Connor replied, “Well if you’re old enough for what we’ve been doing, I think you can handle it. But we probably shouldn’t let you be naughty in front of others. In the privacy of the inn was one thing.”
She kissed him. “I agree. You can make it up to me later.” Looking out at the fields of vines, she remarked, “How many acres is all of this?”
“Dozens. We own a lot of land and properties,” he admitted. A sudden desire to brag overcame him. “The winery is the biggest for fifty miles and we’ve won awards every year for wines, the tour, and the festivals we do here. We have the best view, too, though it’s nothing like gazing at you.”
Seeing him smirking, she playfully rolled her eyes. “You’re not so bad yourself, Mr. Kendall.”
“I’ve won awards, it’s true,” he joked.
“Most modest wasn’t among them?”
“Nope.”
“Which awards?”
“Well if you must know,” he teased, “best chef last year in Maryland, best B&B a couple years running, and the inn’s a favorite wedding spot every year. We always get featured in local wedding mags. A couple interviewed me.”
“Really? I didn’t know you were
famous
.” She feigned amazement.
Chuckling, he said, “Actually, I normally don’t talk about stuff like that, but I want you to know what you’re getting with me.”
Squeezing his ass, she remarked, “I think I know, but do tell.”
“A guy should put his best foot forward.”
“The best part of you isn’t your feet, Connor.” Sophia leaned up and kissed him. “What else?”
“The inn, winery, and stables offer some package deals that no one for a hundred miles can compete with. You can book a weekend stay with us and get a winery tour, or a horseback ride up the mountain, or both. And maybe a lesson from Kris.”
“That’s cool.”
“We’ve got a couple dozen horses, for a range of levels, at the stables and Kris is an excellent trainer and rider. She and my sister Chloe started a horse rescue operation, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes owners neglect their horses, or they just get hurt, and we nurse them back to health. It can take a year for the horses in the worst shape. We get some state funding for it now, and quite a few donations, as that’s a separate business, a non-profit.”
“Wow. That’s great, Connor. Is that new? I don’t remember it.”
“Yeah, it’s something Chloe helped start up with Kris after Chloe finished her training as a vet. I’m proud of them for that.”
“I can see why. You Kendalls are something else.”
He beamed at her, his heart soaring at her admiration. His need to impress her was an ache. Though they hadn’t known each other long, he was sure she was
the one
. He’d never clicked with someone like this. If he couldn’t make this work with her, then who? He had enough self-awareness to wonder if he was being overzealous, but he just
felt
it. They could run the inn together, Sophia becoming part of his family and their bevy of businesses. They could pass the inn down to their kids just like his parents had to him and his siblings, like his mother always wanted one of them to do. The idea of little Connors and Sophias running around made him feel flushed with desire and affection. He had to win Sophia’s heart for the long term. He just
had
to.
And it wasn’t desperation or loneliness talking. Those probably weren’t helping with his objectivity, but when had people in love ever been objective? And he was falling in love, he knew. The rush of it was both familiar and odd; he’d never had a serious relationship and didn’t really know what this was like, but he’d been fantasizing about something like this for as long as he could remember.
So this is what it feels like for real
, he thought,
unless I’m imagining things. But I don’t think I am. I just need to make her feel the same way if she doesn’t already
.
He looked her in the eyes and continued his sales pitch, as it were. “We also offer motorcycle tours now.”
“Really? What led to that?
“Tristan gave up his sport-bike racing career to stay here with us and with Victoria, and he bought out the old owner of Clarksburg Motor Sports. We renamed it Kendall Motor Sports.”
“I remember that place. Saw a wet T-shirt contest there.”
He perked up at the image of her that way. “You weren’t in it?”
“Ah, no. Not my thing.”
“That’s a true shame.”
“Well, if you like, I can give you a private showing later.”
“Oh, God, yes.” He kissed her, then remarked, “I guess you haven’t been back long enough to catch one of Tristan’s commercials on TV.”
“So
he’s
the famous one,” she teased.
Connor felt warmth in his face. “Actually, he sort of is, from his racing, but that whole thing with him and Victoria being kidnapped is what really made the headlines.”
Sophia gasped. “Oh, wow. Now I remember reading about that! Are they okay?”
“Yeah, they’re fine. You’ll see for yourself in a minute. The two of them actually beat up their kidnappers and got the guns away from them.”
“Holy shit. I have to ask them about that. Or is that subject off-limits?”
“No, it’s okay.” Despite his words, he frowned, feeling like she was more impressed with Tristan than himself. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt jealous of his younger brother and the idea irritated him a lot more now than usual. Maybe this outing together hadn’t been a good idea, but it was too late to back out; Tristan was just turning into the parking lot in his yellow Mustang convertible with Victoria beside him, looking cozy from the way she leaned toward him affectionately. Feeling competitive, Connor pulled Sophia close for a deep kiss that soon made him forget all about his brother.
Or at least until he pulled back and found Tristan standing beside him, grinning. The younger Kendall cut a similar figure but had dazzling blue eyes to Connor’s warm brown. Longer hair had been allowed to reach his shoulders and dangle before those eyes as if he was shyly hiding behind them, and yet he wasn’t, for anyone who met the clear gaze peeking out from under there felt a small jolt from his directness. Tristan had a way of looking at a woman like no one else existed and Connor sensed more than saw Sophia react to those eyes.
The former racer said, “I’m beginning to feel like we’re intruding.”
Connor frowned. “Maybe you are.”
Sophia poked him. “Be nice.”
Victoria laughed and introduced herself, a long, brown ponytail draping one shoulder of a flowery summer dress. The dress’s hem twirled around her legs when she stepped forward in her tan boots.
Sophia said to Victoria, “Love your dress.”
“Thanks. Not very practical for horseback riding, is it? But I’m wearing this under.” Victoria pulled up the skirt to show exercise shorts.
“I wish I’d thought of that,” remarked Sophia, gesturing at her tight jeans and t-shirt. “You two look great together,” she added, eyes on Tristan.
Connor grimaced. “We look better.” He meant to be kidding, but as soon as he said it, he realized he sounded like an asshole.
Tristan shot him a look, then smirked. “Well there’s little question
I
look better than
you
, anyway.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “People always mistook us for twins, you know.”
“Fraternal, not identical. You know what that means.”
“That you’ve got a bigger head? Literally?”
“Well, a bigger
something
, anyway.” All of them laughed, except Connor, who flushed.
“Goddamn it, Tristan.”
His brother threw up both hands. “Hey, I was kidding. C’mon. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
A jumble of emotions soured Connor’s mood, from embarrassment, humiliation, anger, and acute worry that he was acting like an ass—the likelihood of that one making his cheeks burn. He felt foolish and was suddenly irritated with himself.
“Well, boys,” began Victoria, hooking an arm with Sophia, “we’re going to go powder our noses, by which I mean we’re going to talk about both of you behind your backs.”
“Oh, this will be fun,” said Sophia, grinning.
“Why do I have a feeling I’m going to need the wine?” Connor asked, shrugging off his mood.
“Because you’re wise beyond your years,” Tristan answered. As Victoria and Sophia disappeared inside together, Tristan turned to Connor. “So, seriously, what’s going on with you? I was kidding and you were totally serious.”
“It’s nothing.”
“C’mon. We’ve joked about that kind of stuff a million times.”
“Not in front of
them
we haven’t.”
“Ah. You mean not in front of
her
.”
Connor frowned. “I don’t want images of another guy naked in her head, okay?”
Tristan laughed. “Okay, well then I guess I won’t sext her my cock pic like I was planning to. You know, to welcome her to—”
Connor leapt forward and put him in a playful headlock, adding a noogie while he was at it. This sort of thing had always led to wrestling but they’d grown up enough to want to avoid dirtying their clothes. A few visitors to the winery watched with raised eyebrows as the brothers horsed around, no one saying anything. The brothers never noticed, lost in several minutes of the good old times that went a long way toward bringing Connor’s mood out of the funk it had gone into.
After they disengaged, all tension gone, Tristan said, “So Kris told me you had it bad for Sophia and I see she wasn’t kidding.”
A smiling Connor said, “Don’t tease me. I’m serious. I don’t want to screw this up. Getting keyed up will make me lose my head.”
“Honestly, I think you already did, but okay. Tell me about her.” Tristan gestured at a seat on the patio and they sat. “Why are you so smitten?”
Connor shrugged. “You know how it is with you and Victoria. You just know.”