Page 146 of Blush Crush

As I'm taking a bite of food, he leans close to my ear. "Good thing I already ate," he winks. "Or else I'd leave here starving."

I shake my head slowly, fighting a smile.

He's ridiculous. Ridiculous and mine, and definitely the best match for me.

CHAPTER 42

Cole

OVERGROWN MAN-CHILD

“Idon’t want to go,” I groan, even though this is my own doing.

I used to not mind going out of town with Blake for work. In fact, I used to look forward to it. But now the thought of being away from Ariana, even for just a few days, feels agonizing. I’d take her with me if she wasn’t so busy this week. Sadie is out of town, which means Ariana is covering her shifts on top of her own, plus she has a girls’ night with her sisters and that poetry thing Wes is hosting at the shop. Her week is already packed without me making it harder.

I’m so tempted to beg her to drop everything and come anyway, but that wouldn’t be fair.

She hits me with a dazzling smile, her delicate fingers dancing up my abdomen. “It’s not very long. You’ll be back home before you know it.”

Home.

I love it when she calls my house home. I’ve been trying to find the right way to ask her to move in, but I haven’t even told her I love her yet, so one step at a time, I guess.

It’s not that I don’t want to tell her. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t spilled out of me already with how many times it’s beenon the tip of my tongue. But the truth is I’m petrified she’ll reject me. That it’ll be too fast, or too much, or she won’t feel the same way I do.

I’d marry her tomorrow if I had the balls to ask. I’d do a lot of things if I wasn’t so afraid of fucking things up.

Losing her is my biggest fear, and with how well everything is going, I’m not ready to rock the boat.

She crosses her arms around my neck, drawing me in for a kiss. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Yeah?” I snake around her waist, tunneling my tongue into her sweet mouth before trailing down her neck. “You going to stay here while I’m gone? Sleep in my bed? Naked, preferably.”

She grins, lips grazing mine. “Yes. Duchess and I already have our bags packed. We’ll keep the place warm while you’re away.”

It’s going to be hard to focus knowing my girl is waiting at home for me, but it’ll also be a big motivator to not waste any time. Unlike Ledger, Benton doesn’t own enough local vineyard land to meet production needs, so we buy into other lots and source from growers around the country. This trip we’re heading to California to oversee execution of the blush crush and arrange transport so it can finish fermenting back home—once we get the juice we’ll be able to meet our numbers for our rosé products. It’s necessary, even if the timing is inconvenient.

If we were anywhere else but the back room at Novel, I’d sink inside her for a quickie, just a little something to hold me over, but this is definitely not the time or place. Not with the chorus of conversations a few feet from the closed door behind us.

Based on the mewling sound that escapes Ariana when I rear a step back, she’s feeling the same way.

“Use your toy, doll. Record it for me if you do.”

A pink hue takes over her skin. “Cole, I can’t…film myself.”

“Yes you can.” I wink. “I haven’t gone this long without you since we got together. I’ll be starving for you. Practically dying.”

She giggles, eyeing me like she doesn’t know what to do with me. “You’re ridiculous. It’s less than a week.”

“Too long.” I grab her face and kiss her again before settling my forehead onto hers. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

Just as Ariana is about to respond, her words are cut off by the door swinging open. “Oops.” Lina laughs, her face turning scarlet. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

She starts to spin around but Ariana stops her. “Wait. It’s okay. Is everything all right out there?”

Lina winces, her lips corkscrewing. “It’s just.” She pauses like she’s considering her words. “What’s your policy on banning customers?”

“What?” Ariana breathes, half-smiling like she isn’t sure if Lina is joking or not.