The orgasm hit her, surprising her, exciting her, carrying her to the edges of sublime, until all she could do was hold on to Jase, hoping she didn’t come apart in his arms. She tried to catch her breath and as she gazed into his eyes, she felt more vulnerable than she’d ever felt before. But she was fine with it. Soon she came to her senses, floating back down to reality.
“What about you? Don’t you—”
His voice was low and as steamy as the hot springs pool. “I liked watching you. Besides, protection would be a little dicey in here.”
Reflexively, she glanced over to the blanket.
But he caressed her cheek. “There’s time, Sara. We were discussing the past tonight. I think we’ll both know when we’re ready to move beyond that.”
When he kissed her again, she knew she wanted to move beyond that now. Because she was falling in love with Jase Cramer whether she wanted to or not.
Chapter Ten
As Jase drove Sara back to the cottage, he thought about the past couple of hours, especially their time in the hot springs pool. He’d come here today fully intending to have sex with her. After all, hadn’t she given him the message that she was ready?
However, he found himself putting the brakes on for a couple of reasons. Whether she knew it or not, she was vulnerable. Yes, it had been more than a year since her husband had died, and maybe she was ready to move on from her marriage. On the other hand, she’d just gone through another traumatic event: the fire. She herself had said she’d felt alone after her parents had died and she’d turned to Conrad for that reason. He didn’t want her turning to him for that reason.
Jase didn’t want a woman to turn to him for any reason other than for himself. If that was selfish, so be it. But one failed engagement was enough to make him cautious.
They’d made out in the pool after he’d pleasured her. They’d enjoyed strawberries with cheese and bread along with their water, and he could have easily pleasured them both this time. But after her reaction to his touch, after the almost innocent look in her eyes, he’d felt unsettled...turmoiled...in a way he’d never been before. Maybe he hadn’t given in to lust because he was concerned he’d be vulnerable, too.
He was glad they couldn’t talk easily above the noise of the four-wheeler’s engine on the drive back, but as they neared the cottage, he slowed. He didn’t want to just drop her off and wave, and that would be it.
So he said, “Let’s park this in the shed and I’ll walk you over.”
The sun was setting now and in the shadows he wasn’t sure what he saw on Sara’s face. Eagerness to spend more time with him? Or simply joy in returning to her daughter? A child was involved in all of this, so he couldn’t make a mistake.
He parked in one of the outbuildings beside a hydraulic auger. After he switched off the ignition, they both climbed out.
He swung his arm around her shoulders. “Do you think Amy’s in bed yet?”
“That depends. She might have conned Marissa into a game or two past her bedtime. Jordan could still be toddling around, too. Marissa said he could fall asleep anywhere, but when two kids get together...” She let her voice trail off, the implication clear. “Don’t you want to take the cooler and the blankets?”
“I’ll get them later. I usually do a final check of the winery just to make sure everything’s secure for the night.”
Outside, with the night air cooling, she waved her hand at the vineyard. “Being general manager means you’re the overseer, doesn’t it? Your dad’s handed that responsibility down to you.”
“I don’t know about handed down. He could take over again if he needed to, or hire someone else to do it.”
“I doubt he wants to do that. You’re his heir.”
Jase stared out over the trellises, farther than the eye could see. Maybe it was time to come clean with Sara, to tell her the type of childhood he’d had before he’d come here.
“My father never tells anyone where I really came from.”
Shadows played on her face as she responded, “I don’t understand. You said he adopted you from the foster care system.”
“Yes, he did. I was orphaned at age six and shuffled there from foster home to foster home until I moved in here at twelve. But the real truth is, my mother led a seedy life. She didn’t know who my dad was and she died of a drug overdose.”
Sara’s reaction was immediate. “Jase, I’m so sorry.”
“My father likes to brush that part of my history under the rug.”
“Maybe he doesn’t bring it up because he thinks it’s painful for you.”