Yours Completely(50)

“Thank you for this, Jace,” she said, her heart suddenly very full. “This is probably the best day of my life.”

Jace's eyes widened in surprise. “It's just a day at a winery.”

“No, it's a day with you.” Ella blushed, suddenly feeling very shy. She shouldn't have said anything. Telling him this was the best day of her life was overkill. Even though it was true, she didn't need to tell him right this moment.

“I'm glad you're enjoying it. To be honest, I was a little worried you wouldn't like it.”

“I love it,” she assured him. “This place is perfect. I feel like a kid on summer break getting to play outside with you here. I can't think of anything better.”

“Summer break, huh? When's the last time you played hide-and-seek?” Jace asked, suddenly changing the subject.

“Um, not since I was a kid,” Ella answered. She didn't exactly have a lot of free time to be playing around while she tried to manage the inn under Delores's thumb. “Why? When's the last time you played hide and seek?”

“Not since I was a kid, either,” Jace admitted. “But, you have to admit, it would be fun here.”

Ella glanced around. The vines grew in neat rows, but if you stood just outside of one, it would be easy to hide. Her inner child loved it. “Do you want to play?”

“I thought you'd never ask.” Jace put his hands over his eyes and started to count. “Ten, nine, eight...”

Ella took off at a run, grinning from ear to ear as she darted around one plant and hurried to find a space place to hide.





Chapter Twenty-One


Jace wasn't sure why he suggested hide and seek. It just came to him and sounded like fun. He was amazed at how easily Ella agreed. The little boy in him grew just a little bit more fond of her, just for that. Not only was she sexy and smart, but she was fun, too.

“Five, four, three, two, one, ready or not, here I come!” he shouted, uncovering his eyes. It took a moment to readjust to the bright sunshine, but he didn't care. “I'm going to find you!”

Carefully, he weaved through one of the vines, being careful not to damage any of the growing plants but listening for the tell-tale signs of Ella's breathing. Considering that the rows were fairly short, he was sure she couldn't have gone far.

He saw a glimpse of polka dot against a green plant and knew he had found her. Pretending not to know where she was, he casually went to the next row, walking slowly and cautiously. He looked for the polka-dot dress and instead met her hazel eyes.

God, they were beautiful. How could green and brown combine to make such an amazing shade of perfect that it set his heart to hammering like that? For a moment, he completely forgot what he was doing. Those eyes, with their innate kindness and joy, captured him completely.

She laughed, and took off running.

He had to catch her. Not just to play the game, but because he knew without a doubt that he needed her in his life. Her life wasn't easy, yet she persevered. She was all sunshine, even though he could see her world was full of clouds and rain. She knew who he was, yet she hadn't mentioned a single word about wanting a gift or asking for his help to buy the inn.

In fact, he knew that she never would. That wasn't who she was. She saw him as a man, a friend, and a lover- not a money source.

He knew it wasn't conventional or logical, but she was who he needed in his life. She was the missing piece that would keep him from becoming his father. Just the thought of his father running through a vineyard playing hide and seek with someone was completely inconceivable.

She darted through a break in the vines just before he caught her. He laughed. He hadn't expected her to be so light on her feet, yet she practically danced through the vines as if she were a fairy.

She'd certainly practiced her magic on him as if she were one. Three days and she was all he could think about. He'd smiled more in the past twenty-four hours than he had in the last twenty-four months. She'd made him laugh.

Not to mention that the sex was the hottest he'd ever had.

She tried to skip around one of the vines, laughing as he reached to catch her and missed. Her blonde hair streamed out behind her. He tried again, but his fingers barely skimmed her skin as she pulled away, teasing him with her touch.

It would have been fine, except he tripped and sent his entire body thudding into the soft earth. His hands and knees sent up a fine layer of brown dust. Luckily, it didn't hurt anything but his pride.

“Are you okay?” Ella was there instantly, her eyes big and concerned.

He pushed himself off his hands and knelt in the dirt. Ella was beside him, her skirt in the dirt as she looked him over. It made Jace smile. Any of the other women he'd dated would be standing and calling for help. They'd never let their new clothes get dirty. Then again, none of them would have been playing hide and seek in the first place.