They turned onto a long, winding road in the outskirts of northern Virginia. Tree branches spread over their path in an endless green canopy. The sunlight peeked through small gaps between the leaves and dotted the asphalt. It would be gorgeous in autumn when the leaves started changing and turned into a kaleidoscope of colors.
Natalie watched the view change from suburbs to countryside. After forty-five minutes, Alex finally stopped at a wide meadow. He got out of the car and swung the door up for her. She stepped out and looked at the lake on the other side. The light played on the surface, crusting it with diamond brilliance.
“How did you find this place?” she said, awed by the natural beauty.
He hauled two huge wicker baskets out from the back. “I lived in the area for a while several years ago.”
“Do you need help?”
“I’ve got it.”
The muscles in his torso stretched and contracted under his white and navy blue Under Armour shirt. She followed as he walked into the meadow, admiring the masculine view. The jeans hugged his slim hips, and it looked like you could bounce quarters off his butt.
The soft grass tickled her toes and emitted a sweet scent as her feet crushed it. He spread a blue blanket under a big oak and placed the baskets on the corners. Out came two bottles of wine, a jug of water, three different kinds of cheese, pâté de foie gras, a small jar of pickled cucumbers, pimento-stuffed olives, a crusty baguette, sausage, crackers, fruit salad, utensils, napkins, wineglasses, and plates. She blinked. Obviously, he’d put in quite a bit of thought into this.
He started arranging everything in short, orderly rows. She stepped out of her shoes and sat cross-legged. The blanket was feather soft against her bare feet.
“I never imagined you could take a picnic to this level,” she said. “You sure there isn’t anything else in the baskets?”
“If you root around long enough, you can probably find the Hope diamond.” He smiled and picked up a corkscrew. “Red or white?”
“White.”
Alex uncorked the blended wine, poured two glasses, and gave her one. The temperature of the wine was just right—neither warm nor cold. The liquid slid smoothly down her throat.
She glanced at the label on the bottle. “Virginian. I approve.”
“I got it from Jefferson Vineyards. Thought you might appreciate it since you got your bachelor’s from UVA.”
It surprised her that he knew. Of course her résumé was no secret, and he’d undoubtedly seen it. But then, he’d probably seen hundreds of others too. She was just starting to think about the ramifications of this when he spread a generous portion of foie gras on a cracker and popped it into her mouth.
The soft creamy texture of the foie gras blended with the crispness of the cracker and tasted heavenly. They started eating in earnest, the conversation moving easily from one topic to another. Alex was well informed about all sorts of things due to his constant travel, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. She got the feeling that to him the world was one enormous puzzle, and he was constantly arranging and rearranging the pieces of his businesses to take advantage of one situation or another.
The food he’d brought had been perfect, each flavor complementing another. When they were finally done, she reclined on her side, the wind teasing her hair, loose strands swaying. He lay on his back. A dreamy expression entered his eyes as he gazed up at her.
“How come you always put your hair up?”
Self-conscious, Natalie fiddled with her wineglass. “Because I want to look professional.”
“But you look better…well, more approachable…with your hair down.” He reached out and played with her ponytail. “Silky and touchable.” He undid the barrette, and the hair spilled into his hand.
Crushed grass, wild flowers, shampoo, cologne, man.
Time seemed to slow around them. The breeze came over the water, bringing with it a taste of spring on the verge of melting into summer. The leaves above them danced, the shadows trembling over their bodies. His eyes darkened and lightened with each indolent movement of the branches. He raised his torso, his hand still caressing her hair. His lips were mere inches away from hers, but he didn’t close the gap between them.
The warmth of the sun, Alex’s eyes intent on hers, the whisper of the wind, his soft breathing, the staccato beat of her heart.
Natalie leaned forward and covered his mouth with hers.
He remained still, giving her the permission to explore as much or as little as she wished. Her tongue traced his lips, tasted a hint of wine, crisply acidic yet ripe. She probed, laid a gentle hand on his cheek.
The world stopped and tilted, as if time and gravity no longer mattered. Her hands skimmed the muscles of his body, tracing their taut lines through the soft fabric of his shirt. One brushed over a nipple; she felt his heartbeat accelerate. She ran the other down his tight abs; they jumped.
It was pure power, the ability to arouse a man, make him respond to her every little touch. The sexual side of her, denied since the breakup with Marcus, wanted to take advantage of the situation, make him lose control. Her fingers traveled down until they reached his belt buckle. She rested them there, putting just enough weight onto it that he would know where her hand was.
His desire for her was like a physical presence in the air. She wanted—
The sudden shrill ringing of her cell phone jerked her back to reality. She wrenched back from him and, before he could reach for her, fumbled for her purse. It was Louise.