Page 40 of Taken Away

It wasn’t what made her pulse stutter.

That was the man behind her—his body still braced in that protective, territorial line, as if Zack had pointed a weapon instead of a smile.

“Zack Fowler,” Bennett cut in, stepping those last few inches so his broad chest was a steady, unyielding warmth at her back. “Cellar master. Handles physical processing, yeast additions, and occasionally remembers to check his logbooks. Zack, this is Aubrey Langford. She’s active management for the next year. Which means if you ruin a batch of the Cabernet because you were too busy flirting, she’s the one who signs your termination papers.”

The words were dry. The tone was not.

Zack chuckled, wiping a damp hand on his trousers before extending it past Bennett’s shoulder.

“Don’t let him scare you, Aubrey. Ben thinks the vines will die if he isn’t furious at them. Welcome to Blackwood.”

Aubrey had to shift sideways to reach, her shoulder grazing Bennett’s chest. Heat bled straight through the thin linen of her top.

She ignored it.

Mostly.

Her heels clicked faintly on the damp floor as she took Zack’s hand. His grip was warm and rough.

“Thank you, Zack,” she said, smooth and controlled. “I’ll be reviewing the production labor costs later this afternoon. I look forward to seeing your efficiency logs.”

Zack’s brows lifted, surprise flashing into something sharper before he let out a low laugh.

“Efficiency logs,” he repeated, clearly delighted. “Hear that, Ben? The lady wants data.” His grin sharpened. “I like her already.”

Bennett didn’t look amused.

“Zack.”

“What?”

“Tank four.”

Zack’s grin only widened. “Still jealous of my personality?”

The word lodged under her ribs.

Jealousy.

The idea should have been ridiculous. Instead, something dark and electric slid through her veins.

“Get back to work,” Bennett said, the edge in his voice making it sound a lot less like a joke. He finally stepped away from her orbit, turning toward a heavy wooden door at the back of the tank room.

Aubrey offered Zack a brief nod before following, acutely aware of his gaze on her as she crossed the concrete—and of the way the air felt thinner now that Bennett wasn’t pressed like a shield at her back.

“Was that jealousy?” she asked as their footsteps echoed toward the door.

Bennett didn’t look at her.

“No.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“A man trying to keep an employee employed.”

She smiled despite herself.

He noticed.