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I wasn’t sure where he was going, but my heart told me to hear him out.
“We’ve been fighting about this whole hotel and winery thing, for what seems like forever.” A cautious chuckle escaped him as he continued to hold my gaze.
“I know.”
“I went to New York. To talk to my dad. Face to face.”
My palms started sweating. Hearing this new confession made my chest pound.
“Matthew and I went to see if we could make a deal that would benefit all of us.”
“All of us?”
“Yes. I think I found a way to make everyone happy.”
My hackles raised on high alert and I took my hands out of his. “Anything having to deal with your father is probably not going to make me happy.”
“Please don’t shut me out. You need to hear what I have to say.”
“Do I? After you just admitted that you lied to me? After going to New York without talking to me, to talk to your father about my winery?”
“Your winery?”
“Yes. I am a Moretti. And the name reads Moretti on the sign, on the building, on the deed. I am Moretti.”
“God!” He shot a hand through his hair. “You are a stubborn, dig in your heels, and don’t budge an inch woman.”
I glared at him.
A shit-eating grin crept onto his face. “And I wouldn’t change a thing.”
My lips quivered, a laugh threatening to gush from my mouth. I bit down on the insides of my cheeks, trying to keep it stifled.
He rushed to my side, took my hands in his. “Siena, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. I meant it as a good thing.”
He must have mistaken my trembling lips as the beginning of tears. His seriousness and genuine concern about my feelings melted me. Having him on his knees, holding my hands in his warmed me from head to toe.
“I’m not going to cry.” I smiled, taking his face in my hands. “For goodness’ sake, get up.”
He stood. “Shit.” He raked a hand through his messy hair. “For a minute there I thought you were going to lose it.” He dragged his chair closer to me, took my hands again.
“I guess I should let you finish,” I said.
“You gonna interrupt me again?”
“Probably,” I laughed.
He quirked a brow, narrowed his eyes, pressed his lips together. “So be it. But the more you interrupt the longer it’s going to take for me to ask you to be my partner.”
“Partner?”
“Yes. Damn it, woman.”
“What do you mean?”
“Being away from you was hell on me. Watching you walk out my door . . . thinking you were walking out on me forever . . . wrecked me. Completely destroyed me. I want you, Siena. Don’t you see that? Don’t you understand what I feel for you? When I hold you? When I’m with you? When we’re together?”
My mouth fell open.
