Shawna ever learning I bought you those,” Jared had said with a smile. “She’s growing up too fast as it is.”
Well, it seemed as though Lissa had grown up overnight. Or rather, during the course of an afternoon in town with her biological father.
They’d driven to Valley View Clinic, which housed an annex lab of Portland General Hospital. A technician drew the necessary blood for the preliminary testing, and Lissa signed a form allowing the results to be divulged to Jared.
After giving Jared a hug, Lissa promised to come to Portland soon. Meeting with him had answered a lot of her questions about her origin and her feelings of abandonment.
Jared hadn’t been ready to marry a girl he hardly knew, a teen who refused his calls. And although he’d wanted to provide for Olivia and her baby, Olivia had shut him out.
It was anyone’s guess what would have happened had Lissa’s birth mother lived.
But one thing was certain. Lissa’s life would have been dramatically different from the one that she knew. And to be perfectly honest, she couldn’t imagine not having Ken and Donna Cartwright as parents. Or Eileen as a sister.
In many ways, Jared still seemed like a stranger, but she sensed they could become friends. Or maybe something more—given time.
Once in her car, she picked up the cell phone and called home.
“I was so worried,” her mother said. “Mr. Cambry looked like a decent sort, but you never know.”
“Actually, he was very nice, Mom.”
“Will you be seeing him again?”
“I may drive into Portland and meet his family later in the month, but I have too much going on even to consider it until after the reception next week.”
“I’m making a pot roast for dinner,” her mom said. “Your favorite. If you see Sullivan, tell him I’m setting an extra plate.”
“Will do. I’m going straight to the office when I get back, since Sullivan and I still have a lot to get done today.”
“You work so hard, honey. I wish you would take more time for yourself.”
Lissa planned to take her mom’s advice as soon as she got back to the vineyard, if everything worked out. Because even though she and Sullivan had a lot to discuss, her first order of business was gauging his reaction to the new Lissa.
When she arrived at the vineyard office, she found Sullivan and Barney gone, so she headed to the cottage, where she assumed he and the puppy would be. As she strode across the small suspension bridge in a brand new pair of high heels, she realized even her walk had changed since the afternoon makeover.
Had she acquired a swivel-hipped swagger like Gretchen’s? Amazing. And she didn’t feel the least bit klutzy.
Yet, as she approached the deck in front of his house, a brief wave of nervousness swept through her tummy. But she managed to get a grip on it.
For goodness’ sake, it’s not like she was going to seduce the man. All she really needed to do was get an idea of how he might react to the idea of making love to her. She could always broach the subject another day.
Or change her mind completely.
This was merely a little sexual experimentation. She certainly didn’t intend to pounce on Sullivan before dinner.
She’d probably start by asking about Barney. Then she’d thank him for encouraging her to meet with Jared. And if that went well, maybe she’d suggest a glass of wine on the porch.
Of course, she wasn’t sure how far she’d go with a sexual proposition. She’d have to play that by ear. Asking a man to be her one-time lover might be awkward, but she was determined not to be a virgin the rest of her life.
And that meant taking control of her destiny, even if she took a tumble. What was that they said about falling from the horse? Well, she’d just climb right back on.
With her new confidence riding high in the saddle, Lissa rapped soundly upon the door.
Cowgirl up.
Moments later, Sullivan answered, wearing a pair of faded jeans and a white T-shirt. Gorgeous, as usual. But it wasn’t his casual, playboy stance that tickled her arousal. It was the expression on his face.
“Lissa.” His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “I…uh…wow.”
She’d caused him to stutter. Imagine that. And it was a good kind of stutter. His eyes swept over her, and, without a doubt, she knew he liked what he saw.
His reaction was empowering.
Lissa had never evoked that kind of wide-eyed effect on anyone, let alone a man she found so darn attractive. Her confidence soared, and she felt like singing “Yippee-Ki-Yay.” But there was no reason to let him think she’d had a makeover with him in mind.
“I went shopping for an outfit to wear to the reception and decided to have my hair done while I was in town. Since Virgin Mist is so much a part of me, I thought we both needed a fresh package. Do you like my new look?”
“Like it? It’s great. You look great.” He raked a hand through his hair, then seemed to regroup. He opened the door and stepped aside. “Come on in.”
Before she could ask about Barney, she spotted the pup curled up on the sofa, chewing on one of Sullivan’s socks.
“Thanks for babysitting.”
“No problem,” he said, his eyes still scanning her from head to toe and back again. The heated gaze caressed her, causing her heart to flutter, her blood to warm, her courage to soar.
She placed a hand on her hip, feeling the sleek green fabric that outlined her shape. “I’m glad you suggested I talk to Jared. It did me a lot of good.”
“I can see that,” he said, his eyes following her hand movement. “It must have been one hell of a conversation.”
It was working. She’d caught his interest. So why not push the envelope a little further? “How about a glass of wine before dinner?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Sullivan went to the kitchenette, pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge, then fumbled through the drawers, looking for a corkscrew.
Was he nervous?
Because of her?
That was encouraging—to say the least.
“Let me,” she said, entering the small, confined area. The dinky kitchen was barely large enough for one, let alone two. But she liked the idea of rubbing elbows with Sullivan, of bumping him with her hip, brushing her shoulder against his upper arm.
He must have liked it, too, because he just stood there with a mesmerized look on his face.
Merely inches apart, neither of them moved. Their gazes locked, and she could almost hear his heartbeat, feel him breathing. He reached out and took a lock of her
