The corner of Hudson’s mouth quirked up and he shook his head. Apparently she wasn’t the only one wondering what had come over her. He hooked his arm around her neck, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “Tempting.”
The tour concluded in a tasting room overlooking Stone Creek. Allie wandered over to the large windows to watch the rushing current channel through the mill’s open-flume water wheel. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “Reminds me of the Little House on the Prairie books.”
Hudson dropped his mouth to her ear. “Can’t say that’s the first thing that comes to my mind.”
She tilted her head to the side, almost afraid to ask. But as was the case with everything when it came to Hudson Chase, she was unable to resist. “And what would be the first thing that comes to your mind?”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her hair. “Laying you out on a blanket creek-side and making out.”
Allie turned in his arms and looked up at him incredulously. “Making out?”
His answering smile melted her heart. “For hours.”
No telling how long they would have stood there grinning like fools if the tour guide hadn’t interrupted, directing them to the bar. “Ladies and gentlemen, the tasting is about to begin.”
Chapter Thirty-one
The tour guide motioned for everyone to get a little closer. “Squeeze in. We’re all friends now.” Hudson pressed in behind Allie, caging her with his arms as his hands casually gripped the bar. She tilted her head back against his chest and smiled up at him. That simple smile wrecked him every time.
“Pay attention. I plan to quiz you later.” His lips brushed her ear and his voiced lowered so only she could hear. “Answer wrong and you’ll get a spanking.” He felt the warm flush of her cheek against his and smiled as she began to fidget with her wineglass, a habit he’d observed when she was unsure of what to say or how to respond. She was given a reprieve by the start of the presentation.
“We’re going to start off with our Cranberry Blush, a perennial favorite around here.” The tour guide began working his way down the line, pouring a few ounces into everyone’s glasses. He stopped to fill Allie’s, then tilted the bottle over Hudson’s.
Hudson let go of the bar and covered the glass with his hand. “No, thank you.”
The guy continued down the line. “This is a sweet grape wine with a touch of fresh Wisconsin cranberry juice added to give it a nice blush color.” He reached the end of the bar and set the bottle down. “Well, don’t just stand there, drink up.”
Allie twisted around to face Hudson, her lips perched on the edge of her glass. “Aren’t you going to try any?”
“No, not when I’m driving the bike. However,” his fingertips caressed her cheek, “I do enjoy watching you.”
Allie took a sip of the wine. “It’s almost too sweet,” she whispered before proceeding to drain the glass.
He laughed. “Satisfying your sweet tooth? Here I thought it was only chocolate you’d crawl through fire for.”
“Hmm . . . chocolate sounds good. We should stop at the store and pick up what we need to make s’mores tonight.”
Hudson’s teeth caught the shell of her ear. “I’d like to lick melted chocolate off your beautiful body.” He heard Allie’s breath catch in her throat and was about to elaborate when the tour guide interrupted.
“Next we have our Waterfall Riesling,” he announced. Starting at the opposite end of the bar, the guide began pouring wine from a bright blue bottle. “It has a light, semidry sweetness and has won many awards, including the Chairman’s Best of Class last year.”
Hudson watched intently over Allie’s shoulder as she lifted the white wine to her lips. “How’s that one?”
“Let me take another taste and I’ll tell you.” She took another sip. “Delicious. Very crisp. You can really taste the pear.”
He smirked. “Pear? Such a sophisticated palate, Miss Sinclair.”
Allie looked up at him, her cheeks pink and her eyes slightly glassy. “The key is to swirl it in your mouth, let it roll across your tongue.” Her tongue darted out and slid across her lips.
Hudson briefly closed his eyes.
“Of course, a good finish is crucial,” she continued. “I know some prefer not to swallow, but a good finish can make the experience even more enjoyable. Don’t you agree, Mr. Chase?”
Oh, he so fucking agreed.
Hudson gripped Allie’s waist, his fingers digging into her soft sweater as he urged her back against his thickening erection. “I think you need another taste,” he suggested, if for no other reason than to watch her tongue moisten her lips again.
“I’d love one.” She smiled over the top of her glass and then polished off the Riesling.
The sound of laughter and clinking glassware filled the room and the guide practically shouted to be heard. “Everyone ready for Bon Vivant?”
An uncoordinated “Yeah!” echoed through the tasting room.
The guide chuckled. “Ah, Lover of Life. And all of you certainly have taste and enjoy living.” He started in the middle this time, pouring a generous sample in Allie’s glass before continuing his never-ending speech. “In order to maintain the character of the grape, this wine doesn’t age in oak. The result is a nice, easy red.”
Allie lifted the glass to her lips, shifting her weight as she lowered it so that her hips brushed back against Hudson’s. She was driving him completely insane, grinding against him after every sip. “It’s been hours since I’ve been inside you.” His voice was low and tight with restraint. “And you’re making me inconveniently hard teasing me with your delectable ass.”
Reaching behind her, Allie slipped her hand between their bodies, stroking him through his jeans as she finished off the glass of red wine.
Hudson hissed between clenched teeth and dropped his mouth to her ear. “Keep it up. I won’t hesitate to buy this place out so I can fuck you on the bar.” And with the black Amex in his wallet, he had the means to do it.
“The final selection is our Cabernet Sauvignon, a robust, full-bodied red that is aged ten months in oak barrels.”
Allie removed her hand from between them and lifted the wineglass to her lips as soon as the sample was poured. “Oh, I really like this one.”
“Let me taste.” Hudson buried his fingers in Allie’s hair and pulled her head back. His mouth moved softly over hers and his tongue dipped inside, teasing her in an unhurried kiss. The scent of her invaded his senses and he groaned inwardly. When he finally broke away from her mouth, he looked at the tour guide. “We’ll take a bottle of that one.”
Hudson handed the guide his credit card and quickly signed the receipt. He grabbed the bottle by its neck and looked down at Allie, brushing his thumb across her bottom lip. “Ready to go?”
“So ready,” she murmured softly.
“You didn’t need to finish every last drop.” His hand slid under the weight of her hair, massaging the nape of her neck as they made a beeline for the bike. “Though it might be to my benefit that you did.”
“It would have been rude not to! You were on the tour, they made those wines themselves.”
Hudson chuckled. “Yes, they have numerous women in skirts with scarves on their heads stomping grapes with their bare feet.”
“Making fun of me?” Allie playfully elbowed him in the ribs. She lost her balance and stumbled into his arms.
“I wouldn’t dare.” He set her back on her feet. “You’re not going to fall off my bike, are you?”
“Of course not. Where to now?”
“Back to my place.” He secured the bottle of wine in the leather saddlebag on the side of the bike, then handed Allie her helmet.
“You read my mind,” she said, pulling the helmet down over her head.