Excerpt 

Jace considered Anna's proposal. It was an interesting idea and not a new one. He'd thought of it already, but with taking over the winery and trying to maximize the grapes he already had, there'd been no time to explore it. He already knew he needed to get the store operational again, to sell his wines on-site. He wanted to do tours and promote Two Willows wines right on the premises. If the guest house could make money, he could pay one person to do both.

"How would your father feel about you using Morelli contacts to help me? I'm the competition."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, it was like he could hear Roberto's response in his head. Two Willows? Competition? Hah. Roberto Morelli would never consider Jace his equal, and he knew it. So did Anna.

Anna looked away and out the window as she answered. "He doesn't need to know."

Silence reigned for a few minutes.

"How long?" He surprised himself by asking it, by even considering it. It meant Anna here, within reach but completely out of reach, for an extended period of time. It meant the children underfoot too.

"Not long. It would depend on shipping times for furniture and fabrics, but the house is already lovely. It just needs... some Morelli refinement."

The sound of a gentle baby's snore came from the back and he couldn't help it, he smiled at her just a little. Didn't Anna know he couldn't refuse her anything? He blustered and carried on, but when she looked at him like she was now - soft and expectant - he was done for. He always had been.

He pulled into the drive at Two Willows and stopped, parking next to the Porsche. A quick glance in the back told him both children were asleep, worn out from their day. He held out his hand to Anna. "Then you have a deal, Ms. Morelli."

In the moment, he'd forgotten she wasn't Ms. Morelli anymore, but she didn't correct him. Instead she placed her hand in his, the grip firm but the skin soft as silk. "Deal."

Before he could change his mind, he leaned over and pressed his mouth to hers. Her soft lips opened beneath his, surprising him. She tasted like strawberry gloss, and memory slammed into him.

What had he done?

Her lips parted from his but she remained just a breath away. When he opened his eyes he saw her lashes still lay on the crests of her cheekbones.

His angel. She always had been and he'd just been careless.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Her eyes opened, but they weren't dreamy like he'd expected. Like he was feeling. They were dark and condemning.

"Me too," she replied and leaned away to get out of the car.