"Well, I suppose it will be up to me to try and prove Tibby's words true then," a rich smooth voice said from behind her.
She spun around and came face to face with the man she had brushed past coming out of the solicitor's office the other day. Embarrassed she lashed out at him.
"Fuck’s sake, do you always creep up on people?"
"I actually didn't creep up, I casually walked up the rows as I do everyday making no effort to hide my appearance. Sorry if I scared you." He looked down at her with a small lift of his lips letting her know how much she was amusing him.
Sami looked into the liquid chocolate-brown eyes and took a step back. The zing jolting her heart surprised her and the clenching of her stomach scared her. She took stock of the chiselled chin, strong and scattered with a day's dark growth. Her gaze travelled up to his lips and her mouth opened involuntarily. She bit her bottom lip with her teeth to stay the quiver.
"Um, you didn't. Scare me I mean." Sami lifted her gaze to meet his eyes and stepped back further. One man shouldn't be so good looking. "Hi, I'm Sami."
"Nice to meet you, Sami and I'm Mason, but knowing Tibby I gather you already know more about me than I do you." He took her hand, sending tiny currents of electricity up her arms and across her chest, settling in her nipples, much to her dismay. Grabbing her hand back she crossed her arms before covertly looking down to make sure the whole world didn't see what he had done to her traitorous body.
"I... um I mean, no, I um...damn it. Let me start again." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her voice as much as her nerves. "I know nothing about you, there hasn't exactly been time for local gossip." She turned and looked at the older man, trying hard to make her embarrassment go away.
"It's okay, Sami. Mason knows me well." He looked up at the visitor. "I've told her about the sagging fences so far and your little sticks, the reason we are over this side of the farm today repairing fences."
"I thought as much. I appreciate your efforts, Sami. As you probably know, these cuttings are rather special and it would be a shame to see them eaten by inquisitive cows. They are all grown from cuttings taken from a one hundred and twenty year old vine renowned for its superior grape quality." He gave her a winning smile and then continued.
"I would prefer to see how the grapes produce this year and increase our wine styles rather than fill your bovine beasts’ stomachs." He stood with one arm on the post she was working at and the other casually tucked into the pocket of his jeans. His dark brown eyes raked over her face, his gentle smile turned her insides out and threw her completely out of whack.
"Yeah, well it's okay. Our fences and stock. Our job to keep them in." No matter how hard she tried, Sami was having hell’s all chance of acting normally around this man. He was too good looking and sounded too nice to be true and it made mush of her insides.
"Do you enjoy a nice full-bodied red? You should come over and sample some of what we have for sale. Last year is one I'm particularly proud of."
"Sami prefers beer if she has to drink at all," piped up Tibby further embarrassing her. "Reckons wine is for ponces."
She gasped and raised her eyebrows at him, throwing what she hoped were dagger looks his way.
"Really? Well it looks as though I have my work cut out for me then, doesn't it? We will have to educate your taste buds." He smiled directly at her and her insides wobbled like jelly again. "Can't have you living in the Hunter Valley and not sampling the local delights, can we?"
"I actually prefer not to drink at all, thanks." She met his gaze, irritated now he was obviously finding her attitude amusing.
"Fair enough. But if you change your mind you know where I am. The cellar door is open every day between ten and four but for my neighbours, anytime." He ran his hand through his hair, brushing the dark curls back over his ears sending her a stunning smile. "I was going to call over and see you anyway. I have some business to discuss with you. Would later this afternoon or this evening suit you?"
"If it's to offer me a contract on the farm, forget it. It's not for sale and I told your father that repeatedly. Seems he had trouble getting it through his thick skull." She glared at him, finding it easier to be cross than to let her imagination and libido run wild. "Let's hope you aren't as slow taking the hint."
"Not as stubborn, that's for sure. But I would still like to call over and discuss it with you Sami, if you don't mind. My father and I have conflicting ideas on how I should run my vineyard including the process of acquiring more land. He thinks very differently from me about a lot of things. I prefer to conduct my own business on my terms, not his. Shall we say around five thirty?"
"If you must, I guess it's okay. You're not going to change my mind though, just so you understand."
"Fine. It will be nice to sit and talk without work getting in the way. I'll let you get back to it and carry on with my day. Nice to meet you, Sami. Later Tibby." He smiled again and turned his back on them, walking away stopping every now and then to reach out a tanned hand and inspect his grapevines.
Sami watched him stop and run his fingers over the dry-looking strands of grapevine
