and went to the building in front of the parking lot. He entered the building and saw a few people walking around what appeared to be the store of the winery. It was very similar to his own shop, but unlike his, they only sold Russell Oaks wine. They also sold plenty of tourists items.
He noticed the hours on the store door. The store was going to be closing soon and the last tour was already out. Looking at his watch and remembering the length of the tour being mentioned on their website, Xavier figured they would be heading back soon.
"Welcome to Russell Oaks."
Xavier turned at the sound of the warm greeting and his eyes locked with a beautiful pair of eyes and an even more beautiful smile. She wore a white button down shirt with the winery's logo on it.
"Can I help you find anything?" she asked.
Her voice was familiar. He returned her smile as he said, "That depends. Amaya?"
She looked at him and her eyes instantly grew wide with recognition.
"Xavier!"
He held out his hand. "It's great to finally meet you in person."
He looked better than anything she could have conjured up in her dreams. The moment he turned around that little gallop she always got in her chest whenever they spoke on the phone turned into what felt like the Kentucky Derby.
She'd watched as he took her in from head to toe, raking an appreciative gaze over her body. Then he smiled, with that perfect smile and she thought she would actually swoon. She prayed she didn't sound too breathless when she said his name. When she placed her hand in his, her body felt consumed with a delicious heat, that spread through her entire body before finally settling heavy in her core.
Why does he have to have a girlfriend ? her mind cried out.
"Maya?"
Her eyes flew open. She hadn't even realized she'd closed them. She looked up to find Xavier staring at her with a look of concern.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She looked down at his chest. How had they gotten so close? And why was he still holding her hand. Not only that, but now he had both of his large hands wrapped around her small one.
She took a step back and nodded, trying to remove her hand from his.
"Are you sure?" he asked, gripping her hand tighter.
She cleared her throat and looked over his shoulder before saying, "Yes."
"You looked a little dazed for a moment there. You're not getting the party started early without me are you?" he teased with a grin.
Maya swallowed a whimper and shook her head.
Why does he have to be so funny? And why is he still holding my hand?
She looked around and over his shoulder again and his eyebrows drew together in curiosity.
"Are you expecting someone else?" he asked, looking around.
Finally she pulled her hand out of his grasp.
"No, I'm not...I thought maybe you were though."
He looked at her confused. "Who would I be waiting on?"
"Well, I just assumed that since you were coming up here for a weekend vacation that...Darby would be accompanying you."
She was caught off guard when he suddenly looked very uncomfortable. He blew out a heavy breath before running a hand across his jawline.
"Actually..."
Suddenly she thought back to her conversation with Eva the other day. Was it possible that he and Darby were no longer....
No!
"Darby and I are no longer together."
Yes!
"Oh," Maya said, in what she hoped sounded like a sympathetic tone, as she placed her hand on her chest.
"We ended things about six months ago."
"I'm so sorry Xavier," she said, only half-heartedly meaning it.
Xavier shrugged. "You didn't know. No harm done."
They stood there for an awkward moment before Maya finally said, "Are you ready for your tour?"
She was relieved when he finally smiled again. "Definitely."
"Russell Oaks is a family owned winery that has been making wines for over forty years. It's one of the oldest wineries run by African-Americans in Napa Valley and prides itself on quality and...."
Xavier couldn't focus on what he was sure to be a fascinating
He noticed the hours on the store door. The store was going to be closing soon and the last tour was already out. Looking at his watch and remembering the length of the tour being mentioned on their website, Xavier figured they would be heading back soon.
"Welcome to Russell Oaks."
Xavier turned at the sound of the warm greeting and his eyes locked with a beautiful pair of eyes and an even more beautiful smile. She wore a white button down shirt with the winery's logo on it.
"Can I help you find anything?" she asked.
Her voice was familiar. He returned her smile as he said, "That depends. Amaya?"
She looked at him and her eyes instantly grew wide with recognition.
"Xavier!"
He held out his hand. "It's great to finally meet you in person."
He looked better than anything she could have conjured up in her dreams. The moment he turned around that little gallop she always got in her chest whenever they spoke on the phone turned into what felt like the Kentucky Derby.
She'd watched as he took her in from head to toe, raking an appreciative gaze over her body. Then he smiled, with that perfect smile and she thought she would actually swoon. She prayed she didn't sound too breathless when she said his name. When she placed her hand in his, her body felt consumed with a delicious heat, that spread through her entire body before finally settling heavy in her core.
Why does he have to have a girlfriend ? her mind cried out.
"Maya?"
Her eyes flew open. She hadn't even realized she'd closed them. She looked up to find Xavier staring at her with a look of concern.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She looked down at his chest. How had they gotten so close? And why was he still holding her hand. Not only that, but now he had both of his large hands wrapped around her small one.
She took a step back and nodded, trying to remove her hand from his.
"Are you sure?" he asked, gripping her hand tighter.
She cleared her throat and looked over his shoulder before saying, "Yes."
"You looked a little dazed for a moment there. You're not getting the party started early without me are you?" he teased with a grin.
Maya swallowed a whimper and shook her head.
Why does he have to be so funny? And why is he still holding my hand?
She looked around and over his shoulder again and his eyebrows drew together in curiosity.
"Are you expecting someone else?" he asked, looking around.
Finally she pulled her hand out of his grasp.
"No, I'm not...I thought maybe you were though."
He looked at her confused. "Who would I be waiting on?"
"Well, I just assumed that since you were coming up here for a weekend vacation that...Darby would be accompanying you."
She was caught off guard when he suddenly looked very uncomfortable. He blew out a heavy breath before running a hand across his jawline.
"Actually..."
Suddenly she thought back to her conversation with Eva the other day. Was it possible that he and Darby were no longer....
No!
"Darby and I are no longer together."
Yes!
"Oh," Maya said, in what she hoped sounded like a sympathetic tone, as she placed her hand on her chest.
"We ended things about six months ago."
"I'm so sorry Xavier," she said, only half-heartedly meaning it.
Xavier shrugged. "You didn't know. No harm done."
They stood there for an awkward moment before Maya finally said, "Are you ready for your tour?"
She was relieved when he finally smiled again. "Definitely."
"Russell Oaks is a family owned winery that has been making wines for over forty years. It's one of the oldest wineries run by African-Americans in Napa Valley and prides itself on quality and...."
Xavier couldn't focus on what he was sure to be a fascinating
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