The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée by Everly Drummond, Dr. Ivan Rusilko Read Free Book Online Page A

trying to restore the estate to its former glory.”
    Jaden glanced over her shoulder at the abandoned vineyard behind them. “Looks like your friend still has a lot of work ahead of him.”
    “Ah, but looks can be deceiving, Ms. Thorne.” Ivan laughed. He relinquished his grip on her waist and fished in his pocket until he found what he was looking for: a solitary brass key on a silver key ring. “Shall we?”
    She sighed and took his proffered hand.
    They walked in silence to the back of the car, collected their bags from the trunk, and walked together toward the house, taking in the view once again. He smiled at her again and felt a shot of butterflies ripple through him. Perhaps her excitement was infectious. As they approached the front door, he lifted the key to the lock, but the door swung open, revealing a rather robust woman on the other side of the threshold. Wild, curly black hair hung around her face, and a peasant skirt and floral blouse covered her abundant form.
    “You must be Dr. Rusilko!” the woman all but shouted, her voice thick with enthusiasm and a heavy Spanish accent. Stepping aside, she waved them into the house. “Señor Shok said I should be expecting you this afternoon. Please, let me take your bags.”
    Ivan released Jaden’s hand and twisted sideways, thwarting the woman’s attempts. “Thank you, but I can manage, Mrs.…?”
    “ Miss Marta,” she replied, not so subtly giving him the onceover.
    He heard Jaden stifle a laugh, and she blushed crimson as a chuckle escaped her lips.
    “Señor Shok failed to inform me that there would be other guests joining us this evening,” he said kindly, ignoring Jaden’s fit of giggles.
    “Oh no, Dr. Rusilko, I am only here to see you to your room and ensure that you’re settled in,” Marta assured him. “You will have the house to yourselves this evening, but I’ll prepare your supper before I leave. Now, come. I’ll show you to your room.”
    “Thank you, Marta.” Ivan took Jaden by the hand.
    Floorboards creaked underfoot as they moved through the house. Despite the modern amenities, it had a certain old world charm. Cherry hardwood floors stretched out in every direction, and mahogany panels lined the walls, adding character and ambiance to the sparsely furnished space. They reached a small kitchen at the back of the house and Marta began climbing a small stairwell off to one side.
    This wasn’t the type of lodging Ivan had grown accustomed to in South Beach. No marble floors, no heated swimming pools, and no grand staircases. This place reminded him of the simple cabin in Pennsylvania he and Jaden had shared not long ago—the place where they’d declared their love for each other again and again. The memories of that night brought a smile to his face, and he could feel the stirring of arousal as well. Squeezing Jaden’s hand in his, he turned to her and smiled. He could see all the love and lust and adoration on his face reflected in her emerald green eyes.
    One-by-one they inched up the stairs to the second-floor landing, and Miss Marta’s commanding voice echoed in the hallway, breaking the quiet that had settled among them.
    “This is your room.” She produced a key ring with dozens of keys of various shapes and sizes. She selected one and opened the door. “The bathroom has been upgraded. There are fresh towels in the closet, and the hairdryer is beneath the sink.”
    “This is lovely,” Jaden said, looking toward their accommodations.
    “Will there be anything else, sir?”
    “No. Thank you, Marta.”
    “Very well. Dinner will be ready in a bit. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
    He nodded politely, and Marta took her leave, closing the door behind her. He placed the suitcases on the floor at the foot of the bed and surveyed the room while Jaden flitted from window to window like a butterfly, once again radiating pure joy. He couldn’t help but smile, but he also felt a tingle race up his spine. This