Read Online Risking the Vine (Romancing the Vine Book 1) by Gemma Brocato - Free Book Online

through on what they’d started last night. God, when he kissed her, desire flared to life between her legs, making her wet. She’d nearly panted when the back of his hand drifted over her nipples. Imagine how she’d have embarrassed herself if he’d actually palmed her breasts.
    Casting a surreptitious glance at him, she found his face set in an attentive mask as he stood stiffly by her side, listening to Jules explain the project. She hoped he was really paying attention to the instructions, because she was still too distracted by the memory of the bulge in his jeans when they’d sat in the golf cart.
    She definitely wanted him. However, any thought beyond the end of the week scared the crap out of her. She hated uncertainty and yet here she was, sitting smack dab in the middle of it. The harsh noise of her grinding teeth jerked her back to the present. She mentally commanded herself to unclench her jaw, lower her shoulders, and release the tension pinching her like a too-tight shoe. Fat lot of good the stern order did. With a herculean effort, she forced her attention back to Jules’ calm voice.
    Luke bent to pick up the thin sheet of wood that was the base of their artwork, his jeans stretched tautly over his butt. Jac licked her lips. He placed the board on the table and turned in time to see her ogling him. Slow, sexy confidence spread over his face and she was lost. If there weren’t so many other people in the room, she might have tackled him and had her way with him right there. And the rat bastard knew it, judging by the way his eyes danced.
    “You have three hours to work on this. Do your best to finish on time,” Jules called out. “We’ll be serving a buffet lunch just outside in the picnic area, so if you don’t complete your project in the allotted time, you’ll still be able to use the lunch break to finish, if needed.”
    Luke leaned against the worktable and crossed his arms over his chest as he raked his gaze over her body. He asked, “So, are we going to try to recreate the scene outside?”
    “Stop looking at me that way!”
    False innocence moved over his face, brows lifting, eyes widening in question. The grin stayed put. “What way?”
    “Like you’ve just hit the bull’s eye with all three baseballs. Like I’m some kind of prize you’ve just won.” She pressed her lips together and wrapped her arms around her waist.
    “I don’t think that’s how I was looking at you.” He shoved away from the table and gestured to the buckets of wine corks under the counter. “So, what’s it going to be? A landscape or a portrait?”
    At least he’d wiped the victorious expression off his face. Jac sighed. “Landscape. I do think it would make a pretty picture.”
    “Are you any good at sketching? One of us should draw where we want to place the corks on the wood while the other sorts through the supplies. Using a divide and conquer strategy seems a good idea for a team.”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    Jac grabbed a pencil from a cup on the tabletop. Leaning her weight onto one hip, she studied the board, flipping the pencil through her fingers while she thought. After a quick glance through the window, she leaned over, braced one hand on the table, and began scratching out a rough layout for the project.
    Luke sorted through the corks, dividing them by the color tipping the ends. He worked swiftly and in silence. Around the room, the other teams worked on their projects without much conversation.
    While she penciled in the drawing, Jac considered where corks would have to be placed to create the image they’d agreed on. She drew small circles, designating placement of each cylinder.
    She nudged against Luke as she reached for the paints that had been provided to add any necessary color. He steadied himself with a hand on the floor. “Watch where you’re going, lady.” His bright eyes softened the reprimand in his words.
    She teased right back. “Sorry. It’s just that some people are