Read The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée for Free Online Page B

outstretched hand. “Shall we?”
    What the hell was he up to this time? Jaden had become accustomed to Ivan’s spontaneity and lavish surprises, but after the ridiculous display of affection in her dressing room yesterday, not to mention their sumptuous evening’s accommodations, she had a feeling this adventure was going to take the cake.
    He snagged the check and led her to the front desk, where it seemed he’d already checked out. He handed the bellman the ticket for their luggage, and moments later his suitcase appeared.
    Jaden smiled and interlocked her fingers with his as they took one last look at the elegant lobby and headed outside to hail yet another cab.
    “LAX, please,” Ivan directed as they slid inside.
    As the driver pulled away from the curb, her curiosity bubbled over. She shifted sideways on the seat to face Ivan. “Okay, I can’t take it anymore. Where are we going?”
    He tried to keep a poker face, but the corner of his mouth turned up into a sly smile. “Take a load off and relax. I’m giving you exactly what you need: some stress-free pampering.”
    “Are you sure you packed everything I need—”
    He cut her off with a glare.
    “Never mind,” she sang quietly as she sank back into the seat. It didn’t matter whether he’d packed her bag well or not. A trip with Ivan might very well mean staying in bed, so they wouldn’t need clothes at all…which she could totally get behind.
    “That’s my girl,” he said with a wink. He picked up her foot and put it in his lap, continuing with the massage from the night before.
    The cab pulled to a stop in front of Alaskan Airlines, and she could feel her anticipation mount. Alaska? Putting her shoe back on, she slid out of the taxi behind Ivan and followed him to the near-vacant checkin counter. He handed the woman his ID.
    “Good morning, Dr. Rusilko. Your flight to Santa Rosa is on time. And this is Ms. Jaden Thorne, I presume?” the attendant asked.
    Jaden silently gave thanks for her oversized purse that contained everything but the kitchen sink as she handed the woman her passport. Then she began to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet, bursting with excitement.
    Ivan shrugged as if admitting defeat. “Well, I got tired of waiting for the next Winemaker’s Dinner, so I figured we’d have our own wine-infused celebration. There’s no place like Napa for that.”
    “Ivan.” Jaden wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his cheek. “How did I ever get so lucky?”
    “I’m the lucky one,” he whispered as he turned to find her lips.
    After a moment, the attendant cleared her throat, and they returned to focus on the task at hand. As they headed for the gate, Jaden continued to bounce, and with each step counted her blessings for having found Ivan. They traversed the crowded airport and arrived to find their flight already boarding. Before her relationship with Ivan she would’ve been nervous about flying on such a small plane, but having visited his family in Pennsylvania, and now flying back and forth constantly between LA and Miami, airplanes had become second nature.
    Settling in their seats, they each prepared for the almost two-hour flight: Jaden with a book and Ivan with his iPod. While the flight attendant delivered her lecture about seatbelts and exits, Jaden reached across the seat and plucked the earbud from Ivan’s ear. “Thank you, baby.”
    He smiled sleepily, and she wondered when he’d had the time to organize this little excursion. But she could tell now was no time to ask, and sure enough, he was snoring before they left the runway. He scarcely moved until the screeching wheels and jolt of their landing roused him from his nap.
    “Sleep well?” Jaden nudged his shoulder.
    “Yes, yes, I did,” he replied with a yawn.
    “That must’ve been one hell of a dream. You mumbled through the entire flight.”
    “Oh, you know,” he replied. “Vineyards, fine wine, and a whole lotta