Whispers in the Vineyard Ch. 03

Wine, a beautiful woman and a firefighter... What more do you want? Maybe some romance? Check. A strong woman? (I know I have some readers that will appreciate that 😉) Check. Sex, you say? Check! I think you'll love Gregg and Ellie as much as I've come to love them. Emails welcome! Thanks for reading!

Whispers in the Vineyard Ch 03

"Hey babe, what would you think about doing a wine tasting at the restaurant?" I asked Gregg over lunch one day. It was rare we were both off on the same day.

I thought about it when I opened, but I didn't know enough about wine, nor did any of my staff. Our town was too small to have a dedicated liqueur wine store, or else I might have found someone there. So, I just scrapped the idea.

He looked up from the bison burger I grilled for him. "Sure, I think I'd like that." He took another bite. "This is so damn good, Ellie. If you were open for lunch, you could put it on the menu!" I glared at him. I've had many requests to open for lunch and he knew it would stretch me too thin to do that. He cleared his throat and said, "Oh right. Wine tasting. Sure, when were you thinking?"

"I didn't have a time in mind since I thought we'd work around your schedule." I stood up to gather the dirty plates, but he took my hand and pulled me into his lap.

"You know..." He trailed a finger around the neckline edge of my tank top. "It drives me totally crazy..." He nuzzled my neck. "When you wear this top and don't wear a bra."

My nipples were hard and pushing through the thin white knit. At thirty-nine C I didn't go out in public braless but sometimes did at home. I was proud that they still sat high, especially at my age.

He leaned over and sucked a nipple into his mouth right through my top. The white was wet and clung to my hardening nipple. He did the same to the other.

"You'd be great in a wet t-shirt contest, but I wouldn't want anyone but me seeing you like that."

I got up, went to the sink, pulled the sprayer up, and leaning over the sink gave him his wet t-shirt show. He groaned when I turned around. I looked down and the white shirt clung to my breasts like a second skin. My dark nipples showed through the shirt, my nipples protruded like bullets from him and the cold water.

"Damn, Ell, you drive me crazy sometimes," he said, his voice deep and rasping.

"Take your pants off." He stood up, unbuttoned and unzipped, and kicked them off. "Sit down." He did.

I stripped while he watched, walked over, and straddled his legs. I squealed when suddenly he grabbed me and set me up on the table, spreading my thighs to either side and opening my pussy to him.

"Now it's time for dessert," he growled.

I moaned when I felt his breath on my smooth lips. His tongue flicked my clit causing me to jerk. He pulled me closer to the edge of the table and I laid back.

He hadn't shaved today and his beard rubbing the inside of my thighs was so arousing, His teeth nibbled my lips and tugged. He knew all the right things to do to take me higher and higher until I nearly drowned him in my juices when I came.

He stood up and rubbed the head of his cock up and down my sopping slit. I moaned and arched my back. He pushed his hard cock in deep, leaned over me on his hands, and began to fuck me.

I wrapped my legs around him which changed the angle of his cock, so it began to rub my clit. I came again. Hard and loud. He shoved in deep, and his cock pumped filling me with his hot seed. We gasped for breath for a moment.

"Wrap your legs around me again." I did. "Now hang on."

He pulled me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I held on tightly while he carried me to the bedroom.

That evening he picked up pizza for dinner. "Wish we had more days off together," he said, cracking the top off a bottle of beer.

"Yeah, me too," I sighed. "I thought when you moved in, we'd have a lot more time together, but it never seems like it. I'm coming and you're going, or you're going and I'm coming."

"Having a twenty-four-hour shift doesn't help I guess." He picked at his pepperoni, then popped one in his mouth. "It will be nice to work together for the wine tastings."

"I'm looking forward to it! Mostly to spend time with you, but I think the customers are really going to enjoy it. I've gotten a lot of requests for special events."

"Did Peter tell you he does events at the winery?"

"No, what does he do?"

"Well, I haven't been around in a while now, but he used to have themed prix fixe dinners, usually out in the vineyards. Let's see, what else," he said, thinking. "Oh! I know. He does bread baking classes. As I recall, those were hugely popular."

"Oh, those sound like fun! Too bad I can't do them in my place. Damn."

"No, but I bet if you brainstorm with Peter, he'll help you come up with some great ideas?"

"I'm sure!" But when. When would I even get to the winery to see him again? I can't take that much time off. I'll just have to do my own brainstorming.

We set up dates and times for the wine tasting and ordered more cases of wine. I prepared six charcuterie boards, one for each table. Gregg knew his wine and loved to talk about it. He was, as they say, in his element. The reservations filled up within a day of announcing it and they were already requesting more with different wines.

I dropped my keys and purse inside the door and plopped on the sofa. "I'd say that was a resounding success!"

He sat next to me and pulled my legs across his lap. "Yes, ma'am it certainly was. You made lots of happy people tonight." He began to rub my feet.

"Ohhhhh, you know how much I love when you do that," I moaned.

"You know how much I love you, right?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "I do. And you know how much I love you too, right?" I parroted.

"I do." He smiled. "I remember you telling me you weren't ready for a relationship. No time in your life for a man."

"You would remember that!" I laughed.

"And you're over the older younger thing too now, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I felt better about it after I talked to your mom."

"Really? Ohhhh, because she's older than dad. I forgot about that until now." He looked thoughtful. "See, it wasn't even noticeable, was it? It never affected me when I was a child."

Was he referring to what our future children would think about our age difference, I wondered? I needed to tell him the truth. And the sooner the better. Just not now.

I baked sourdough rolls, bread, and baked goods for the restaurant as I needed them. It never occurred to me that there might be an interest in folks learning about it, but apparently, Peter has had success.

As we were prepping for dinner I said to Janeen, "Say, could you put out some feelers as to how much interest there would be in lessons in making sourdough bread? Gregg told me Peter has done very well with it."

"I don't doubt it. Every time you make something with sourdough, it's a huge hit. I will put the word out, but I wouldn't be surprised if you had a lot of interest, so be prepared," she grinned.

She was certainly correct. I had a full class for the following week. I started feeding my sourdough starter so everyone would have some to take home to make their own baked good.

"It looks like a science experiment going on in here!" Gregg said, peering into the refrigerator trying to find a beer amongst all the plastic containers full of bubbling white starter.

"Almost!" I laughed. "I set up a bread-making class in a few days."

"You did?! That's cool, babe! I'm sure they're going to love it. Full house?" I nodded. "I'm not surprised."

I laughed again. "Janeen said the same thing."

"She knows. You have a gem in her, but I know you know that."

I nodded. "I really do. Don't know what I'd do without her." Which made me a little sad just thinking about it.

"How about I make us a couple of grilled cheese and salad and we sit on the front porch. It's pretty nice and the humidity hasn't hit. Yet."

After we finished, he sprawled on the swing with his head in my lap.

"I love this house. It's a little small, but perfect for two," he said.

"Well, since it is just the two of us it's perfect then hmm?"

Now is the time. Now is the time. Now is the time, I repeated to myself.

"Well sure, but it might be cramped for a family thought, don't you think?" he asked.

"I guess I never thought about it. Having a family here I mean. It was just me. Now you and me." I took a breath. "Are you talking about kids?"

"I guess. Didn't think that much about it." He was thoughtful. "Not right now at least."

Tell him. Tell him. Tell him. It's time, I repeated to myself.

"Yes. Future."

"You and your ex-husband never had kids huh?" I shook my head.

"He wasn't interested in having children." And neither was I.

Oh my god woman, speak. Tell him.

"Ah okay, I can understand that. Not everyone is cut out for it. A responsibility for the rest of one's life," he said, and I nodded. "What do you say we go to bed and just practice making kids?" he laughed.

I laughed nervously. He had never mentioned birth control, probably assuming I took care of it. Which I had done. Permanently.

He was off duty the day I had my bread class and stopped in before it started. We had time for a cup of coffee.

"Did you ever want to fuck in a fire truck?"

"WHAT?" I hissed, looking around.

"Just what I said," he laughed. "I had a dream we did just that."

"For god's sake, Gregg," I laughed. "You nut!" We were spontaneous when it came to sex, but not that spontaneous.

I planned to demonstrate the procedure and had extra so those that wanted to take part could. It was a rough cut that I planned on tweaking as we went. I sort of felt sorry for my first guinea pigs, I laughed to myself.

I kept it to six people, and it ended up going wonderfully well. They all wanted to make their own bread and we were able to get it all done, shaped, and into the refrigerator. After an overnight rest, I would bake them in the morning for them and they would pick them up afterward.

Gregg wandered back in after the class and helped me clean up. The restaurant was closed that day, so I was done.

I rinsed the last of the pans and wiped my hands when he came up behind me.

"Did I ever tell you how sexy you are?" he asked, putting his arms around my waist.

"Mmmm, I don't remember. You might have to remind me." I pushed my ass back against his rapidly growing cock.

"Especially in this skirt," he whispered in my ear, sliding his hand up my thigh and pushing my skirt to my waist.

"Ooh, you are a bad bad fireman today. That fire truck dream, eh?"

"Oh yeah, that was a hot dream. But this is pretty hot right now."

He shoved my panties down and bared my ass. He kneaded my ass, his breath hissing through his teeth. I moaned softly. His fingers ran down my slit that was quickly

"Fuck me, babe," I whimpered.

"Here? Really? OH my god yeah!"

His zipper and rustling clothes were loud in the quietness.

"Hurry!" I begged.

I bent over the workbench and felt the slick wet head of his cock run up and down through my own wetness. I pushed back. Wanted him inside me. He teased. Just pushing the head in a little. I pushed back again but he held my hips to control my movements. I felt the hot precum on my clit right before he stroked me into a whimpering orgasm.

My pussy was still pulsing when he shoved his cock. Deep and hard. The kitchen reverberated with lewd and loud grunting, moans, and whimpers. Flesh pounding flesh and he held my hips and fucked me harder. He gripped me so hard that my feet were almost off the ground. His balls slapped my clit keeping the sensation going on and on.

His shouts echoed around the stainless steel-filled room as he made one last hard thrust and emptied his hot seed inside me.

"Mmmm, babe. The way you turn me on," he murmured between gasps.

He righted my skirt, tucked my panties in his pocket and we went home.

Gregg had another wine tasting the following week when the restaurant was closed. Another full booking. Janeen said he got rave reviews for the last one and she had a waiting list for future tastings. Gregg loved doing it because he loved talking about wine, it was something nice to offer our guests, so it was a win-win for everyone.

That morning his cell phone woke us up at five o'clock. At that time of the night morning, I knew it was bad news.

"Is he okay now?!" Gregg said with much angst. His father. "I'll be there as soon as I can." He was already up gathering clothes. "I'll be there soon, mom, don't worry." He ended the call with shaky hands.

"They think dad had a heart attack," he said choked up.

"Awh babe, I'm sorry. What's his condition?" I got up to help him pack because he was throwing everything in the suitcase but what he'd need.

"They don't know yet. They're still giving him tests."

He swept the counter of his bathroom stuff, grabbed his suitcase, and was out the door.

I padded out to the kitchen to make coffee since I knew I'd never get back to sleep. I sat in the dark at the breakfast bar, missing him already. Bereft. I never knew what that meant. Not even sure how it popped into my head. Maybe because that was how I felt. Bereft. Little did I know that this was only the beginning of the void I would feel.

Once it got to a decent time, I called Janeen to tell her we had to cancel the wine tasting and why.

"Oh no, poor Gregg, I can imagine how upset he was. You know I've been learning more about wine since he has been around, and I think I might be able to take over for him. Since you have his notes for today's specific wine, it shouldn't be hard. We can do the charcuterie and carry on. What do you think?"

"I think you're a lifesaver. But then again you always are. I don't tell you often enough how much I appreciate you," I sniffed.

"Awh hon, I know you're upset too. Don't worry about anything. And you do tell me a lot that I'm appreciated, and you have no idea how nice that is. I wouldn't want to work for anyone else but you!"

I sniffed and blubbered out an I'll be in to prepare the charcuterie and said goodbye.

While I was in the shower Gregg called and left a message that his dad did have a heart attack and they would be keeping him in the hospital for a few days. And that of course he would be staying there until his dad got home and was ready to work again. I cried so hard that I barely heard him say he loved me. I knew he was going to be gone a long time.

"I didn't think he'd be in the hospital that long," Gregg said one morning when he called. "It was nearly a week. They said there was substantial damage to his heart."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. How's he taking it?" I asked. His dad wasn't the type to sit around long.

"It scared him, I think. I admit, I've never seen him weak," he said, choking up.

"IT's so tough seeing our parents' age, I know." I had lost both of my parents within the last five years, and it was still tough.

We talked twice a day for the first three weeks he was gone. He got busy at the winery, and it was down to once a day. He knew my schedule and I didn't know his, so he usually did the calling.

I never knew how painful it was to miss someone until now. There was no way I could get away from the restaurant which was even more painful.

"Morning Ellie, hope it's not too early," he said one morning calling earlier than normal. I had just woken up and was still in bed.

"No, that's fine, babe. I love you. Miss you so much," I mumbled, still groggy with sleep.

"I was wondering if you could box the rest of my clothes up and ship them? I was hoping I could get away and come pick everything up, but I can't leave now."

I woke up quickly when I realized what he said. But mostly what he didn't say.

"Sure, I can do that today," I replied.

"Thanks, I-"I heard background talk. "Sorry, I have to run! Thanks for taking care of that for me."

And just like that, he was gone. No, miss you. No, love you. Nothing.

One of the firemen told me Gregg had taken a leave of absence, but they didn't expect him back. It looked like he was going to have to take over the winery because his dad's recovery was not going well.

Several days after that Gregg left a message that he had received the boxes I'd sent, and he wanted to thank me again. I listened to him leave the message. He didn't' ask me to call back.

I had no one to talk to. No shoulder to cry on. Janeen was a business friend, and I didn't feel I wanted to burden her with my personal issues. She was taking over the wine tasting, for which I was grateful. She was as good as Gregg, and they loved her. She had a waiting list for her tastings.

It was off-season for tourists and the restaurant was typically less busy. We still had a full house every night because the locals came out to eat after the tourists went back up north.

Earlier on I thought this might be a good time to close and go up to visit Gregg, but I was only hearing from him every few days. Our conversations were short and stilted. I suppose I wasn't the warmest. It seemed we had little to talk about. Once we updated each other on the winery and the restaurant, we ran out of words.

"How's your dad doing?"

"He's not doing as well as he should be. As we'd like. He seems to be struggling." He hesitated. "I'm not sure he's improving, Ellie. He seems to be getting worse."

"I'm so sorry. That must be tough to see."

"It's more than-"I heard the same female voice in the background. He said a few words to her that he muffled from me. "I'm sorry Ellie, I must run. Something has come up."

"Yes of course. Bye." But the phone went dead before I finished.

Four days went by without a call from Gregg. I picked up the phone and called, hoping my timing was good. It went right to voice mail and I left a how are you message, asked him to call when he could, and hung up.

That afternoon Janeen and I were preparing the dining room and one of Gregg's coworkers from the fire department came in.

"Hey Ellie, I just wanted to see how you were doing?"

Randy was older than Gregg, probably more my age, I thought as I looked at him closer than I had.

"I'm doing okay, thanks," I said, wondering about his concern. We had never exchanged much more than a few words. He stood there tapping the back of a chair, moving from one leg to the other. "I'm just getting ready to go into the kitchen to prep for tonight's dinner, but I have time for a quick cup of coffee. Would you join me?"

I remembered Randy as being one of the volunteers for the fundraiser and was impressed by his leadership.

"Sure, that'd be great." He sat at the table we were wrapping linen napkins in fancy folds. I continued to work waiting for him to talk. "So do you know if Gregg is coming back or not?"

"I honestly don't know," I admitted. I would be surprised though. He will have to take over the winery because of his dad's health." He nodded and toyed with his coffee mug.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?"

Whoa, I thought. Where did that come from? I wasn't expecting that.

"Umm, I don't think I'm ready for that, Randy. I'm sorry. Besides that, I have so much to do here since we've added the wine tastings and sourdough classes."

He smiled; his green eyes crinkled at the corners. "I get it," he nodded. Glints of silver woven with the black hair flashed in the lighting, with his temples being mostly silver.

"But I sure could use a friend," I admitted. "I'm going through a rough patch right now and being busy here has added to my anxiety."