Carla’s Prince

As they walked through the thickets perfectly adorned with grapes, Carla could not help but marvel at the crop. For a minute there, she felt like she was completely out of the city. It was like she was somewhere in rural Spain. Even the air she was breathing there was different. The only thing left was to find a clearing and get a fire started right there to share a glass of wine and some cheese.

“Are you always this quiet when you are not talking about work?” he asked as they walked through the orchard. She looked at him and shrugged.

“No, I am just a little…” Her voice trailed off. “It is all so breathtaking.”

He nodded.

“Yeah, it is my little country in the city.”

“How did you even get this here? I mean, don’t most people just buy a lot of land in Napa for an insane amount or something of the sort?”

“Yeah, but I did not want to do the same old thing as everyone. So, after spending most of my life in the countryside, I just wanted more of that I guess.”

She looked around and shrugged.

“I can see why you like it here. It must be hard on you leaving all this behind when you have to go back home every so often,” she said and he laughed.

“It is the biggest reason I give my family for being away for so long even though they keep on telling me to invest in a manager,” he said.

“Maybe you should,” she pointed out.

“I already did. I got a manager.”

She shook her head.

“I don’t understand…anything,”

“Let’s just say it is easier for me to be away from all the drama in my family.”

She raised an eyebrow over the other even though he could not see her.

“Drama?”

“You wouldn’t believe how much drama is in some of these affluent families,” he pointed out as they came to a stop.

“I don’t know many affluent families, so I wouldn’t know what to say to that,” she said matter of factly.

“Trust me, you are not missing much,” he said in a soft voice. “And if I can be honest, the one thing….the one person I am going to miss more than anything if I move back to Denmark is you,” he added.

The sun was setting by that time and as she looked at him, his face illuminated by the golden glow of the perfect sun, she could not help but feel like something was going to happen. A part of her did want something to happen, maybe many things to happen, but she was not doing anything. She was just standing there. He took a step closer to her, smiling.

“Have I told you how much I love your hair like that?” he asked in a whisper.

“No, you haven’t.”

“Well, I love your hair however you wear it.”

“Thanks.”

Her voice at that point was more of a whisper than anything. He took another step towards her getting himself even closer to her.

“Brace yourself, Gibson, because I am going to kiss you now.”

She barely had enough time to nod before he lowered his head and held the back of her neck. His kiss was soft and gentle. The feeling of his lips against her own was one that sent a shiver down her spine. Her heart was racing by the time he finally pulled away. He looked at her as he gently pushed her hair back from her face. She did not expect to like the kiss as much as she did and she even wanted to kiss him again. But she could not help but wonder why he seemed to be staring at something on her neck instead.

“What?” she asked.

“Nice earrings,” he said softly.

A smile played on her lips.

“You like them? Because I have never worn them before.”

“They are perfect,” he said. His voice sounded cold and for a minute there, she felt like the magical moment had passed. He took her hand and began walking her back towards the house in silence. She could not help but wonder if something had changed since they kissed…