Daniel helped her up a steep path, and they suddenly stood on a little grassy plateau. Several trees provided shade. The view was three hundred and sixty degrees and stunning. Rolling hills, trees, vines, a small stream in the distance. It looked as if taken right out of a tourist brochure.

As Sabrina examined the plateau closer, she noticed a large blanket with a basket resting underneath one of the trees. He followed her gaze.

“I hope you’re hungry. I had a little picnic basket put together for us.”

Daniel smiled when he saw her surprised face.

“Wow.”

They spread out on the blanket, and he took out the food from the basket: bread, cheeses, olives, spreads, cold cuts, and of course a bottle of wine. No picnic in the wine country would be complete without wine.

Sabrina let herself be pampered. It had been very thoughtful of him to plan ahead and organize a lunch for them. She hadn’t expected him to put this much thought and planning into the weekend.

Daniel poured the wine and handed her a glass.

“To a wonderful weekend,” he toasted.

“To a wonderful weekend.”

Before she had a chance to drink from her wine he bent to her and softly pressed his lips on hers. It only lasted a second before he pulled back and drank from his glass. Sabrina quickly took a sip to disguise the fact that the simple touch of his lips had completely ruffled her. When she’d felt him kissing her, she’d instantly wished for more, for a deeper connection and not the light, barely-there touch he’d teased her with.

“I’m glad you decided to join me.”

“You didn’t exactly leave me much of a choice.” Sabrina took an olive and popped it into her mouth.

“Some people need a little persuasion.” Daniel’s smile was warm and kind. But she wasn’t easily fooled. Underneath the sweet exterior the predator lurked. The man who’d practically devoured her in bed was still there. He hadn’t just disappeared.

“Tell me, what’s your plan?”

“My plan?” he gave her a sideways glance.

“For this weekend. It looks like you have a plan. This picnic didn’t just appear out of nowhere. What other things do you have up your sleeve? Planning to soften me up, are you?”

“If I was, what makes you think I’d tell you what else you’re in for? It would be showing my cards, wouldn’t it?” He changed the subject. “Cheese?”

She took his offering, and they both started eating.

***

Daniel smiled inwardly. Sabrina was sharp, and there was little he’d get past her. She had to let him know that she was onto him, his cute pretend escort. Sure, he had a plan for the weekend, but there was no way he’d let her know the things he’d planned to sweep her off her feet and right into his arms.

With Tim’s help, he’d come up with all kinds of ideas, and he would put as many as possible into practice. If by the end of the weekend she wasn’t as taken with him as he was with her, he’d just have to try harder the next week. Failure was not an option.

Pouring the last of the wine into her glass, he noticed that she could hold her own. They were making light conversation during their meal, talking about wine, food, and vacations. Daniel lay back onto the blanket after he’d finished the last sip of wine. The lack of sleep was catching up with him.

Planning and preparing for the perfect weekend with Sabrina, even with Tim’s help, had taken most of the night. He’d barely gotten two hours of sleep, and the wine had done the rest. His body couldn’t hide the tiredness any longer.

In the morning, he’d left a message with his new lawyers about where they could reach him in case of absolute emergency but told them he didn’t want to be disturbed. He’d even switched off his Blackberry, which he’d never done before.

“Do you mind if I close my eyes for a few minutes?” he asked her.

“Go ahead. It’s nice up here. I might just nap a little too. The wine has made me a little tired.”

Daniel saw her smile before he closed his eyes. Seconds later, he felt her shift on the blanket and knew she’d lain down next to him. He drifted off quickly, feeling a light breeze caress him. The tree provided sufficient shade for them to remain relatively cool despite the warmth of the sun.

He fell into a light dream, imagining her arms around him, her head resting on his chest and her even breathing soothing him. He could easily see himself with her, and not just in bed. He could see her by his side doing things couples did. But mostly, he could see her in his arms.

When he’d dated plastic women as Tim liked to call them, he’d never been very demonstrative with his feelings. Apart from lending a woman his arm to lead her to the table or to help her out of a car, he wasn’t one to hold hands in public, let alone kiss. His girlfriends had always understood this.