Amber Belldene

A little m/m silliness: Blood Vine’s Pedro flirts w/Adrian from @CeliaBreslin’s HAVEN

On one of my first research trips to investigate the mysterious winemaker Andre Maras, I traveled from San Francisco to the Kastel Estate Winery’s tasting room in Sonoma County. I pulled into the parking lot next to a dark blue BMW convertible.  A gorgeous blond tapped my passenger door as he swung his open to exit his car.

“Hi there. Pardon the love tap.” He swiped a large, tanned hand over my door. “No harm done. But I’ll buy you a drink anyway.”

It was not hard to imagine that hand swiping over my hip in a similar way.  “Thanks, but I think they are pouring for free inside.”

He produced a card. Black. One word–H A V E N–in shiny silver text. “Stop by my club anytime. Drinks on me.” He shot me an Oscar-worthy smile and strode to the tasting room, leaving me alone in the lot.

I couldn’t help but wonder if he was showing off that very nice view of his backside on purpose. I cracked the big rustic door of the tasting room and slid inside.  When my eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, I nearly swooned. Handsome company, even if they were clearly into each other more than they would ever be into me. The blond shook hands with a stocky dark-haired man I knew must be my host for the afternoon, Pedro Torres. I could overhear their warm greeting.

“Hola, Adrian. Como estas?”

“Muy bien, my muy guapo amigo,” Adrian replied with a wide grin. He gave Pedro a slow once-over, still holding his hand. “Yeah, I miss seeing this on the dance floor. Where’ve you been hiding?  The men at HAVEN miss you.” He cocked his head. “And mi tambien.”

Pedro snorted, yanking his hand back to punch Adrian lightly on the shoulder. “Dude. Nix the Spanglish.  And, amigo, you miss anything with a pulse and a penis.”

Adrian’s deep laugh was the sexiest sound I’d heard in a long time. They hadn’t noticed me lingering in the doorway, and he stepped closer to Pedro. “I only like cocks if they belong to someone like you, my smartass friend. And I don’t discriminate against people without them. ”

“Yuck. Your switchy shit creeps me out.” Pedro slid a hand into Adrian’s hair, looking not at all creeped.

Switch? If I weren’t a happily married romance novelist, that word might have intrigued me.

Adrian quirked a brow. “Come on, man. You know Rina. She’s irresistible.”

“Whatever, dude.”  Pedro yanked him close until wall of muscle met equally solid wall of muscle, and thumped him on the back.  Damn, I would not have minded being in the middle of that hot man sandwich.

They kissed each cheek–twice, lucky cheeks–then a quick peck on the mouth.

Adrian pulled back. “As much as I’d like to continue this…” he licked his lower lip. “I actually made the trip to check out your latest and greatest.” His gaze darted south. “Wine, that is.”

“Riiight…” Pedro gave him the look that comment deserved.

“Hey Pedro.”  Adrian’s tone turned serious. I’d just met the guy and I could tell it was out of character.

“Yeah?” The winemaker pulled away, wearing the same look of curiosity that fluttered through me.

Adrian leaned against the bar, fingers tapping a staccato rhythm on the marble. “You know that thing about a pulse?”

Pedro took a full step back. “Uh huh.”

“Maybe I’m way off base here, but I have a theory about your mysterious Andre Maras. And why he’s never in the tasting room.”

I knew Andre Maras was a vampire, and Pedro knew it, too. But, how the hell had Adrian guessed?

“Dude, what the hell are you talking about?” Pedro brushed a lock of dark hair off his face.

Adrian’s fingers ceased their drumming. “Pedro, amigo, I knoooow about vampires.”

Pedro’s eyes widened. “Seriously, are you doing a blood sucker?  Now it all makes sense. I could have shipped you the wine you needed. You wanted to grill me!”  Pedro grinned, shaking his head.  “I DO NOT get frisky with vampires. I don’t want fangs anywhere near my…”

His mouth fell open in astonishment and I could sympathize–Adrian had flushed bright pink.

Adrian shrugged. “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

I dropped my purse.

Shit.

When I tried to grab it, my keys clattered to the floor.

Both men turned their attention to me. Adrian straightened, arms folded across his broad chest. “Hell, I forgot about you. Have you been listening the whole time?”

With one knee on the floor, I looked up and nodded sheepishly.

“Shit.”

“Oh, don’t worry about her. She’s Andre’s friend. Writing some kinda book.”  Pedro strolled over and offered me a hand. “Amber, right?”

“Yeah.  Nice to meet you.”

His hand was thick and he had one of those firm but gentle handshakes. I liked him on first contact, even if he didn’t switch.

“I just had a few questions about winemaking.  You know, the stuff Andre gets too impatient to answer.”

“Sure thing.  Let me pour you a glass.” He escorted me to the bar with a hand at my elbow. “I take it you already met Adrian?”

“I did. He gave me a love tap.”

Pedro rolled his eyes. “I’m sure that’s not all he’d like to give you. He doesn’t require a pulse or a penis.”

Adrian raised his hands, blue eyes glinting with mischief. “Guilty.”

Clearly, he’d recovered from his earlier embarrassment.

I coughed. “Um, I’m, uh…married.”

“Oh, he doesn’t mind that either.”

Adrian chuckled. “Hey man, no fair. I’m a lover not a homewrecker.” He tapped the bartop.  “Now pour us some booze already.”

Pedro twisted the wine key on a bottle of my favorite Kastel Estate Zin and the cork popped out with a thunk. Three glasses waited to receive the crimson liquid. Once it was poured, we raised them.

“To Andre,” I said.

“To Kastel,” Pedro replied.

“To vampires,” Adrian finished.

Clink. Clink. Clink. And we each took a sip of the sweet but balanced, peppery wine.

———
Enjoy more of Pedro in Blood Vine available now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and in Blood Entangled, coming in July.

Adrian comes out to play in Celia Breslin’s urban fantasy romance HAVEN, releasing July 1, 2013.