The Billionaire's Prize: Taken & Tempted: (Book 3 Billionaire Bodyguard Series) by Kristi Avalon

had a clue what she was doing when she ordered wine at a nice restaurant. House chardonnay wasn’t going to cut it in the fancier circles of society.
    She pulled out several bottles, inspected them, then nestled them back into their coves until she found a Malbec from Argentina. She shrugged and exited the wine room.
    “Sure you don’t want a glass?” she asked, noticing Slone had polished off all but two slices of pizza. She opened and closed cupboards searching for wine glasses.
    “No, thanks.”
    When she found the stemware, she eyed the collection. “Short and round, or tall and slim?” she wondered aloud.
    “You want a glass with a wide mouth.”
    “Why?”
    “Reds need to breathe once they’re exposed to oxygen. Wider rims help that process.”
    “Oh.” Maybe Slone could lead her through a wine tasting. “Why does it need to breathe?”
    “Brings out the flavors,” he said with an authoritative nod.
    “Interesting.” In a drawer she found a corkscrew housed in a strange contraption with a curved handle. Bewildered, she picked it up and stared at it.
    “Here.” Slone stretched out his hand. “I’ll show you how it works.” He popped the cork in three seconds.
    “Do they teach you that in bodyguard one-oh-one?”
    He chuckled. “I’ve worked with enough politicians and heads of state to know my way around a wine opener.” Then he poured the red liquid into her glass, gave it a few swirls, and handed it back to her. “You want a stout glass so you can cup it in your hand to warm the wine.”
    “Breathing. Warming. Special glasses. Crazy wine openers.” Her shoulders slumped. “I definitely need to take a class.”
    “Nah. You’ll get the hang of it. Wine tastings make for great second dates, so I hear.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind…if I ever get a first one.”
    He tilted his head. “You could walk into any bar and have your pick.”
    “I must be going to the wrong bars.” When I do get out for a night. She sighed. “It’s hard to date when you’re studying all the time.”
    “I know the feeling. My hours are insane, but that’s my choice. I still can’t believe you’re single.”
    “I’m from Las Vegas. The land of showgirls, beautiful people, and rich plastic surgeons. In case you haven’t noticed,” she said, gesturing at herself, “I don’t fit into that club.”
    For a second he gave her the oddest stare. Then he cleared his throat, closed the pizza box and stood. “I think I’ll go read a magazine on the couch.”
    His abrupt departure left her standing alone in the kitchen. Was it something I said?
    Abandoned to her own devices, she wandered over to a set of frosted glass doors. They looked like they led to a balcony, leaving her curious about the iridescent turquoise color casting wavy patterns on the hardwood floor. She pressed the handle and opened the door.
    A gust of wind made her shiver but the view took her breath away.
    Forgetting the cold, she stepped out onto the concrete balcony to a sea of glittering city lights below. A fingernail moon hung above the outline of the mountain range, eerily close as if she could reach out and touch the tip. Directly in front of her stretched an in-ground lap pool, the source of the rippling patterns. The blue water lapped gently like an invitation. She bent and dipped her hand in to find it surprisingly warm. A heated pool in the sky. How did it get better than this?
    Then she spotted a hot tub at the other end. Bubbles frothed and foamed, dancing along the surface of the circular basin. It just got better.
    Delighted by her discovery, she returned inside and approached Slone. He sat on one of the black couches absorbed in a magazine.
    “Do you think Cade would mind if I used his hot tub?”
    “Nope.” He turned a page without looking up at her. “I don’t think he’d mind one bit.”
    “Oh, good.” She didn’t know why she felt the need to ask permission. Cade had told her to make herself at home in his place.