The Beast of Napa

15 - Spinning

He didn't like the proposition.

When Rose came to Griffin with the marriage proposal, he instantly hated the idea. Not because of Rose herself - no, Rose was a good friend and a genuine constant in his life that he could not replace - but because he knew it was a deal of business and not a deal of pleasure. He disagreed with the idea that people were good business arrangements, and although he knew that marrying Rose would lead to a smooth and prosperous life, there was something in him that wasn't happy with such an easy victory.

Which was strange because he wanted victory more than anything.

But recently, his interests had changed. After being forced to work in the fields again, Griffin had found a spark of magic in his vineyards once more. Those vines had always been the source of his happiness, even when he was a child; back when his grandparents had nightly parties full of drinking and music until sunup.

The warmer memories of his family were starting to surface once more. He was afraid to lose them once again to the shadows that had plagued him for so long.

These days he even looked forward to sleepless nights, because despite his drained body at sunrise, his soul had a little more life to it by morning. The weight of the world beating down his door was starting to lift, the chains of other people's opinions breaking apart piece by piece.

But the question that bothered him most was... what had changed?

The moon was high, but it didn't stop him from stepping out into the summer wind. With his hands in the pockets of his denim, he wandered through the fields until he reached the spot he had been coming to for the past few months, to meet a maiden who only came alive in the moonlight.

His pulse quickened when he saw her there once again.

Catriona was twirling in the moonlight, her dress spinning around her like a fairy spell. He watched her with intense fascination. How could such a timid, scared creature become a full woman when the moon was full?

It was these moments at night that he saw glimpses of what he could only conclude was her true self.

And her true self reminded him of the things he had loved most before his family and his reputation had been smeared across the city pavement.

If he hadn't been a vintner... and if he had never been engaged to that woman...

He shook his head. He didn't want to think of any of that now.

He was far too enchanted.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Griffin asked, stepping forward to meet her.

Catriona stopped spinning, her hair falling around her face in careless waves and her smile breaking between the locks.

"You came," Catriona said with joy, as if she had summoned him herself.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"I had a lovely night! Haven't you ever had such a lovely night that you felt like dancing under the moon?"

"Yes," Griffin said flatly. "I schedule it every third Tuesday of the month."

She laughed, clear and bright as the stars behind her. She bounded forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. He threw his hands up in shock, her face so close to his that it made his heart tremble.

"Come dance with me," she urged.

The sensation of her arms around him threw his logic into a spin, the hammering of his heart taking all the words out of his throat.