The Bordelli Vineyards (closed)

[LdyAppleBlossom]

The Bordelli vineyards are the California’s oldest family owned and continuously operated winery. Founded in 1883 by Frank Bordelli with just 48 acres and was turned into a 3000 acre fifth generation run winery selling top notch vines all over the world.

Two weeks ago on a dreaded dark night, a plane went down into the ocean and upon it were Randolph and Grace Bordelli leaving behind one daughter as well as a son to take over the business immediately without notice.

Jillian just had her twenty-fifth birthday and was in awe, she sat down behind the big mahogany desk and looked over the paperwork that was tossed before her by the lawyers, and signed where she needed to. Jillian sighed as she choked back the tears and pushed the pile of papers back to Preston the family lawyer, as she reached up and wiped her tears away.

“I have no clue what I’m doing Preston, I can’t manage this all by myself, but I know I have no choice. Two weeks ago, I was just daddy’s assistance in training, I have so much to learn, I-I’m not ready for this responsibility, but I know he isn’t either, he loves the military, I’d hate to see him leave his career.”

“Jillian, listen to me, I can help you, I do have some winery knowledge, I can help you get through the roughest parts. As far as your brother goes that would be up to him to make that choice.”

Preston looked across the mahogany desk at Jillian. She was young, bright, responsible, and charismatic as well as one of the wealthiest females now available on the market due to the death if her parents. Her hair was long and deep jet black, it flowed freely around her face as well as cascaded down her shoulders and back. Her eyes normally held such a bright sparkle, her build; you could tell she worked out daily. Jillian was almost every white collar mans dream and a few blue. Preston knew if he really wanted to land a wife she would indeed be ripe for the picking now and could easily make and take him to the things he wished for and wanted.

“I just don’t want him stuck here like daddy was, no life but this winery and that’s all. I mean I’m the oldest and it’s more my responsibility.”

Preston wanted her to keep thinking that with her younger brother out of the way the winery and Jillian could easily be plucked like a freshly bloomed flower in spring. “I agree Jillian; let me help you and we’ll struggle through this together okay?”

Jillian nodded her head, though the winery was flourishing, and the help could be used she decided to not call upon her brother, heck Jillian wasn’t even about to tell Preston that her younger brother was going to return before he signed on for his next tour of duty, he was actually due back in three days.

The meeting broke up and Jillian went to work, she looked up and watched Preston’s car go along the long drive till he was out of sight from her view from the office window. Jillian began to familiarize herself with what her father had taught her, trying to make sense out of all the bullshit paperwork that was piled upon the desk since the death of her parents.

Jillian grabbed the phone as it rang; she sat back in the leather chair and sighed as she heard the operator make the connection for the overseas call. “Hello brother dear, yes I’m okay its just a lot of work, too much for me honestly I really have no clue what I’m doing. I mean I do but everything was just tossed at me…us and I’m still feeling lost without Mom and Dad.” Jillian wiped the tears from her bright green eyes as she closed her eyes.” I keep waiting to wake up and walk into the office and see daddy sitting behind his desk like normal, and my mind knows it isn’t ever going to happen again, but my heart wishes differently.”

 

[Morpheus1981]

"Jillian..Jill..damn it Jill don't cry.."

He had no idea why it still effected him so but Andrew hated hearing his sister cry.

He had just completed a long 4 year stint in the Navy serving on a nuclear submarine and hadn't heard from Jillian in a long time as they had both gone ahead with their own lives when moving out of the family homestead. Andrew thought about his big sister alot while sailing under the seven seas.. even though most of those very thoughts were quite disconcerting and confusing to him. The opposite sex siblings were always very close growing up although Andrew was a bit of a withdrawn lad usually minding his own way though very intelligent. He had the usual assortment of passing girlfriends but none of which interested him enough to enter into a long term relationhip with. Spending time with his sister were the most enjoyable times for the young Andrew as they would engage in a variety of activities like going to carnivals and sporting events and magic shows..hell he even enjoyed going to the mall with her sometimes. He remembered the glowing look on his sisters pretty face one day when he performed his first magic trick for her and that look was engrained in his head to this day as a warm memory.

They surely had their fights and arguments as well, normal brother-sister stuff and she would tease him often about his lisp and whenever a girlfriend dumped him though he would rarely return the favor.

Finally his release after four long years.. Andrew hadn't even told a soul back home yet as it had been a sudden type of thing due to his time already being three months overextended and the clerical mistake finally being caught by some paper-pusher back at headquarters.

He spoke quickly between Jillians sobs.

"Jillian..Jill..listen..Jillian..listen I'm coming home OK? Don't worry. I am being honorably discharged and I am coming home..Do you hear me my sister? You won't be alone anymore. I will be there at the vineyard sometime after sunset, probably around 9PM...Jill do you hear me??"

 

[LdyAppleBlossom]

"Jillian..Jill..damn it Jill don't cry.." Andrew said over the phone as Jillian left the tears roll down her cheeks. She was in way to deep, normally a strong-willed and determined female she just felt the stress building up upon her shoulders. Those same shoulders that normally carried the weight of the world upon them finally broke down and she just couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

“Jillian...Jill...listen...Jillian...listen I'm coming home OK? Don't worry. I am being honorably discharged and I am coming home. Do you hear me my sister? You won't be alone anymore. I will be there at the vineyard sometime after sunset, probably around 9PM...Jill do you hear me??"

Jillian nodded her head as she raised her hand up to her face and wiped her tears away, guilt would set in soon, they both know it, she’d feel guilty she took him from his one true passion in his life, the service. Jillian wasn’t stupid by far she knew what serving his country meant to him, she knew he loved it, she enjoyed the postcards from all over the world from him. In fact she grew to look forward to them.

Jillian sniffled and spoke softly, “Andrew I’m sorry you need to help me. I hate having you come home…but in the same sense I’m grateful. I’ll send Gordon to pick you up at the airport if I can’t make it. There are three meetings tomorrow with retailers that daddy tried to push the vines into their stores. If I don’t get them to sign, I’m afraid we could lose everything.”

She may have been over exaggerating it just a bit but nobody knew what the business what truly making at this point since their father was the one that did the books. Once Andrew was home she knew things would then fall into place, they would be a team then. When they worked at something together they always succeeded, least as kids. Jillian hung the phone up and swung the chair around and looked out the window upon the many acres of grapevines and just stared into them. She could see her past, her childhood as she did.

Jillian saw an image of herself as a younger girl wearing her favorite pink dress when she was running through the rows of grapes while Andrew ran through the row over racing her to the very end which seemed to be miles and miles. They never made it to the end, they were forbidden to go that far from the house due to many reasons and snakes being one of them, there was one worker a month or ever couple months always being bitten by one, some poisonous sometimes not but mother didn’t want to take the chance of the kids being to far from home if something happened.

She smiled as the image of her and her brother disappeared within the horizon of the vineyard. She could remember all the fun they had, the good times when their parents were with them, Jillian hated thinking of them as gone, it was something within her heart that she just couldn’t accept, not yet, maybe never. Jillian looked at her day planner, she sighed as she looked over the meetings for tomorrow.

Andrew’s lisp was gone and like their awkwardness like every young person goes through had shed away, she smiled as they had both grown into two very mannered and good-looking people. Jillian tended to be more shy while Andrew was more forward, though she had believed that was due to the service and making him into the man he could be while she pined away working to take over the family business, something she wasn’t sure she wanted to do but had no choice. The business was family owned she’d never be able to step away and sell it to others to run.

Her daddy was proud of his vineyard, they were known for their grapes, they had all sorts, wanting to give their customers variety. They grow Wadenswill and Pommard Pinot noir wine grapes and also a popular white variety called Muller Thurgau. In the near future daddy had planned on planting another classic white wine grape, Riesling. Jillian wasn’t going to let the business fail; she’d never be able to handle that thought.

The phone rang and brought her back to reality as she answered it and listened to the man on the other end letting her know crunch numbers that she would need to meet, that man was Woodrow James, the family accountant. Jillian wrote it all down, and then hung up, she continued the day on and once it was done, the moon was full when she headed back to the house, where she skipped supper and fell into bed and to sleep immediately.

 

[Morpheus1981]

“Andrew I’m sorry you need to help me. I hate having you come home…but in the same sense I’m grateful. I’ll send Gordon to pick you up at the airport if I can’t make it. There are three meetings tomorrow with retailers that daddy tried to push the vines into their stores. If I don’t get them to sign, I’m afraid we could lose everything.”


Pangs of remorse and guilt shot throughout him further upon hearing his sister speak about losing the grape yards and Andrew wiped his brow and swallowed before he spoke into the receiver again.

"Jill..Jillian..relax sis everything will be O.K. don't worry. I will be there soon and we will straighten things out O.K.?..everything..together.. Just..don't cry.."

Hearing Jills voice again brought back a flood of memories to Andrew and he couldn't wait to see her again. He had missed his sister terribly even though he had always wrote to her about how he was "seeing the world" and how much "fun that he was having".. In reality and in his heart the memories that Andrew treasured the most were of his youth and the time spent at the family vineyard harvesting the grapes with his parents and his sister and a few family friends and hired hands.

He loved most the cool crisp autumn nights, especially Sunday nights when there was a chill in the air and the leaves were changing colors on the vines.. He and Jillian would run through the rows in between the grape rows racing to see who would reach the house first as they had always seemed to venture a bit too far against their parents wishes and rules. The reisling grapes were the furthest ones out Andrew recalled and also the shortest as he always used to warmly watch his older sister in her pink dress, hair flowing as she laughed over at him and ran her fastest trying to beat him to the house and dinner which she almost always did thanks to his wishes..

But now he had to shake away the pleasant memories of the past for the time being.. after all Jill was 25 now and he was 23 they were now grown adults that hadn't seen each other in four years and his sister had just told him literally in tears that she was about to lose the whole vineyard to the bankers. Andrew had to get back home and he had to get back home asap, no more delays.

He repeated to Jillian again what he said earlier about him being there a little after 9PM and then prepared to end the call as his mind raced about how he could get there the fastest..

"Jill..listen..relax.. I'm coming home..and..I'm..I'm sorry..I missed the vineyard so and I also missed you my dear sister...I've been away too long."

 

[LdyAppleBlossom]

Jillian awoke to greet the new day; she took in a deep breath and exhales slowly as she made her way about the bedroom getting ready for the first meeting of the morning. Once dressed and her hair up she looked to her self in the full length mirror, turning left then right as she ran her eyes down her body. Jillian reached up and pulled her hair up and that’s when she realized how much she looked like her mother, it was as if she was looking right back at her only a younger version.

Jillian dropped her hair down and grabbed a ribbon which she slipped under her hair and pulled it into a lazy ponytail that rested upon her back. Down stairs she grabbed a glass of juice while her bagel was toasting, she added her favorite flavor of cream cheese to it, grabbed her briefcase and headed out to the garage.

She drove off the vineyard with facts and numbers running through her head as well as the speech she was working on going through her mind. It was just too much, she was nervous and no faith in herself, she tried hard to convince herself that she could do it and sell their wine. It wasn’t lack of trust in her own family own products it was lack of self confidence in herself.

Once she was out on the highway and driving along the coast something came over her and soothed her, she wasn’t exactly sure what it was but it was a feeling of warmth from within. The waves were rolling upon the deserted beaches as she glanced to the right now and then, how she loved the ocean since she was young. She smiled for the first time that morning, a real smile as she jammed the car into gear and cruised along the highway to her destination.

The first meeting went a bit shaky but she was able to pitch their grapes s well as their product and placed another feather in her cap for the family vineyard. The second was a bit easier as she grew more confident and roamed the room as a young female opened the wine bottles and offered each test tastes of them, as Jillian watched the expressions upon their faces. They would get back to her within the week on an answer, so that was two down and the day was almost shot in the ass, least the afternoon part of it.

One last meeting, and she was done pushing product, which she knew she needed a new marketing idea, a scheme that would place the family wine on the top wine lists all over the world. She drove to the next and last meeting. It was taking place in a small meeting room in a grand hotel along the ocean.

Jillian walked in and looked to the ladies and gentlemen awaiting her arrival. She set up; the hotel sent in a much older female this time to assist with the wine tasting. Jillian pitched her family’s products with grandeur. This time she was full of confidence, more than ever and it showed. She glowed brightly as she walked around the room speaking to all as they sampled the wines.

She glanced to the clock it was four PM, as the meeting wrapped up it was a done deal, she sold them lock, stock and barrel. She was as giddy as a schoolgirl as she left there walking tall and giggling softly. She dropped the briefcase in the back of the sports car and slipped her sun glasses on as she headed home along the coast line. The wind was whipping strands of hair about her face as she drove along, the sun still warm as she was beginning to watch it lower upon the horizon.

It was seven PM when she returned home, and pulled into the driveway. Quickly she ran into the main house, clicked the messages as she undressed, grabbing the pile of clothing as she dropped it into the washroom, and ran upstairs to get redressed into casual clothing and then made a call letting a message that she would be picking up Andrew.

Jillian realized she hadn’t had a bit to eat all day since breakfast, and figured she’d just grab a bite at the airport lounge. The air was still warm as she didn’t see the need to put the top up just yet and drove up along the coast to the airport which was an hour away. She was hoping his flight wouldn’t be early but she was in the same sense hoping he was as anxious to see her as she was him.

Once at the airport Jillian made her way to the customer service desk, she was glad his flight hadn’t arrived yet which gave her time to grab a salad in the lounge, once she heard the arrival of his plane come across the loud speaker she quickly finished and went to meet her brother at the gate.

Jillian waited there nervously, not sure why but she was, though he was just home not to long ago for their parents funerals. Butterflies were within her stomach as the people began to come through the gate. There he was dressed in his service clothing, as a huge smile came upon her face as she went to met him and hug him tightly even before he was able to drop the bags from his hands. Jillian whispered softly within his ear, “I’m glad your home dear brother.”

She released him and looked him over from head to toe and noticed how handsome he had gotten not that he wasn’t always but he wasn’t that boy anymore, he was a man. “Need to get anything else before we head home?”

 

[Morpheus1981]

Andrew clicked off his cell and walked over to the group of plastic chairs by the entrance of the small airport then sitting down on one of them to think. He didn't recognize the odd tone in Jillians voice and that concerned him a bit more..was there something that she wasn't telling him? After grabbing his bags and checking with the clerk at the counter he found his flight reservation intact and figured that he would grab a quick beer at the airport bar before boarding.

It had been such a length of time that he had been at the family business and home that he was a bit nervous and the alcoholic drink soothed his nerves if not just a little bit. What made him even more nervous was meeting Jillian again face to face and he wasn't fully sure why although at the same time he was exhuberant and anxious to see his sister again.

After finishing his drink and heading back to the lobby for a few minutes, Andrew heard his flight number being called by the booming male voice over the loudspeaker. Grabbing his bags he headed over to the boarding area and enetered the plane. It was a rather quick flight since he had grabbed a few Z's during the trip due to the fact of not sleeping for the last 48 hours and woke up when the planes wheels hit the runway feeling the hard vibrations around him.

Andrew took a deep breath and grabbed his bags, heading for the exit of the plane. While waiting there in line he glanced out the planes window and quickly recognized the airports surroundings..he had after all taken many flights to and fro there during his youth most with the family. He finally made it to the exit and past the arrival gate at the airport his eyes scouring the crowd waiting there for his sisters face. There was quite a crowd in front of him and Andrew jostled his way to the side for some open space and there he spotted Jillian a huge and wide smile now playing across his suntanned face. She smiled back at him and ran towards him with Andrew grasping for Jillian and pulling her to him as they embraced in a deep heartfelt hug. He realized then just how much that he had missed her as his stomach was now filled with butterflies as he drew back to look at her fully. She was a beautiful woman now even more than he could remember, her long hair put into a ponytail down her back her nearly perfect female figure drawing in his stare almost without him even knowing it.

"I've been away far too long Jillian...I'm home dear sister."

Andrew continued staring at his sister maybe a bit too long as he noticed her blush a bit and then avert his obvious gaze. This was not the young freckle-faced girl that he had left years ago and all of the old memories were flooding back now as he stood there tall in his sharp military uniform.

"No nothing Jill.. as only he used to call her..nothing..unless you? We can just head..home."

 

[LdyAppleBlossom]

“No, no let’s just go home Andrew.” Jillian took his hand and laced her fingers with his own as she turned with him watching as he grabbed the one bag in his free hand and she did the same with his other bag in her free hand. She lead him out through the crowd of people either waiting to board or waiting to get a ride, watching others hug, seeing a few other men in uniforms hugging and kissing their respected wives or girlfriends, as well as their children. This scene made Jillian wonder where her own life was going, what she missed by not leaving the vineyard and taking her own course in life as she sometimes felt cheated but she felt in debt to her family, she felt it was her duty to stay and take over the business.

“Here you can drive if you still remember the way “ she tossed her brother the keys as they stopped at the car, tossing his bag in the back seat as she went around to the passenger side then opened the door and got in, buckling up as she watched him do the same. They left the airport parking lot, the sky was black as can be with flickers of shiny stars shimmering within it, and the moon was full as she stared up at it, feeling the warm night’s air against her face.

“I had two really successful meetings today, two will gladly take on our wines and the third is going to let me know within a week. I have been going over the books, I know what Daddy taught me but something isn’t evening out. I’m really not sure where it’s at I can’t find the indiscretion Andrew. I have combed and combed over the pages adding, subtracting. I know he wasn’t padding the books or anything like that.”

Jillian reached over and placed her hand upon his upper thigh and softly caressed it as she looked at him, seeing how much of a man he really was. Her baby brother was really gone and in his place was a strapping handsome man that will one day find a wife , have kids and do all the good things in life.

She thought of Preston and how helpful he was trying to be, bending over backwards, then thought about how he was one that was involved with the finances of the winery. It made Jillian’s mind turn in every direction possible. She wondered if his hands were dirty….her father trusted him, would have trusted him with his life. Her hand ran along his thigh yet, she had forgotten she was doing that to her brother as he drove as she was lost in her own thoughts.

“Maria has your room all redone; she took care of the sheets and made sure it was spic and span for your return. She has always adored you since you were small. Mother would have been so lost without her help around the house, she always loved us kids.”

Jillian leaned her head back on the head rest, she pulled the ribbon from her hair and left it blow wild within the wind as she felt it blow across her face as she closed her eyes just relaxing for a change. “I don’t want you to regret coming home Andrew, that’s my biggest worry as well as fear. You had a great career ahead of you I don’t want to see you stuck here like me.”

She reached up and with her thin long fingers; she turned the radio on letting the song pipe thru the speakers lightly. A soft classical tune, one of her favorites by Bach, a CD she always had with her as it was loved by her father as well. She felt him make a sharp turn placing her almost in his lap as they turned to pull into the driveway. The darkness hid the rows of grapes, only the small lights along the drive shined their way like flickering dim stars.

Andrew pulled up to the house and from there she got out grabbed his bags in both her hands and left him place the car in the garage. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, please put the garage door down.” Jillian walked to the door, opened it and dropped his bags by the steps closing the door behind her. She walked into the large stone wall livingroom and poured herself a glass of chilled wine and settles upon a black high back bar stool sipping it as her day had finally come to an end.

 

[Morpheus1981]

Andrew

Andrews cock twitched in his pants at Jillians touch on his thigh making him shift left in his seat slightly. He wasn't really sure exactly why that had happened but silently chalked it up to his recently inactive sex-life. A slight reddish hue now overtook his face as her hand lingered there.

"Relax Jillian I'm sure that we will get it straightened out." Andrew replied reassuredly. "It's probably just a small accounting error.."

Andrew thought a few seconds more on that subject as he unknowingly shifted back to the center of his seat after his sister removed her hand from his thigh.

"Jillian..umm..what did Preston have to say about the inconsistently in the books?..Have you gone over it with him yet?..ah..on..on second thought never mind we will have plenty of time for that later..I will check on this with him myself in fact."

Andrew looked over at his sister after she removed her hair ribbon. Her hair was blowing in her face and her eyes were closed and she had a relaxed look on her face. He couldn't believe the woman that she had grown into, body and soul. She was simply beautiful.

*Laughs* "Ah Maria..How is Maria?"

As their car zoomed down the freeway and edged closer to the family vineyards, floods of the past continued to occupy Andrews mind as he quickly became lost in thought with the crisp sounds of Bach wafting through the speakers. Why on earth is Jilly not married yet?..Does she have a boyfriend?

Suddenly those thoughts were wrenched from his mind as he made a quick and sharp right turn into their extended driveway almost missing it in the darkness. Jillian not wearing a seatbelt almost landed in his lap after he looked off to the side to try and get a view of the grape plants. "Oh I'm sorry Jillian I almost missed the exit..are you o.k...?I'm so sorry.." Andrew was enjoying the scent of his sisters soft strawberry scented hair that was briefly in his face as the car slowly rolled up the long driveway towards the wide garage.

"O.K. I'll see you inside then.."

Andrew parked the car towards the back, got out and headed for the entrance to the house with a slight feeling of anxiety now coming over him. Taking a deep breath he pushed the door open glanced over to the right and saw his bags on the floor. Looking around further he saw his sister seated on the bar slowly nursing a drink her eyes locked on him as if almost studying his every move or thought. He couldn't help but notice that she was wearing black spiked high heels and was lightly tapping one of them against the bottom of the stool. Andrew swallowed hard and went over to join Jillian there not entirely knowing why he was feeling so oddly all of a sudden. He went behind the bar and poured himself a nice Black Russian and leaned over the bar just a few feet from his sister.

He smiled at her.

"So what's all this about you being a burden to me..?..You really can't be serious..This is where I want to be Jilly, here at Bordelli and..and well..with you..Now why don't you get those books for me and I'll take a quick look at them if you'd like?..you must be tired."

 

[LdyAppleBlossom]

Jillian slipped from the bar stool and walked into the office of the house, her heels made that sound, a sound you couldn’t forget as they clicked along the stone flooring. She grabbed the books for the last quarter and the quarter before that one and held them close to her chest as she spun around on the spiked heels of her shoes and walked back into the livingroom area where the bar was and placed the books upon it and once more took her seat and she rose her glass to her lips and sipped it.

“Preston, I really haven’t told him everything. He thinks I’m just missing something or not understanding the way the books work. He asked to see them for the past three years and I told him he could have them in a while, he seemed to get a bit upset and I really haven’t seen much of him since that.”

Jillian reached down and slipped the strap of her heels from her foot and left each heel drop to the floor where she gathered them within her fingers and looked to her brother, “I’ll be right back, I’m going to change into something else it’s been a very long day.”

She left her brother with the books as she went up to her room, walking up the grand stairs of the big house and into her bedroom where she undressed from the days clothing and stepped into a hot shower, letting the water cascade over her naked body.

Once done she dried off and slipped into a silk short nightgown and a short matching robe and wandered back down to him and settled on the barstool once again, where she finished her wine. “Well, see anything yet?”

“Why don’t you go shower and get ready for bed, those books will be there in the morning, you have had a long day. I’m going to go fix myself something small and then read a bit before bed. I haven’t had the chance to look over contracts, read the paper for the past couple days or anything. It seems like the days have just run together one after another. I’ll be up early and in the office by six a.m. so feel free to sleep in and join me once Maria get you breakfast and visits with you, she missed you terribly. I see it in her face how she looks at me and sees mom. She misses them so much.”

With that said Jillian got up and walked into the kitchen and opened the frig looking for something light to snack on, as she pulled out a bowl of fresh berries. She turned and looked thru the doorway to her brother and just admired him from afar. Everything about him she admired, from his charm to his handsome good looks to the way his body was now, he was so grown, and she couldn’t but help admire him. He was so much like their father; he held all the same good characteristics.

 

[Morpheus1981]

"O.K. Jillian great and thanks for grabbing those books for me, I'll take a quick peek..take your time.."

Andrew looked down as his sister bent over in front of him slipping off her heels. Some of her long silky hair had inadvertently brushed against his face as she bent down and he noticed the unmistakable aroma of coconut which he remembered was always one of Jillians favorite scents of shampoo when she washed her hair.

As she moved away Andrew watched his sister for maybe a second longer than he should have as she turned around unexpectedly shooting him a glance before disappearing around the corner.

He felt kind of strange at the awkward moment but yet at the same time he was glad that she had caught him looking at her.

As he tried to brush off the thought Andrew took a sip of his drink and opened the books. What Jillian had mentioned to him about Preston for some reason still stuck his mind as he started going over the figures. As he heard the shower upstairs go on Andrew glanced up at the ceiling with a knowing smile. He had missed his sister like crazy these past few years and was now full of remorse for leaving her like this to deal by herself while he was trapezing around the world.

After delving deeper into the books Andrew frowned in concentration as he reached page 7a noticing some inconsistencies and missing receipts as Jillian suddenly appeared next to him in a very short silken nightgown and matching robe.

“Well, see anything yet?”

"Hmm..?"

Being snapped out of his concentration for the moment Andrew looked up at Jillian perched up on the barstool staring at her. His eyes widened as he looked up at her face, then studying her attire, and back up to her face. The men must be all over Jill he thought with a twinge of what could be called jealousy..

"Shower..?..yea I'll head off in a few thanks Jillian..I just want to spend a little more time here on these books before I go.."

Andrew gave her a polite and comforting smile and then looked back down at page 7a with the many white-outs and "writeovers" on it. If anyone was doing any harm to his sister there will be hell to pay he thought as his left fist balled up subconsciously.

"Jillian..how..umm..so how long exactly has Preston been doing the books..since Dad died..?"

Before she could even open her mouth to answer him he leaned in a bit closer toward his pretty sister catching full eye contact with her. Andrew then placed his right hand on her exposed left thigh noticing the fullness of her breasts before continuing..

"Listen Jilly..please don't get upset at me for saying this..but..do you fully trust Preston with that responsibility..?"

After what seemed like her slightly unsure reply, Jillian smiling told her brother that she was hungry and she headed off into the kitchen to fix herself a snack. Andrew reluctantly released his grip on her thigh as she slid off of the barstool with her answer still fresh on his mind..

He would be having a little talk with Preston tomorrow.

 

[LdyAppleBlossom]

Jillian could still feel the warmth of her brother’s hand upon her thigh, as she looked to him and then re-entered the livingroom and returned to his side at the bar where she sat with her bowl of fresh fruit. The scents of berries and ripe fresh cubed melons filled the atmosphere about them both.

“Brother dear listen, I never really questioned Preston because father trusted him. It doesn’t mean that I trust him one hundred percent but honestly he’s never given me reason to think anyway else till now, with a problem with the books.” Jillian placed a piece of the light orange piece of melon to her lips and bit it in half, chewing an swallowing it before she finished the second half of it as she looked to her brother’s eyes. The juice from the melon began to run from her lips as her soft velvet tongue slipped out and whisked the sweetness away quickly as it slipped back between her soft pink lips.

“Preston is very arrogant but….he’s good at what he does or dad would have never hired him. He had much experience, and a list of credentials a mile long. I know you’re skeptical and if you’re saying I’m a pushover I’m not. I’m just trying to do the best I can with what dad taught me. I’ve been finding little things here and there but nothing that would explain why the loss in money is so major. If and this is a big IF brother dear, it is Preston we will have might have a really hard time proving it.”

Jillian didn’t like how this conversation was going; she hated to think that the man her father trusted so deeply would be the one to take down the family business. Jillian knew her parents would turn over in their grave if it were true.

“I think I’m going to go to bed now. It’s been a really long day and with this talk it just gives me a headache. I’ll see you in the morning. No need to rush to get up, sleep in and relax and when you’re ready you can meet me in the office.”

With that said she kissed her brother’s cheek softly said her goodnight and then reached for her still full bowl of fruit and headed to the kitchen. She scraped the fruit into the trash and then proceeded to go up the mahogany back staircase that lead to the hallway and to her room where she closed the door slightly behind her and slipped from the short silk robe and placed it over an old Victorian chair in the corner of her room.

Jillian walked to her window and looked out upon the vineyard, noting the way the full moon shone down upon the rows of grapes causing the shadows seem to dance about as the slight wind of the evening blew the leaves about. She reached over and opened the sliding glass door then the screen door and stepped upon the cold balcony. The coldness from the marble under her warm bare feet sent a chill up through her spine as she walked to the edge and leaned against the stone railing and then closed her eyes feeling the breeze blow across her face. The soft wisps of her long hair caused a slight tickle to her cheek as she reached up and brushed then away and pushed them behind her ear as they only fell once more when she turned and walked to the other side and stopped to look down and see if the lights were still on in the livingroom.

Jillian saw the lights were still on as she glanced downwards and sighed softly to the night as she turned and began to walk once more along the same path of marble to her glass door and re-entered it. She knew that if her brother confronted Preston it really wouldn’t be a good thing, in fact the thought made her stomach turn.

Reaching for the silk bedding she turned it down and crawled into the comforts of her cool cotton sheets and then pulled the top she over her body and she rolled to her side and gazed out the window looking into the night as her mind went into fifty different directions causing her to have a hard time falling asleep. She reached out and tapped a button and the sound of the waves rolling in began to play lightly as she closed her eyes once more trying to clear her mind of all her thoughts, and finally the night embraced her and took her into its bosom and left her drift to a sound light sleep.

 

[Morpheus1981]

Jillian returned from the kitchen with a fresh bowl of fruit and sat back down beside him. Andrew even without thinking swiftly returned his hand to his sisters thigh rubbing her there gently.

"Jill honey listen.. it's not that I think that you are a pushover, please that is the farthest thing from my mind. I just want to get to the bottom of this thing that's all. I will just casually bring up the subject with Preston over the next few days and get some more information. We don't need to prove anything yet.."

Andrew smiled at his sister offering her reassurance even though he knew well in the back of his mind that she was the kind of girl that would trust anybody and anything. If Preston or anyone else on the estate were cooking the books and doing anything else to hurt his sister and their families business, and he now increasingly thought this was so, Andrew would have their heads on a platter.

After Jillian announced that she was retiring to her quarters for the evening she came over and gave Andrew a sisterly peck on his cheek before heading off.

"O.K. I will turn in soon myself, just need to take care of a few more things down here. Good night my sister, I will meet you at the office tomorrow."

Andrew in his mind could still smell the scent of the whiff of Jillians peach scented perfume that filled his nostrils when she bent down to peck him on the cheek. He was not sure why this was but it gave him a thrill before he pushed that rather odd thought out of his mind.

Well back to page 3a..

He continued to scour the recent figures that were etched in the books a bit more before frowning to himself and then heading off over to the bar to fix himself another strong scotch. Andrew would not be going to bed anytime soon, it would be a long night ahead..