Ahead was a small dark opening. Caine could see there a large scattering of the purple wild grapes out of which the common settlers had made so much wine. He pushed into the clearing and grabbed a handful of the rich-colored fruit.
He kept his back to the girl who had entered the clearing behind him. He sorted out one of the ripest of the grapes and lifted it to his mouth.
He felt his hand being caught.
The girl was beside him and her tan fingers were around his wrist.
He turned and faced her.
With her other hand, she took the grape from his fingers and held it up to his mouth. Her eyes were deep blue sparkling lights that shone even in the dimly filtered light. Her skin was golden and shiny, and Caine could see the long bare V that ran from her throat to the belted waist. The blue dress was filled with a jutting mound on either side of the V.
She took a breath and the dress drew taut.
Caine slapped the grape from her hand.
She shook her head, her hair soft and rustling. She lifted another grape and held it to his lips. "You can't refuse it," she said.
"The hell I can't," he said, and his hand was an arcing motion that sent the grape whirling across the clearing.