A young, hotshot sommelier.
A redheaded wine distributor with a temper.
Lucas Spencer is determined to liven up the stodgy wine list at the restaurant where he’s recently been hired. His brash approach alienates Sean Powell, the restaurant's longtime distributor. There’s no avoiding each other though and the more they butt heads, the hotter the tension between them gets.
Blending their professional frustration and personal attraction without risking their careers isn’t easy though, and an eleven-year age difference makes Sean doubt that the feelings are mutual. A wine tasting trip to Traverse City, Michigan ignites jealousy and insecurities and finally forces them to decide if their relationship will age like a fine wine or if it’s corked.
Originally released in 2018. Re-released in 2020 with a new cover and minor editorial tweaks only. The story content remains unchanged.
Corked
Original Review May 2018:
With the horrendous day Sean Powell was having he was at least looking forward to ending it with a little chat with his friend and sommelier at Bistro Argent as they talked over the wine order, what he wasn't expecting was to discover his friend had retired and in his place was the young new sommelier Lucas Spencer. Lucas is hoping to update the wine list at the restaraunt but his first meeting with the distributer doesn't go as he planned. When Sean and Lucas can't deny their attraction any more will their love of wine be enough to build something lasting?
First and foremost, I have to admit to you all that I really hate wine. Perhaps "hate" is a bit strong but I'd rather have a Tom Collins with my meal than a glass of wine. Now, you don't have to enjoy wine to enjoy Corked but I think it speaks to the talent of the author when one of the characters(and yes I feel the wine is such a factor to the story that its a character all on its own) is not liked and the reader is still enthralled.
Speaking of characters, the chemistry between Sean and Lucas is immediate but the boys don't make it easy. As for Sean, well some probably take an instant dislike to him but as someone who has had the horrendous kind of day that he had I can understand his gruff attitude. Lucas is adorable, there's just no better way to describe him, he is simply and completely adorable. Their passion may light up the page but its their inner thoughts that give Corked its heart. Not everyone likes alternating POVs but personally, I love them. Being able to see inside each character's soul just makes the story more realistic and emotional for me, it helps me connect to them.
I read Sean and Lucas' journey in its original novella form Wine Tasting Series and I loved it, the tweaking and additions Brigham Vaughn has made as she released it in one story, Corked, has only made it even better. Some times when an author or director adds material to their original work it really only clutters the story but not this time. If you loved their journey in the original series you will be head over heels with this version and if you never experienced Wine Tasting Series than you are in for a real treat.
Originally published as the "Wine Tasting Series":
Original Trilogy Reviews May 2014:
Spit and Swallow #1
An awesome read from an awesome author! Definitely check it out!
Aftertaste #2
Once again, she does it! How she keeps doing, I don't know but I'm so grateful she does.
Finish #3
Such a beautiful conclusion to this amazing novella trilogy.
One
Lucas Spencer set an invoice on top of the pile of papers on his new desk, then watched in horror as the entire stack toppled to the floor with a loud rustle. It had been leaning precariously for the better part of an hour, and Lucas had meant to straighten it. Now he had to gather them all up again and hope none had landed on top of the other teetering piles dotting the floor of the cramped office.
With a heavy sigh, Lucas sat back in his chair, tilting his head from side to side. His neck was stiff, he felt like his eyes were crossed, he had a headache forming, and there was nothing very productive to show for it.
The sommelier at Bistro Argent being forced to abruptly retire was possibly the best—and worst—thing that had ever happened to Lucas. The best because he had been hired to take his place and working at a restaurant of the caliber of Bistro Argent was a rare opportunity for a sommelier so young. And the worst because the man Lucas had replaced was a packrat. And not an organized one.
In his defense, Roger Horner—the former sommelier—had been plagued with health issues for years. Lucas was trying to cut the guy some slack, but he’d spent three days trying to sort through the man’s office and make some sense of things, and he felt like he hadn’t gotten anywhere.
Lucas stood with a groan and stretched. Something in his back popped, and for a second, he wasn’t sure if it had relieved the pressure or broken something completely. “Less sitting, more moving around,” he muttered under his breath. As an active person, spending this much time behind a desk was miserable.
Lucas gathered up the fallen papers, deciding he’d take a break and get a feel for the bar. He’d done his research before he accepted the job and Bistro Argent had a reputation for having a solid—if not particularly exciting—wine list and a very boring cocktail selection. He had plans for the wine list. The bar was a still a big question mark in his mind.
It was a Monday, the one day of the week when the restaurant was closed, and he was there trying to get up to speed before his first official day of work. A sommelier friend of the owner’s had been filling in for the past few weeks while they searched for Roger’s replacement. He’d done his best to bring Lucas up to speed, but Lucas still felt wildly unprepared.
The building was deserted, and Lucas enjoyed the peace and quiet as he walked through the dining space. Snowy white linens covered the tables, and silverware gleamed under the dim lights. Brown leather banquettes and booths broke up the room and helped create a cozy atmosphere. Exposed brick walls, sparkling light fixtures, and a wood-wrapped bar gave it a hip, yet upscale vibe. The setting was perfect, the food was impeccable, and it was his job to find a wine and cocktail menu that would enhance both.
Unfortunately, as Lucas slipped behind the bar to peruse the cocktail menu and the selection, his fears were confirmed. The current selection was pitiful. There was nothing wrong with classic martinis, manhattans, and cosmopolitans. In fact, they were crucial to the menu, but they needed some signature cocktails to liven things up. In an economy like the one they were currently dealing with, a restaurant had to do something to set itself apart from the competition. A staid, boring cocktail menu wasn’t going to attract younger patrons. The chef and owner, Richard Brayden, had done a wonderful job with the food—it was a fresh take on Parisian bistro fare, and he seemed open to the ideas Lucas had for wine pairings and cocktails, but it was always tricky starting out. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be stepping on any of the bartenders’ toes by shaking things up a bit.
Lucas leaned on the bar and scribbled a few notes for himself, lost in thoughts of herb-infused cocktails and artisanal mixers. The sound of someone clearing their throat made him jump.
He turned, expecting to see Richard, the executive chef, or maybe Marilee, the head hostess and front of the house manager.
A tall, red-haired man stood at the end of the bar. Lucas managed to keep his jaw from hitting the floor, but it took a moment for him to do anything but stare. He had a weakness for redheads, and this guy hit all the right buttons. The height, the pale, freckled skin, and the blue-gray eyes, in addition to the shock of red hair, all added up to make a very, very attractive picture.
When Lucas realized he’d been staring long enough to make it uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and walked to the end of the bar. “Hey there. Can I, uh, help you with something?”
Although, if Lucas wasn’t mistaken, the man was checking him out as well. He hoped the simple pair of jeans and the T-shirt he was wearing weren’t too casual. He certainly hadn’t expected to run into anyone here today, much less someone he’d like to impress.
The redheaded guy smiled and held out a hand to him. “I don’t recognize you. You must be new.”
“I am,” Lucas admitted, reaching out to shake. “I haven’t even officially started. I’m just here trying to get a feel for things.”
His gaze flicked over Lucas with interest. “Nice to meet you. I’m Sean Powell with Metro Wine and Liquor Distributors. Do you know if Roger is around?”
“Uhh,” Lucas said, “he retired.”
Sean blinked at him for a moment. “He what?”
“Retired. A couple weeks ago. A friend of Richard’s has been filling in, in the meantime, but I just got hired as his replacement.”
Sean let out a disbelieving sounding snort. “You? You have to be kidding me.”
“Excuse me?” Lucas said, bristling.
“You don’t look like you’d know the difference between a pinot gris and a pinot noir,” Sean scoffed. “Come on. You’re a bartender, maybe. But I have a hard time believing you’re qualified to apprentice for this job, much less take Roger’s place.”
Lucas folded his arms across his chest and stared at Sean. “I am more than qualified. My name is Lucas Spencer, and I’ve been hired as sommelier for Bistro Argent.” His voice was as cold as the air in the industrial freezer in the kitchen.
“Fucking great,” Sean muttered under his breath as he dug through the leather satchel he had over his shoulder. “They hired a pretty boy who won’t know shit about wine. That’s the last thing I need to deal with today.”
Sean Powell’s day had been shitty from the moment he woke up to realize he’d hit snooze on his alarm and fallen back to sleep for an extra forty minutes. He’d cut himself shaving in the shower, dropped raspberry jam on his favorite shirt, and, as he went flying out the door, realized his phone charger wasn’t working. Things had gone further downhill with a fairly substantial client choosing not to renew their contract, a pricey case of wine that had needed to be returned because it had gone bad, and a flat tire on his SUV. He’d called roadside assistance to get it changed, but it had pushed back his schedule even further, and he’d wound up stuck in the usual snarl of Chicago area commuters returning to the suburbs, which he was usually able to avoid.
He was done.
Thankfully, the last client on his list was Bistro Argent. He always enjoyed dealing with Roger, the sommelier there, and at least, his day should end on a good note. The men had known each other for years, and they often talked over a nice bottle of wine while they did business.
Roger liked to come in on what was technically his day off and putter in his unholy mess of an office, and Sean tried to time his visits accordingly. It had been nearly a month since he’d had a chance to drop by, but he had a couple new wines he thought Roger might want to sample and put on the menu. He hoped anyway. If there was one bad thing about his friend—other than his disorganization—it was that he wasn’t as adventurous with the wine selection as Sean thought he could be. Still, he’d keep trying.
The back door that led into the kitchen was unlocked as usual, and Sean immediately headed for Roger’s office. To his surprise, it was empty, and it looked like he’d been in the middle of sorting through his papers. That was a shock; in the eight years they’d known each other, Sean hadn’t once seen him make the smallest attempt. Rogert always knew where everything was, so Sean didn’t really care how much of a slob he was. Still, it would be nice to be able to take a seat without having to move stacks of paper around.
Wondering where the hell Roger was, and what sudden compunction had compelled him to clean his office, Sean headed for the front of the bistro. To his surprise, instead of the rather rotund, middle-aged man with thinning gray hair he was used to seeing, he was confronted with the most spectacular ass he’d ever seen. Definitely not Roger’s. Sean stared for a moment, taking in the round firmness in a pair of snug dark jeans. Whoever the man was, he was leaning on the bar, and Sean had the sudden urge to walk up behind him and see if his ass was as pinchable as it looked. He cleared his throat at the sudden rush of arousal that flooded through him and watched as the man stood. He was tall—really tall—several inches over Sean’s six foot height, and built. Not huge and bulky, but he had impressively broad shoulders, muscled arms, and even in the plain black T-shirt he wore, Sean could tell his stomach was flat and toned. And that was just his body. His face was equally gorgeous. He was one of those guys who somehow pulled off the pretty but masculine look. His square jaw was covered in a hint of dark blond stubble, he had high cheekbones, stylishly-cut blond hair, and the most stunning blue-green eyes Sean had ever seen.
“Can I help you?” he asked, his voice a low rumble, and Sean tried not to whimper.
Holy shit, he even sounds good.
Sean introduced himself, assuming he was the new bartender they’d just hired. He didn’t normally flirt on the job, but damn. For this guy, he could make an exception. Richard would give him shit, but he really didn’t care.
Unfortunately, the flirtatious banter he was expecting took a sharp turn when he realized that Roger had retired without telling him and that the hot guy wasn’t a bartender like he assumed but Roger’s replacement. Sean was none too happy to find that out.
“Fucking great,” Sean muttered, digging through his bag to find his phone. He needed to get ahold of Roger and see what the hell was going on. “They hired a pretty-boy who won’t know shit about wine.
That’s the last thing I need to deal with today.”
He finally found his phone and pulled it out, only to remember that the battery was dead. “Son of a bitch,” he swore. He looked up to see the other man still glowering at him. Lucas or whatever his name was.
“Pretty boy?” Lucas asked scathingly. “Are you kidding me? And who the fuck are you to judge my abilities as a sommelier? I’ve been working in restaurants since I was seventeen, took sommelier courses, and passed with flying colors. I apprenticed under a Master Sommelier and have worked on my own for the last three years. I have every intention of becoming a certified Master Sommelier myself in the near future.”
Though he didn’t say it aloud, there was a clear fuck you in his voice. Sean felt slightly abashed. Becoming a certified Master Sommelier was similar to getting a master’s degree in wine. Fewer than two hundred people worldwide held the title, and if this guy—who looked to be in his late twenties at the most—was aiming for the title; he was ambitious. Still, Sean had no intention of trusting the guy at his word that he knew wine.
“I’ve known plenty of people with more training and experience than that with absolutely no taste,” Sean snapped.
“Yeah, well, my predecessor clearly had taste but little imagination,” Lucas replied. “I’m going to be making some changes around here.”
Sean snarled at him, offended by the way Lucas spoke about his friend. And his arrogance. “Do you really think you can just waltz in here and shake things up for the hell of it?”
“I’m not doing it just for the hell of it,” Lucas replied, bracing one arm on the counter and leaning in toward Sean. “The wine and cocktail menu is stodgy.”
“This is the problem with you young people,” Sean sputtered. He groaned to himself the moment the words left his mouth. He sounded ancient saying that, but he was tired of restaurants hiring too-young staff who were more focused on trendiness than quality.
“I’m thirty-one years old!” Lucas shouted.
Okay, so he wasn’t quite as young as Sean had initially thought, but he was still eleven years younger than Sean. Just as well Lucas was an arrogant prick because no matter how attractive he was, there was way too much of an age gap there. Getting in bed with Lucas would really make him feel old.
What a shame though, he thought wistfully. Even pissed off—maybe especially because he was pissed off—Lucas looked incredible. Sean could imagine all that snarling energy directed at him and he felt a little weak in the knees at the thought. The full lips bruising his with a hard kiss, the strong hands gripping his body tightly, the tight muscles bunching as he drove into Sean … Christ, if he wasn’t careful, he was going to have one hell of an erection to try to hide.
Sean stuttered out an angry retort, promised to return on Thursday, and fled, confused, embarrassed, and aroused.
Sean Powell, or whoever the fuck he is, is an insufferable ass, Lucas fumed to himself as he stomped back to his new office. After insulting him, then staring at him like he was hoping Lucas would spontaneously combust, he had muttered something about coming back on Thursday morning and then disappeared.
Lucas slammed his office door shut and watched in horror as another precarious pile of papers slid from the desk onto the floor. Resisting the urge to bang his head against the desk—because with his luck, it would upset more of the stacks—he muttered angrily to himself and knelt to pick up the papers. Again. Deciding he’d stay as late as it took to get things somewhat under control, he took a seat at the desk again and got to work again.
Hours later, he was startled by a knock on his door. For the restaurant being closed today, there sure was a lot of traffic.
“Lucas? You in there?” A familiar voice called out.
“Yeah, come in,” he said, not even looking up from the paperwork in front of him. “Hey, Richard.”
Lucas had been surprised by how casual Richard Brayden was. He’d worked with a number of chefs over the years and most had massive egos. In many restaurants, there was a clear delineation between the chef and the rest of the staff. Also, distance between the kitchen staff and the people working the front of the house. Ideally, a good sommelier bridged that gap and got everyone to mix, but a tyrannical and egotistical chef could make that difficult. The prestige of working at Bistro Argent was nothing to sneer at, but the urgency to get the position filled and the difficulty of sorting through Roger’s mess had nearly convinced Lucas to turn down the job offer. It was Richard’s firm but friendly demeanor that had been the deciding factor for him. He knew he was going to like working for the man.
“I didn’t expect you to be here so late. I stopped to grab some paperwork in my office and was surprised to see you still here,” Richard said.
Lucas looked up at Richard and forced a smile onto his face despite his sour mood. Richard had a concerned, almost fatherly air about him, and he was, in fact, old enough to have given birth to Lucas. “I’m still trying to get everything in order.”
Richard sighed and lifted a stack of papers from the chair, glancing at Lucas to confirm that it was all right, before he set them on the floor. “I’m sorry you have to deal with such a mess. Roger wanted to get his papers organized before he left, but his doctors were adamant that he take things easy. His health is precarious right now, and he has some heart procedures scheduled for this week. You’re a saint for taking this on, to be honest.”
“It’s … daunting,” Lucas admitted.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Richard offered, the concern in his tone palpable. “I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. We’re all very grateful you’re here and working so hard to get up to speed.”
“I’m happy to be here,” Lucas said. “And once this is all straightened out, I think I’m going to love the job.”
Richard beamed at him. “Excellent.”
“You know,” Lucas added thoughtfully, “there may be something you can help with, actually. I have a couple questions for you.”
“I’m pleased to help in any way I can. Go right ahead.”
Richard answered the questions Lucas had, which did untangle a few issues he’d been struggling with. Knowing he could shred the older papers helped. At least, he didn’t have to try to find a place to store everything, which made his life easier.
“We’ll get you some extra file cabinets, too,” Richard added. “In fact, I think I have some in my basement at home. Would you like me to bring them over?”
“That would be fantastic,” Lucas said with a relieved smile. “I think this will be manageable now. Thank you so much.”
“Happy to help,” Richard replied. “Now, I’m afraid I have to head out. I have a wife who’s probably going to be wondering what’s taking me so long to get back.”
Lucas chuckled and stood. “I think I’ll head out as well.”
“Wife or girlfriend waiting for you, too?” Richard asked as Lucas gathered his things.
He hesitated for a moment, hoping what he was about to say wouldn’t cause any problems with his boss. But he’d been out of the closet for years, and he wasn’t about to go back in. “Well, in my case, it would be a boyfriend or husband. But no, I’m single at the moment.”
Richard nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. “Enjoy your freedom then. I love my wife to pieces, but sometimes, I miss my bachelor days.”
Lucas felt the tension in him recede at the lack of reaction on his boss’s part. “I’ll be honest; I’m more of a relationship kind of guy, but it isn’t always that easy to meet people.”
He and Richard chatted about relationships on their way out of the building. “You know, our wine distributor is gay,” Richard said. “He’s maybe ten or so years older than you, but he’s a great guy and single as far as I’m aware.”
Lucas stopped in his tracks. “Sean? The redheaded guy?”
Richard gave him a puzzled look. “Yeah. You met him? I mean, maybe he’s not your type, but I just thought I’d throw it out there.”
“No, that’s fine.” Lucas waved off the fact that his boss was trying to set him up with a guy, which was a little surprising but not the biggest issue at the moment. “We met earlier today when he dropped by. But I’m afraid we didn’t have a great introduction. In fact, he was kind of an asshole,” he admitted.
“Sean?” Richard’s bushy gray eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. “You have to be kidding me. He’s a pretty mild-mannered guy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be a jerk.”
“Yeah, well, I hate to speak ill of someone you obviously like,” Lucas said, starting to feel uncomfortable. “But he was pretty pissed at the fact that I took over for Roger.”
“Oh, shit.” Richard blanched. “Fuck! I was supposed to call Sean about what was going on. Roger asked me to, but it must have slipped my mind. They’re pretty friendly, and Roger asked if I’d let him know.”
“Hmm. Maybe that’s why he was so abrasive,” Lucas mused. “He didn’t think much of my plans for the wine and cocktail menus, either.”
“Let me call Sean, and, hopefully, I can smooth things over. He is quite protective of his wines, so I think you just started out on the wrong foot. I’ll see what I can do to make things right.”
“Thanks,” Lucas said gratefully. “I don’t want to piss anyone off or step on any toes. I just want to have a part in giving the diners here the best possible experience I can.”
“And that’s what Sean wants, too,” Richard assured him. “I think you probably just ruffled his feathers. We’ll get it straightened out, and I’m sure you two will get along famously after that.” With a hearty clap on the shoulder, Richard headed toward his car. “It’ll be fine, Lucas. Leave it to me.”
Lucas wanted to believe him and give Sean the benefit of the doubt, but he couldn’t help wondering if Sean was really as nice a guy as Richard thought he was.
Lucas chuckled to himself as he climbed into his car though. Richard had actually been right though; Sean was definitely his type. Well, other than being a complete jackass. The arguments were kind of hot though. He had a feeling that the more heated his arguments got with Sean the more he was going to end up fantasizing about him and he smiled to himself.
Jerking off during his morning shower thinking about disagreement turning into passionate wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Author Bio:
Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.Her books range from short stories to novellas. They explore gay, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.
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SMASHWORDS / PINTEREST / SCRIBd / B&N
EMAIL: brighamvaughn@gmail.com
