Thorned Embrace, page 5
She points behind her, and my gaze follows the motion. “Would you like some help?”
My offer surprises her. I watch as she bites her lip, silently contemplating my offer. After a beat, she nods her head. “That would be great, actually. Just let me lock up first.”
Lilly steps out from the back room and makes her way to the door. My eyes follow her path across the shop, trailing down her figure to her bare feet. A smile tilts my lips at the sight. Only Lilly would walk around barefoot.
She flips the lock, then turns to face me. “I promise this won’t take long.”
Her smile is shy, and she doesn’t quite meet my gaze as she steps back around the counter. Instinctively, I follow her.
The back room is a small space, but wire racks and cold storage fill every available wall. Except for a door near the back. Centered in the middle of the room is a single metal table filled with pots. Bags of dirt litter the floor. Some of them are empty, but others are still full, leaning over threatening to spill their contents.
I take a step closer, noticing a smudge of dirt on her cheekbone for the first time. She’s wearing the same dress from the other morning in my office, and I’m struck by how beautiful she is.
Without thinking, I extend one hand out over the table, bridging the distance between us and wipe the dirt from her face. The action is meaningless, but my fingertips burn where they graze her skin.
A blush creeps up her neck as she tentatively meets my gaze. “Thanks.”
Almost instinctively, she brushes her hand over the spot I touched. I can’t help but wonder if she feels what I do when our skin touches. The undeniable chemistry. The unexplainable fire.
“What can I do to help?” I ask, removing my suit jacket and throwing it over the back of the closest chair.
A smile tugs at the corner of her lips. “I’m working on potting some tulips-.”
I pause midway through rolling up my sleeves and glance up at her. Her eyes linger on my forearms, trailing their way up. Gratification flutters at my awareness.
I know it shouldn’t, but a thrill runs through me. She’s checking me out.
I continue the motion and watch in delight as she doesn’t look away or finish her sentence.
Leaning forward against the table, I pin her with a stare, one eyebrow arched. “Enjoying the show?”
Her cheeks turn from pink to red, and a smirk spreads across my face. She stammers, trying to defend herself.
Deciding to let her off the hook, I move us back to the task at hand. “I’m ready to get dirty.”
Her shoulders visibly relax, and she glances around the countertop before picking something up. “You asked for it.”
In a flash, she throws a pair of pink gloves in my direction.
Easily, I snatch them out of the air. I raise an eyebrow at her, slipping the gloves on without further comment. The gloves feel snug, clearly designed for someone with daintier hands. “What now?”
An easy laugh bursts from her lips as she takes me in, a spark of amusement shining in her eyes. She shakes her head, slipping her own set of blue gloves on. “Haven’t you ever planted anything before?”
I shake my head, and the amusement in her eyes grows. “I guess you’ll just have to show me.”
Reaching into a pile of small round onions, she selects one, holding it up for me to see. “This is a tulip bulb. We need to place them pointy end up.”
She demonstrates placing it into the dirt before she reaches for another. “Pack them tightly, but not so close that they touch.”
I follow her lead and we fall into a silent rhythm of placing bulbs into dirt before covering them. Normally, I’d be uncomfortable with the silence lingering between us, but this feels normal. It feels easy. And that’s how things always are around Lilly, they are easy.
That’s not to say that she doesn’t challenge me, because she does. She makes me work harder than anyone I’ve ever known.
Things are simple with her, because I can just be myself. I don’t have to put on a show to win over the client. I don’t have to fixate on every single detail to make sure I don’t miss something. I can just be. That’s why it’s so easy.
Music plays from a speaker in the far corner, and she hums along with the melody as we work. Her hips move with the beat and I watch her more than the pots in front of me.
When we’ve finished all ten pots on the table, she grabs one, motioning me to follow her. Grabbing the second pot, I follow her through the door in the back corner. I’ve been here hundreds of times, but I’ve never been beyond the main shop front.
We walk down a dim corridor towards an exterior door. I rush forward, trying to get the door for her, but she bumps it open with her hip before I can reach it. I can’t help but shake my head at her. She’s always so independent. Not relying on anyone for help.
I’m honestly surprised she’s letting me help her now.
I’m expecting to go outside, but when I step through the door, I’m met with the warmth of a greenhouse. My eyes trace over the space, frozen in my tracks.
“What?” She asks, glancing back at me as she sets her pot down on an empty space.
I move to place my pot next to hers. Motioning to the surrounding space, I speak with disbelief in my voice. “I didn’t know this was here.”
Her raised eyebrows and skeptical gaze tells me she doesn’t believe me. “Where did you think I got my flowers?”
Realization hits me like a ton of bricks. “You grow them?”
“Of course, I do.” She steps behind me and makes her way back inside to grab another pot. I follow her, amazement washing through me.
She speaks in a small voice, and I walk faster to catch her words. “I grow every single flower in my shop. Unless it’s short notice and I don’t have it on hand, then I can order some from the other local growers or wholesalers.”
We both grab pots and make our way back down the hallway. “How did I not know this?”
I’m floored by this knowledge, but she only chuckles at my amazement and shrugs her shoulder. “You never asked, so I just assumed you knew.”
I shake my head, placing the pot next to hers on the table. Meeting her gaze, I’m locked by the sea of green in her eyes. “You’re amazing.”
The words leave my mouth before I realize what I’ve said.
She flushes under my compliment, but without skipping a beat, she steps past me. “I guess I’m just good with my hands.”
When she’s safely through the doorway, a groan escapes my lips and I run a hand through my hair. Dirty images threaten to run through my mind, but I force myself into motion. Helping her move the pots is a better use of my mind than idle hands would be.
After a few minutes of walking back and forth, we’ve placed all the pots in the greenhouse. We both release a collective sigh, and I swipe a hand across my brow to brush the perspiration away.
Breathlessly, I ask, “What are these for, anyway?”
She bites her lip, hesitating before she answers. “It’s a surprise.”
“That’s awfully cryptic.” I say, following her as we step back into the dimly lit hallway.
“Only a little.” She winks over her shoulder at me, and my heart skips a beat. This woman does not know what she does to me.
“Come on, let’s clean up and we can go upstairs. I left the letter on my coffee table.” She waves her hand over her shoulder and heads into the back room.
My eyes flit to the ceiling over our heads and a silent prayer for strength shoots through me.
CHAPTER EIGHT
STEPPING BACK OUT into the hallway, I follow Lilly up a narrow staircase into the apartment above her shop. It never even occurred to me that there was anything else beyond the front room of the store. I just assumed she lived elsewhere.
Of course, Lilly would live above her own store.
All those times I drove by and the storefront was dark, but lights danced from inside the apartment above that was her. I’ve never felt more dense.
Pulling out a small set of keys, she unlocks the door and opens it. “I hope you like plants.”
A brief burst of laughter passes my lips as I step foot into her apartment for the first time. Plants of all shapes litter every surface. Some women have books, some have dolls or cats. Lilly has plants. She is a crazy plant lady.
Lilly’s face turns bashful as she meets my gaze. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Closing the door behind me, I bend over, removing my shoes and placing them in the shoe tray by the front door.
She assesses me with a long stare before a smile slips across her face. “Do you always pay such close attention to the insignificant details?”
“Always.” I loosen my tie slightly, and her eyes follow the movement. “It’s the details that make something special.”
She nods, moving further into the apartment. “I couldn’t agree more.”
The small entryway opens into a seating area. My eyes travel across the potted plants, fixating on the warm tones of green and brown that make her apartment feel as if you just stepped into a garden. Even with all the plants, warm lights filter down from hanging fixtures, giving the space a warm and airy ambiance.
I almost laugh aloud as I take it all in. It’s just like I thought it would be. Just like her.
“Have a seat. I’m just going to change.” She points to the couch, and I move to it, taking a seat without comment.
She disappears through a door behind me, and when it shuts with a soft click, I sigh a breath of relief. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, trying to take in everything around me like I may never see it again.
And it’s right. I may never see this place again. Being here, even at this moment, feels beyond belief.
Keeping my head straight, I turn my focus back to her apartment, being careful not to think about what is happening in the room behind me. Images of falling green fabric flash behind my eyes before I press it down again.
My eyes move around the apartment. Just past where I’m sitting, under cabinet lighting softly illuminates the outlines of a small kitchen. Her cabinets are a soft eggshell blue with spotless white countertops. I can’t help but wonder if she painted them herself, or if the apartment came that way.
I can imagine her picking the color to make her kitchen feel like the sky on a spring morning.
Even without knowing the answer for sure, I am certain my assumption is correct.
When the door behind me clicks open a few minutes later, I feel her presence before I see her. Warmth akin to sunshine floods the room, warming me to my center.
I pull my phone from my pocket, pretending to be busy checking an email. From the corner of my eye, I watch her step nervously around the couch. Tucking the phone into my pocket, I look at her for the first time. My eyes catch on her face first. She has ditched her typical hairstyle and pulled her long brown waves into a loosely knotted bun on top of her head.
My gaze trails down her body and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Her skin is flushed, and tan skin glows beneath shorts and a t-shirt. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed her more relaxed. I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. No clothing has ever looked so good.
She settles herself onto the couch as far from me as possible, careful to keep some distance between us. Her shorts ride up ever so slightly, and the tantalizing glimpses of skin makes mine heat. The space between us is just the reminder I need for why I’m here. I’m here to help her, not because she wants to spend time with me.
Keep it together, Cole.
“Have you made any progress with the letter?” I ask, breaking the silence.
“Not really. Here, look at it again.” She leans forward, reaching into a drawer below the coffee table, and pulls out the letter.
Her hand shakes as she hands it to me. Is she nervous I won’t give it back? Or is she nervous for another reason?
I take the letter, opening it to scan over it once more. The paper feels worn, and the creases appear more defined compared to the last time I held it in her shop. It’s clear she’s opened and closed it numerous times. She’s probably read it more times than she’s willing to admit. Something about that knowledge makes my chest swell.
My eyes scan down the words on the page, and I can tell she’s watching me intently out of the corner of my eye.
“The man is clearly in love.” I say, stating the obvious. What else am I supposed to say?
My eyes scan the message, and absentmindedly, I flip the page over.
“What’s that?” She asks, her brows furrowing together.
She scoots closer so we can look at the letter together, each of us holding it tentatively with one hand. I relax as her warmth envelops me and a sense of ease slides down the length of my spine. She probably doesn’t even realize she’s moved closer. Being this close feels normal. It feels right.
I glance over at her, hoping for some reassurance that she feels the same way. Her eyes are glued to the letter, but she’s so close I can make out each fleck of brown in her otherwise green eyes. I want to count each one, memorizing them like stars in a constellation.
The irresistible urge to reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear consumes me. Her eyes would fix on mine, a slight blush rushing to her cheeks. The urge almost overwhelms me. My arm threatens to move of its own free will, but I cross them safely over my chest instead. Breaking her from her trance, I ask, “What do you see?”
Looking up from the paper, a light sparks to life in her eyes. “I swear I saw writing when you flipped the page over.”
A small line forms between her eyebrows as she stares at the letter in one hand. She has no idea how cute she is when she’s concentrating. I feel like I could stay like this forever, just sitting on her couch. Endlessly searching for the author of a mysterious love letter. I can think of no way I’d rather spend an evening than right here next to her. “It was only for a second, but I swear I saw something.”
“Maybe it’s invisible ink.” A laugh pours from my lips, because that has to be the most absurd thing I’ve ever said.
Her eyes glance at the lamp hanging from the ceiling.
“You’re a genius, Aiden!” She jumps from the couch. With light footsteps, she rushes into the kitchen. “Come on, slowpoke.”
A thrill runs through me as I stand and follow her. “What are you doing?”
She flips on a switch, and a set of lights turns on over plants that stand in the corner. “I think you’re on to something.”
I take a step closer, looking over one shoulder as she places the letter under the grow lamp. “Am I?”
She nods and leans forward, eyes intent on the paper. “Look!”
Unable to resist, I lean forward, my chest brushing her back to peek over her shoulder.
Clear as day, words appear on the paper where there had been nothing but a blank sheet before.
In a mountain cafe, my senses awaken with a fragrant brew.
Locked within her emerald hold, my heart knew.
Something inside me shifted. I’d never be the same.
Under her gaze, I kneel in submission.
Only here will you find the key to continue the expedition.
She glances over her shoulder at me, and her eyes move from mine, down to my lips. I’m too close. I clear my throat and lean back.
Turning to face me, she taps a finger against her chin as the gears turn inside her head. She repeats the message on the letter slowly, weighing each word as she says them.
In an instant, she’s pulling her phone out of her pocket. She types something before she nods her head. She holds out her phone, showing me what she’s found.
“Bean Voyage.” I chuckle as I say the name a loud. “That’s funny.”
She lowers her phone slightly, glancing back at the letter. “It’s a coffee shop a couple of streets over. I used to spend a lot of time there when I was still in college, and I’d just opened this shop.”
In an instant, all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place in her mind. A fire of excitement blazes in her eyes. Her hair loosens from its bun and small pieces fall to frame her flushed cheeks. She has never looked more beautiful.
“Oh, my god.” She bounces beside me on the couch excitedly, shaking my arm with one hand. “That’s it!”
“You think the answer to finding the author will be at this coffee shop?”
She nods her head, sure of her answer. “It’s the only place like it in town. They’ve totally embraced the mountain aesthetic.”
I can’t help but nod along with her, impressed with her puzzle solving skills.
“I can’t believe we figured it out!” She moves forward and I’m stunned as she wraps her arms around me in a hug.
My panic vanishes in a split second, not willing to waste this gift. I wrap my arms around her tightly and pull her closer. One arm wraps tightly around her back, while the other slides its way up her spine to her neck. Ecstasy floods through my veins as her scent and warmth wash over me. I’ve never held her before. And now I realize that I’ve never lived because she wasn’t in my arms until now.
I force my thoughts to slow, fixating only on the pressure of her body against mine. The scent of earth and lavender invade my senses. Each second that passes feels like an eternity, but all too soon, the embrace ends.
She pulls back slightly, and I reluctantly release her. The moment changes as she stares into my eyes. Her chest heaves with heavy breaths and her eyes flash to my lips before meeting my gaze again. Pressure builds in my chest. If I lean forward only a few inches, her lips would be on mine. She’s thinking the same thing. I can feel it. I sense her hesitation as her eyes flicker with a subtle change before it disappears.
The balloon of hope in my chest vanishes with it.
She scoots back, putting distance between us. I harden my features, not wanting disappointment written all over my face.
“I’m sorry.” She puts one hand over her mouth. “That was extremely unprofessional of me.”
Trying to paste a comforting smile on my face, I shrug my shoulder nonchalantly. “Don’t worry about it. We were just caught up in the moment.”
