“You.”
God . . .
he thought but leaned over and gave her a kiss. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
Addison nodded, and he saw a flash of something in those big brown eyes that looked like hope. Over and above anything else he didn’t want to be another man who disappointed or hurt her. The increasing intensity of his feelings for Addison caught him by surprise. He was a guy who liked to think things through, study, analyze, so it left him feeling a bit vulnerable and exposed. But with it came an odd sense of freedom. After so many years of holding back from taking even a little risk in both his professional and personal life he was really ready to listen to Sara’s advice and take a leap of faith.
When Reid returned Addison was curled up beneath the covers, sound asleep. He gazed down at her and smiled. She looked angelic, lying there with one hand tucked under her chin. Her bare shoulders reminded him that she was naked and his blood stirred. But he wouldn’t wake her. She needed the rest.
But tomorrow? Now, that would be a different story.
After brushing his teeth he slid beneath the sheet and pulled her close. She stirred, mumbled something, and then sighed. While making love to her again would have been awesome, Reid acknowledged that having her sleeping in his arms was a close second.
Flower Power
W
HEN THE BELL OVER THE DOOR DINGED MAGGIE
looked up from the model home plan she’d been studying.
“Look what I’ve got for you!” said Gabby Goodwin, the cute little owner of Flower Power. She had to lean her head to the side to see beyond the big bouquet of colorful spring flowers.
Maggie took off her reading glasses and stood up. With a hand to her chest she asked, “For me?”
Gabby wiggled her eyebrows. “Yes, indeed. Someone sure does like you.” She put the vase down on the desk and smiled. “Care to elaborate?” She tucked a golden curl behind her ear and waited.
Maggie took the small envelope from the tall plastic tong and then opened it. “Looking forward to dinner and dancing in the moonlight tonight. Richard,” she read silently. “Oh, just a client,” Maggie said, but felt a warm glow slide across her cheeks.
“Sure, he is,” Gabby drew out the comment with a smile. “Dinner and dancing in the moonlight? That sounds incredibly romantic if you ask me.”
“How did you . . . Oh right. You wrote this down for him when he called it in.” Maggie tried to make light of it.
“Is he hot? “
Maggie felt her blush deepen. “Yes . . .” Her voice turned into a small squeak.
“Sweet! This is when I love delivering flowers. Men . . .” Gabby rolled her eyes. “They think the best time to send a lovely bouquet of flowers is when they’ve messed up. Wrong.” Gabby wagged her fingers.
Maggie laughed.
“Yeah, I’ve had flowers handed back to me— No, make that thrust back at me. One woman walked over and tossed them out the back door! Right in front of me! I wanted to tell her to just give them to someone else . . . a neighbor or something, but you don’t want to mess with that kind of crazy.”
“So, you’re saying that the time to send flowers is for no reason at all.”
“Absolutely.” Gabby nodded slowly. “I mean, it’s great to do that too, you know, on Valentine’s Day or your anniversary. Even then they should put some thought into it. Just a simple thing like a favorite color or a special note. Guys just don’t get that women are pretty easy to please.”
“Sounds like you’re talking from experience.”
Gabby scrunched up her cute little nose. “I’m the poster child for dating douche bags. Oh well . . .” She smiled and pointed to the arrangement. “But this guy sure has got it going on. Flowers for no reason? Dancing in the moonlight? Damn, girl . . .”
Maggie laughed again. “Oh, Gabby, someone’s missing the boat by not snatching you up. Someday your prince will come.”
Gabby raised her arms akimbo. “Tell me about it. I sure have kissed some frogs.”
Maggie chuckled. “The arrangement is lovely but you didn’t have to personally deliver it to me.”
Her bright smile faltered. “Well, I’m the only one in the shop today. Until business picks up with weddings, I’m a little bit slow. I do have prom coming up so that will help.” She shrugged. “I put a be-back-in-ten-minutes sign on the door. And besides, I wanted to ask who the mystery man was. Actually, I think he had an assistant call in the order because the credit card name wasn’t Richard but some company name.”
Maggie laughed. “No mystery—just a client renting a cabin down by the river.”
“Right, and he sent you a huge bouquet of flowers? Dancing in the moonlight? I sure wish I had clients like that. Well, I’d want something other than flowers,” Gabby added with a tinkle of laughter. “I have enough of those. Give me chocolate!”
“Chocolate is the cure for anything!” Maggie smiled. She’d frequented Flower Power, loving the fresh scent and beauty of fresh flowers in her loft. Plus, she knew that until Wedding Row was up and running full steam ahead the shop was struggling a little bit. She’d gotten to know Gabby over the past few weeks. “You do wonderful work, Gabby.”
“Thanks!”
“What made you go into the flower business? Other than you have quite the eye for color?”
Gabby’s eyes misted over. “My mama. She was a single mom and worked so hard waiting tables at Sully’s just to make ends meet. I would bring her wildflowers I’d pick because I knew they’d make her smile. I’d put them in a mason jar and set them on the kitchen table so she’d see them as soon as she walked in.”
“That’s such a lovely reason, Gabby.” She smiled. “Tristan used to bring me dandelions. There’s nothing sweeter than getting flowers from a child, even if they’re weeds.”
“True, but it’s also pretty doggone nice to get flowers from an admirer,” Gabby said with a grin. “I sure wish my Prince Charming would come along.”
“Oh, he will. Most likely when you least expect it.”
“Ah, so there’s hope for me yet?”
Maggie nodded. “There’s
always
hope. Now get on back before you miss a customer.”
Gabby hugged Maggie and then stepped back. “I will. And make sure you come over for coffee and tell me all about Mr. Dancin’ in the Moonlight soon. Okay?”
“I promise.”
“Good,” Gabby said with her usually bubbly smile back in place. “See y’all later.”
After Gabby left Maggie tried to go back to the home plans but her eyes kept drifting back to the flowers. This time there wasn’t a twisted ankle or any reason other than Richard was anxious to see her. The knowledge sent a flutter of excitement dancing around in her stomach. They had been taking things slow but the pull of attraction was undeniable, even when they talked for hours into the night. Richard listened and seemed to really care about her, but she realized that there was so much more that she wanted to learn about him. Once in a while she sensed an edge of sadness and she vowed that tonight she would draw him out and learn more about his past.
Over the years Maggie had felt a pull of attraction here and there. She’d been on a few dinner dates, but while Tristan was young she didn’t want to upset the apple cart, since except for being studious and quiet he was well adjusted and excelled academically. Tristan’s well-being and making enough money to live a modest lifestyle had been Maggie’s main concerns. After Tristan had left for college Maggie could have made changes in her social life but the insecurity of not dating for so long made her incredibly gun-shy.
Maggie reached over and touched the soft petals of a purple iris. She supposed that her mother’s desertion and her father’s lack of love and affection had something to do with her reluctance to seek a relationship. When you felt unloved it was difficult to put your heart on the line to take a beating.
Maggie sat back in her chair, toying with a pen. Fear was such a powerful emotion and so tough to stifle. She inhaled a shaky breath. She needed to shake off the shackles of the past and conquer her fear of rejection. A trickle of fear slid down her spine, but then she sat up straight and tossed the pen down. She needed to stop being wishy-washy! She was attracted to Richard Rule and he obviously felt the same way. She needed to just go for it. Determination melted the cold ball of fear. After all, she and Richard were just two middle-aged people looking for companionship, and if it became more than that she needed to embrace it rather than run. This was her chance. She’d be crazy not to take it.
After all, thoughts of Richard had occupied Maggie’s daydreams all week long. Lunch with him on Monday when he’d brought the paperwork to her only made her think of him more. Long conversations on the phone lasted into the night, creating an intense sensual longing that had her tossing and turning in her bed. The vision of him shirtless, however, plagued her the most.
And the kiss . . .
Oh, the kiss
.
Maggie heard a groan and then realized it had come from her own throat. She’d relived the sweet, sensual kiss over and over. That one kiss had the power to reach inside her heart and open something she’d kept locked tightly away for such a long time.
Desire.
“Oh, my . . . my.” The need to fan her face wasn’t from a hot flash.
Maggie finally gave up and shut down her computer. She locked the door and flipped the
O
PEN
sign to
CLOSED
. Instead of trying to work she might as well head on upstairs and take a long, hot bubble bath. She planned on exfoliating, shaving, plucking, smoothing, and primping. In anticipation of seeing Richard again she’d purchased some sexy lingerie. A trip to the cosmetic counter at Macy’s resulted in a sultry new fragrance and the knowledge of how to create a smoky eye. The eyeliner still proved tricky but she thought she’d finally gotten the method down. Blending, she had been instructed, was the key.
Maggie had always prided herself in presenting herself well as a mother and real estate agent, but this getting-sexy thing was fun! She only hoped she could pull it off. But Richard had a laid-back way about him that put her at ease. At lunch he’d had her laughing and feeling more carefree than she could remember. He’d requested that she bring jeans and tennis shoes along in the event they wanted to walk, and a bathing suit if she wanted to lounge in the hot tub. Of course, purchasing a new bathing suit had taken hours of trying on dozens of styles. She’d finally selected a modest one-piece halter-top style in a deep shade of emerald green.
The hot weather slipped into an evening warm enough for the baby-blue vintage scoop-neck sundress she’d bought at Violet’s. The sleeveless dress dipped low in the back, showing just enough skin to make her purchase a white, loosely knit sweater to wear over top. She’d remove it only if she mustered up the nerve. White wedge sandals and a matching purse rounded out the outfit.
Maggie looked in the mirror and fluffed her hair. She added more lipstick and then a bit more blush with a fat brush. “Not too shabby,” she said, trying really hard not to be nervous. In the back of her mind—and she kept it there—was the knowledge that this night could lead to more than a lingering kiss. They were adults, after all.
Maggie knew her body was far from perfect. Although she was no spring chicken, the sultry perfume, silky lingerie, and carefully applied makeup boosted her confidence. She gave herself one more once-over in the mirror and then looked at her watch. “Oh boy. Time to go . . .”
On the way to the cabin Maggie turned up the radio loud and sang along, partly because of her good mood but mostly to keep her mind off of getting incredibly, uncontrollably nervous. Because Maggie had made the decision that she wanted to make love to Richard Rule. Tonight.
But when she pulled into the lane leading to the cabin her heart started to pound.
Okay, maybe not tonight,
she thought, and then gripped the steering wheel harder. Maybe she should just shoot for another kiss in the moonlight?
“Just go with the flow,” Maggie whispered to herself as she pulled up in front of the cabin. “Dinner, maybe a dance on the back deck. You don’t need to be thinking about . . .
sex
,” she grumbled.
With that in mind she killed the engine, hefted her purse and tote bag over her shoulder, and then proceeded to walk with slightly shaky knees up to the front door. After taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and knocked.
“Maggie!” Richard smiled as he held the door open for her. “Come in.”
Apple and cinnamon wafted her way. “Oh, it smells heavenly in here.”
“It’s the apple pie from last time.” He leaned close and kissed her on the cheek. “This day sure dragged while I waited impatiently for your arrival.”
Maggie nodded since the touch of his warm lips against her skin interfered with her ability to articulate.
“You look lovely, Maggie.” He took the canvas bag from her and of course their fingers had to brush, and she felt a tingle all the way to her toes. It didn’t help that he looked so super-handsome in khaki shorts and a short-sleeved pale blue shirt that made his eyes appear even bluer. His short-cropped black hair was getting longer, giving him a boyish charm that softened the pure masculine line of his jaw.
“Thank you. And thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful and such a lovely surprise.”
“I’m glad you liked them. Would you like a glass of wine out on the back deck?”
“Oh, I meant to bring a bottle.”
“No worries. I have quite the selection, if you recall.”
Maggie smiled and fell into step with him toward the kitchen. She sat down on a stool by the large island.
“I opened a Cabernet Sauvignon about an hour ago to breathe, but if you’d rather have white I have a Chardonnay in the fridge.”
“Oh, the Cab sounds nice.”
“I couldn’t find a decanter so I poured some into the wineglasses. I wanted the wine to soften.” He grinned as he handed her a glass. “The two glasses sitting there were a constant reminder that you were coming but weren’t here yet. It was like they were mocking me.”
Maggie laughed. The fact that he was making no bones about how much he’d been looking forward to their dinner put her at ease.
Richard sat down next to her and lifted his glass. “To a wonderful evening ahead.”
Maggie tapped her glass to his and took a sip of the full-bodied wine.
“Do you like it? Be honest, because I don’t mind opening another bottle. I knew this vineyard produced a wine a bit more fruit forward, with less of the earthy finish. I hoped you would enjoy it.”
“I’m hardly an expert but I appreciate bold flavors. This is nice.”
When he seemed relieved Maggie reached over and put her hand over his. “Don’t worry. I’m easily pleased but I won’t waste calories on something I don’t like.”
“I know one thing. You’re easy to be around. I really enjoy your company, Maggie.”
“I feel the same way,” she said.
“I thought we’d have grilled salmon, a tossed salad, and wild rice? But if you’re not a salmon lover I have a couple of steaks in the fridge as well.”
“Oh no, salmon is a favorite of mine. The menu sounds delicious. And you said you couldn’t cook?” She pointed to the apple pie cooling on the counter. “Browned to perfection. I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit, or maybe you were holding out on me.”
Richard lifted one shoulder. “I have to admit that I’ve been surprising myself lately.”
When he reached for his wineglass his tattoo caught her eye once more. He seemed so refined, so educated, and the unexpected tattoo gave him that edge that she found compelling . . . and so damned sexy. “What does your tattoo say?”