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Lucas stood back, offering to help where he could.She had him handing her vases, stems and ribbon whenever he was closest.If she needed help holding something in place, he was there, taking directions without question.When the latent print specialist arrived, Lucas showed her up to the apartment and waited while she dusted for prints.When she was done, she left her card with Lucas and drove away.Felina hadn’t said more than hello to the woman, instead focusing on all she had to accomplish.
By the time her delivery guy, Bruno Brun, arrived, she’d worked through ninety percent of the order he was to deliver that morning.
“Heard you had some trouble last night,” Bruno commented.“Something about a break-in…?”
“Yup,” Felina said.“Lucas can fill you in.Lucas, this is Bruno.Bruno, this is Lucas, my boyfriend.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Felina saw Bruno’s eyebrow rise up his dark forehead.He held out his hand to Lucas.“Dude, you’ll have to fill me in on a lot more than the break-in.”
“Let Felina do her thing,” Lucas said, drawing the driver toward the front of the shop where they’d staged the deliveries.“I’ll tell you what I know while we load the orders in the van.”
While Lucas helped load the arrangements in the van, Felina finished the last three bouquets, wondering how Lucas painted their relationship status.She’d have to make sure she had the same story if they wanted everyone to believe they were really in a relationship.
After the break-in, Felina was beginning to believe her ego and the effort to deflect the matchmaking mamas with her little fake relationship were inconsequential compared to having her apartment ransacked and finding a body in the bayou.
She breathed a sigh as she carried the last vase to the van.At least she’d managed to fill the orders for delivery.She could work the others due to be picked up later that afternoon after she visited the coroner’s office.
A shiver rippled across her skin as she stood in the morning sun, the southern Louisiana heat and humidity wrapping around her like a thick cloak.
Lucas slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.“Mrs.Lebowitz is looking.”
“Seems so stupid.”
“That she’s looking?”
“That I’m even remotely worried about what the neighbors think.”She turned to face him.“Someone broke into my apartment last night.Now, a man is dead.Why should I even give a damn about what Mrs.Lebowitz sees?”
Lucas smoothed a strand of her hair off her cheek.“You shouldn’t give a damn.”He bent and brushed a kiss across her forehead.“What’s important is that you’re safe.”He kissed the tip of her nose.
Her breath caught and held in her throat.“Then why are you kissing me?”she whispered.
“Because I can’t resist.”He smiled softly, his lips hovering over hers.“You’re the ultimate flower to my bee.I’m drawn to your nectar.”
His lips claimed hers in a kiss that swept her away from the break-in, the shop, the impending wedding and Bayou Mambaloa.It was just her and Lucas.
When he lifted his head, she swayed, leaning into him.
God, she could get used to this.
He grinned.“No comment on my pickup line?”
She frowned, her brain still in a lust fog.“Pickup line?”
He cocked an eyebrow.“Flower...bee...nectar?”
As his words sank in, her lips quivered.The man was too cute for her heart.If she wasn’t careful, she’d fall for him.She’d do her best to guard her heart and to keep him in check.“Oh.Yeah.About that...”She reached up and patted his cheek.“One hundred percent corny.Try again.”
Despite her judgment, she’d found the line absolutely adorable.If they were in a real relationship, she’d have...what?
Kissed him like they were the only two people on the face of the earth, completely blocking out everyone and everything around them?
Oh, wait.That’s what she’d done.
Felina backed out of his arms, forcing a smile.“Let’s go to the coroner’s office.I need to get back as soon as possible.”She turned and walked back into the shop, still talking.“Trish will be in after lunch to discuss changes to her floral arrangements.I’m also doing the flowers for Colonial Day in Bayou Mambaloa.I need to visit some of the old plantation houses that will be open for the event.They all want massive flower arrangements for their entry halls and sitting rooms.Then there’s the matter of cleaning my apartment so I don’t have to sleep on the floor tonight.”She stopped halfway to the workroom.“Shoot.I need to call a carpenter to replace my door.”
“That’s a lot,” Lucas said.“If I can help in any way, let me.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” she said.
