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‘Youhave no idea what that means, do you?’
Hekissed her nose. ‘Nonewhatsoever but if it helps your business thenI’mvery glad.’Hefrowned suddenly. ‘Icame into the shop and saw you hugging some random dressed in a grey suit.Anotherman!’
‘Washe mid-forties-ish and dark-haired?’Daisyasked, giggling.
‘Hewas!’
‘Thatwas theWebFloristinspector.He’djust awarded mestatus andIwas so relieved,Ihugged him.’Daisythought back, unable to resist teasing. ‘Hesmelled deliciousIseem to recall.’
‘Minx.’Rickpulled her to him for a kiss that left her breathless.
Sheslid her hands up his chest enjoying the feel of his bunched muscles. ‘Whydidn’t you stay in the shop soIcould explain?Wehad a little celebration afterwards.Youcould have joined in.’
‘Marionbooted me out.Sheshut the door in my face.’HenibbledDaisy’searlobe. ‘Youtaste good.Allhot and salty.’
‘I’llhave to have stern words with her about turning customers away.Althoughsales have already rocketed,’ she panted. ‘I’mconsidering takingMiaon as assistant manager.’WhyamIgibbering on about work when this delicious man is turning me insane with lust?
‘That’sgood,’Rickmurmured, patently only half listening.Henuzzled at the opening of her polo shirt and licked her collarbone.Cuppingher breast, he teased the nipple.Itsprang into life and madeDaisy’shead loll back on a neck weakened by liquid desire.
‘It’llmean,’Daisywhimpered, trying to focus, ‘thatI’llhave more free time.’Shepulled his face to hers and kissed him, opening and deepening the kiss until they broke apart, blurry-eyed and breathing hard. ‘Ooh.You’reawfully good at this.’
‘Icould say the same and we haven’t even got started yet.’Rickgazed at her, another feverish burning look from his liquid brown eyes. ‘I’mso very attracted to you.’Tuckinga strand of her hair tenderly behind her ear he added, ‘Iwant you to know thatI’mserious about you.Aboutus.Iwant to build a life with you,Daisy, if we can squeeze one in, in between running two businesses.Iwant to work with you, make love with you, sleep with you.’Heslid a hand under her shirt finding hot skin and making her gasp. ‘Ilove you,Daisy.’Hecaptured her mouth again. ‘Ilove you very much.Shallwe take this upstairs?’ he whispered, the sound vibrating through her. ‘Ineed you so very badly.’
‘Oh,’Daisybreathed, fearing she’d combust.Ithad never ever been like this with anyone else.Fora second she wavered.SheandRickbarely knew one another; they’d not even gone out on a date.Werethey rushing things?Acompressed horror show of the dates she’d been on that summer flashed through her mind.Ifshe was meant to go through that farce in order to get to this moment, she’d do it all over again.Whatare you thinking, you stupid girl?You’vepaid your dues and earned this.‘Oh,’ she said yet again. ‘Yesplease!’
Daisycame to, several hours later, tangled in a cool white cotton sheet.Itwas the only thing she had on, under it she wore only skin.Judgingfrom the light outside and the blackbird singing, it was getting late.SheandRickhad slept the afternoon away.Sheglanced over.Notthat much sleeping had been involved.Holdingher breath, she slid over onto her side, not wanting to wake him, wanting to indulge in being able to gaze greedily at him.
Rickwas fast asleep, lying on his front, a lock of glossy hair flopping over his forehead.Hisface was resting on one hand and he was frowning slightly, as if concentrating very hard on something.Hisback was toned, his lateral muscles defined and lightly tanned.Daisywas ridiculously turned on by the thick growth of dark hair in his armpit; his body was so excitingly different to hers.Hehad a tiny freckle on one shoulder blade which she delicately traced with a feathery touch.Halfof her wanted to wake him but she resisted, preferring to study him instead.
Beyonce’s‘CrazyinLove’ thrummed through her brain, so loud she almost thoughtBayRadiowas playing somewhere in the house below.Howironic, that as soon as she had recognised her own true worth and decided being on her own was enough, this had happened.Butmaybe the saying that you had to love yourself first before being able to love anyone else was true.Ithad been amazing.Rickhad been amazing.Ifshe had only this afternoon of stolen bliss, if nothing more came of them, then she’d die happy.Littleshivers of arousal stole through her as she remembered how cherished he’d made her feel.
Hestretched, rubbed his nose and woke up.Seeingher staring at him, he smiled sleepily. ‘Hello, gorgeousDaisy.’Hepulled her down for a kiss, grinning crookedly. ‘Ijust can’t seem to get enough of you…’
Afterwardsthey lay together, limbs entwined.Daisylay againstRick, his arm heavy over her middle.Shestroked the dark hair on his forearm. ‘Ihaven’t been very nice to you lately.’
Hekissed her hair. ‘You’vejust been very nice to me.’
Shegiggled. ‘That’snot whatImeant.Imeant before.’Shesobered. ‘Whenyou tried to help at the shop withNeville.WhenIbumped into you in the bar atTheStationHouse.Iwas really cross with you.’
Hekissed her again and snuggled her in closer. ‘You’vehad a lot going on.And, as far as you were concerned,Iwas theBigBad.Forgetit.’Helaughed and the vibrations echoed deliciously through her body. ‘Whatyou need is a great big bunch of flowers.Doesanyone buy you any?’
‘No,’Daisyanswered sadly. ‘Ispend my life selling flowers to other people.Fortheir hot dates.Fortheir celebrations, weddings, christenings.Funeralseven.AndI’venot once received one.Supposeit’s a bit like coals toNewcastleas my mum would say.’
‘Well, we’ll have to remedy that.’Rickpulled her in even closer and they lay in a companionable silence for a moment listening to the blackbird rev up outside.Itwas very peaceful.
Daisylooked around the room, lazily taking in the details.King-sized bed, a faded paisley rug on the floorboards, clotted-cream-painted walls up to the dado rail and soft white from then on upwards.Small-paned windows with stained-glass panels reflected soft crimson, gold and emerald onto the white bedding.Fromher vantage point she could just see the corner of the turret.Itwas like being in her own personal fairy tale and, for once in her life, she felt like a princess.Thegolden-tinted late-afternoon light streaming in through the windows made an abstract flower pattern, she mused sleepily.Shejerked upright. ‘Flowers!’
‘Yes,I’llget you the biggest bouquetIcan find,’Rickmurmured. ‘Justtell me your favourites and consider it done.’
‘No!I’vestill got your dad’s bouquet on the porch.It’sbeen so sunny they’ll be fried.I’dhate them to be spoiled and your dad disappointed.’
Rickpulled her back to him. ‘Thenwe’ll take them together.Couldyou bear for our first date to be to a cemetery?’
Daisysmiled at him ruefully. ‘I’mvery fond of the cemetery.It’swhere my dad is and it’s where you were so kind to me after you discovered me weeping and looking puffy-eyed.Imust have looked a right mess.Atthe timeIcompared myself horribly toMinty, imagining her all cool and sophisticated.’
‘Whichshe can be,’Rickadmitted.Hefeathered a touch down her cheek. ‘Myheart went out to you that day,’ he said tenderly. ‘Youwere so distraught,Iwanted to gather you up and make your pain disappear.’
Daisyswallowed tears. ‘Oh,Rick, what haveIdone to deserve you?’
