She’s told me in the past that she can’t afford to carry my flowers. And she’s probably right. Her little place is artistic and well run, but the market in our little town isn’t ripe for selling a three hundred dollar single rose. So I keep dropping off the samples to her for free and she can charge what she likes.
She tips her head to the side. A stream of cream colored waves nearly cover her face and I see she’s preparing to turn and head into the back room like she always does.
I have to stop her. I have to change this. I have to have her.
Just as my next words are forming on my lips, Kandi, her part-time help, bounces out of the back room with that tooth-rotting smile and tugs her T-shirt down to expose more of her cleavage. With an eye roll toward Rose, she gets to the counter in three steps and her fingers reach to touch the Ever Afters.
“Wow! These are beautiful! You name them after me this time?” Kandi chomps on a piece of gum and my brow tightens into a knot.
I grab the vase and lift it from the counter before she can touch it. No fucking way are her fingers touching these roses before Rose’s. She’ll tarnish them and I can’t have that.
“Rose.” My balls are heavy and my cock stretches my skin tight as it thickens.
I’m not waiting. No more opportunities will pass. I have to do something and do it now. My fingertips tingle and heat covers me from head to toe.
Before I think it through, I’m speaking again. “I have some paperwork I need to go over with you if you have a second. I have exclusive sellers now and you are one of them, but my fucking...” Fuck, did I just swear? Shit. I squint one eye as Rose tosses a questioning look my way. I’ve never cursed in front of her before, but my blood is boiling and things have to change. Too late to go back, the only way is straight through. “...my fucking lawyers say I need to have exclusivity agreements with all my sellers.”
I shrug. Not my fault. Lawyers, huh? What are you going to do?
Kandi chomps her gum, looking from me to Rose. I’m a desperate man. I just made that shit up on the fly about the damn paperwork. Part of it is true, my lawyers did say I need exclusivity agreements. But still, I don’t give a shit about that right now and that will never apply to her. I’m going to get her alone and get some answers. And hopefully get my lips on hers.