Chapter 2
EVAN
As I drive all over town, doing various small repair jobs, I feel like I'm in a trance. I've never been an impulsive person, yet I'd been about to ask Zinnia out right there in the hardware store.
The only thing that stopped me was the call from Mom's best friend telling me that Mom would be discharged from hospital tomorrow. When I went back inside, Zinnia was gone. I'm taking seeing her again just a few minutes later as a definite sign.
I race home, shower and put on a nicer shirt, painfully aware that I haven't been on a date in ages.
Something worries me on the drive to her apartment. Marty said that the flower girls were all in their early twenties, and I'm guessing that Zinnia is the youngest. She's so beautiful. So fresh faced and innocent. It makes me think embarrassingly impure thoughts.
I mean, I'm one of the good guys and totally trustworthy, but does she have any idea how dangerous it is for her to go out with a stranger?
I park in front of the building with three small stores at street level and the girls' apartment above. Looking up at the living room window, I see the curtain move. Probably one of her sisters, watching for me.
Stepping into the entryway at the bottom of the stairs, I look up to see Zinnia already coming down to meet me. My heart pumps forward and back as if it's staggering.
She's utterly gorgeous.
I try to keep my staring subtle. Her long auburn hair is wavier, and she's wearing a bit of smudged brown eyeliner that makes her blue eyes even more riveting.
Her porcelain skin, her willowy limbs in a simple dark purple dress… Everything about her is angelic.
A force of lust slams through me like a lightning bolt. I've never wanted a woman like this. Never craved anyone or anything with this kind of instant force.
I need her. Need her to be mine. Need to protect her and care for her and—
Say something, dude.
"Hi, beautiful," I manage. "You look absolutely stunning." Zinnia is nervous, which I want to fix immediately.
The skin on her cheekbones glows slightly pink. "Thank you," she whispers.
I hold out my arm as we step out into the street, and notice she has a sweater draped over her shoulder bag. "It's pretty warm. I don't think you'll need that."
"You'd think so, right?," she laughs. "But I'm a freak of nature. I'm cold all the time. 'Sokay. I'm used to it."
As she wraps her hand around my arm, I feel a strange sense of pride. I shouldn't feel so incredible just walking her down the street. But I do. I need to focus on making the best impression possible.
The restaurant is only a few blocks away, and I stop a few doors down in front of a gift shop that's thankfully open late. "Before we eat, could you spare a few moments to share your female gift-selecting powers?"
Zinnia giggles sweetly. "I wasn't aware I had those, but sure."
We walk inside and I explain that I need gifts for two very special ladies in their mid-fifties. I stand back as Zinnia begins chatting with the sales clerk, filling gift baskets with a strange assortment of items that I would never have thought of.
Picking up a slender flat box, I look at the photo skeptically. "People put green goop on their face, and that's a good time?" They both laugh at me, and I can tell that Zinnia is gauging my reaction. I chuckle along with them, totally unfazed. "Okay, you're the experts."
They arrange two large sturdy baskets that they assure me can be reused afterward.
Inside are everything from moisturizing masks to cuticle cream to bath bombs filled with flower petals.
Instead of commenting about all of that organic material clogging the pipes, I keep my mouth shut and arrange for delivery tomorrow around noon.
I place Zinnia's hand lightly on my arm again as we walk to the restaurant. "I hope you like Greek food."
Her eyes light up. "Love it."
Once we're seated next to each other in a cozy back corner with saganaki on the way, Zinnia asks, "Who were the gifts for?"
"My mother and her best friend Renee." As I turn to face her, our knees brush under the table, and I'm pleased when she doesn't move away.
"Mom was in a minor car accident a few weeks ago. Her hip had always had problems, and this made it worse. So they replaced it, then kept her in for some physio and to make sure she healed enough before they sent her home."
Zinnia smiles warmly. "I'm so glad that she's all right."
"Thank you."
I've already taken her hand. It seems so natural, and she leans closer. "She's being released tomorrow morning, which is why I was so frantic in the hardware store when her friend called. Renee is a nurse, so she's going to be helping Mom over the next few weeks. She's kind of like an aunt to me."
"That's sweet," Zinnia says. "Lovely of you to get gifts for both of them."
"I've been trying to help as much as possible. I've hired a cleaner and a cook, and I went through her house searching for tripping hazards for any canes or walkers she might be using for the next few weeks."
She nods. "You're a good son."
We order our entrees, then I say, "I'm sorry I could only work on your job at night."
She gives me a dismissive wave. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm just concerned that you were working so much. Of course the hospital comes first. Were you replacing old windows?"
"Several, yes. There were also two wings where the main floor windows didn't lock properly."
Zinnia frowns. "Oh no – was your mom in one of those rooms? That would have been unnerving."
"Yes. That's why I said it was a bit personal for me.
I had an immediate chat with the higher-ups.
" I stare down at our clasped hands, at how delicate her pale skin looks against my tan.
"I didn't want to be pushy, but I told them I was fixing Mom's room immediately.
And if they wanted me to keep the issue quiet, they'd allow me to check the entire building, and update whatever was necessary. "
"Wow. Were they annoyed?"
I chuckle. "At first they thought I was trying to shake them down for money. Then they realized I only wanted them to pay for the materials and whatever labor costs they could afford. Marty heard about it and pitched in."
Zinnia sighs. "See, this is the kind of small town wholesome vibe I was hoping for."
"I'm sure Chicago was nice, too."
"The art scene was amazing," she grins. "The winters were not."
Our saganaki arrives, and during the ritual of dousing the flaming cheese and shouting "Opa!" I can't stop watching Zinnia's magical blue eyes. I absorb every detail of her smile, her animated body language.
"Did you know that pouring sambuca over it and setting it on fire was started in Chicago?" she asks.
I chuckle, my hand dropping to her knee. "I'm part Greek, and I had no idea."
Her gaze drifts to where my palm is slowly caressing the top of her thigh over her dress. I pull it away. "Sorry. Too soon?"
"No, I…" She seems flustered.
"I'm sorry. My hands just naturally want to reach for the sweetest girl I've ever seen."
The pink tinge on her cheeks is so demure. Leaning close, I whisper, "Zinnia, you have all the power here. Just tell me yes or no, and I'll always obey. Okay?"
Damn, that look in her eyes. It has me melting more than the saganaki. "Okay. Thank you."
Our entrees arrive, and we enjoy our meal while discussing the stranger points of Sandersville that she's discovered so far, and our tastes in movies and TV. I'm intrigued that she's into classic films and books, not to mention the history of advertising.
"Is that what you do for a living?" I ask.
Zinnia tilts her head back and forth. "Kind of. I'm interested in community-based direct advertising. I do illustration as well."
"Well, I'd hire you on the spot if I had any need to advertise," I grin. "But Marty keeps me exactly as busy as I want to be."
"What do you do when you're not working?" she asks.
I make a face. "You're going to laugh."
She smirks. "I'll…try not to?"
"I coach an archery group, and occasionally teach private lessons."
Her luscious mouth falls open, and the urge to lean in and kiss her is almost overwhelming. "You're kidding."
"Nope. I've been an instructor for the past five years."
She giggles. "But who is into archery these days?"
"You'd be surprised. Live action role playing people. History buffs. Medieval enthusiasts. Some people just want to try something where they'll meet interesting people without it involving drinking or loud music."
Her bright eyes dance. "Can I try some time?"
A pang of worry smacks into the center of my chest. The thought of her being hurt is unacceptable. "I'm guessing you're a beginner. I could give you a private lesson."
The way she gazes at me makes my heart pound hard and fast. I peek around the restaurant. Nobody is looking in our direction. Leaning close, I whisper, "You're breathtaking, Zinnia. Just so you know, it's very difficult not to kiss you."
I pull away before she worries I'm going to do that right now. Taking her hand, I drop it into my palm, allowing her to decide whether to keep it there or not. She does. "Dessert?" I ask.
"I couldn't, but you go ahead."
"How about a walk, then? I'm sure there are parts of downtown you haven't seen yet."
"That's a great idea."
Once we're outside and walking down the street, I wrap an arm around her. "Is this okay?"
"Yeah." She grins up at me. "I like how warm you are."
"Even if you're just using me for my body heat, I'll take it." We turn onto a side street that leads to the cobblestone square in front of the town hall, then walk down to the narrow park. "They call this Sanders River, even though it's barely a creek," I explain.
"Let's look that up," she says, pulling out her phone. "Hmm. This doesn't empty directly into the ocean, right?"
"No, it joins the Pine River several miles down."
She looks back and forth along the slow-moving water. "Nope, they're right. It's not coming down a hill, so that makes it a river."
As she drops her phone back in her purse triumphantly, I wrap my arms around her. "I don't know anyone who would pause to actually look that up."
The faint glow of the distant street lamps lights up her eyes. "It's just good to know the facts, right?"
"Well, one fact I'm sure of is I'm glad I'm getting to know you." Her hands wrap around my shoulders, and I slowly turn us in a circle as if we were dancing. "Zinnia, is it too soon to kiss you?"
When her chin tips up, there's a saucy glint in her eyes. "That depends. What are your intentions, sir?"
My palm settles between her shoulder blades. "Tonight, I'm hoping to kiss you, in order to show you how much I like you. How much you already mean to me."
Grazing my lips over the top of her head, I add, "Then I'm going to start a detailed plan to make you fall for me. For you to tell me all of your hopes and dreams, so I can figure out how to fit into your life."
"Why?" Her voice is barely a breath and her vivid blue eyes flash as she stretches up higher.
"So that I can care for you. Protect you.
Make you happy. So that you fall madly in love with me and let me be your man.
" When her body stiffens in my arms, I wonder if I've gone too far.
Just as I'm about to step back and let her go, Zinnia's fingers clutch the back of my neck, and she pulls me close.
Our first kiss is a soft tease. The next one is stronger, deeper, and her lips part, allowing me to devour her soft mouth.
I've never felt raw animal hunger like this. The surge of lust is overpowering. Not because it's been years since I've been with a woman, or because Zinnia is so ridiculously beautiful. It's her sweetness. She's what I've been needing.
Without thinking, I lift her, hooking her legs around my waist as I back her toward a tree. "Tell me to stop." I hope my throaty growl doesn't scare her.
"Not yet." With her back against the tree and my hand scooped under her perky ass, Zinnia seems completely comfortable, clinging to me with her legs around me.
"You're so hot," I murmur, dipping my head to kiss along her throat. "Seriously, tell me to stop, gorgeous."
"Not yet."
My cock shouldn't be this hard. I shouldn't be grinding against her. It's too much and I run the risk of offending her. Yet her thighs tighten, pulling me closer as if she loves the pressure. Kissing me hard and deep, she's encouraging me.
"If we weren't in public, I'd have you naked already," I growl. "Be studying this sweet little body. Kissing you everywhere."
Her lovely blue eyes are wide, her breath shaky. "What else?"
My fingers slip under her panties, squeezing her toned, round ass. "I'd be ripping these off. Plunging inside you to see if I fit inside your luscious little pussy."
I know I'm crossing a line, but from the way she smiles, Zinnia loves it. "Are you just saying that, or do you really think it might not fit?"
I place my hand against the center of her panties, dragging my middle finger through the wet spot. "Saucy. There's only one way to find out. But it won't be anywhere that someone could possibly see us, gorgeous."
She trembles as I nudge against her clit, her little hands clutching me tight. Just as I decide to slide my fingers under the fabric and make her come right now, we hear a dog bark behind us.
Setting her on her feet, we collect ourselves until we're just another couple holding hands by the time a gentleman and his senior golden retriever stroll by.
"I should get you home before I have any more terrible ideas."
Zinnia squeezes my hand. "I think that's for the best tonight. But don't forget those ideas entirely."
Her sass. Her vibrance. She's perfect for me.
She's the one.