A Week for Love to Bloom Read Free

The plants are right there.” She pointed to a long row of them lined up on the ground outside of the greenhouse. Jonathan started carrying them to his truck.
    She glanced back to Justin. “Wow, I guess you didn’t need training after all. Looks to me like your stalker skills are up to par.”
    He ch uckled. “Is this place yours?”
    “My mom and I own it.”
    “You have a pretty nice setup here.” He focused on her emerald eyes, amazed that they appeared even more luminous in the sunlight.
    “Thanks, it’s a lot of work, but I enjoy it.”
    Justin noticed a young guy approaching that looked tense and territorial.
    “Lauren, the mulch order just arrived. Do you want me to stack it with the rest in storage, or keep some out?”
    “Storage is fine, Brett. Thanks.” She turned back to Justin. “I better go get your receipt.”
    Justin was curious if the guy was her boyfriend. Instantly, he didn’t like him. He started helping Jonathan load the last of the plants while Lauren was away.
    “I saw you talking to that woman. Are you attracted to her?” Jonathan asked.
    “She’s hot,” Justin answered .
    “Yeah, if you like plain, and that is not the kind of ‘dirty’ I’d want my woman to be.” Jonathan chuckled. He was a professional at work, but remained Justin’s crude, older brother who grew up in the country. He was kind at heart, but sometimes his ego got in the way.
    “It’s obvious she works hard, and she owns a business. It’s impressive if you ask me,” Justin said.
    “You deserve someone classier. Just sayin.”
    When Lauren returned, Jonathan and Justin were already in the truck, so she quickly handed Jonathan the receipt through the window and turned to walk away.
    “ You might want to get a belt for that radio,” Jonathan yelled.
    She turned and glared for a couple of seconds.
    “Way to go, asshole.” Justin jumped out of the vehicle and ran after her. “Hey, Evans,” he called out.
    Lauren turned around.
    “Just ignore my brother. He can be a real dick sometimes.”
    “ I heard that,” Jonathan yelled.
    Justin turned and gave him the finger before he returned his attention to Lauren. He was standing only a few feet in front of her. “Honestly, I didn’t know this place was yours until I saw you. My brother asked me this morning to ride here with him. I didn’t have time to start my investigation, but it was definitely on my agenda,” he said with an alluring gaze. “I appreciate the gesture last night, by the way, even though you were rude to me at first.” A warm, huge grin spread across Justin’s face.
    “I’m truly sorry I kicked you out of my truck, but you kinda had it coming. I know you were screwing with me,” she said.
    Justin slipped his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts. “I’m not gonna lie. I enjoyed watching you squirm with panic,” he said, laughing as he nervously skimmed his tennis shoe across some gravel in front of him.
    “Interesting … you’re a stalker , and you enjoy watching people suffer. I think I need to steer clear of you.”
    “I ’m really not that cruel.” He gazed at her intently as his expression changed from playful to seductive. “In all seriousness, I hope I run into you again, and can I please get a first name, Ms. Evans?”
    “It’s Laure n,” she answered softly. Their bantering caused the air around them to fill with thick, sexual tension. He sucked in a breath and held it in his lungs, unable to exhale due to the heaviness of it. He thought she felt it too when he saw her blood, red lips quivering as he pierced her eyes with his all-consuming stare.
    Justin felt an urgency to be closer to her, so he took a step forward, closing the distance between them. He swallowed hard before his lungs were freed of air, only to fill once again with the saturated desire still encircling them. He stood only a couple of feet from her, gazing at her plump lips. He wanted his mouth on them.
    “ I uh … have to get back to