I can’t do anything that will take Daniel by surprise. Not after the past weeks we’ve had. He throws back his head and laughs and then his palm is sliding into mine, pulling me into him. My hands find his hard chest and I’m wondering if it’s okay to kiss someone after a second first introduction, but he answers that for me by bending his head and claiming my mouth in a kiss that is somehow both hard and hungry, and sweet and sensual.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he drawls, breathing hard when he comes up for air. I love the way he’s standing so close that I can smell the mint on his breath, taste the tingle of him on my lips, and see his dimples up close so they look giant. And my lady bits like that I’m more than close enough to feel the hard bulge in his jeans, rocking against my thigh. “I brought you roses. Like a normal person. I didn’t want to mess up our do-over.”
“Oh. So you wanted to do that too.”
“No. But if you insist, let me introduce myself as well. I’m Daniel. I love plants. My grandmother also loves to meddle and my brother can be annoying as heck. He’ll tell you I’m a plant humper, but I swear that any and all interactions with my package and any cacti have been solely the fault of the cacti and I was an unwilling participant. Oh, and I think I’m also cursed. And the thing is, I don’t really want a do-over because this one has been fast paced, frustrating, and full of surprises, but these past weeks have also been some of the best of my life.”
“But I want to promise-”
He kisses me, effectively cutting off my words with a hot sweep of his tongue along my lower lip. I sigh and part my mouth for him and his tongue tangles with mine and we’re making out like two teenagers on the doorstep. I have these images of someone coming out and yelling the whole old cliched get a room saying at us. But they don’t. And I let Daniel hold me and kiss me for as long as he pleases.
Which still isn’t long enough, even when we’re both panting and gasping because we’ve both forgotten to get air.
“I have a surprise for you,” he informs me.
I take the roses out of his hand. Our fingers brush and a shiver that is pure glorious sensation shoots up my spine and rockets into my ribcage where my heart is slamming about like an angry toddler having a tantrum. Except it’s not angry. That’s the last thing it could be where Daniel is concerned.
“Is it the roses?”
“No. Well, maybe. But not entirely. Will you come with me and let me show you?”
“I can’t think of a better way to spend my night. Unless it’s with you. And your piano.”
Daniel turns scarlet and I giggle, setting a hand on my mouth like I just slipped up. “I guess I’m not supposed to talk about that because technically, if we’re just meeting, it hasn’t happened yet.”
“Oh, it’s happened. I’d like to erase a few things- namely interactions with a certain cactus- but not the ones with the piano.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
When we arrive at the greenhouse half an hour later, Daniel makes me stay in the front seat of the car for a few minutes, and I have no idea why. It’s not quite dark out, but it’s darker than last time, and I don’t think that those greenhouses have lights in them, but I could be wrong. Plus, there are always portable lights and stuff, like what they use for construction. Maybe he’s setting that up.
“Close your eyes,” Daniel commands in a voice so dark and mysterious that I shiver when he opens my car door and clasps my hand to help me out.
This is part of the surprise and I don’t want to ruin it. It’s sweet that he made a surprise for me at all. He didn’t have to go through all that trouble and I feel honored that he did. My eyes flutter closed and Daniel’s hand shifts to the small of my back. He’s still holing my other hand in his, and feeling the span of his arms bracketing my shoulders, his solid weight at my back, sends another shiver racing through me. My legs go watery, my knees turning into goo, and I have to swallow hard against the urge to lean into him and try and do a magical climbing trick that leads to magical positions without clothes on.
He guides me across the area where we’re parked, and then I can feel the humidity change as he opens the greenhouse door and I know we’re inside.
Daniel’s hand falls away and he leaves my side as he steps back. I hate even that fraction of distance between us. With my eyes closed, my other senses are heightened. I can smell the lovely scent of plants. Yes. Plants have a smell. Obviously flowers and trees do, but plants do too. Even cacti and what not. It’s a lovely earthy smell, fresh and clean.