Page 3 of True Soil-Mates

“Ah.” She sips her coffee, drawing my attention to her inviting mouth. I bet her lips are soft. I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone more. “So, you’re a scientist?” Jasmine breaks off a piece of muffin and slips it into her mouth, making all sorts of inappropriate thoughts parade through my mind.

I have to take a moment before I can speak. “Technically, yes. I run a lab.”

“Cool. What kind of research?”

She’s genuinely interested. I love that. “Data consistency. I’m the guy who double checks the calculations on chemical experiments and reaction studies to make sure that another lab and team will achieve exactly the same results.”

“So… You’re kind of running the data through spell check?”

I laugh, sputtering. “Precisely.”

Jasmine nibbles another bit of her muffin. She seems totally comfortable hanging out with a perfect stranger who nearly tripped over her yesterday.

“What does a gardening guru do?” I ask, eager to keep the conversation going as long as possible.

Jasmine tells me briefly about her mother’s plant shop, how she’s the middle sister of three, and their respective roles at the store. Although she doesn’t come out and say it, it sounds like she is the one with the greenest thumb. I love the way she seems genuinely excited about her work.

“It’s unfathomable to me that there’s people who don’t have a single plant in their home or workplace.” She looks deeply into my eyes. “I mean, no offense – truly – but I’m guessing that would be you?”

I hang my head in shame and stick out my bottom lip, feeling a wave of satisfaction as she laughs with me. “Is it that obvious?”

“Well, it’s just that you seem pretty…you know. Businesslike. Maybe minimalist?” She pops the last of her muffin between those perfect lips, and I realize I need some excuse to keep her talking. To see her again. To prevent her from leaving my life forever.

“Plants help with stress, right?”

Her eyes smile as she sips her coffee. “Oh yes. There are official studies and everything.”

“Kind of like pets that don’t make any noise and stay put?”

A slow nod. “That’s one way of looking at it. They also clean the air and add life to your space.”

My fingers are drumming on the table. “Carol has been hounding me for months to do something to de-stress.”

IthinkJasmine’s face falls. “Your wife?”

“No,” I chuckle. “Carol is my office manager and assistant. She’s a friend of my mother’s. Practically an aunt.”

This time Jasmine’s shoulders definitely drop a quarter inch. If that means she’s glad I’m single, then we’re on the same page. A slow, deep breath fills my lungs. I’m going to have to be forward and let her know I’m interested, quickly, before I overthink it. I can’t let myself ruin this incredible gift of running into Jasmine twice.

My palm rests on the back of her hand for barely the count of three. “How would you feel about coming to my office and doing an analysis of what kind of plants we should have?”

I wrap my hands back around my coffee as I watch her eyes hopefully. “It would only be the office and reception areas, obviously, not the labs, but that’s still a huge amount of space.”

I swear, it looks like fireworks are going off behind her eyes. “Really? That would be awesome! I have so many interesting ideas for things but haven’t had a chance to build them yet.”

“Build?”

“Yeah. I do some woodworking as well, creating custom planters and display shelving.” She reaches out and taps my hand, sending a warm glow straight through my entire system. “If you’re worried that it’d be all wacky and bohemian, don’t be. We’re talking dark wood, clean lines – very sleek and modern.”

She’s a woodworker? Of course she is. She’s alsobeautiful. Every detail is captivating, from the tiny freckle at the corner of her left eyebrow to the way the navy of her eyes shifts in the sunlight coming in the window. Just thinking about kissingher makes my stomach tighten in ways that my personal trainer would dream of. Her curvy figure is already etching itself into my mind.

“Sounds great.” I pull out a business card and hand it to her. “I’d love to get started as soon as you’re available.”

“Well, first of all I need to take a good look at the space, especially the lighting.” She drains her coffee, then gathers up our empty cups and wrappers. “Can I drop by this afternoon?”

“Yes.”

My answer pops out too fast. I don’t care if she knows how eager I am. I will wear my heart on my sleeve for this girl. She has no idea that she already has my mind spiraling, wondering how on Earth I’m going to ask her on a proper date.

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