Page 17 of Resisting Temptation

NOAH: Roger?

PAISLEY: Roger Rabbit!

I burst out laughing. Fuck, there is no one else like her.

NOAH: You named your vibrator after a cartoon character?

PAISLEY: I need something to scream when I’m cumming.

After the show she put on for me, that thought is enough to do it for me, and I jizz in my hand, thick spurts of hot liquid.

NOAH: Noah is the only man’s name you should be screaming. Roger’s days are numbered!

I wait for a response, but nothing comes. Her bedside light goes out, and I know she really is done with me for the night. I hop up and wash my hands then sink back under my sheets. Not quite what I had in mind, but I got more out of her tonight than I have in six months, so it’s a start. And if I know Paisley like I think I do, by tomorrow night I will be tasting her for real when she finds out I have a date.

Chapter 10

Paisley

My hands aren’t moving fast enough today. It’s the busiest day on the florist calendar, and on top of a twelve-hour day yesterday, Stella, our new girl Gemma, and I have been here since six am making up floral arrangements. I stretch my fingers then pick up the next bucket. Thank the Lord this is the last one, then I need to run deliveries.

There is something so depressing about being a florist on days like this when you know how sad your own romantic life is. All these loved-up guys walking through the door looking for presents for that someone special in their life. And me, I’m going home to eat an entire box of chocolates I bought myself and to drink myself silly. I figure I’ve been so good this week I deserve a drink. Mae and Emerson are both working at the hotel tonight, some corporate thing Gisele organized. So, they’re no good as a distraction, and Gisele is spending her first Valentine’s Day withBrody. Nice for them, but it leaves me alone and with Noah next door, feeling more vulnerable than I would like to admit.

“Just looking for a dozen roses, am I too late?” His deep voice reaches my ears before I catch a glimpse of his face. That voice, I would recognize it anywhere. It makes goosebumps prickle my skin and my heart beat a little faster.

Through the wall of flowers lined up in front of me, I spy on him, continuing to put together the arrangement I’m holding. My stomach flip-flops at the sight of him. Why does he have to be so gorgeous. He grins at Stella, all charm and dimples, and I hate him even more. What the hell is he doing in my shop buying roses?

“No, honey, I can sort you out,” Stella says. “You want red or a pastel bunch?”

He smirks toward her cheekily, forcing me to roll my eyes involuntarily. Why does he have to be so charming with every damn female on the planet. “Maybe the pastels. It’s a first date, don’t want to go over the top.”

“Well, then you shouldn’t be ordering twelve roses,” I mutter under my breath, disgusted that he’s here, that he has a date, that I have to hear about it at my place of work.

“A first date on Valentine’s Day, how romantic,” my boss gushes. She’s swooning all over him. Yeah, we all get it, he’s cute. He’s also an asshole who will take off after making you fall for him and never look back. I feel sorry for the girl he’s going on the first date with. She’s probably imagining happily ever after and all that shit. Not going to happen with Noah. He’s more the love ‘em and leave ‘em broken type.

“Paisley,” Stella calls my name, and I cringe. I was hoping to hide back here until he left. “You done with that bunch you’re making? I have a nice gentleman here who needs a last-minute arrangement.” Her voice is so light and pleasant, I feel even more irritated.

Gripping the flower stems a little tighter than I should, I take a deep breath as I step out from my cozy hiding spot of the flower wall.

He spots me and smirks. He grins like a Cheshire cat, like he was just waiting for me to show my face. “Paisley, didn’t realize you work here.” He’s lying through his teeth.

Irritation crawls over my skin. Bullshit. He’s seen me wear my uniform around the hotel, and I worked here when we were dating. “It’s the only flower shop in town.” I force a smile through clenched teeth as I tie the bunch off with twine, then place it on the counter so I can wrap it.

Stella grips my shoulder. “He’s got a first date tonight, how sweet is that?” she gushes, cutting me two lengths of ribbon, one red and one pale pink.

“More like how disgusting. Who has a first date on such a romantic holiday? It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” I say so he can hear me this time. He’s walked into my flower shop with one thing on his mind today. To piss me off. He has the same plan every damn day. I know it from the smug grin on his face, from the way he’s tousled his hair just the way I like it, and from the way he looks at me with longing I have seen before.

“Paisley,” Stella snaps. The look she gives me implies that I should stop talking immediately. But she doesn’t know who he is to me. If she did, she would be hating on him as well. I’m sure she would light the torches and gather the pitchforks and help me chase him out of town. She spent weeks mopping up my tears. I may have told her about the jerk who broke my heart three years ago, but I didn’t tell her who he was exactly. I couldn’t bring myself to give her all the details. He was just some guy Noah, who gave me the summer dreams are made of then dumped me like a hot potato.

“A florist who doesn’t believe in romance.” He laughs like I was joking, trying to lighten the thick uncomfortable tension inthe air that I have created. “So, I take it you will be flying solo tonight. Not a romantic?” the jerk has the audacity to ask me.

My pulse thumps so loud I can hear it in my ears. He’s pushing me too far now. “I have a date,” I lie through my teeth. I’m not letting him have this over me.

“Yeah, with her bathtub and a bottle of wine, like the rest of us who have been up since dawn arranging roses.” My boss laughs, and Noah joins her, the two of them ganging up on me like old friends.

Her light-hearted comment earns her a death stare from me. Doesn’t she realize who this is? She’s had to listen to me bitch and moan about him since he came back to town. Even though I didn’t tell her in as many words, can’t she sense the tension in the air now and put two and two together?

I continue wrapping the bunch, making it as perfect as I would any other, even if there was a little more aggression involved. I fill the wet wrap with water and shove them in his direction. “Have a fun evening.” I fake a smile, making sure it doesn’t reach my eyes. They hold nothing but simmering anger toward him.

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