Page 68 of Her Paramedic
“It’s good, right?” the man asked.
“It is,” Talia agreed.
“I don’t use any pesticides or chemicals.”
“Can I have four cartons, please?”
“I’ll do you one better. If you buy six, I’ll throw two in for free, and you can have an entire flat.”
Talia thought about it for a moment. She was getting one for each of them and wasn’t sure what she would do with an entire flat, but she figured they could use them for tomorrow’s gathering. If nothing else, she could slice some up and make a puree out of them for mini sponge cakes.
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Talia replied.
She finished the strawberry, throwing the stem into the trash bin as he began packing her cartons.
“Do you live here in town?” he asked.
“I don’t. I’m visiting.”
“I take it this is your first time here?” he inquired.
“It is.”
“I thought so. I’d remember a gorgeous face like yours.” His attention shifted behind her. “I’ll be with you in one minute, ma’am. Right after I finish helping this pretty little lady.”
“This pretty little lady is taken,” Corrin said, and Talia looked over her shoulder at the other woman. They’d all separated a few minutes ago. Slate and Solomon went to look at some produce that they could get there instead of at the store, and Corrin to find a honey stand. “And I don’t want to be rude to you, but he’s far more handsome than you,” she tacked on.
Talia pressed her lips together to keep from laughing because she hadn’t expected Corrin to say that, and she also didn’t want to risk him trying to hike up the price of the strawberries. Delicious or not, she would leave them there.
Talia paid for the strawberries and thanked the man as he handed her the flat. She turned to Corrin, who furrowed her brow but wasn’t looking at her.
“Young man, stop looking at her backside,” Corrin stated in a tone that only a mother could pull off. The man mumbled a soft apology, sufficiently reprimanded, and Talia couldn’t help but laugh as they walked off. “Those look good. Did you get everything you wanted?” she asked as they approached Slate and Solomon.
“I did,” Talia responded. “And they’re delicious. He let me try one.”
“I bet he did, since he seemed to have his sights on trying you.”
“Who did what to you?” Slate asked as they stopped in front of them.
“Just some man who didn’t have a chance,” Talia responded. Slate raised a brow at her. “Nothing happened.”
He hummed, taking the flat from her. “You think you got enough, baby?”
“I got one for each of us, and I figured I could use the other ones to make something for tomorrow. You have to try them later. They’re good.”
“Did everyone get what they wanted?” Solomon asked. When he received affirmative answers, they left and headed to the grocery store to get the last few things they needed for the next afternoon.
“Here, baby. Try this.”
Talia held up the freshly washed strawberry for Slate a couple of hours later, after they’d returned to his house. They’d gotten everything they needed, and after putting things away, Corrin pulled Solomon off to find a game for them to play while Talia washed the flat of strawberries.
“It’s good, right?” she asked, biting into the other half.
“It is.” Her boyfriend licked his lips. “I think you should let me use a few of them later tonight.”
“Behave tonight. Your parents are here, and since you like me loud, we will not be doing that.”
“I can make an exception for tonight. It might be fun to see how quiet you can be.” He caged her against the counter. “Especially since you did such a good job a few weeks ago back at the lounge. But I don’t think it’ll matter if you can’t be quiet. My dad informed me he brought earplugs for him and Mom.” Slate dipped his head. “So, yes or no to the strawberries. They’re delicious now, but I bet they’d taste even better after I dip them in this sweet, little—”
