Page 61 of Taming Her

“What… what are you doing?” Her heart flipped. She swallowed.

“I’m not proposing marriage if that’s what you think.”

“I… no. That’s not what I was thinking.”

He smiled, the sexy smirk that turned her insides to mush. It also created a longing to be pressed naked up against him, the way they had been in the middle of last night, when he’d woken her and they’d made quiet intense love beneath the duvet.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he said.

“Oh, that’s a first, usually you just tell me how it’s going to be.”

“Which is my preferred way, but on this occasion, I wish you to be involved.”

“Okay.” She rested her hands over his and leaned forward. “Tell me.”

“We’ll go to your place, pick you up some stuff.” He paused. “And in return when I have to put my uniform on again, I won’t have to worry about you absconding, or raiding the cabinet while I’m at work.”

“But what will I do?” Now she did pout. “It will be boring without you.”

“I’m glad you enjoy my company.” He raised her right hand and delicately kissed her knuckles. “But I have thought of that.” He nodded at the computer. “Click off this and go to my emails.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

She did as he’d asked and his inbox flashed to life.

“There.” He stood and indicated an email from LDCO.

“What is LDCO?” she asked.

“Landscape Design Courses Online.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“What?” He chuckled. “I think this will be the perfect thing to keep you out of mischief while I’m at work, and it will give you an actual qualification in something you’re clearly interested in.”

“Landscape design?” She stared at him.

“Have you really never thought of it?”

“Well, no.” She shrugged. “I mean I kind of flunked the art course I was doing at college. Didn’t finish it. Dad didn’t really care if I succeeded or not so I didn’t care either.”

“Yeah, I remember, and I’m sorry you didn’t get the support from him you should have.” He tutted and squeezed her hand. “But this one you will finish, I’ll support you. And what’s more you can turn what you learn into a real vision with my garden and if that goes well, perhaps even start your own little business. I know Mrs. Green, my neighbor keeps saying she wants to do something with a messy patch at the end of her garden.”

“A business? My own business?” The words rattled around her brain. She’d never considered such a thing.

But now that she was…

And if Griff was in her corner, encouraging her if it got hard, perhaps she could even do it.

She turned to the screen. “So what are the courses?”

“There’s a few to choose from. I suggest you take a look and then we’ll get you enrolled.”

She glanced over the courses and module titles. They all appeared interesting and relevant to what she wanted to do with Griff’s garden.

“What do you think?” he asked after a few minutes. “Do we have a deal?”

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