Page 49 of Accidentally in Bloom

“What the hell?”

Rose frowned at her phone’s navigation and glanced at the enormous house and rolling farm before her. She knew her jaw hung open, but she couldn’t close it.

Gray’s place was gorgeous.

The hell?

“He built this?” Rose muttered to herself. Several stories loomed over the driveway. A worker in the flower fields carted soil and plants from the large pristine greenhouse to a new barn. Rose scratched her head, her entire image of Gray shifting under her feet.

She threw the car in park and opened the door as the floppy-eared hound dog she’d seen in Gray’s backpack ran toward her. He gave her a tiny “awoo,” and her heart melted.

“Hi, buddy.” She kneeled down to scratch his ears. Floppy ears and a sweet face tugged at her heartstrings. Dogs had always been her soft spot. She’d been too busy since…well, forever for a dog.

“Careful,” Gray yelled from around the corner as Rose leaned down to get up face-to-face with the handsome pup in front of her.

Before she knew it, her face was coated with pupper kisses, and a laugh bubbled out of her. “Oh, man.” Rose wiped her face and gave the dog endless ear scratches. “You certainly are a handsome fella. I’m declaring you my new boyfriend.”

Gray jogged up to her and sent her an arched eyebrow. “Your new boyfriend’s name is Duke. The ‘D’ in R & D Flower Farms, and employee number one. His primary responsibilities include being our morale officer.”

Duke grabbed a ratty tennis ball and threw it at Gray’s feet. Gray picked it up and chucked it for him so he could run down the hillside toward the fields.

"Welcome,” Gray said, sticking his hands in his back pocket. His face was easy and relaxed, and he looked mouth-wateringly sexy in a tight black work shirt with his sleeves pushed up, exposing the ropes of muscles around his forearms. Delicate black ink tattoos dotted his hands and wrists, and black line art ran the length of his arms. What would it feel like to trace them with her fingers? Shit. She was leering at him like a class-A creep.

She stood up and dusted off her knees. “Your place is amazing, Gray,” Rose admitted, dazzled by it all. “Are you some sort of secret millionaire, and I wasn't aware?”

Gray let out a sly smile. “Nope. Sorry to ruin your dream. I inherited my grandparent’s farm, but easy to forget how far it’s come, I guess. Come on, I’ll show you the greenhouses first.” Gray’s shirt strained across his broad chest, and Rose had to stop staring to keep her mind focused on the task at hand.

Don't think about what it would be like to rip his clothes off. Don't think about how good his stubble looks. Ignore the tattoos that you can see. Ignore how adorable his home is that he's made and just get down to business. “So, tell me how it works.”

“You possess many virtues, but patience isn’t one of them.” He elbowed her as they walked down the sloping hill to the greenhouse. “Over here, we’re planting fields full of lilies to harvest in the fall. And we have peonies in the greenhouse right now.”

A little buzz hit her heart. “Those were always my favorite.”

He snorted.

“What? I can’t have a favorite flower?” She asked. They strolled down the hill together, and the smile he sent her was downright distracting.

“No, it’s just…fitting that peonies are your favorite. A temperamental flower that only shows its bloom for a little bit and is the most gorgeous one out there sounds…well, exactly like you.”

His eyes flitted to hers before looking away and swallowing a smile.

She cleared her throat and ignored how much she wanted to melt at his words. “This is all quite impressive.”

“Aw, Parker. You’re going all soft on me.”

“I just didn’t think you had such a big operation. When you said my father mentored you, I assumed your business would end like his.”

“Frank knew exactly what to do. He just preferred to hang out instead.”

Gray opened the greenhouse door, and the scent of fresh spring flowers wafted around Rose.

Rows and rows of pinks and purples sprawled out before her. Early buds of peonies, daffodils, and tulips sat in small planters along the large tables. Small bushes of blooming hyacinths with fluttery blue and purple flowers lined the walls. Hanging baskets wove a tapestry from the ceiling with greenery and new buds springing out.

Wow. He’d built all this by himself. It was so much more than she’d ever made.

“This is our biggest greenhouse, but we still need to keep expanding to meet upcoming orders.” Gray busied himself with picking out some leaves as he talked. Rose was distracted by seeing an entirely new side of him. He looked like a proud father, lovingly caring for each plant. Where was the sarcastic, motorcycle-riding tattooed hunk who hated her?

His arms ranged over the plants, checking each container’s moisture level. “We have to watch out for clearwing moth larvae. If they infest the plants, it’ll destroy all these peony buds.”

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