Page 34 of Accidentally in Bloom

“When I make mistakes, I’m pretty fucking thorough about it.”

His mouth was on hers again, and his other hand gripped her ass possessively. He pulled her head back and exposed her neck, pressing hot kisses along the column of her throat. His five o’clock shadow sent waves of burning pleasure through her, and she let him take more of what he wanted. His hand held the back of her head, holding her in place as his mouth sucked on a fucking perfect spot on her neck.

He pressed into her, and she wound her arms around his neck, angling her hips so she caught even more friction from his jeans.

Her tongue warred with his, twining with hers. He punished her with his kisses, each more intense and bruising than the last.

She fucking loved it.

Her body needed a few more seconds of caramelizing bliss as their mouths fought to take more pleasure. Rose pressed him closer as she felt a release from somewhere deep inside; she moaned directly into his mouth at how delicious it all felt.

He lifted his head from the kiss, his eyes searching hers. He looked as surprised as she felt, and their chests rose and fell as they caught their breath.

What had come over her? She’d been so lost in the moment. That never happened. She was calm, collected, and in charge.

Always.

When she dated, she’d had polite, impersonal sex with guys who didn’t care about her. It was better that way.

No one to lose if you never had them in the first place.

A wide smile spread on his face, and his hands squeezed her ass. “So you do want me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her victoriously.

She shoved at his chest, and he stepped back to give her space to hop down. She glanced down at his crotch and saw he wasn’t impartial to her either.

As goose bumps spread on her arms, she picked up her mental armor and gathered her wits. She stepped back, straightened her clothes, pulled her hair into a ponytail he’d mussed up and squared her shoulders.

“That was...” Her mind failed for words. Delicious? Electric? “...an accident. But it’s strictly business from here on out. Deal?”

A slow smile spread on Gray’s face. “I’ll make you a deal: forty thousand dollars, ten percent, and all my expertise for free. I know how to time the flower orders so you can prep them, but not so long that they go bad. What delivery dates to shoot for to get the best of the season.”

She scoffed at him as she grabbed her purse and coat from behind the register. She started walking to the back door, and he followed her.

“You’re smart, Rose. Scary smart, but you’ll still need help. And I bet you’d create something amazing here.” He paused and peered up at her with kind eyes. “I bet on smart people with good hearts.”

Rose’s stomach dropped. Damnit, there was that flutter again. “Quoting my dad doesn’t win you points, Roberts,” she lied.

Gray’s eyes held hers. “Look, I’m handy. I basically rebuilt my house. You’re gonna need a shit ton of manual labor to turn this place into something special.”

Rose hated he was right. Hated that the more she heard, the more sense it made. This man simultaneously drove her nuts and fanned her sex drive until it was on fire.

Going into business together would be a recipe for disaster.

“Let me help. I owe Frank that much.”

Rose thought for a moment. “If you owe him, why not take five percent instead?”

Gray threw his head back and scowled at the ceiling as if it would give him his sanity back. “You are killing me.” His eyes scorched her with a wanton heat she’d expect to find in a bedroom, not a business deal. “Ten percent, Rose.”

She opened the back door, and they walked out into the parking lot. She considered his offer as she locked the door.

Free help, more money than she thought she’d get, and all she had to do was avoid entangling herself with Gray? Sounded like a good deal to her.

She stopped in front of him. “Five. It’s unfortunate you couldn’t meet the original asking price.”

“Why? This is a better deal.” He took a sip of the latte he’d carried out.

Rose leaned in to whisper in his ear as she walked by. “Because I won’t have sex with a business partner.”

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