Page 71 of Accidentally in Bloom

Her voice, her words, rang in his ears. You’re a good man, Gray Roberts.

Fuck. It was like she just saw him. All those flaws, and maybe all the good things, too.

ROSE

Rose glanced out the window of Violet’s cottage for the tenth time, trying not to draw attention from Lily. She couldn’t let Lily know how much she looked forward to her non-date with Gray, or she’d never hear the end of it.

Today was just a recon trip, but if they got lucky, Rose would make connections with people interested in purchasing Bloom. A twinge landed in Rose’s heart as she thought about selling the business they’d just launched a week ago.

“Ready for your date?” Lily said, and Rose jumped as she was caught peering out the window again.

“It is very specifically not a date. We’re touring farms and shops together.”

“Hmm.” Lily peered at her through narrowed eyes. “Then why do you have your date look on?” She waggled a finger at Rose’s jewelry and face.

“I always look nice, goober.”

“Mmm, not like this.” Lily chuckled behind her mug of tea.

Rose heard a low rumble and saw Gray pull into the driveway. Goose bumps ran down her spine seeing him on that fucking bike.

Lily started upstairs. “You can lie all you want to me, Rose. Just don’t lie to yourself.” Rose sent her a mental middle finger as she grabbed her coat and walked out to Gray straddling his bike.

“We are not going on that.” She stopped on the cottage stoop, hand on her hip.

“You afraid?” He sent her a challenging smile.

Yes. “Of course not.”

“I bet you’ve never been on a bike.”

She stomped down the stoop stairs in her sleek leather boots. “I’ll have you know I’ve driven one myself before.” Sure, it was a moped, and she’d been terrified the whole time, but he didn’t need to know that. “We cannot meet potential buyers riding a motorcycle. We have to project a certain image.”

He shrugged. “My image includes a motorcycle.”

Gray threw a thumb at the boxy, 1990s rental monstrosity she still hadn’t returned to the airport. “Does that project the image you want?”

“God, fine.” She took the helmet he gave her and wrestled with it to get it on.

He sent her a mischievous smile. “I have a feeling you’re gonna like the bike in a few hours.”

“Hey,” she paused before she hopped on. “Just so we’re clear, this is not a date.”

He sent her a teasing look. “Who said anything about a date? As if an ice princess would spend time away from building her empire of world domination to spend time with someone she,” he gasped for effect, “liked.”

Rose hated that she wished this was a date. She wanted him to sweep her off her feet into a vacuum of time where there were no consequences to their actions and just have fucking fun for once in her life.

But no, this wasn’t a date.

“Har har. Point taken.” She straddled the bike and wished she’d opted for pants today.

His leather jacket strained across his large chest and biceps, and his hair was completely tousled by the wind. Looking at his arms bulging through the jacket sent tingles all down her body.

This was going to be a long day.

Gray revved the motorcycle engine as he started it, and Rose jumped in her seat. She felt the rumbling vibrating between her legs and realized this whole thing was a bad idea.

“Put your arms around me!” he yelled over his shoulder.

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