Page 29 of Wallflower in Bloom

Jack squeezed her hand with furrowed brows. “We’ll let you know, Shay. I don’t want Violet doing anything she’s not comfortable with.”

She couldn’t let him down. Not now. Not after his show had helped her through her darkest times.

And that freaking kiss she’d remember on her deathbed.

Could she be brave enough? Bold enough? Willing to put herself out there and have people stare at her?

She could feel hives forming on her shins just thinking about it.

“Um, I’ll think about it.” Violet scooted her chair back. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to be across town for the Library Landscaping Committee. I’ll see you at home, Jack.”

He grabbed her hand as she was about to escape, yanked her back to him, and kissed her briefly. His concerned eyes connected with hers. “Bye, my darling.”

Oh, right. Shoot. They were dating. People kissed when they were dating.

Curious eyes stared at Violet as she got up. She knew every single person in this room, and she knew her gossipy town.

Which meant everyone else would know in about two minutes she’d kissed the most handsome man in Fairwick Falls.

JACK

After a brutal run that afternoon, Jack stretched in Violet’s living room. Shay had made her way to a BnB a few towns over and promised to hound him relentlessly for an answer about the photoshoot.

Fake dating Violet, which he thought would be a one-off conversation with Shay, was turning into a whole fucking thing. But he had to admit it would make the network happy.

And maybe make himself happy too.

He’d deal with the fallout from his mother when it happened. Her mantra had invariably been ‘settling down is settling.’ The phrase was drilled into him after his first relationship almost ended at the altar. He’d been nineteen and stupidly in love.

But if Jack was honest with himself, all he wanted to do was settle down. Not uproot his life every five months for a new shoot in a new city.

Todd couldn’t handle it, poor soul.

He walked to get a glass of water to chug after his run, feeling a desperate urge to make Wayridge happy so he could stay in Vancouver as long as possible.

It had been surprisingly easy to fall into an easy rapport with Violet in front of Shay. And kissing her had been the highlight of his day. His week, maybe.

Shit, maybe his month.

His fingers rubbed his lips, remembering what she’d tasted like only a few hours ago.

He’d intended it to be a stage kiss, a simple meeting of the lips that meant nothing.

But kissing her was intoxicating.

She was soft and perfect under his hands when she leaned into him. The little moan she’d uttered made his cock instantly hard, and he’d broken off the kiss before he embarrassed himself.

His hands still itched to sweep over her perfect tits that had crushed into him. He’d had to remind himself they were in public so he didn’t take it further, for chrissakes.

Picturing a potential ice cream fake date with Violet licking an ice cream cone had his cock hardening again already.

Jesus, how was he going to keep his hands to himself?

He wanted her more than any recent one-night stand he could remember, but he had to keep his head on straight. A promise had already been made to Gray, and he couldn’t toy with Violet like that.

She was too sweet. Too kind and pure-hearted.

Not no-strings material.

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