Page 93 of Wallflower in Bloom

“Relax, Jack. One more night sleeping next to you won’t change me forever,” she lied.

Like how kissing you, having your tongue lick my pussy until I screamed, didn’t change me. Finding the other part of my soul, unfortunately housed in someone so unattainable to me, hasn’t changed every atom in my body.

“Your dad said you talked about me. You told him I was a plant goddess.” She met his eyes in the mirror as she walked into the bathroom.

“Because I did. And you are,” Jack said as he rubbed in expensive face lotion.

She fiddled with her toothbrush and met his eyes in the mirror. “You don’t think it’s weird I’m obsessed with it?”

“Violet, I like you as you are. Get it through that thick head of hair of yours.” He kissed her cheek and tugged on her ponytail as he walked past.

As I am, she considered. A shiver of happiness went through her.

He sat on the bed and faced the bathroom while she got ready. “I’m sorry about the nosy comments my dad made.” He took off his watch and set it on the bedside table.

“Oh, it’s fine. Dads will be dads.”

“You don’t talk about yours much,” he said quietly.

“Still too raw. Too new,” she said, starting to wash her face.

“But the part about wanting kids, were you trying to make my dad happy?” His tone was tenuous, choosing his words carefully.

“I want kids, but I don’t think it will ever happen for me.” It was her automatic response when someone asked her. Because saying too late to get my hopes up made people uncomfortable.

Jack huffed out a laugh. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You’d be a brilliant mum.”

A thrill ran through her at his words as she slid into bed beside him. She couldn’t let herself fantasize about kids with him. About being a ‘mum.’ Or she’d never recover. “I don’t want to have kids unless I have a partner who’s committed to raising them with me. Plus, I know it’s old-fashioned, but I want to be married first. Have somebody promise to love all of me.”

“He’d be a fortunate man, and you’d be a most excellent mother,” Jack said quietly.

“Have you ever thought about kids?” Violet asked nonchalantly, trailing her finger along the edge of the sheet. As long as he was playing with fire, she might as well play too.

He propped one arm up under his head and faced her. “I’d love kids. If I’m honest with myself, all I’ve ever wanted was a family.”

Her ovaries practically reached out to grab him. Down girls.

She cocked her head. “But your reputation. You don’t even have girlfriends.” It didn’t make sense.

“A playboy. Who almost got married at 19.” He smirked back at her. “My mother explained I’d throw my future away if I saddled myself with a relationship that young. I still don’t know if she was right. But I’ve kept women at arm’s length since I tend to fall hard. After I became famous, it was easier to let all the one-night stands have their fantasy of me. Protect myself and not show them who I really am.”

“And who you really are…wants a family?” She smiled at the surprise.

His eyes lit up as he dreamed. “Wife and kids, the whole adventuring family going to beaches, zoos, amusement parks. The three or four or five musketeers.”

“You’d be a good dad,” she admitted, thinking of how he was with Todd. How he’d cared for her when she couldn’t see straight from her runny nose and coughing.

His finger hooked around hers. “Yeah?”

“You’re thoughtful, loyal, helpful. You jump in without being asked, which is every woman’s wet dream.”

“That’s the bare minimum, love. You should always have that; everyone should.” His knuckles ran along her arm as goosebumps appeared.

She’d never get used to that nickname.

“It’s rarer than you think.” The few times she’d hung out with her ex’s friends, she’d spent most of the time in the kitchen fixing snacks. “It’s hard to remember that sometimes. I feel like people might love me more if I do it all.”

“They might appreciate you, but you’re lovable regardless.” His hand left hers and cupped her cheek, tilting her chin to look at him. He placed a gentle, slow kiss on her lips, and she let herself sink into it.

---