Lies in Love (16 page)

Landon
nodded, realizing her excuse wasn’t the truth, but he’d
accept it. He sensed how hard it was for her to open up to anyone,
especially him. “I’m glad I came by today, too. I’ve
been dying to see you. I’m just grateful Camey told me where to
find you so I wouldn’t have to wait until you decided to return
to
Satin
.”

“What
is that supposed to mean? I told you I had a meeting.”

“Okay.”
Landon smirked at her and saw her mouth curve up into her beautiful
smile. “Thank you.”

Talia’s
brow creased. “For what?”

“For
coming out with me again. I’ve actually missed you.”

“Have
you now?”

“I
have.”

Talia
dropped her head to focus on her hands that were fidgeting on the
table. “I guess I’ve missed you too.”

Landon
could tell the honesty didn’t come easily for her. He knew
she’d been hurt before and he hated that anyone could do that
to her. A waitress finally arrived to take their order and Landon
began to order for himself, assuming Talia would already have an
order in mind since she seemed to love this place as much as he did.
“I’ll have a water and a quarter pounder with everything
and a large side of fries.”

“And
how about you?” The waitress turned to Talia.

“I’ll
have the same.”

The
waitress looked at Talia skeptically. Landon knew what she was
thinking. She was deducing that there was no way they were on a date
if Talia was willing to order a burger with everything on it. No
woman ever eats that kind of thing in front of a man, especially not
on a date. The waitress was wrong and Landon was glad for it. He
hated when women only ordered what they thought a man would want them
to eat. He liked that Talia had a hearty appetite, but he wondered
where she put it all.

“I
know I shouldn’t eat so much, but I’m starving. I haven’t
eaten all day and it’s not often I make it out here.”

“Why
not?”

“I
guess because I’m sort of a workaholic.” Talia was
fidgeting again. “My sister would say I’m just like my
father. He worked his fingers to the bone until my mother left him.
She called the business his mistress.”

“Really?”

Talia
nodded, then tried to change the subject. “You must’ve
turned on the charm to get Camey to tell you where to find me.”

“Oh,
you know, I can charm the pants off of anyone.” He immediately
hated saying that. He was trying for humor, but his statement made
him think of all he had been and was trying to no longer be, quickly
sending him in search of a change of topic. “So, how long have
you been working at the flower shop?”

“My
dad turned it over to me when he married his second wife, Olivia.
That was about five years ago. It’s been my baby ever since.”

“Looks
like you do a good job.”

“I
try. I want to make my father proud. He put so much of himself into
that place and all I’ve ever wanted was to see it a success for
him.”

“I’m
sure he’s very proud.” Landon reached across the table to
still Talia’s fidgeting hands. When his skin met hers, he felt
his heart skip a beat. The jolt was unexpected and brusquely
interrupted when the waitress returned with their drinks.

When
she left the table, Talia asked, “Am I your idea of
entertainment, or are you genuinely interested in me?”

Landon’s
jaw dropped. “Why would you ask me that? Of course I’m
genuinely interested. Why would you even think anything else?”

“Frankly,
because you’re gorgeous and sexy as hell and I’m frumpy
and contemptuous, and I’m obviously no good at keeping a man’s
attention.”

“What
the hell are you talking about? You’re beautiful, and you’ve
held my attention just fine since the first time I saw you.”
She had no idea how long she’d held his attention. Just one
glimpse of her picture told him there was something supremely
different about her.

Talia
returned to fidgeting. She was looking everywhere but at Landon.

He
returned his hand to hers and this time entwined their fingers. “Why
are you so nervous?”

She
didn’t respond, staring at his hand as his thumb caressed her
knuckles.

“Talia,
you don’t have to be afraid. Not with me.”

“I
don’t want to be, but it’s hard.” She eased her
hand away. “I’m trying.”

“I
know.”

The
waitress returned with their food and they ate in companionable
silence, occasionally looking at each other and smiling. With each
bite, Landon could tell she was holding back. When they were done
eating, he paid the tab and escorted Talia back to his bike, where he
skillfully strapped the helmet back on her head. She didn’t
hesitate to climb on this time and her gardenia smell quickly
encircled him. They rode back to her shop amongst the evening
traffic, with her arms wrapped around him, but a little more at ease.
When they arrived at her shop, Landon stayed on his bike, not wanting
to leave, but unsure of how to request to stay.

“Would
you like to come inside? I could show you around.”

Landon
began fist pumping in his mind. There was no hesitation as he hopped
off his bike and followed her inside. He’d take every second he
could get with her.

The
shop was dark, nestled beneath the setting sun. He stood behind her
patiently as she struggled with the tumbler to the front door. His
heart was in his throat, slowly choking the breath out of him as he
waited to go inside. Finally the door slipped open and he followed
her in. She locked the door behind them then walked straight to the
back, led by the dim light of what Landon could only assume was a
cooler full of fresh flowers. The shadows of the room closed in
around him, mocking him as he followed her to the back room. She
flicked a few switches and the entire shop came alive.

“Welcome
to
Perfect
Petals.
”
Talia walked back to the front room and began the tour. “My dad
opened this place in the late eighties when I was very young. I used
to love coming here on the weekends and smelling all of the beautiful
flowers.” She traced her hand over several of the potted plants
hanging about. She stopped to pull a wilting leaf from one of the
plants and continued through the space. “When I was fifteen, my
dad bought the shop next door and opened up the space to create a
larger storefront, workspace, and storage.” She stopped in
front of a glass door identical to the one they had entered through.
“This was the original entry, but when my dad added on, he
built a larger cooler and closed in this side of the store, so we
decided to use the other door for customers.”

Landon
was surprised by the history lesson on her father’s flower
shop, and he reveled in listening to her dialogue, to see the passion
in her eyes when she spoke of the shop.

Talia
took his hand and led him to the back, passing several gift baskets,
stuffed animals, and balloons along the way. They passed through an
open doorway to a large workroom with Formica countertops and
cabinets lining the east, south, and west walls. In the center sat a
massive metal workstation. The north wall was where the cooler was
located as well as a staircase leading upstairs. Talia directed
Landon past the stairs to the cooler, and she drew him inside. When
the door was closed, she took a deep breath and Landon followed.

The
room was cool and smelled of jasmine and roses and a dozen other
fragrances all mixed into one. It was intoxicating, but heavenly, so
many smells melding together, so many beautiful flowers stored in
various containers around the room.

Talia
was flitting around the cooler petting various species of flower as
Landon followed behind her smelling each one as she passed. When he
reached a long-stemmed flower with a bell at the end, Talia stopped
him. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Calla lilies
aren’t known for having a good odor.”

Landon
laughed. “What are they known for, then?”

“Well,
calla lilies are a common wedding flower and symbolize beauty and
purity. Although they aren’t my favorite flower, I’m
aware beauty comes in many forms, and each with its own set of
faults. The calla lilies’ is its smell.”

Landon
was flummoxed by her statement, but continued to the next flower.
“What’s this one?”

“That
is a chrysanthemum. Each color has its own meaning, but that one
there, the red, stands for love and affection.”

“And
are these safe to smell?”

Talia
chuckled. “Yes, you may smell those.”

Landon
stopped to smell the flower and then continued to the next. “And
what is this one?”

“That
is a bird of paradise. It’s a tropical flower and symbolizes
festivity and celebration.”

“It
looks like a party,” Landon laughed.

“Come
on.” Talia began to lead Landon out of the cooler, but he
stopped her.

“Wait,
show me your favorite.”

She
stopped and turned to face him, but made no move back into the
cooler. “That would be a little difficult since I don’t
have any of my favorite on hand.”

“Why
not?”

“Well,
it’s a very rare flower. In fact, it’s not a flower you
can find outside of a flower shop, because they do not occur in
nature due to genetic limitations.”

“You
run a flower shop, but you like mutant flowers?”

“It’s
not a mutant.” Talia pulled Landon back into the workroom and
plucked a photo from the wall. “This is my favorite. It’s
a blue rose.”

“It’s
beautiful. And not at all a mutant..”

Talia
ran her fingers along the petals in the frame. “It symbolizes
mystery.”

“A
mysterious flower for a mysterious woman.” Landon brushed a
lock of hair from Talia’s shoulder, sparking the recollection
of her cap in his inside jacket pocket. He removed the hat and placed
it back in her hand, holding on as she accepted it.

“Thank
you.”

The
conversation ceased. Talia and Landon halted, breathing each other
in, analyzing one another. When the air in the room grew heavy,
Landon broke the silence, trying to avoid what might happen next for
fear that she wasn’t ready. “What’s upstairs?”

Talia
still didn’t speak. She turned around and ascended the stairs,
Landon curiously following. At the top were two doors. One straight
ahead and the other to his right. Talia retrieved a key from her
pocket and opened the door that was straight ahead and waited for
Landon to come inside. Once the door was closed, she flipped a switch
and a living room appeared before them. “This is my apartment.”

It
wasn’t what Landon expected to be at the top of the stairs.
He’d only asked to interrupt the silence. Now he regretted
inquiring at all. He knew this was what he wanted, to have Talia all
to himself in private, but now that he was here, he knew he couldn’t
go through with it. Not as long as his secret loomed between them.

Talia
stepped closer to him, closing the distance. “What’s
wrong? Why do you suddenly look scared?”

Landon
rubbed his hand across his brow. “I’m not scared, just
conflicted.”

“Why?”

“Because.”
How did he tell her everything without revealing too much? “You
don’t know how badly I want to be here, alone with you, but
it’s not the right time.”

“What
do you mean it’s not the right time?” Talia took a single
step backward, but it was a step that wounded him.

“God,
Talia. I’ve been dying to get inside you, to make you scream my
name, but it can’t be tonight. Not when there is still so much
unsaid between us.”

Talia
took another step back, a knife to Landon’s heart.

“Please
don’t pull away from me.” He took one large step toward
her, putting them only inches apart. “Please.” He placed
his hands on either side of her face and turned her eyes to his. “I
want this more than I’ve wanted anything in my life, but not
tonight, okay?”

Tears
brimmed in her eyes and she pulled her head from his hands. He knew
she was trying to hide her vulnerability.

“Talia.”
He needed to know she would be okay. “Please say something.”

“Just
be honest with me. If you don’t want me, just say so.”

“God,
Talia.” He didn’t sustain any longer. He took Talia’s
head in his hands again and this time he covered her mouth with his.
He took everything he wanted for himself and gave her everything she
was needing in return. The kiss was full of passion and need and
want. It was full of insecurity and prowess and pride. It was the
first kiss that lit a fire in his belly and sent his blood scorching
through his veins. And, as the kiss deepened, he felt a growing need
below the belt. If he didn’t stop things now, he wouldn’t
be able to stop at all. He tenderly pushed Talia away and watched her
eyes slowly flutter open. “Please tell me you felt that.”

Talia
nodded. Her lips were full from his wanton kisses and her cheeks were
flush. The color brought her wholly to life.

“This
isn’t goodbye or me letting you down gently. This is just a
promise of things to come. I
do
want you in every sense of the word. I
will
be back to take you as my own, but it can’t be tonight.”

The
tears were gone from her eyes, but the hope remained. He knew she
felt the hunger between them and the force that connected them. He
knew there was no denying it now.

“I’m
going to go, but before I leave, can I have your number?”

Talia
laughed and took the phone that Landon held out to her. She
programmed her number into his phone and, before he left, he wrapped
his arm around her and snapped a picture of them together. She opened
the door and walked him to the front of the shop, unlocking. the
glass door and letting him outside into the steadily decreasing
temperature.

Before
he could walk away, he kissed her on the cheek, avoiding another
passionate kiss that would keep him in her presence and doing
something that he would most likely regret in the morning. “I’ll
see you soon.”