A Week for Love to Bloom (6 page)

“
Actually, I already have plans with Lauren. I think I’m going to move over to the guest house at Mom and Dad’s tomorrow since I plan on sticking around for a while.”

“
I’m glad you’re home, Justin, but I’ll be happy to see you leave in a couple of months for college, so don't let that chick side track you from your goals.”

“You make an excellent attorney, but
I’m thinking dictatorship might’ve been a loftier goal. It suits you better.”

Jonathan
reached over and put his hand on the side of Justin’s face before he shoved it toward the passenger window.

“I kn
ow you think you’re all buff now, but I can still kick your ass if necessary, little bro.”

“Yeah,
you wish.”

A truck drove toward them as they made their way
down the gravel road.

“Who the hell is that? Nobody is
supposed to be out here,” Jonathan said as he pulled a pistol out from under the seat.

“
Whoa, when did you start packin?”

“
When I got a wife and kid to protect.”

“
Just stay here, and I’ll go talk to him,” Justin said.

“I got your back, bro
.”

“T
hen don’t point that thing toward my back.” Justin walked in front of the truck. About that time, a man got out and met him half way. Justin guessed him to be in his seventies.

“
Howdy. Sorry to disturb you, but do you own this land?”

“
I sure do. What can I help you with?”

“My name is Sam
, and I’m your neighbor over there.” The man was pointing to the right. “Would you be interested in selling this place? If so, I’d really be interested in buying it. I saw you were leaving, so I drove over. I never see anyone out here.”

“
I’ve thought about it many times, but I think I’m going to hold on to it for now. I know where I can find you if I change my mind.”

“How many acres
do you have here?”

“
There’s five, sir.”

“Keep me in mind,”
Sam said, tilting his ball cap before he walked back to his truck.

Jonathan
was anxiously waiting for Justin to fill him in.

“
He’s just interested in buying the property. He’s a neighbor.”

“
You told him it’ll never be for sale in his lifetime, right?”

“Uh, yeah.”
Justin couldn’t guarantee he’d keep the property, but he wasn’t in the mood for an argument, especially after such a good day with his brother.

Riding home, Justin was feeling nervous about his date with Lauren.
“How did you know Emily was the one?”

“
I knew because every time I told her goodbye, I missed her instantly. I wanted her the first second I saw her. It’s mushy shit, but I had to be near her. Don’t you remember? I acted like a desperate fool trying to win her over.”

Justin became light-headed
. He felt that same way about Lauren, and he recalled how he missed her the night before after he took her home. He wanted to talk to Jonathan about it, but after some of his brother’s comments about Lauren, he didn’t feel it was the right time.

Chapter Eight

Lauren finished the workday and went to shower. Her mother was going to church and then over to her friend’s to do some quilting, so Lauren didn't have to tell her about Justin yet, which is how she wanted it.

The
day was much warmer, so she decided to wear navy shorts, a white tank top, and her hair in a ponytail. She smiled in the mirror with excitement as she applied her make-up. Marching downstairs, Lauren prayed that after their date, she wouldn’t feel out of his league.

She tried not to drool over how hot he looked in his dark brown cargo shorts that hung low on his hips. The light blue t-shirt he was weari
ng allowed the contour of his biceps to show through the sleeves. He had on tennis shoes and black shades. Lauren began chuckling when she recognized the food bags he was carrying. They were from “Momma’s Country Kitchen”. The restaurant had been on the town square for years. 

Justin walked up the steps of her porch.
“Hi, are you already laughing at me?”

Lauren felt
the butterflies stirring when she saw his charming grin. “No, just laughing about our supper. I think everyone in this town enjoys her cooking.”

“
Betty is getting up there in age. She was there when I was a little boy. I didn't know what you liked, so I bought a few different things.”

Lauren showed Justin to the kitchen
that stretched across the back of the house. She wondered what he was thinking as she watched him admire the property with intensity.

She smiled at him. “
Would you mind eating outside? The flowers in the field are blooming, and they’re lovely to look at.”

“Sounds great
.”

Lauren fixed drinks and grabbed a blanket before she led the
m far from the house to a tree. He laid out a few different sandwiches, French fries and fried okra. He also bought a small container of cut up fruit at the market.

It
wasn’t going unnoticed that Justin was being particularly thoughtful. “All this looks great. Thanks for bringing it. My mom usually cooks while I finish up outside, but she’s at church and then she’s going to a friend’s tonight.”

“
If we’re going to share meals, we should know a little more about each other, so start talking,” he said.

Did he say meals—plural?

Lauren caught
herself staring into his forget-me-not flower colored eyes.
“I’m an only child…” Lauren proceeded to tell Justin about her upbringing. She shared with him the history of the property and about her passion for horticulture.

“I have fond m
emories of playing in this yard and helping my grandparents plant flowers in little, black, plastic containers. They were preparing me to take over the business from a young age.” Lauren looked out toward the wildflowers solemnly. “I had no idea they were planting a seed in my soul.” 

“
You miss them,” Justin said as he placed her hand into his.

“Yes, very much. I was really close to them. There’s been a lot of changes in my life the last five years.”

“I miss mine, too. They were great.”

Lauren didn’t mention her father. She was stunned she confesse
d such personal feelings about her grandparents. She never spoke about missing them to anyone.

Justin squeezed her hand tighter. The touch from Justin’s warm, calloused hand excited her as she pictured him doing some sort of physical labor. She got the same warm feeling she had in the shower when she envisioned his manly hands touching her all over.

I have to think about something else. Why do I want him so badly?

“Tell me about this oilrig you’ve been workin
g on,” she said.

Justin
shared what it was like, and Lauren felt so much respect for him after hearing how hard and dangerous of a job it was. She wanted to ask him if he was going back to California but couldn’t get the nerve. Also, she was enjoying his funny stories about his buddies too much to talk about something so serious. They discussed music, movies, favorite foods, and they laughed a lot. It was getting dark, so Lauren asked Justin if he wanted to go inside.

They were almost facing each other as they sat sideways
on the sofa. The only light in the room was from the television on mute.

His face is beautiful. So is his mouth. He needs to kiss me
with it—everywhere. What the hell?? You horny, teenager! Stop it!

“
You’re easy to talk to, Lauren.”

“Thank you.
I’ve been thinking the same about you.”

And other things you can do with your mouth besides speak.

Lauren noticed the same lust in Justin’s hooded eyes as the night before. He tugged gently on a piece of the front of her tank top near her waist. “It’s a real turn on how independent you are. I’ve never had the privilege of knowing a woman like you.”

She
reached up and ran her hand through the back of his hair. The sides and back were cut short, but she loved how the top had a messy, tangled look. She imagined it would look that way for sure after they made love. Leaning in slowly with a sensual gaze, she gave him a soft, lingering kiss.

Lauren
pulled back just enough to take a shallow breath.

“
The sweet things you say … turn me on,” she whispered.

Swiftly, Justin
lowered her down on the other end of the couch and laid on top of her, cupping both sides of her flushed face. His cool tongue from the ice he chewed was in her mouth fast, sweeping it provocatively.

The chill of
his tongue mixed with the warmth of his breath stimulated her senses. She taste his mouth, saw the burning hunger in his gaze, and heard his harsh breathing. She kissed him back with complete freedom, reveling in the manly scent of his cologne as a wave of tingling pleasure traveled through her body, leaving her throbbing in her pleasure spots. The next thing Lauren felt was him hard against her.

Justin stopped abruptly and pushed himself up with the arm of the sofa. Now he was standing above her with one knee on the couch next to her and his other leg planted on the floor.

“I'm sorry. I—I’m sorry I lost control.” He closed his eyes and blew out a deep breath. “You’re just … you’re so sexy and extremely hard to resist.”

Hearing his hot compliment only fuele
d her craving. Lauren reached up and grabbed the back of his neck with both hands. “Then don't,” she said assertively as she pulled him back down on top of her, blowing in his ear and teasing it between her teeth.

Justin let out a low but long growl as he buried his face in her neck, licking and sucking it. With one
hand he gripped the arm of the couch, and with fervor he shoved the other one behind her back and down to her ass, squeezing it hard. She felt his erection pressing deeper against her shorts.

“If you don’t stop us, Lauren,
I’m not going to be able to,” he whispered into her ear.

His mouth moved to hers, and he
gently grabbed hold of her bottom lip with his teeth, slowly sucking it in before letting go.

“
I have wanted to devour your sweet mouth all evening,” he said.

Defenseless
against his erotic words, she kissed him hard, flooding him with frenzied passion. Lauren twisted his hair with her clutching fingers, wholly lost in lust.

He squeezed her ass harder, pushing it upward against his erection
. She tried to stop but could only remove her lips from his long enough to get out a few sentences.

“Shit. I don’t know
what’s happening to me. I mean, I know, but it’s not like me,” she said between ragged breaths.

He
began kissing her softly and moved his hand up from her bottom to her lower back, rubbing it gently under her shirt as he slowed his breathing.

Lauren could feel that h
e was stopping them from going any further and could plainly see that it was taking all the strength he had. She was making him do all the work, unable to do it herself. They kissed gently and sensuously for several minutes, only stopping occasionally to relish in the others stunning eyes.

She
felt a wave of emotion welling up inside of her. Never having experienced that kind of passion before, she didn’t know how to articulate in her mind what her body was feeling. Lauren realized she was giving a piece of her heart away to a man she knew for two days, and it scared the shit out of her. She couldn’t imagine feeling that kind of chemistry and desire again in her lifetime—only with him.

“
I’m sorry, but you should go. I haven't had a chance to tell my mom about you, and this wouldn’t make the best first impression.”

He
kissed her forehead and pushed himself up to sit on the couch. She sat up next to him, trying to regain her composure.

She watched him shift the front of his jeans in obvious discomfort.

“I never meant for us to move this fast. I want you to know that I don't go around acting like an animal with women. It’s just you. You’re driving me crazy, Lauren.” He ran both his hands through his messy hair.

“
I feel the same about you, and it’s overwhelming, but I don't want it to stop. Ashley said you live in California. I need to know when you’re going back there.”

“
I'm not. I’m home because I quit my job. Besides you, only my brother knows. I need to tell the rest of my family soon.”

“
Really? So you’re staying here?” Lauren's loving eyes lit up.

“
No, I enrolled into Vanderbilt to finish my degree. I’ll be moving to Nashville in two months. I have one more year, and I’ll have my bachelor's degree. As far as my plans after that—I have no idea.”