Boots and Roses (7 page)

When Bunny climbed back into the van, her heartbeat ratcheted up and settled into overdrive.

“That’s it?” Jack looked at the back of van filled with empty boxes and clapped his hands together. “Time for lunch.”

Bunny shook her head. “I have to get back to the shop and work on tomorrow’s orders or I’ll never get done in time to go to the Garden Club meeting.”

Jack frowned. “But I wanted to take you on a picnic.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t have time.” And she really wanted to go with him. She hadn’t been on a picnic since she was a little girl and her parents were still alive. “You really didn’t have to do all this. The date I won at auction wasn’t intended to last a couple days.”

“This has nothing to do with the auction. I want to get to know you better.” He stared out the front window a little longer, his forehead creased, a shadow passing over his eyes, then his dark brows rose and the sun returned to his face. “Actually, this works out even better. If you can’t go on a picnic, I’ll bring it to you.”

Bunny glanced at him. “What?”

He smiled her way. “Eyes front. Someone’s gotta drive this boat, and Wally would like to live another day.”

She looked back at the road in time to swerve and miss a golden retriever crossing the pavement. “Whew.” With both hands firmly on the steering wheel and her gaze forward, Bunny made the rest of the trip to the shop without incident. Throughout the drive, butterflies batted their wings against the lining of her stomach. What kind of picnic did he have in mind while she worked in the shop?

As soon as they’d unloaded the boxes, Jack left through the front door, calling out over his shoulder, “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”

“Like I have time to run away,” Bunny muttered.

Jack ducked his head back through the door. “I heard that.” He winked and disappeared.

Her heart slowed to normal in the five minutes Jack was gone, jumping back into hyper speed when he pushed through the door, carrying a large basket covered with a checkered blanket. “Remind me to take flowers to PJ.”

“Don’t forget to take flowers to PJ.” Bunny frowned at the huge basket. “Are you planning on feeding an army?”

“No, but I had to have all the fixings to make this right.” Jack stepped past her to the workroom beyond. “Don’t mind me. I’ll just set up while you work.”

“Uh, that’s my workroom. I have to work in there.” Bunny bit back the chuckle rising in her chest. Jack had such an eager look on his face, she couldn’t be mad. She went to work arranging her orders across her worktable while Jack laid the checkered blanket across the tile floor.

On it he placed dinner plates, boxes of fried chicken, fresh biscuits and fruit salad. Then he lifted a bottle of wine and two wine glasses from the basket and settled them on the blanket.

Bunny rose from her stool and bent over the basket, peering in. “Did you happen to pack the kitchen sink as well?”

“Nope, but I did remember the candles.” He removed two long white candles, stuck them in two sturdy candleholders and lit each. Finally, he sat back and surveyed the spread before opening his arms wide. “Madame, your lunch is served.”

Bunny shook her head. “Seriously?”

Jack’s happy face faded. “What? Not enough candles? I’ll have to have a talk with PJ.”

“No, no. This is…” Bunny laughed. “Wonderful.”

“Then sit.” He patted the ground beside him. “You need to refuel after all that runnin’ around. I didn’t know being a florist was so exhausting.”

She sat with her legs tucked under her, highly aware she was still without underwear. The coarse fabric of the tablecloth brushed against her naked ass, heating her entire body.

“I had PJ open the bottle with a corkscrew.” Jack poured a wine glass half full and handed it to Bunny.

Her fingers tingled where his touched hers, reminding her of how they’d felt on the inside of her thighs only that morning. Wow, had it only been that morning?

Jack poured a quarter of a glass for himself.

Bunny tipped her head. “Trying to get me drunk?”

“Not at all. I have to be on duty in a couple hours.” He sniffed the wine and sighed. “Wouldn’t be good to show up drunk. Besides, I like beer better.” He held his glass up to hers.

“What are we drinking to?” she asked, her hand shaking.

“I’m not good at this. What do you suggest?”

Bunny’s thoughts couldn’t get past the naughty things they could be doing on that blanket. Her mother would be turning over in her grave. She gulped. “You decide.”

He nodded and said quietly, “How about sunshine and doves?”

Bunny clinked her glass against his and tipped it to her lips, taking a sip. “Why do I get the feeling sunshine and doves has a deeper meaning?”

He downed his little bit of wine. “Because it does.” Jack reached for her hand, removed the glass from it and tugged her closer. “I haven’t always recognized a good thing when I had it. I’ve made mistakes.”

Pulse quickening, Bunny laughed shakily. “Tell me about it. Fortunately, for most, our mistakes make us who we are.”

“But I’m not here to talk about the past.” He gathered her into his arms, smoothing a strand of hair off her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. “I finally know what I want.”

Bunny stared up into Jack’s smoky brown eyes, her breath caught in her lungs. “You do?”

“I do.” His lips touched hers, warm, sensuous and inviting.

“But I barely know you,” Bunny whispered against his mouth.

“We’ve seen each other every week for the past six months.” He skimmed her lips with his tongue, pressing through her teeth.

Bunny closed her eyes, her body melting against his, her resistance weakening. When he allowed her up for air, she asked, “Why now?”

He nipped at her earlobe and left a trail of kisses along her throat. “I’m ready.”

“What if I’m not?” Bunny let her head drop back, her skin on fire, every nerve in her system anticipating his touch. Who was she kidding? This cop had been one of her fantasies since the first time he’d stepped through the door of her flower shop.

He tipped her chin up and gazed into her eyes. “Then I have to convince you.”

Her hands circled the back of his neck, and she pulled his head down until his lips crushed hers.

Jack shoved aside the food and wine glasses and laid her down on the tablecloth, his mouth never leaving hers. When he finally came up for air, he smiled down at her. “Is this helping to convince you?”

“Starting to.” Everything that had happened to her so far that day led to her instant arousal and desire to see this through. But all the starts and stops were beginning to frustrate her, and her core ached for fulfillment only his hard cock could give her. She had forgotten she was in her shop, forgotten they were on the floor of her workroom. Forgotten the lunch he’d gone to so much trouble to acquire. All she could see was Jack. All she could feel was his body pressed to hers, his mouth sliding down over her sundress, kissing her breasts through the fabric. His hand slipped beneath her dress, feathering through her pubic hairs to find her clit.

Bunny arched her back off the floor, her knees splaying wide, giving him all the access he needed to seal this deal.

She wanted to feel his skin against hers, to have his hands caressing her body, tweaking, plucking and tempting her into complete surrender.

The shop bell jangled, shattering her concentration, jerking her back to the reality of where she was and what she was doing. Bunny sat up, yanking her dress over her hips. “I’ll be right with you,” she called out.

Jack pushed to his feet and grabbed her hand, pulling her up beside him, his brows furrowed. “This isn’t over, you know.”

She stared up into his face. “It has to be…for now.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips, his hands threading through her hair. “I have a lot more convincing to do before we’re done.”

“It’ll have to be when the shop is closed. This is insane.”

“Bunny?” A gratingly familiar voice called out.

Shit. Ray. What the hell was he doing back?

Bunny stepped through the door into the front of the shop. “What do you want, Ray?”

Her ex-husband stared at her, his brows furrowing, his lips pressed into a tight line. Then his gaze shifted to the man who moved up behind her. “What’s he still doing here?”

“He’s…helping me.” Bunny stumbled over her response. “Not that it’s any business of yours.”

Jack leaned close to her. “I need to run. Are you going to be all right? Do you want me to get rid of him before I leave?” The cop glared at Ray.

Bunny had to choke back her laughter at the way Ray’s eyes widened. “No, I can handle him. You need to get to work.”

Still, Jack hesitated a moment longer, then nodded toward the back room. “I’ll collect the basket later.” When he turned to go, Bunny laid a hand on his arm.

“Jack?”

“Yes, darlin’?” His hand went to her hip automatically.

The gesture warmed her heart as well has her hip. “Thanks…for lunch.” Bunny leaned up on her tiptoes, grasped the back of his head and pulled him down for a deep, satisfying kiss.

Jack chuckled. “Maybe next time we'll actually eat.”

The sound of Ray clearing his throat made her pull away, slowly. Reluctantly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jack’s hand slipped down to squeeze her ass. “Count on it.”

She slapped at him playfully and smiled as he left through the front door. Then her focus shifted to Ray, her happiness leaving with Jack.

Ray’s lip curled into a snarl. “Do you realize how slutty you look?”

Bunny’s hand lifted automatically to smooth her hair. “You can leave now.”

“You should be ashamed of the way you’re acting with the college boy and that cop.”

While rage ripped through her, she forced a slow, sexy smile. “Jealous?”

“Not in the least. I’m about to be a married man.”

“You were a married man once before. Adultery didn’t seem to bother you. I’m not married now. Why should a single woman having fun with a couple of single guys be wrong?” She lifted a stack of gift cards from the counter and straightened them before laying them back down. “Is there some business that you forgot to attend to from this morning? Otherwise, this conversation is over.”

“This conversation is over when I say it’s over.” Ray stepped closer to the counter. “I still own half of this business and I can call in the note anytime I feel like it.”

Gooseflesh rose on Bunny’s arm. “Are you threatening me?”

“I still have a stake in this business. If it fails, you won’t be able to pay me back my eight thousand dollars.”

“I’ll pay back your lousy eight grand if I have to haul trash to do it. Not that you did anything to deserve it.”

Ray snorted. “According to the court system, I’m entitled.”

Heat suffused her face. “Get out.”

“I will, when I’m damned well ready.”

Holding back every curse word she had ever imagined calling the bastard, Bunny pointed to the door. “Now.”

“I’m leaving. But only because I have an appointment with the tuxedo rental place, not because you’re telling me to.” He stared down his nose at her, the sneer firmly in place. “I’m watching you, so get your act straight, or I’ll shut you down faster than you can say whore.”

Bunny shoved her fists into her pockets to keep from slapping the asshole.

When he left, she leaned against a wall and willed the negative energy out of her body. Two years ago, she’d promised herself to never let him get to her again. She’d broken that promise today. Thank goodness he wouldn’t be at the Garden Club party that night, or she’d be tempted to tell him where he could put his eight thousand dollars.

Chapter Five

Cory stood in the elaborate garden of Mrs. Henry Sandell’s, the president of the Temptation Garden Club. She’d chosen the timing of the party well. Every rose was blooming to perfection, and the lantana added bright spots of yellow-orange along the flagstone pathway, circling the acre of expertly planned and maintained flora.

Barely taking in the beauty of the surroundings, Cory kept his gaze glued to the gated entrance through which the members of the club entered and exited. He glanced at his watch. Half past the scheduled hour, and Bunny had yet to show.

“Cory, honey, can I tempt you with some punch?” Audrey, with Jackson at her side, stopped beside him and held out a dainty crystal punch cup.

He eyed the tiny cup and shook his head. “Rather have a beer.”

Jackson chuckled. “You and me both, buddy.” The Kiowa Indian tugged at his stiff collar and shrugged his shoulders in the sports jacket, apparently as uncomfortable in the setting as Cory.

“She hasn’t arrived yet, has she?” Audrey asked, her gaze shifting to the gate.

“No.” For the hundredth time, Cory glanced at his watch. “How does this work? Are people supposed to be here at a certain time for a meeting or something?”

“Not tonight,” Audrey said. “This is Mrs. Sandell’s night to show off what she’s done with her garden and answer any questions someone might ask, like the names of the flowers, the soil composition, watering, that kind of thing. It’s casual. No formal structure.”

Thank God. Bunny and Lacey would take a quick spin around the garden and they could leave. He could take Bunny home and start his courtship.

Movement by the garden gate jerked Cory’s attention back to the people entering. He perked up and waited. When Ray Sinke and his fiancée, Chrissy, stepped through, Cory’s shoulders sagged.

Great
.

That would really put Bunny in the mood to be wooed. With an ex like Ray around, what chances did Cory or Jack stand? The bastard was a reminder that men were jerks and why Bunny should never get involved with them, ever again.

Cory’s shoulders straightened. Well, he’d just have to show her otherwise by setting a better example and giving her what she needed. Tender, loving care…and an incredible orgasm. He was grinning by the time Lacey Lambert walked through the gate, followed by Bunny, wearing the simple sundress and sandals she’d had on earlier that day.

From where he stood, he couldn’t tell if she had a panty line, or if she was still naked beneath the dress. His cock stiffened. To hide the evidence, he crossed his hands at the wrist, dangling his cowboy hat over his crotch.