by Viola Grace
“I am.”
“Why? I thought you loved it here. Yesterday you were exhausted and filthy, and you said you loved it here. What happened?”
Petal shrugged awkwardly. “I met the new owner. He is very pretty.”
“Did he do something to you?”
She shook her head. “No. I have met him before.”
Audra blinked. “Was he rude, grabby, a jackass?”
“The last one. There was nothing physically objectionable, but it didn’t end well.”
“Well, what happened yesterday?”
Petal swallowed. “He apologized.”
“Oh. No. What a bastard. How dare he?”
She laughed. “Fine. I will hold off for a bit.”
Audra gave her a hug and said, “Excellent. Now, you get started. I am going to get the list from Darius.”
Petal nodded and got to work. The planting packs had to be filled with the soil and prepared for the seeds.
She had been filling the packs for ten minutes when a familiar voice asked, “How is your leg?”
Petal froze and kept her head down. “It’s fine.”
“You are still limping.” He came closer.
“It is purple and green but otherwise fine.” She continued her filling of the packs and set them aside.
“You can sue the greenhouse. I am sure you are entitled to compensation for the rutted parking lot. It is getting filled in right now if it matters.”
She nodded. “Good. A few weeks away, and you will need all the space you can get. This place is popular.”
He took a step toward her, and she whirled to face him. “Stop. Just stop. I get it. You made your point in Underhill. I was convenient. You don’t want me when there are other options. Great. Take the other options. Just don’t expect me to cheer and clap.”
He grabbed her hands and held them. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you; it just took losing you to give me the blast of ice water to the head I needed.”
She looked at his hands and then met his gaze. “You didn’t want me.”
“I did. I just had my head so far up my own ass that I couldn’t admit it.”
Petal blinked. “That is... not something I thought you would say.”
“I am not asking for you to forget, but can I try again? I would like the chance to court you properly.”
“Court me? I thought I was just dropped in your demesne, and you were supposed to seduce me.”
“That was what was supposed to happen, but now, something else is going to go on. I would like the chance to court you and win your affections in your world using modern methods.”
She paused. “Are you kidding?”
He grinned. “I am not. I am at your disposal any time, day or night. I will not make an overture unless you have made a move first.”
Petal thought about it, and she pulled her hands back. “I would like to think about it today.”
He bowed gracefully, and she could see his fey appearance behind the human glamour. It was disconcerting.
“I will await your answer. Thank you for considering it.”
Petal nodded and returned to her work. She was going to say yes, but she wanted to make him wait.
Chapter Five
When Audra returned, she had the list. They got together and managed to get the first three herbs planted, watered, and set in the growing area.
She worked with her friend until lunch, scrubbed her hands, and then walked over to the teashop to talk to Damek. He was sitting at a computer, which was an anachronistic image for her to have in her mind.
He smiled and closed his computer when she came in. “Hello, Petal.”
She inclined her head. “Hello, Darius, or is it Damek?”
“Darius is the one that matches this environment. If you don’t mind.”
She kept her face straight. “Mr. Omek then.”
He winced. “Whatever you choose.”
“Yeah, I figured that. Well, if you wanted to try modern dating, we can do that.”
His face transformed, and he had a glowing expression of hope on his face. “May I call you?”
She blinked. “Uh, sure. Do you have my number?”
He nodded. “It’s on your file. What are you doing tonight?”
Petal blinked. “Um, I don’t know?”
“What are you doing for lunch?”
She smiled. “Talking to you?”
He sighed. “This is your break?”
“Yeah, I am not the type of person to sort out my love life on company time.”
He chuckled. “May I make you lunch? We got the new sandwich presses in, and I have been wanting to take them for a spin.”
Petal looked at his eager face, and she nodded. “Fine, you can make me lunch and consider it a first date.”
His smile was so bright that he lit up the entire interior of the space. He got up, pressed a kiss to her right hand, and he went to put the food together.
He asked her a few ingredients preferences, and he got two sandwiches in the presses. While that was going on, he got some soup from a holding container and two tall glasses of iced tea. She looked around. “I don’t want to sit down.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have dirt in places a lady should not have dirt.”
He grinned. “I will stifle any comments I would have made.”
“Very wise.”
“But, have a seat. If you get dirt on it, it cleans off. This is a greenhouse. Dirt is ubiquitous.”
She sighed and sat at the high bar stool near the kitchen. “It smells good. So, what would have happened if I ate in Underhill?”
“The second that you arrived back here, you would have vomited everything up. Violently.” He checked on the sandwich presses and closed them again. “It is not a very desirable result.”
“And why didn’t I remember what happened?”
“Time compression. Our realms are divided by magic and time. A week in Underhill used to be a hundred years here. Now it has reversed.” He looked up at her and smiled. “So, I was able to do a lot of studying in a very short time in your world.”
“So, when did you get here?”
“A week after you returned. It takes a while to buy a property and transfer ownership.”
She blinked. “So, you really did buy this place?”
“Certainly. Audra didn’t want it, and her parents deserve to retire in comfort, so I took it off their hands, and when you contacted them, I urged them to renew your contract without telling them why.”
Petal nodded and smiled. “I like working here during the spring and summers, and a few weeks in winter when the trees and wreaths come in.”
“In addition to the teahouse, I am adding a wedding venue to the property this year. There would be additional work for you there if you like.”
Petal paused and grinned. “I will think about it.”
He set out two plates and brought them over to her then returned and got the soup.
The iced tea was the last addition, and he smiled. “I must say that I enjoy the modern appliances. It does beat kindling a fire every few hours, but the freezers are amazing.”
She gestured to the food.
He nodded. “Go ahead.”
She picked up the sandwich and bit in, her rumbling stomach demanding to make its own assessment.
She blinked and smiled. “Gouda, mortadella, serrano ham?”
He paused. “Yes. How did you...”
She held up a hand and tasted the soup. “Squash, vegetable stock heavy on the celery, salt, pepper, a dash of nutmeg, and a drizzle of crème fraiche?”
He sat back. “Try the tea.”
She sipped. “Strawberry, basil, balsamic vinegar, and a dash of honey.”
She ate happily.
“How did you do that?” The astonishment on his face was gratifying.
“Practice. I had friends with allergies
growing up, and since they couldn’t figure it out, I acted as a food taster for them. With practice, I got more able to do more than just find the objectionable items.”
“What did you taste for?”
“Peanuts, tree nuts, strawberries, mushrooms, and one was allergic to bananas. That only came up once.” She chuckled.
She worked her way steadily through the food, and she paused. “There was a stroke of Dijon on the bread, cheese side.”
He chuckled. “There was. I am astonished. I did not think that a mortal would have such advanced senses.”
She swallowed and sipped at her tea. “Spring honey, daisies, dandelions, clover, fresh grass, and sunlight.”
He frowned. “What?”
She pointed two fingers at him. “That is what you tasted like. Well, what you tasted like to me.”
A blush crept up his cheek. She finished her sandwich and enjoyed the soup. When she finished the iced tea, she took her dishes to the kitchen and loaded them into the washer.
He was still sitting back, still stunned. She patted him on the shoulder and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for lunch.”
He gripped her hand. “I can ask you out?”
She paused and nodded. “You can.”
She was at the door when he called out, “Honey, lilacs, wild strawberries, and you.”
“What?” She paused and looked back at him.
“That’s what you taste like.” He smiled slightly. “I miss it.”
Her heart thudded in her chest as she crossed the newly gravelled section of the parking lot, and she returned to work.
The afternoon was spent filling trays after trays with seeds and setting them into the growing area where the lights and watering systems were set up. Audra smiled. “You look to be in better spirits.”
“I had a decent lunch for once.” Petal shrugged. “It makes all the difference.”
“I walked past your purse. Your phone is blowing up, by the way.”
Petal paused, and then she remembered that she had sent out a network of feelers for new jobs. “Oh, shit. I will just get on that.”
“I will continue seeding.” Audra saluted her.
Petal grabbed her phone out of the breakroom, and she read through all of the unknown numbers. There were several job offers, and she replied to them with a promise to update them within forty-eight hours. There was one message from her stalker, and she blocked his new number.
The texts from the new number that began with Dearest Petal were obviously from Darius. It was obvious because he signed them. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten the hang of texting quite yet.
She smiled softly, thought about her reply, and sent back, I am working until five, but if you wanted to go for dinner at seven, that would be fine. I can meet you somewhere.
She locked her screen and put the phone in her pocket, returning to Audra.
Audra glanced at her a few times. “So, you have quite the smile on your face. Good news?”
Petal groaned and pressed her forehead to the table. “I think I have a date.”
“You don’t date.” Audra looked at her. “You never have time to.”
Petal exhaled. “I am making time.”
“So... Is it Darius?”
Petal muttered against the table surface. “Yes.”
“Wow. How did that happen?”
Petal stood up and frowned. “Maybe muddy women is some kind of a kink that I don’t know about.”
“Google it.”
Petal glared at her. “No!”
They laughed and kept working. They were starting the early herbs and got through the ones set aside from the teahouse and then got to work on the ones for the greenhouse.
By five, Petal was exhausted, grimy, sweaty, and her shirt was clinging to her as she and Audra had a water sprayer fight to end their workday.
She had her jacket over her arm and checked her phone to find out that the battery had run down. “Oh, dang it.”
Petal took a step and stumbled back. She was caught and held by familiar arms. She saw the wet grey stain on his white shirt, and she winced. “Sorry, Darius.”
He chuckled. “It was my fault. I saw you cursing at your phone and became concerned.”
She held it up. “Dead battery.”
“Oh, is that all?” He tapped it, and the screen flicked to life. “What were you looking for?”
“Whether you wanted to go out tonight or not.” She bit her lip and scrolled along.
He leaned in toward her and pressed his lips against her ear. “Yes. I will collect you at seven.”
She nodded. “Okay. You got my address from my application?”
“No, from Audra.” He smiled. “She is very helpful.”
Petal straightened. “She’s in on this?”
“She knows you well and has refused to help me undermine you or sneak up on you, but she has given me instruction to be direct, blunt, and to take no for an answer but to try something else later.”
Petal stared at him. “Oh, right. Yeah, that is probably the best way to get through to me.”
“She said it was how she got you to work for her family’s company. She just offered one bit of work after another until you were enmeshed here and part of the greenhouse.”
She twisted her lips. “She was really insistent, and I didn’t want to upset her.”
He chuckled. “I will be around to pick you up at seven.” He took her coat from her, and she slid her arms through the sleeves. “It’s cool in here.”
She glanced down and saw that her nipples were visible through her t-shirt and bra. “I got a bit wet.”
She zipped up and nodded. “I guess I will see you at seven.”
It wasn’t a retreat, but it was a much-needed exit. She got to her car, crossed her fingers, and started it up. It wheezed to life, and she let it run for a minute.
Petal drove toward home and looked at the gas gauge on the way. She pulled into her local service station and put twenty dollars’ worth of gas in the car. When she finished and started it up again, it didn’t.
She checked her phone, and she had forty-five minutes to get home, shower, and get dressed. Petal got someone to help her push the car toward the service bay, and they swore to get on it and give her a call when they knew what was wrong.
She knew what was wrong. Her car was dead.
The taxi app gave her a forty-minute wait, and it was a ten-minute hike. She was already filthy, so she went for a walk.
She was cold, wet, shivering, and miserable when she got home, but a quick hot shower later, and she was just miserable. She hedged her bets on clothing and wore a long pink slinky tunic over some black embossed leggings. It would do most dining options.
She was just digging for the wrap that she wore when she didn’t want to wear her winter coat, and there was a knock at her door. Petal checked that it was Darius, and she opened the door.
He smiled. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
Petal nodded. She grabbed her little purse, stuffed her phone, wallet, and a lip gloss into it, and then she smiled. “Is it a place I can just relax for a bit?”
He nodded. “I promise.”
He held his hand out, and she locked her door behind her before freezing. She turned back to him with a smile. “Okay, let’s go.”
She looked up locksmith numbers on the drive. They passed the greenhouse and pulled into the next property over. She blinked. “This is a house.”
“It is.”
“You live next door to the greenhouse.”
“It was expeditious.”
She stared at him, confused. “You drove over an hour round trip to come get me.”
“That’s true, too.” He smiled and got out of the car, walking around to her side. She stepped out and stumbled against him as her knee gave way.
“Sorry. Oh, I am so sorry, Damek.”
He held her up and looked at her face. “What is go
ing on?”
She swallowed and tried to keep herself calm, but he pressed a kiss to her forehead and asked again. “What’s happened?”
She burst out with the stalker, the resignation, all the people who were now pissed because they had wanted her to work for them, her car dying, locking herself out of the house, and her knee was a horrible shade of purple, which is why she was wearing the leggings.
He picked her up and carried her into the house while she tried to throttle down the grade-A anxiety attack that was making her shake.
Damek settled her on the couch, removed her shoes, covered her with a blanket, and then he moved around the open space, getting things together.
When he had finished what he was working on, he brought her a cup of tea and knelt in front of her. “Sip at this.”
She tried to pick up the cup, and she sipped at it while it clattered in the saucer. He put his hands over hers, and he helped her drink.
“Okay, for the next bit, I am going to need to remove your leggings. Pain can wear on your nerves dramatically.”
She set the cup of tea aside and slid her fingers into her leggings, peeling them down. Once they were to mid-thigh, he eased them off.
“Holy shit. You are purple all the way up. You worked on this?”
She settled with her arm away from him. “I was scheduled to work, so I worked.”
He leaned in and muttered, “I am going to have to touch you for this.”
“But... you don’t have to...”
He smiled and flicked his glance toward her. “No. I don’t have to be inside you. Just relax, and we will get this sorted. Then, we will tackle the rest.”
She blinked, and he placed a soft kiss on her hip, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. This was not first-date territory.
Chapter Six
The slow trailing of his tongue across her skin had her fighting moans. Who was she kidding? She got aroused when he held her hand, let alone applying his mouth to her skin.
He held her ankle in two hands and pressed his lips to it, exhaling a hot stream of breath across her skin that worked into the joint.
When he was done with her ankle, he moved to her foot and smiled. “There. Now, are there any more bruises?”
