Bed Of Roses (The Five Senses Series Book 4)

by Gemma Brocato

  “God, she’s a bitch,” Gaby complained once they were out of earshot. “Do you like her type?”

  Tossing the cup in the trash bin, he waited until Gaby threw hers away. “What type is that?”

  “Vapid nothing-between-the-ears man-eating tramps.”

  Surprised laughter ripped from his throat. “You pegged her. And the answer is no. Ashleigh might have been my type at one point, but not anymore. Not since I’ve met Malin.”

  Putting her hand on his forearm, Gaby pinned him with an intense look. “Don’t hurt my sister, Gunnar.”

  “Jeez, of course not. I have no intention of hurting Mal. I...like her too much.”

  He jerked as he said it. Because what really wanted to come out of his mouth was he loved her. He let the phrase run rampant in his mind and understood the truth of it. He’d fallen in love with Mal.

  “Better not.” Gaby’s tone held warning, but she smiled as she uttered the words. “Hey, you aren’t going to tell Mal I cut class this afternoon, are you?”

  “I’m not, but you should. She’ll understand once you explain why.”

  “I’d really rather you did it. I think she likes you better.”

  “Okay, but you shouldn’t be afraid to talk to her. She has to know what you’re thinking so she can help. I doubt she’ll be as upset as you think. Things are always worse in our own minds than in real life.”

  “Except that Ashleigh chick. She’s some poor sucker’s worst nightmare.”

  Laughing, Gunnar took her arm and aimed her toward the door. First, he’d take Gaby back to Mal, then he’d deliver the rest of Mal’s flowers. He smiled. Maybe later, he’d deliver a special gift to his favorite florist.

  * * * *

  “Hey, look who I found, Daisy Mae.” Gunnar walked through the shop’s entrance and greeted Chloe, Selma, and Mal where they stood at the counter. There weren’t any other customers in the store.

  Mal looked up from the receipts she’d been scanning. The slow, sexy grin on her mouth made him long to trace the contours of it with his tongue. Her lush lips could launch him into orbit when she wrapped them around his cock. He got achingly hard just speculating about it. When she spied Gaby behind him, the grin faded, replaced by a thin compressed line masquerading as a smile. “You found my sister, and just in time.”

  Stepping around the cash wrap, he pulled her into his arms and planted a hard, fast kiss on her lips. “That’s me. I’m timely. Got a second?”

  “Sure, buttercup. I always have time for you.” She glanced from the clock to Gaby, who hovered behind him as if afraid to be seen. Concern flashed across her face as she looked at her sister. “You okay, Gaby?”

  The teen crowded closer to him but nodded, her eyes wide. “I’m good.”

  “Okay, would you help Chloe with that display?” She pointed toward the large front windows where plants, flowers, stuffed animals, and an assortment of smell-good soaps and lotions were on display. “We’ve sold quite a bit of stuff, and it needs to be refilled and fluffed.”

  Gaby nodded, relief flooding her features. She scampered over to the spot Mal had indicated and got right to work. Classic avoidance technique. Gunnar had used the trick once or twice himself.

  Malin grasped his hand and led him toward the back room. The press of her fingers against his palm sent shocks of desire straight to his cock. The aching heat he’d managed to suppress surged back to life like a brand on his heart.

  Mal eased the door closed and turned to face him. “What gives?” she asked.

  “First, I have something for you.” He closed the small gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. He let his hands fall to the sweet curves of her butt. Exerting minimal pressure, he pulled her tight against his hips, demonstrating exactly what he wanted to give her.

  Mal’s mouth widened to a surprised O then the corners quirked up. He took her mouth, moving with abandon. Her sweet cherry mint taste invaded his senses, ignited his passion. Mal twined her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Without breaking the kiss, he spun her in a slow circle until his back was against the shelves to the right of the door. He licked her lips with his tongue then dipped between them once, twice, finally leaving it there to tangle with hers. He tightened his grasp and pressed her against his raging hard-on. He groaned softly into her mouth.

  It didn’t matter that three other people worked just beyond the barrier of the thin wooden panel. He didn’t care that he needed to talk to Mal about Gaby skipping school. The final lingering thoughts of Ashleigh and the shit going on at his gym vanished as Mal returned his ardor, matching the stroke of his tongue with her own. The sexy half-moans coming from her made the blood in his veins sing.

  All that mattered to him, at this moment in time, was having the woman he loved in his arms. As eager for his embrace as he was bent on kissing her.

  Reluctantly, he ended the interlude. Chest heaving, he rested his cheek against her soft blond hair. Strands of it fluttered with each exhale. Her breasts brushed his chest with every breath she took. The friction of the movement, the tight peaks he felt under her sweater, scored a direct hit on his groin.

  Mal lowered her arms, resting her hands on his biceps and sighed. “Just so you know, I don’t thank all my delivery guys this way.” Her chuckle floated near his ear, tickling, teasing.

  “God, I hope not. This should be something reserved just for your favorite driver.”

  “You’re making an assumption that you’re my favorite. What if Avery is my fav? He’s already finished his deliveries and come back for more. You’re slacking, buttercup.”

  “Freaking overachiever. He damn well better not be your number one.”

  Mal pressed her lips against the underside of his jaw, then drew the tip of her tongue against the whiskers he hadn’t had time to shave today. His heart thumped hard at the tender pressure. Oh, yeah, he was definitely her favorite.

  She sighed again. This time it wasn’t the lust-fueled version from earlier. “The school called to check on Gaby.” She stepped out of his arms.

  He missed her heat the instant she moved away from him. Damn, he was a goner. “Ah, so you already know.”

  “Yeah. I thought maybe she’d gone home, but there wasn’t an answer at my house. I don’t know her cell phone number. I should have asked her for it. Where did you find her?”

  “At the harbor. She doesn’t have a house key. Poor kid was shivering and in tears when I found her. I took her to the gym to warm up and got her some hot chocolate. The ultimate comfort food.”

  Mal hung her head. “I can’t believe I messed up something as simple as making a spare key. I’ve been meaning to get to the hardware store, but I’ve just been so damn busy with this holiday. That’s a sad excuse, isn’t it? Thank you for looking after her.” Grasping his hand, she squeezed. “Did she tell you what happened? Why she left?”

  “Yeah, she did. And asked me if I could talk to you about it. I think she’s embarrassed.”

  Gunnar’s gaze lingered on Mal’s butt as she walked away from him. She took a seat on the cushioned stool by the workbench and looked at him expectantly. “Lay it on me.”

  He grinned at her invitation and joined her on the opposite side of the table. He leaned over and braced his forearms on the cluttered surface, his face mere inches from hers. “Typical high school girl drama. Two mean girls laughed at her. Labeled her without knowing her.”

  She dropped her chin to her chest and shook her head. “Bitches.”

  Gunnar laughed. “You sound just like her. Same inflection, same derision in your voice. It’s like you two grew up together.”

  She lifted her gaze back to his face and gave a small smile. “Well, we are sisters. The same woman raised us. It stands to reason we’d have some of the same mannerisms. What did you tell Gaby?”

  I pulled out my very impressive knowledge of arithmetic and displayed the sound math and logic skills I paid so dearly for. I pointed out that two girls out of two hundred is nothing. Tol
d her to make friends with the nerdy kids. Then I told her she shouldn’t date jocks.”

  “Hmm, that’s some great advice. Not sure where the last one comes from, though.” She stroked her fingers over his cheek.

  He twisted his head a little and captured the tip of her index finger between his teeth before replying. “Situational advice. You had to be there.”

  “The thing is, Gunnar, it pisses me off that someone said something to upset her on her first day. I wondered about moving her from the old school to this one. She seemed eager to do it. Maybe I should put her back in the old one in Boston.”

  “Nah, she’ll be okay.”

  “I just want her to be happy. Now that I’ve gotten to know her, I like her. I love her. I can’t stand that she’s been hurt.”

  “She said pretty much the same thing as you just did.”

  “She did?”

  “Yep. I think you two are going to be okay. And don’t worry about moving her back to Boston. I think she’ll do just fine here in Granite Pointe.”

  Mal paused for a moment, her eyes flicking from side to side. When she glanced at him, her gaze was clear and bright. She nodded. Hopping off her stool, she scooted around the workbench and came to his side. “Would you like to join Gaby and me for a pre-Valentine’s Day meal of pizza and salad? I want to spend time with her, but I want to spend time with you, too.” She trailed her hand along the waistband of his jeans. His balls tightened at the soft graze of her fingers.

  Putting his hands on her hips, Gunnar cleared his throat. “I don’t mind spending time with either of you. But so we’re straight? You’re my favorite.” He prayed he occupied the same spot in her heart.

  Chapter 20

  The activity level in the shop escalated sharply in the next few days. The constant flow of customers and orders resulted in extra hours at the shop. Gaby had gone back to school and settled into her new routine with new friends. She’d started to run with the track team after school, unfortunately limiting how much time she was able to help at the Secret Garden. Gunnar had borrowed Mal’s house key and made a copy, saving Mal a trip the hardware store. Now, Gaby never faced being locked out again. In exchange, Gaby had programmed her own phone number into Mal’s phone. They’d both laughed at the label Gaby had created for herself. Best sister in the world.

  Each day when Gunnar arrived to help Avery make deliveries, he’d bring protein shakes for everyone, knowing they weren’t taking time to eat. Chloe had proclaimed him a rock god when he’d shown up with a chocolate peanut butter smoothie.

  Malin had been in touch with her dad over the past week as well, sneaking in phone calls when she could. The first time he’d called, his voice had been thin and weak. He’d downplayed the painful physical aspects of his withdrawal and recovery, but Mal remembered from the last time he’d been in rehab. Then, he’d complained that even his hair hurt. When he’d called three days ago, exhaustion and despair had been evident in his words and tone as he had admitted he still craved his Jameson. Knowing he’d still need constant monitoring and support after he finished rehab nearly crushed Mal’s spirit. Even with the extra long hours in the shop, she attended a late night Al-Anon meeting. It was something she did for herself, and she’d felt less alone when she’d left, armed with strategies for coping.

  The hours spent with Gunnar were her favorite times. He’d forced her to take an hour off one evening for dinner with his sister, Rikki, and niece, Amelia. Gunnar had taken Amelia from her carrier as soon as Rikki had arrived at the restaurant and hadn’t relinquished her through the entire meal. The sight of him cuddling the baby’s small body in his muscular arms sent waves of emotion tap-dancing across Mal’s heart. The awkwardness Mal had feared would occur between her and Gunnar had never materialized. If anything, their friendship was strengthened by the intimacy they shared.

  Gunnar had been very helpful in interpreting Harriet Jansen’s complex legal documents. Mal’s breath had clogged in her throat when she learned the value of the insurance policy Harriet left her. As beneficiary, Mal had access to two million dollars. It seemed a steep price to assuage the guilt of abandoning a child. A separate trust fund meant to provide money for Gaby’s daily living expenses and college education was twice as large. As trustee, Mal was charged with managing the funds to make them last with minimal withdrawals until Gaby reached the age of twenty-five.

  All of these things took time she couldn’t afford from the Secret Garden. Any hour spent away from the shop meant extra hours after closing time. Gunnar frequently kept her company after everyone else had left for the day. He’d been a huge help in general.

  He’d talked Mal into dinner tonight. She was the equivalent of a floral zombie, with barely enough energy to keep her eyes open through the first course.

  He’d just finished ordering for them when he said, “Michael was arrested as soon as he’d deplaned at Logan International Airport.”

  Mal picked up her water glass and returned it to the table without taking a sip. “I hope they lock him up for a good long time.”

  “They will. In the meantime, I was able to recover nearly every cent he embezzled.”

  “Gunnar, that’s excellent news.”

  He nodded. “So now that period of my life is over. And Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. What’s next once life settles down for you?”

  “Fixtures for the new shop should arrive in the next week. I have to get into the store and paint.” Mal grinned. “I figured you’re so handy with a paintbrush, you’d volunteer to help.”

  Swiping his hand through the air as if holding a brush, Gunnar laughed. “Hopefully, we won’t run into any texture on the walls. But I’d love to help. Maybe you, Gaby, and I can work on that next Sunday.”

  She loved his laugh. Deep, warm, sexy.

  “I’ve ordered the extra equipment I need to manufacture the soap and lotions. I’ve signed a contract to supply Laurel Glen with a signature line of toiletries. Plus, I have three other hotels interested, thanks to Noah’s influence.”

  “As long as that’s all he’s doing for you.”

  His almost jealous words were softened by the smile on his mouth.

  After dinner, they headed back to Mal’s house. She was getting too damn used to sleeping with him curled up around her. But it was one addiction she wasn’t in the least interested in resisting. When Gunnar left very early for boot camp at the gym, he tried to convince her she should participate but she’d laughingly passed. As she kissed him good-bye, he stroked the dark circles under her eyes and stressed that she should reduce some of her tension with a cardio workout. She shut the door behind him and marveled at how full her life had become. Gunnar and Gaby had both claimed prime locations in her heart. And she was happy to have them there.

  Daydreaming as she worked side-by-side with Selma, she hummed with excitement over her life. Even with the obscene amount of hours she was putting in this year, she was happy.

  When the phone rang Mal dusted her hands on the back of her jeans and went to the counter to grab the handset.

  “Secret Garden. How may I help you?”

  “Is that you, Ms. Eckert?”

  The only person who’d ever called her Ms. was her mother’s attorney. “Mr. Fleming?”

  “Yes, hello.” The attorney cleared his throat. “Uh...Ms. Eckert, we...well, we’ve run into a bit of a snag with your guardianship of Gabriella.”

  That was cutting right to the chase. No pleasantries, no inquiries as to how her day was going. His words jingled alarm bells. Mal pulled a pad of paper across the counter toward her, then reached for a pen. “A snag? Have they changed the date for the Guardian ad litem hearing?” He’d told her the court appearance was merely a formality. Harriet’s wishes had been expressly spelled out.

  “There might not be a hearing after all.” He paused. “This is highly unusual.”

  Mal straightened, tightening her fingers around the pen. “What’s going on, Mr. Fleming?”

  “
I believe you might actually be relieved at the news, given you didn’t know about Gabrielle and were very reluctant to accept responsibility for her.” His indrawn breath echoed hollowly in her ear. “Another party has stepped forward and has requested custody of your sister.”

  His words struck at her like a blow from a boxer. Her heart hammered against her breastbone. Two weeks ago, this might have been welcome news. Before she’d really known her sister. “I don’t understand. You told me there wasn’t anyone else.”

  “Apparently, I was mistaken.”

  “This is not something you should mistake, Mr. Fleming. We’re talking about a young girl’s life here.” Selma’s head swiveled her direction when Mal’s voice rose sharply.

  The lawyer sniffed. “Now, now, Ms. Eckert. Believe me when I say I understand that better than most. But there’s no reason to get angry at me.”

  Immediately contrite, Mal lowered her voice. “I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just...Gaby’s settled in with me. I like her. And I think she’s happy.”

  “I’m quite sure she is. I’ve been speaking with her regularly since I left her with you.”

  “What?”

  “Part of my job, Ms. Eckert, is to protect the minor child. It would be remiss of me to not check on her well-being while in your care. It appears she’s quite happy with her situation.”

  “Oh.” A small thrill danced within her chest knowing Gaby had told him she was. It disturbed Mal that someone else wanted to lay claim, so to speak, on her sister. “Who is this other person? Is it someone Gaby knows?”

  “I believe she might. They’re her father’s cousins. Um...” Papers shuffled in the background. “It’s Jeremy and Ruth VonLachen. From Missouri. They purport to have a claim on Burton Jansen’s estate, and it includes Gabriella.”

  “Do they?” His words made it seem as if he doubted the claim. Mal pushed her fingers into her hair and massaged her scalp, hoping to ease the sudden throb.

  “I didn’t handle Burton Jansen’s estate. I have a meeting set up with the attorney who did later this week.” He cleared his throat again. “Am I to understand you’re willing to remain as Gabriella’s guardian?”