In Full Bloom [Second Chances 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Michelle Roth

  She hesitated and asked, “You’re sure?”

  He nodded and said, “I’ve got it.”

  Together, the four of them walked downstairs. Evan gave his brother a hug and said, “Thanks for coming out to help. I appreciate it.”

  “Always game for free beer and food, Ev. Glad to have you back,” Jamie said.

  When his brother released him, he gave Cora a quick hug and said, “You’re fun when you’re not sloshed. Come hang out again.”

  He and Taryn stood at the door watching as they walked down the street. When his brother reached down to take Cora’s hand, Evan nudged Taryn.

  Softly, he heard her say, “I see them.”

  “It’s late,” he said.

  “Yeah,” Taryn agreed. “I have an early staff meeting tomorrow.”

  Silently, they turned and walked back up the stairs. When they stood in the hallway between their doors, he looked down at her. She was staring up at him with those huge blue eyes. They were so expressive. He could tell exactly what she was thinking. It was the exact same thing that he was thinking.

  As much as he was dreading this moment, he finally spoke, saying “This is a bad idea.”

  “A terrible idea,” she agreed, not even pretending to misunderstand his meaning.

  Reaching out, he ran his thumb across her lower lip. When her lips parted slightly on a sigh, he groaned, “But that doesn’t mean I don’t really want to.”

  When he drew his hand back, she gave him a sardonic smile and said, “Trust me. I know the feeling.”

  Looking at her steadily, he asked, “Friends, then?”

  She gave him a nod and said, “I should go inside.”

  “Night, sweetheart,” he said.

  “Night,” she answered, giving him a little wave.

  * * * *

  Evan had just closed his mailbox when he heard the lock on the side door opening. The door opened and Taryn walked in wearing a red and white striped dress and red heels. He was pretty sure that this was the first time he’d seen her in a dress. He felt an irrational surge of jealousy as he wondered if she’d been on a date.

  She looked up, gave him a halfhearted smile, and said, “Hey.”

  “You’re looking fancy,” he said.

  “Cora’s parents had a thing at the country club tonight, so I went,” she said, simply.

  “Cora’s parents?” he echoed. “I thought you were sisters.”

  “We are. It’s a long story,” she said, waving his question away.

  He scrutinized her face and finally said, “Maybe one day you’ll tell me.”

  “Okay,” she said, nodding.

  “Oh, hey. Do you have a second? I want to show you what I did on the roof today,” he said, changing the subject.

  She took a step and winced, asking, “Do I need shoes for it?”

  Considering, he shook his head and said, “I don’t think you’ll need shoes.”

  He watched as she slid the heels off and walked barefoot up the stairs with him. When they rounded the second landing and passed their apartments, he saw her look longingly at her door.

  “It’s just going to take a second, then you can go soak your feet,” he said, grinning.

  “You read my mind,” she said. “My arches are killing me.”

  They climbed the last set of stairs in silence. He opened the roof door and she said, “Whoa. There’s a lot more going on here than last time I was up here.”

  “Just wait,” he said, moving for the timer box. Twisting the knob, he waited until the lights came on.

  He watched her face as she took it all in. He’d added the chaise lounges, the picnic table, and the grill. He’d woven some lights through a trellis and set them up on a timer so he’d be able to see at night.

  She made a full circle, taking it all in, and then said, “It’s beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” he said, feeling irrationally pleased that she liked it so much. “You can entertain up here if you like.”

  Her face brightened slightly and she said, “Thanks. I’ll definitely make use of this. It’s fantastic.”

  Stepping toward her, he tilted her chin up and said, “Now tell me what’s wrong. You look so sad.”

  Letting out a shuddering sigh, she said, “Rough night.”

  “Tell me,” he said, continuing to look at her steadily.

  She walked over to picnic table and sat down on one of the benches. She gestured for him to take a seat.

  He sat next to her, straddling the bench, and waited for her to speak.

  “When I was eight my parents died in a car crash. My dad was drunk and ran into a tree. He killed them both instantly. We didn’t have any family to take us in, so we got put into foster care. Cora was three at the time and so she got adopted right away. Me? Not so much.”

  He didn’t speak. Honestly he didn’t know what to say.

  “We lost touch when I got bounced around the system, and I wasn’t able to find her. I was only ten or so at that point and no one really took me seriously. So, I’m a junior in college one day and I get a friend request on FriendBook from her.”

  He watched the smile touch her lips when she thought of it.

  “We got to know each other again and I got to meet her family. They’re nice enough people. They invite me to family events and all of that, but honestly I hate to go. It’s just a reminder of what I don’t have. I try not to let it bug me, but I can’t help it. I thought tonight would be okay, but…“

  If what she felt was anything at all like the crushing weight of sadness he’d felt on his chest when she told him the story, then he could see why it would be difficult. He reached across the bench and picked up her hand. Moving to stand up, he said, “Come here.”

  He pulled her into his arms and said, “You need a hug. Or maybe I need a hug.”

  She tensed in his arms for a moment before he felt her relax her head against his chest. Her arms slid around his waist and she sighed. Taking this as acquiescence, he stroked a hand gently down her back and held on to her.

  He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but eventually she pulled away and said, “Thank you. I can’t really talk to her about it. I don’t really share this part of myself with many people. It felt good to get it out.”

  “Have you considered talking to someone about it? It can’t be good to hold all that inside,” he said.

  “I know,” she said softly. “When I was in school it wasn’t an option before, but it is now. I should look into it.”

  When she picked up her shoes off the bench, he asked her, “Headed in?”

  She nodded and said, “Thanks again. And this all looks amazing.”

  “Thanks. I’m just across the hall if you need to talk,” he said.

  “You’re a really sweet guy, ya know.”

  “Ouch,” he said, wincing. “What every man longs to hear.”

  She studied him for a moment and then said, “You’re the one that said we had to be just friends.”

  Saying nothing further, she turned and walked back toward the door to the roof and disappeared inside. As the door closed, he murmured, “Touché.”

  The more he got to know Taryn, the more he realized that there was no way they could sustain a friendship that didn’t involve him going insane. He waited for her to come around in the afternoons so he could share the progress he’d made at the shop. He couldn’t wait to hear about her day.

  Things were already hopelessly tangled between them. He had no idea how to extricate himself from the situation. If he was being entirely honest, he didn’t have much desire to either. Running a hand through his hair, he shut the timer off and went back inside.

  Chapter 5

  In the two weeks since the flower shop had been open, she had slipped into an easy friendship with Evan. Typically, if he had customers, she’d just give him a wave as she went upstairs. On days when he wasn’t busy, she stopped in to chat with him. They spent a few evenings together. That usually involved a mo
vie and dinner.

  The sexual tension was still there, but Taryn just ignored it for the most part. Usually that worked pretty well. Not all the time, though.

  Last night they’d been sitting on her sofa half watching an action movie and eating Chinese food. There had been a moment. She’d been absolutely sure he was about to kiss her, but then he’d groaned and run his hands through his hair like he did when he was stressed out.

  If she was being altogether honest with herself, she’d pretty much given up on the idea that they were going to continue being just friends. It seemed like the tension between them was ratcheting up exponentially each minute they spent together. She really didn’t know how they could continue spending any real time together without it reaching critical mass.

  She didn’t want to consider the alternatives. She liked Evan. She respected him. She enjoyed his company more than almost anyone else she knew.

  She peeked into the flower shop and saw he was by himself. As she walked through the door, he looked up, his brow knitted. She immediately asked, “Wow. Are you okay?”

  He held up a finger, asking her to wait. Putting the cellphone he’d had pressed to his ear on the counter, he turned the speaker phone on. Hold music started to flow through the shop.

  “Hey.”

  “Are you okay? Should I go and let you handle that?”

  He waved her off and said, “I’m on hold, anyway. I’ve been on hold for fifteen minutes.”

  She watched him run a frustrated hand through his hair and asked, “You’re clearly upset. What happened?”

  “One my suppliers sent me some roses that were infested with aphids. They ate through a bunch of my plants. I’m trying to deal with that and it isn’t going well,” he said, frustration heavy in his voice.

  She heard the call on hold pick up. “Sir?”

  As he tried to take it off speaker phone the call disconnected. On a curse he slammed his hand against the counter.

  Taryn opened her mouth to tell him that she was going to go upstairs, but he cut her off and said, “I really don’t have time to talk to you right now.”

  Her eyebrows shot up and she said, “Oh. Okay, then. Hope you get your shit worked out. Night.”

  Turning on her heel, she walked toward the door. She heard him say, “Wait.” as she walked through the door but she ignored him. She wasn’t sure what his issue was, but she hoped he worked it out because he’d been kind of an asshole.

  She went upstairs to change. Darla’s, the little dive bar across the street, was doing their annual Halloween thing next Saturday. She was going this year, so she needed to go and get a costume.

  She’d mentioned it to the girls at work and they’d all agreed that it sounded like fun. After she changed into a pair of jeans and a light sweater, she hurried back downstairs to catch the bus into Burbank. There was a Halloween store there that was open year round. They’d definitely have costumes.

  As she walked past the front of the store, she willed herself to not look inside. Instead she calmly walked past and rounded the corner. She saw the bus was just pulling into the stop, so she sprinted to catch it.

  Two hours later, she walked into her building with a slightly slutty-looking Little Red Riding Hood costume in tow. She made a quick stop to check her mail, and then headed upstairs. She saw a yellow tulip in a small vase in front of her door.

  There was a handwritten note next to it that said, “I was a jerk. Sorry.”

  Picking up the flower, she smiled. He had been a little bit of a jerk, but the apology helped. Deciding to let him off the hook, she brought the flower and the costume in her apartment, then walked across the hall. She knocked on the door and then waited. A moment later, shirtless and sexy as sin, he opened the door with an apology in his eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, saying, “Sorry. Today was a shitty day and I took that out on you.”

  One corner of her mouth pulled up and she said, “You’re forgiven. If I’m in the way, just tell me and I can go next time.”

  He shook his head and said, “No. Seeing you was by far the best part of the day.”

  Unsure how to respond to that, she asked, “Did you get it worked out?”

  “As worked out as I’m likely to get it,” he said.

  “Well that’s something,” she said. “You look wiped out. You should go to sleep.”

  “I’m about to,” he said. “Come here, though.”

  She was initially a little shocked when he pulled her into a hug, but relaxed against him a moment later, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her cheek was pressed against his bare chest, his hand caught in her hair. She breathed in the scent of him, her eyes closed. Then she realized she was enjoying this far more than she should be.

  She released him and backed away, saying, “Thanks for the flower. Have a good night.”

  Seeming to realize that she needed distance, he just nodded and said, “You’re welcome. You, too.”

  She walked back into her apartment and laid her back against the door. His skin had been just as soft as she imagined. The hard wall of his chest, his familiar scent. It had all been too much. He was driving her slowly insane.

  He seemed okay with the sexual tension being constantly at fever pitch between them, but she was going out of her mind. Something had to give here. Soon.

  She’d wanted to run her fingers and mouth along the contours of his chest and explore. She was severely undersexed. On a frustrated sigh, she decided that she needed to get this out of her system one way or another.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Taryn stood on the roof and looked out over Griffith Park. It was always so beautiful, this time of the day. The sun was just barely coming up. She took a sip of her coffee.

  A good night’s rest hadn’t provided her with any more perspective on how to handle things with Evan. She no longer cared that he was her landlord. She wanted him more intensely than she’d imagined possible. He’d been making guest appearances in her mind at the most inopportune times. Part of her wanted to fuck him just to get it out of her system, but rationally she knew it probably wouldn’t work that way.

  She was turning around to head downstairs when the object of her thoughts opened the roof top door. He gave her a sleepy grin that set her pulse racing. Needing to get the hell out of there quickly, she said, “Morning,” as she edged toward the door.

  “You’re up early,” he said.

  “Same time every day,” she said. “Why are you up so early?”

  “The plants.” Cocking his head to the side, he asked, “You’ve never been in to see the plants, have you?”

  Momentarily pausing in her slow trek toward the door, she said, “No. I haven’t. I didn’t wanna just barge in there.”

  “C’mon,” he said. “Let me show you.”

  The greenhouse was about twenty feet by twelve. Not overwhelmingly large, but big enough that it was difficult to see the things in the center through the condensation. Too curious now, she followed him inside. She knew it would be humid, but she was surprised by how warm it was inside.

  She felt a thin sheen of sweat start underneath the terry cloth of her robe as she followed him up the rows. He would periodically point to something and explain what it was. Listening to him talk about it, she was impressed that he’d picked so much up on his own.

  She was leaned in, looking at a pair of sprouting seedlings when he turned and collided into her. One minute, she wobbled unsteadily and then his arm wrapped around her waist to steady her. When she turned around to face him, his hand drifted up to brush against her cheek. Before he made contact, he suddenly dropped his hand and stepped back, apparently thinking better of the move.

  “I can’t keep doing this with you. This is driving me crazy,” she said on a shuddering sigh. “I’m glad you’re immune to it, but I’m not.”

  He stared at her now, clearly torn. Finally, he said, “This is a bad idea.”

  Pulling back from him, she said, “I’m going in
side.”

  As she turned to walk out of the greenhouse, she added, “I want to be your friend, but I don’t know if I can be.”

  He gave her a curt nod of agreement.

  She closed the greenhouse door and left the rooftop. She hadn’t thought it possible, but she was more frustrated now than she had been when she’d come up here. She really didn’t think she could stand to be around him without wanting him desperately.

  When she got back to her apartment, she immediately grabbed her cell phone. It was way too early but she needed to talk to someone about this or she was going to explode into a million tiny pieces.

  Texting Cora, she asked, “You awake?”

  A minute later, Cora responded, “I am now. Thanks. What’s up?”

  “I’m going insane. Completely insane. Evan is driving me crazy,” she typed quickly.

  “What’s wrong?” Cora asked.

  “The sexual tension is too ridiculous. We almost just kissed in the greenhouse. He’s driving me batshit crazy,” Taryn complained.

  “Why didn’t you? It’s clear you guys have a thing going.”

  “He’s still being very stubborn about the whole landlord thing. I thought I could be friends with him, Cora. I can’t. Last night he gave me a hug and I almost lost it.”

  “Over a hug?” Cora asked.

  “He was shirtless.”

  “Gotcha. I’d probably need a minute if I was pressed up against that shirtless chest, too,” Cora said.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Taryn typed.

  “My humble advice is to date someone else. Maybe you’ll get over him. He seems pretty stuck on the whole landlord thing. If that’s what he wants, then there’s not a ton you can do about it.”

  “I don’t think that’s actually what he wants, though,” Taryn said.

  “Then perhaps seeing you with another person might help him work through his issues.”

  Taryn considered that for a moment and said, “Maybe I just need to get over it. He can continue to star in my naughty landlord-tenant fantasies and I can date a less complicated man.”