I suck in a breath when his hand makes contact. There might be layers of clothing between my skin and his hand but I still feel tingles throughout my body. It doesn’t feel like I’m imagining this sensual energy between us, but maybe it’s just my overactive imagination.
He leads me through a hallway toward the back of the shop. It’s dark and there’s no one else around, but somehow he makes me feel safe. It’s like I can sense that he’s a good person, regardless of how intimidating he might look. And I don’t think it’s just my hormones talking.
I summon the courage to sneak a peak at him when he pushes the back door open for me that leads to the garage. He’s looking at me with an intense look, his brown eyes swimming with specks of gold that draw me in. I’m startled for a moment until a small smile touches the edge of his mouth. I let myself smile back and then quickly walk toward his truck.
He presses his key to unlock the doors and I climb right in. Having such close contact is exhausting me. I can’t relax, I’m strung as tightly as a rubber band and I feel close to snapping in half. Not to mention I’m trying to think of something to say as he pulls out of the garage, but my mind is a complete blank slate. I’m about to mention the weather but I quickly swallow my words before I make that amateur mistake.
He takes pity on my awkwardness when he says, “You’ve been working at the flower shop for a long time now. How long has it been?”
“Ah, going on four years. I started when I moved here for college.”
“What are you studying?”
“Finance.” He gives me a look and without saying a word I know exactly what he’s thinking. “I know, it sounds really boring but I’m good with numbers and I like the idea of helping people plan for their futures.”
“You’re right…it does sound boring.”
“Fair enough,” I say. For the first time all day I feel like I’m finally on solid ground.
“I’m probably biased because I was absolute shit at school. I had a hard time following the rules.”
“You’re not the only one,” I say as we pull up across from my car. “And anyway, it looks like you turned out okay.”
“I do love what I do. So you’re right, I can’t complain.” He puts his hand out in front of me and I just stare at it, unsure of what he’s asking. “Keys? I’ll pop the hood.”
“Oh, yeah!” I quickly grab my purse and dig my keys out of the bottom. “What should I do?” I ask as I put the keys in his hand.
“Just stay here and keep warm. If I need you, I’ll let you know.”
“Okay,” I say. He pops the hood on his truck, puts his head down and jumps out of the truck, turning away from the frigid winds. Within seconds he has popped the hood on my car as well. I watch him connect the jumper cables to the battery and then jog back to the car.
“Okay, lets hope this works.” He rubs his hands together to warm them and then turns the key in his truck. It roars to life. He jumps back out of the truck, sits in my car and turns the key in the ignition.
He gives me a thumbs-up from my car when it starts and I smile, as much from relief as excitement. Things are looking up.
After a few minutes he walks back to the front of my car and detaches the cables from the battery, shutting the hood for me. Unhooking the cable for his battery he climbs back in the truck and puts the jumper cables in the back.
“It started with no problems. It probably is just the cold. Do you park outside at night?”
“No, I have underground parking. So hopefully it will start again in the morning.”
“It should. If not, you’ll need to get the battery replaced. You might want to do that soon anyway.”
“Thank you,” I’m not sure what the proper etiquette is for when someone helps jump one’s car. Do I offer him money? I don’t want to offend him either way.
“I’ll follow you home tonight to make sure you get there safely.” He has his hand on the steering wheel but he’s turned toward me, filling the space in the truck between us. I definitely notice his size now that we’re in such a small space together.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I don’t want to inconvenience you anymore tonight.”
He continues to look at me but he’s so hard to read. I can’t tell what’s going through his mind and I can’t hold his stare. I break the connection and look out the window.
“I need to make sure you get home safely, Leah,” he finally says. His voice has dropped, sounding more raspy. The way he says it, there’s no arguing. He put just enough force behind it to let me know his decision is final. But there’s also an element to his voice that makes me think about sex. Images of his body, crumpled sheets, and me on my back moaning in ecstasy flash through my mind.
Once again, I feel my cheeks starting to flush red so I agree with his demand and step out into the frigid cold night air.
“I’ll follow you,” he says.
“Okay,” I say and smile before I shut the door behind me.
I quickly get behind the wheel in my car and the first thing I notice is that Nate turned the heat on high. My car is toasty warm. His hard exterior isn’t matching with the glimpse of gentleman that I got tonight.
I put my car in drive and pull out of the parking lot. I feel a thrill shoot through me when Nate’s headlights shine in my car and I know he’s behind me, following me home.
It isn’t a long drive to my apartment building. We’re there within fifteen minutes. Before driving my car underneath the building into the heated garage, I let it idle in the driveway while I run back to Nate.
He rolls down the window when he sees me coming. “Thank you so much for your help tonight. How can I repay you?”
I figure that’s safe enough. I’m putting the issue of payment back in his court.
“Don’t worry about it, Leah. I was happy to help you out. That’s what neighbors do.”
It’s freezing out here so I don’t take the time to argue. “Thank you so much,” I say. Staring just long enough, I turn and head inside.
Chapter 3
I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so distracted in class. I’ve been replaying last night in my mind over and over again. I see Nate walking toward me in his black T-shirt and jeans, his broad, sculpted shoulders tight under the fabric. I can only imagine what his washboard abs must look like. If I ever get the chance, I would take my time and devour every delicious inch of him.
“Are you feeling okay?” My best friend, Maria, is sitting next to me with a concerned look on her face.
“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, just distracted.” I whisper so our professor doesn’t scold us for talking during his lecture. He’s an amazing, passionate guy but he did throw a metal trash can next to a student who fell asleep in his class. I don’t know what that guy thought but it was enough to keep me on my best behavior.
“You haven’t typed anything for ten minutes.” She’s still looking at me, knowing too damn well that I’m hiding something. I’m focused in class. I don’t skip notes and I don’t skip class.
“Let’s talk after,” I say, annunciating each word so she gets the hint.
“Fine. After.” She turns back to her computer and I can’t help taking a moment to smile at the flood of warmth that I feel inside.
Maria and I met our freshman year of college. We were in the same dorm together, on the same floor. We realized very quickly that we were most likely sisters separated at birth. It felt like fate when we ended up having three classes together our first semester. After that, we planned our classes so we would have a lot of them together.
The rest of class passed in a foggy haze. I’ve never been this distracted by a guy before. Normally Nate only occupies my fantasies at night, but after our encounter yesterday, I can’t get him off of my mind.
“Okay, spill.” Maria throws her bag over her shoulder as we walk out of the lecture hall. It’s another frigidly cold day so we quickly dash across the street and into the closest deli for lunch.
I�
�m standing at the counter, reading the menu to decide what I’m going to order, when she grabs my arm to make me look at her.
“You’re making me crazy!”
I laugh and give in to her demands. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything. Let’s order first, though, I’m starving and I have to be to work in an hour.”
“Fine,” she says. She crosses her arms and studies the menu as well.
Once our orders are up and we’ve taken our trays to a table for two by the windows, I decide to stop torturing her.
“I met Nate yesterday,” I say, smiling from ear to ear.
“What? You met him and you didn’t call me immediately?” she practically yells.
“Well, I actually met him twice yesterday. He came into the flower shop to order flowers and I took his order. I didn’t make the best first impression, but I’m over that now. Because when I went to go home last night, my car wouldn’t start. Everyone else had left, I knew you were at night class, so I went next door for help and guess who was still there?”
“Shut up!”
“I know!” We both have our hands on the table in front of us, our heads leaning close together. “He jumped my car for me and then followed me home to make sure I made it okay.”
“Wow. That’s really surprising. He sounds so nice. I never got the ‘nice’ vibe from him the few times I’ve seen him. Dangerous, dark, naughty…yes. But not really nice.”
“I know, right? He was very approachable.”
“This is so exciting!” She slaps her palms on the table to give each word the effect she wants.
“It is exciting,” I say. “But, the reason he came into the shop was to order flowers for someone for Valentine’s Day.”
“Well that doesn’t mean much; they could be for his mom.”
“Except he ordered red orchids, my suggestion if he wanted to send the message of passion and desire.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh,” I say, not letting the reality of it all get me down. “It’s okay, though. I’ve never had any expectation that I’d actually date him or anything.”
“You never know what the actual circumstances are so don’t let your mind run away with all of the awful possibilities. You’re pretty notorious for that.”
“I know. I don’t want to get my hopes up though.” I shake my head and take a drink. “It’s okay, though. I’m twenty-two years old, it’ll be my turn eventually.”
“Ugh,” she says rolling her eyes. “You’re such a hopeless romantic. Watching too many movies and reading too many books.”
“Wow! Thanks.” I say sarcastically.
“You know I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“So when do you think you’ll get off work tonight? You want to catch a movie later?”
“I’d love to, but I’m not sure when we’ll finally close tonight. It might be too late to go to a movie but we could always rent one.” Another thought crosses my mind so I jump right back in. “That is, unless you take matters into your own hands and see what Isaac is up to tonight.” I wink at her while I take another drink.
She laughs as a way to deflect my suggestion. She likes talking about her love life just about as much as I do.
“A girl’s night feels safer tonight.”
“That it does,” I say, checking my phone for the time. “Oh man, it’s that time already. I have to head over to the flower shop. I don’t want to be late, I’m sure they’re crazy busy.”
“Okay.” She puts all of our garbage on one tray and stacks the trays on top of each other. We stand up, carrying everything over to the garbage. “Call me when you’re done with work or to let me know if it’ll be too late tonight.”
“I will.” I throw the rest of my soda into the garbage and pull on my mittens before we step back outside into the cold.
I’m just finishing up with another customer when I hear the bell clang against the door. I look up hopefully, my heart pounding away in my chest. A tall man in a suit walks through the door as I release the breath I was holding in disappointment.
I feel like one of Pavlov’s dogs, every time the bell rings my mouth starts salivating.
A minute later the bell rings again. This time when I look up my friend Isaac is walking through the door.
“Hey!” He walks over and gives me a big hug. Isaac and I have been friends for years. We grew up together and came to the same college. He’s the best of guys. Thoughtful, smart, sensitive, successful. And still, I’ve never felt anything other than friendship for him. Damn the heart sometimes.
“You too busy for a visit?” he asks.
“No, not at all. I’ll take my break.”
I catch Kristi’s eyes from across the store and signal that I’m going in the back. She nods and gives me a thumbs-up.
Isaac follows me into the back room of the store. I have a frozen meal that I pop into the microwave for dinner. Isaac plops down at the break table, pulling one of the gossip magazines off of the pile and paging through it.
“Any plans tonight?”
“Ah, Maria and I were just going to rent a movie or something if I get off of work early enough. I’m just not sure how late I’ll have to work tonight. What about you?”
“I don’t really know yet.”
“Okay, well I’ll give you a call tonight to see if you’re interested in watching whatever we decide to watch tonight.”
“Sounds perfect.”
The microwave dings and I grab my meal. As I’m stirring the sauce and noodles together, I ask, “You still have another class today?”
“Yeah, we’ll see if I go. Maybe you could let me copy your notes?”
I laugh out loud while scooping up some noodles and blowing on them before putting them in my mouth.
“I love your honesty, I’ll give you that,” I say. “What are you going to do if you don’t go to class?”
“Play video games, obviously.”
“Oh my gosh.” I’m shaking my head and rolling my eyes at the same time. “You’re something else, Isaac.”
“Thanks,” he says with a goofy smile. We spend the next fifteen minutes talking about the fun gossip in the magazines, class, work, and whatever else happens to pop into our heads.
“All right my man, time for me to get back to work.”
Isaac pulls me in close for a big bear hug, squeezing me until I start to giggle and squeak. When he puts me down, I walk him back out to the front of the shop and wave as he walks off down the street.
After Isaac leaves, I get lost in the hustle and bustle of the shop again, but I can’t ignore the light flutter of butterflies in my stomach, knowing that I’ll get to see Nate at some point tonight, even if he will be here getting flowers for someone else.
“Looks like we’re slowing down for the night,” Kristi says when I walk out behind the counter.
“I’m happy to stay if you guys want to head out for the night. I haven’t been here as long.”
“That’s great! If you don’t mind,” she says. “I’d say you can close in about an hour or so.”
“I’ve got it covered.”
Within the next fifteen minutes I’m all alone in the store. It’s strange after such a hectic day to have complete calm and peace now. I have all of my things from class so I decide to sit behind the counter and work on homework while I wait for Nate to show up. I’m a little surprised he isn’t here yet, but he said he’d pick the order up so I’m counting on him being here.
Once I’ve finished the last problem for my assignment due next week, I close my books and put them back in my backpack. I check the clock again and am surprised when I realize that an hour has passed. I check my phone and notice that I’ve missed a call from Maria.
“Hey!” I say after she picks up on the second ring.
“Hey yourself. What’s your ETA?”
“I’m actually still at work. Can we reschedule?” My pride keeps me from mentioning the fact that I’ve been sitting here waiting for th
e hot neighbor to show up even though I’m well within my rights to close up shop and head over to Maria’s right now.
“Yeah, no prob. I’ve just been binge-watching some really bad reality television tonight. I’ll probably finish this episode and go to bed.”
“Sorry I had to cancel. I’ll make it up to you.”
“I know you’re good for it.”
“Thanks. Sleep tight.” I sit behind the counter with my phone in my hand and just stare out the front window.
Another five minutes pass and still no Nate. I guess he isn’t coming. Would I be sitting here waiting for any customer who hadn’t picked up his order yet or am I making exceptions for him? I keep justifying waiting for him because he helped me out last night when he didn’t have to. Now I’m keeping the shop open a little later for him…when I don’t have to. I’m just being nice, right?
When he still hasn’t shown up ten minutes later, I feel like a fool and am ready to go home. But on top of feeling like a fool, I’m also completely annoyed with myself. I cancelled plans with my best friend so I could sit by myself in a flower shop waiting for a guy that I know nothing about. I need to get a freaking grip.
I’m walking around the counter to the front of the store when I see Nate turn the corner heading up the walkway, jogging toward the door. I turn the deadbolt and flip the sign to closed.
Chapter 4
I thought I was fully committed to walking away and leaving Nate standing in the cold. It doesn’t matter to me that once again my body is betraying me. I may not be experienced with men, but I’ve never been someone’s doormat and I’m not about to start now.
“Leah, open the door.” He calls to me, banging on the glass. I freeze, my back stiff.
Open the door? Not a sorry or even a please? Just a command after I’ve been waiting all night?
I turn around and it’s the beginning of my undoing.
Nate’s standing on the other side of the glass from me, hands on the door with a look of urgency on his face. His beautiful, chiseled features and neatly trimmed beard accentuate his perfect mouth. How many times have I imagined that mouth kissing every inch of my skin?
My Virgin Valentine: A Valentine's Day Novella Page 2