Just a Little Fling (Landscape Lovers Book 1)

by Dee Florence

  How did I get so lucky?

  A text from Lottie comes through and I can’t help but laugh.

  Lottie: That man is infuriating!

  Cate: That man? You’ll have to be more specific.

  Lottie: James. Who else???

  Cate: There are several other options, but let’s stick to the topic. What has he done now?

  Lottie: What hasn’t he done?? He is still arguing that the snow is a better destination than the beach, amongst other things. Grr!

  Cate: Is that really it? Can’t you just agree to disagree?

  Lottie: No! Why are you on his side? You’re meant to be on my side, always!

  Lottie: Where is the girl code, Cate? Where??

  Cate: Hold up, drama queen! I’m not on his side. Does this disagreement really matter in the scheme of things?

  Lottie: Of course it does! Because he is wrong!!

  Lottie: Are you really not Team Beach? Why do you do this to meeeeee???

  Cate: Calm your farm! I am definitely Team Beach. I’m Team Lottie too, you dork!

  Lottie: You should have just said that.

  Lottie: Ugh. He’s so annoying. He gets under my skin.

  Cate: You know my thoughts on this.

  Lottie: I do not!

  Cate: You do. He should be getting in your pants instead.

  Lottie: I strongly disagree. That man is too annoying for words.

  Cate: Just because he doesn’t let you get your own way.

  Lottie: Ugh. I hate you sometimes.

  Cate: And I love you, always.

  Cate: You know I’m right!!

  Lottie: I do not. We are ending this conversation now.

  Cate: Love you! xx

  Lottie: Love you too (but you’re still wrong) xx

  I laugh again at her ridiculousness and look up when I hear a plate being placed in front of me. Blake has made grilled chicken for us. It’s still his favourite and I can’t deny that it tastes good.

  Food is definitely one of the ways he shows his love. Delicious food made for me almost every night. I can’t complain.

  We try to watch a movie, but he’s too fidgety. Waiting to know if your life will change significantly based on someone else’s decision is hard. He plays with my hair and then starts laying tiny kisses up my arms. He’s not paying any attention to the movie anymore and neither am I.

  I take the remote and turn the TV off as he flattens me under him on the couch.

  He still looks at me like I’m something worth worshiping. It’s disconcerting, even now. But I get more comfortable with it every day. He’s kissing me down my body over my clothes.

  He’s got a wicked gleam in his eyes and I can’t wait for him to reveal what that means for me. I can’t say that I was cured of being self-conscious with him, but he makes me feel like I’m perfect just as I am, and it’s making me see myself better.

  He strips us both of our clothes and he repeats the kissing pattern, skin to skin this time. He whispers that I’m a goddess and I am his forever as he kisses my inner thighs.

  Before him I would have told you I wasn’t into this. That sex was about getting what you need and that was enough. But this is different. It’s a whole other level.

  He kisses my sex until I’m screaming his name and he’s got that smug look on his face like he knows he’s a king.

  He carries me to bed and we spend the evening making each other come. It’s the perfect distraction from the waiting game. Eventually he falls asleep and I follow him not long after.

  We’re sitting at my table eating breakfast. The place is clearly too small for the two of us plus my growing craft-related business. There’s stuff everywhere and my poor neat-freak is losing his mind.

  He’s tidied it all up as much as he can, but there’s more stuff than there is storage and I haven’t started leaving my things at the studio yet. Between this and the 30 minutes we have left to wait for the scholarship results to be released, I think he might actually lose his mind.

  It’s a phone call for the winning entry and an email for everyone else. Talk about stressful! I try to distract him.

  “What do you want to do to celebrate you winning? I promise we’ll do whatever you want.” He’s already told me that we have to assume the best and not fuel the worst, so what’s what I’m trying to do.

  He looks me square in the face. “I want to pack all your stuff and have you move into my place, gorgeous. That’s all I want to do. Once I win.” He’s got a glint in his eyes, “I want you in my bed every night, forever.”

  Ah, shit. I walked into that one!

  “But why does it have to be your place? Why not here?” I know why. I’m just being difficult and I’m not touching the forever thing.

  Not yet.

  “Because, sweet cheeks. I love you, but this place is too small for you and your craft supplies, let alone add my brick of a body and all my crap. I have two bedrooms, so one can be your office. And most significantly, I own it.

  “I know you love this place, but your lease is up in a month and who knows if you’ll have to move anyway.”

  I harrumph. I know he’s right. “Fine!” I sigh dramatically. “But you have to help me pack and take all the heavy boxes.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He collects our breakfast dishes and plants a soft kiss to my lips. “Nothing would make me happier than for you to move in with me.”

  I pull him back again, by his shirt, and kiss him more deeply. He pulls away and heads to the kitchen to wash the dishes in the sink. His mood has improved significantly since I agreed to move in with him.

  I can see his eyes darting around the room as he mentally plans packing up all my things.

  His organiser mode has been switched on and once he’s finished the dishes, he starts jotting notes and muttering to himself about how many boxes and what to pack first. I love watching him when he’s like this. It’s like I can see the cogs turning in his head.

  His phone buzzes with a call. We both freeze for a moment staring at each other.

  Is this the moment we’ve been waiting for?

  Blake is all business on the phone. It sounds like good news, but I can’t be sure. I try to make myself busy and not listen in. I take myself to the bedroom to start packing my clothes in my suitcase. If nothing else, I can at least take my favourite outfits with me tonight.

  Even if he doesn’t get the scholarship, it’s time.

  He walks in after he’s hung up the phone. “Hey babe?” I look over from my suitcase.

  “Yeah?”

  “You better keep packing because that scholarship is all mine, gorgeous! I’ll be graduating in 6 months!”

  I squeal and jump into his open arms. “I’m so proud of you, Blake!”

  I kiss him deeply and he pushes the suitcase off the bed and drops us both on to it. He flips us so I’m lying flat on his chest looking down at him.

  He pushes the hair off my face and says, “Let’s make a life together. Move in with me for real?”

  “Yes! Of course, I will! Let’s do this!”

  EPILOGUE

  BLAKE

  Nine Months Later...

  Spring has definitely returned to Adelaide in the last couple of weeks.

  The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and people are sunning themselves outdoors, even in their workwear.

  I’ve finished up early today and my suit jacket is making me overly warm. But I’m on a mission to get to my woman and watch her in action. So I fling it over my arm and keep walking.

  Cate is now running Little Crafting Adventures full-time. She runs afternoon classes Monday to Thursday and two party sessions on Sunday. She’s hoping to move into her own dedicated space next year as she’s looking at doing toddler sessions during the day.

  Gemma’s studio doesn’t have any more hours available for her to expand, so this is the best move for her.

  I reach the studio 20 minutes before the end of the Thursday afternoon session. It’s the e
nd of her week and I like to take her out to dinner afterwards. I sneak in and head to the back to watch. Her eyes track me, but she’s still talking to the kids and helping them finish their projects.

  Cleverly, she’s organised each day’s session by age group. 4 to 6-year-olds on Mondays; 7 to 9-year-olds on Tuesdays; 10 to 12-year-olds on Wednesdays; and 13+ on Thursdays.

  At first it was chaos trying to have projects for all age groups and need levels, every day, but this way she can have age appropriate projects that engage the kids and aren’t too challenging.

  Today is the 13+ age group, so they’re working on making things with a 3D printer that Cate invested in and some are laser cutting their own designs.

  She’s invested a lot in her business, but watching her light up when a kid makes something they’re proud of is worth all the long nights, and the growing pains, of the first year in business.

  As the class finishes up and she says goodbye to the last of teens and their parents, I can’t help but sneak up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her cheek.

  “Hello, gorgeous! It’s good to see you.” I breathe in her hair, like the creeper that I am.

  “It’s good to see you too, bear arms!” She hugs my arms closer to her and looks up. “Take me to dinner?”

  “Whenever you’re ready to go.”

  She packs up her things, turns off the lights and locks up on her way out. Gemma has made her a key-holder because she doesn’t need the handholding she did in the beginning.

  She gives me a quick peck on the lips and we walk hand-in-hand to the tram to that will take us to the restaurant.

  We’re heading to Glenelg for dinner. I’ve reserved us a table where we can people watch whilst we catch each other up on our days.

  When we arrive the waitress seats us in a great spot that overlooks the Coastal Trail where people are out in force tonight, with their bikes and their dogs, enjoying the weather.

  “How was your day? You look so handsome in that suit. I’m still getting used to you not wearing shorts and Hi-Vis anymore!”

  “It was good, sweet cheeks. I’m still learning a lot but so glad to be done with university now.”

  “Yeah. It wasn’t easy having you working and studying so much. For you, I mean. I was worried about you.”

  She’s said it many times before. We struggled a bit whilst I was working and studying nearly 80 hours a week and her business was just taking off. It felt like the only time we had together was when we were sleeping.

  That’s a big part of why we go to dinner on Thursdays and our Saturdays are work-free. We needed a balance and me graduating has given us that.

  “I know you were. Thank you for sticking by me. It was tough, but we made it.”

  She smiles her sweet smile. “Yes we did and now we get dinners out every week.”

  “Anything for you, sweet cheeks.”

  We chat about everything and nothing and enjoy our meals. When it’s time to go home, she pulls me in close and plants a hot kiss on me. The woman who hated public displays of affection has come around, somewhat.

  She is more comfortable than before but she still swats me away sometimes. Tonight though, she parts from the kiss and gives me that mischievous look that makes me wish we could teleport back home.

  Once we’re off the tram, I practically drag her back home. She leans her back on the front door, like she did all those months ago, and I have a moment where I know I want her to be my forever.

  The ring box is hidden on a high shelf. It’s nearly time. I just haven’t found the right moment yet.

  Soon.

  She trots her way down the hall to our bedroom, but my long legs eat up the space and I’m on her before she even reaches the door. I lift her into my arms and she squeals in delight. I place her carefully on the bed on her knees so she’s facing me and we’re practically the same height.

  “Have your way with me, sweet cheeks. I’ve been waiting all day.”

  She smiles a wicked smile and undresses me. She lays me on the bed and tortures me with kisses along my whole body, before undressing herself and straddling me.

  She lines herself up and rides me slowly. She entwines our fingers and it’s not long before we’re both coming together. Even after all these months, it still gets better every time.

  It’s the following Wednesday and I’ve come home early and organised a barbeque dinner with our closest friends. It’s a surprise for Cate, but I wanted to make tonight special.

  Our little crew are here. Ella, Lottie, James and Christian. Ella’s current boyfriend, Jack is here too. He’s not my favourite, but he seems nice enough. We’re just waiting on Cate.

  She walks in the door.

  “Hey, babe. The weather was so good, I thought we’d have a barbeque. Everyone’s outside.”

  “Hey!” She gives me a quick kiss. “Awesome! It’s the perfect night for it. Let me wash up and I’ll be out to say hello.”

  She comes out 10 minutes later and chats with everyone whilst I finish cooking the food. Once it’s all plated up, we all sit around a trestle table in the evening sun and enjoy our meal.

  Once it starts to get dark I flick on the fairy lights that I strung up across the whole top of the back yard, so it looks like a starry night.

  I sneak inside for a moment whilst everyone is talking and pop back out.

  “Hey, gorgeous. Could you come help me with something for a minute?”

  “What is it?” She asks, not moving from her seat.

  “Just come help.”

  “Okay. Okay.” She shuffles over and I grab her by the hands.

  “Today is Wednesday.” She nods, confused at where I’m going with this. “And Wednesday’s are good to us, yeah?”

  “Yeah. They are...”

  “I wanted to make this one good too.” I get down on one knee and pull the ring from my pocket. “Will you marry me?”

  Her hands fly to her face in shock. “Yes! Of course I will.”

  I pull her left hand from her face, slide the ring on her finger and stand up. I hug her to my chest and whisper in her ear, “Be my forever?”

  She grabs my cheeks, pulls me in for a long kiss and whispers back, “Yes. Always.”

  THE END

  GLOSSARY

  Aussie/British Terms you might not know…

  Arse // Ass, Behind, Bottom

  Barbeque Shapes // Australian savoury bite-sized snack food

  Boardies // Board shorts, Swim shorts

  Car park // Parking lot

  Chuffed // Very pleased

  Clinkers // Chocolate coated colourful candy

  Clock someone // To punch someone

  Holiday // Vacation

  Hi-Vis // High Visibility workwear, usually in neon yellow or orange worn by tradespeople or ‘Tradies’

  I’ve got your number // Idiom meaning Don’t think you can fool me

  Jelly // Jello

  Knickers // Women’s underwear, panties

  Pyjamas // Pajamas

  School Holidays // Either a two week break in the school year, three times a year. Separating school terms. Or a six-ten week break over the summer that usually begins in December and ends in the last week of January.

  School Terms // The school year in Australia is split into four terms of nine to eleven weeks of teaching. School holidays fill the breaks between each.

  Sunshine Coast // Coastal area of Queensland

  Supermarket // Grocery store

  Tradie // Tradespeople

  Trolley //Shopping cart

  Undies // Underwear. Not gender specific

  Uni // University

  Ute // Similar to a Pickup truck, but usually with a front cab that doesn’t include a back seat

  AUTHOR'S NOTE TO THE READER

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading. I hope you loved Cate and Blake’s story as much as I loved writing it! It definitely took some twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, but somet
imes the characters tell you where the story is meant to go, and Blake and Cate definitely did that.

  If you enjoyed this and want more from this world, you shouldn’t have to wait too long, as I’ve decided that this will be a series! Woohoo! James’s story is coming soon!

  If you’re the kind of person that likes to leave reviews, I’d love it if you’d take a moment to leave one for Just a Little Fling or you can contact me and tell me what you liked about it. I’d love to hear from you! You can find me on Instagram or you can sign up for my newsletter.

  I really appreciate you taking a chance on a new author. I can’t wait to share the rest of the series with you.

  xo,

  Dee

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Dee Florence is a contemporary romance novel fan-turned-author who started writing romance as a way to get through her first gloomy winter in a new city, during a pandemic. She writes fun and steamy romances to lose yourself in.

  She lives for adventures, mentoring, bold colours and anything fruity themed. She adores the romance genre—and her kindle—and is always looking to share her book recommendations with anyone who will listen. She currently lives by the beach in Adelaide, Australia.

  You can join in the fun by signing up to her newsletter or following her on Instagram.

  deeflorence.com

  IG: @_deeflorence

  hello@deeflorence.com

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  A massive thank you to all the people who encouraged me to put this book baby out into the world. What started as a 1000 word writing prompt, turned into something so much more.

  A special thank you to Jami Attenberg for her 1000 Words of Summer email series and to Summer Brennan for alerting me to its existence. Without them, this novel wouldn’t exist.

  A huge thank you to my beta readers and cheerleaders Laura and Olivia, you ladies are amazing!

  To Evie and Kate, thank you for your cover reviews, I appreciate the feedback.