Page 3 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

“This doesn’t look right. You can’t give a candle-holder as a gift without a candle in it. Wait here.”

He disappeared out the back and I was left standing in his shop alone. A moment later, he was back, holding a small white candle, which he placed into the holder. The roses seemed to grow up the sides of it and somehow the whole thing looked even better with it in.

“That looks pretty,” I said, already feeling how inadequate the word was.

“Yes, it looks much better now. Hopefully your host for the evening will agree.”

It was only as Wilfred finished wrapping it up that I realised I hadn’t said much. I’d been content to watch him work but I’d missed my chance to flirt with him.

I cleared my throat. “Um, thanks. He’ll love it.”

When he told me the price, I frowned. “I don’t think you’ve added the candle or the gift wrap.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I love gift-wrapping and it makes everything look so special.”

“What about the candle?”

“Oh, well, um, I can’t really charge you for that, can I? Not when it was my idea to put it in.”

“I don’t mind,” I insisted.

“No, honestly. It’s my gift to you. Just let me write it down. Richard gets very cross with me when I give things away and don’t tell him.”

He reached for a pencil and scrawled something on a sheet of paper.

“Do you give candles away to everyone?”

He smiled as he wrote and when he put the pencil down, he looked up at me. He was only a couple of inches shorter than me and yet he seemed to look up and dazzle me.

“No, I don’t give candles away to everyone. Only to special people.”

I thought that might be my cue to ask him out or at least say something flirty, but Wilfred drew back and touched a finger gently to the box as he handed it over. “I hope he appreciates it. Enjoy your evening.”

Damn, my mind went blank. I couldn’t think of anything to say that didn’t sound cheesy, so I just smiled and said, “I will.”

Why the hell couldn’t I get it together enough to impress my man?

Chapter 2

Pete

As soon as Papa opened the door, I knew the evening was going to go badly. He was wearing a smart shirt and he tutted at me.

“You should have freshened up before coming. Your shirt is creased.”

“I didn’t realise I needed to impress you,” I said, stepping across the threshold and bending down to kiss his cheek.

“It’s not me you need to impress.”

My stomach sank. “Papa, tell me you didn’t invite me here to set me up with another omega.”

“No,” he said, but his tone told me he was lying. It was too high-pitched and indignant.

“Papa,” I began.

He cut me off. “Don’t be difficult. I’ve just invited a friend round and her son is coming with her, that’s all. Xavier is a lovely young man and he’ll make a good husband.”

“I’ve told you I’m not looking for an omega.”

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