Page 78 of Entwined

AFTER A LONG DAY waiting tables and mucking stalls, I came home after twilight finding a dozen red roses waiting for me.

There was no card.

But he doesn’t need one.

I wanted to chuck them in the trash.

I should have. Instead they sit proudly in a crystal vase I found in one of the cupboards.

“Well, hello!” Jecca breezes in, flushed from her hot yoga class. I tried taking one with her but almost passed out. Not because the workout was hard but because of all the stink of the sweat.

“Ugh, shower. You smell.”

“I know. But my tush is so tight. It’s worth it.”

I roll my eyes and continue sipping on my ice water.

“Are those fromhim?”

“I think so.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing.”

She arches an eyebrow. “Are you working tonight?”

“Nope. Wednesday’s are slow. How are the girls doing?”

“Much better. I’m glad I took your advice and volunteered at the orphanage this summer. It’s healthy to help others. It feels good. And I realize how horribly self-absorbed I was.”

“Good for you Jecs. I’m so proud of who you’ve become. Not that you were horrid before—"

“I know. I was just… caught up in superficial shit, as you would say.” Our doorbell rings making us both eye the stairs nervously. “I’ll get it.”

The deep baritone from his voice floats up from below. Bloody hell. She let him in. He fills the room in his thousand-dollar suit as his broad shoulders and tall frame emerges from the stairs.

“Hello, Jessie.”

His eyes are serious as he looks at me longingly. My heart does a flip-flop. My tummy clenches.

Fuck.

Am I really going to do this again? Get lost in his beautiful mess, forgetting everything I’ve learned; everything I’ve become?

My spine stiffens. “Christos. This is a surprise?”

“Is it?”

“What do you want?” I ask getting straight to the point.

He saunters closer, lips curling in a sexy half-grin. “What don’t I want?”

My head tilts back, my hands itch to pick up the vase full of roses and chuck it at his head. Jecca stands transfixed watching us.

“Let’s start with dinner and the theatre. I was hoping you could join me for both this evening.”

“I already have plans.”

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