Page 78 of Out on a Limb
“That means that you should take things one step at a time.” I moved in closer, crowding her back against the wide wooden planting tables where I’d spent countless hours tending to the plants her grandmother loved. Taking care of them.
Giving them the chance to plant roots and grow into all they could be.
“You can’t rush the good shit, Collette.” Patience was something I’d learned the hard way. Try to force something into life and it wilted and died.
And I’d waited too long to watch this grow.
She huffed out a breath. “You’re frustrating.”
“I’m happy to wait for what I want.” I shook my head. “That’s all.”
Her lips barely parted and her jaw went slack. “You are killing me.”
“Andrew, we need to go check on the plants we trimmed yesterday.” Julia’s voice carried in from the main part of the building, reminding me I was here to do more than fight my desire to prop Collette up on the table and take everything she was willing to give me.
“Go to the gift shop and act like nothing happened.” I took a step away from the temptation of her body. “I’ll be up at lunch.” I turned before I could consider doing what I really wanted, and ended up with her pressed against me while I ground my dick against the softness of her belly.
“Ready?” Julia pointed the can of sunscreen in her hand at her legs and misted each one with a thick fog of the spray before turning it on me. I might not be prone to burning, but I sure as hell didn’t want to end up a crusty old man because I spent too many unprotected days in the sun.
Julia went out the door and I followed, glancing back to find Collette watching me, her lower lip tucked between her teeth.
The woman was temptation personified, and it was going to kill me.
Probably before the morning was over.
Julia and I spent the next four hours on our knees, working through the beds we’d tried to salvage yesterday, adding topsoil and mulch to cover any bare spots left from the chickens kicking across the garden in search of bugs and tender greens.
By noon the sun was screaming hot and I was ready for a break and some food.
Julia ducked out a few minutes early to head to lunch with Grant. He didn’t normally pick her up for lunch, which made me wonder if he was a little more concerned about what happened than even Julia realized.
I felt bad, but not bad enough to let him in on what had really happened. I needed to keep the circle small on this.
Like two people, small.
I found Collette at the register, checking out an older couple purchasing a set of matching coffee cups. She smiled wide as they talked her ear off.
I waited as she finished up the transaction, wrapping each mug in tissue paper before tucking them into a bag. Her smile held as they walked out the door hand in hand.
“Making new friends?”
She didn’t look my way. “They came here all the way from Michigan.” Her smile changed, softening to something that made my chest ache. “They had their first date here fifty years ago.” Her smile slowly slid, twisting to a tight frown. “I can’t let them ruin this place.”
“We won’t.” I’d told her we were in this together and I meant it.
She finally looked my way. “Promise?”
“I promise.” I’d never promised a woman anything in my life.
Never got to a point where one wanted anything that important from me.
Because sooner or later they all figured me out. Realized I wasn’t capable of offering what they wanted.
The emotional understanding they needed and deserved.
And Collette might come to the same conclusion.
“You ready to get out of here?” I passed over the helmet she wore this morning.
