Page 14 of Cursed Luck
He sighed and raised his cup to his lips. Thinking of a specific woman as often as he had since meeting her was unlike him. Edward had not even called Barbie or Chelle when he flew into Los Angeles for business. He alternated his free time with both women whenever he traveled, but neither had crossed his mind during his stay.
Mia’s residence in his conscious mind should have been frustrating. Instead, he found he wanted to learn more about her. He wished he’d closed the distance between them when the opportunity had presented so he could know how she tasted.
Edward reached the front of her shop and grinned. It seemed the hesitant florist had heeded his advice. Freshly cut flowers sat along one side, and small pots with indoor plants were on a dresser on the other side, tempting passersby.
After tucking his coffee into the crook of his elbow, he pulled open her door and smiled as the familiar chime announced his arrival. Mia was not up front, giving him the opportunity to take in the changes inside.
The space was more open, as she had removed some of the foliage in the front. Flowers in and out of arrangements decorated wooden drawers, allowing customers to visualize various options.
She’d listened to him.
“I’ll be right there. Help yourself to a cookie!”
His brows narrowed at her words. Turning on his heels, he searched for the cookies she mentioned. In the corner, he noted a refreshment table that had not there before. Tall arrangements separated cookies and a pitcher of lemonade.
He set his nearly empty coffee cup down and grabbed an oatmeal raisin cookie. They were not his favorite, but the smell wafting up urged him to give them a try. As he savored the first bite, moaning in satisfaction, he sensed her arrival.
“What are you doing here?” she snapped.
He raised a brow and faced her. His gaze lowered to her feet. A light blue decorated her toes, different than the green she had sported the last week. “I hope you don’t greet all your customers in that fashion,” he said as their eyes met.
Mia’s brows narrowed. “Of course not!”
Edward extended his arm. “I thought you might like this.”
She stared at the offending cup as the seconds ticked by. “Why? What is it?”
He chuckled. “I promise it’s not poison. You didn’t seem like a coffee drinker, so I got you a lemon-raspberry-infused green tea.”
After another cautious glance at the cup, she took it from him, careful to avoid his skin. “Thank you…”
He nodded. “I like the changes you made.”
Mia sipped the tea. “This is good. Is it new?”
“Yes,” he said. Her nearness, even if she was doing her best to maintain her distance, was distracting. She was close enough to grab but not so far it was impolite. His gaze lowered to her lips, and his tongue darted across his own. Edward cleared his throat, needing to take back any semblance of control. “This refreshment table…”
Mia stepped to it and let her fingers caress the petals of flowers. “After Penny’s visit, I realized I should help customers get a little insight into my floral arrangements for events. I enjoy baking but never have anyone to share them with, so…” She trailed, her thin shoulder rising before dropping in a shrug.
Her black top hung off one shoulder, exposing her soft-looking skin and making saliva pool in his mouth. He was overcome with the desire to taste her. Her curvy hips were hugged by another pair of jeans, these reaching down to her bare ankles.
“These are really good. Why didn’t you open a bakery instead?” he asked, wanting to learn more about her.
She peered over her cup of tea and sipped. “Baking is something I enjoy doing for fun. Working with plants and flowers… I’m driven to it because of the connection I have to the earth.”
“Well, you’re very talented, Mia Hemlock.”
A blush darkened her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Have you noticed a difference in customers since you implemented the changes?” he asked, hoping she had.
The chime sounded in the shop, and he turned and saw a middle-aged woman with blonde hair step inside. In her arms was a bouquet of freshly cut flowers, which looked like little white balls, and sunflowers.
“Hi, how are you today?” Mia greeted with a bright smile.
“I’m great! You know, I’ve come down this way a few times in the last month andjustnoticed you,” the woman said, eyeing the tall arrangements on the refreshment table.
“Well I’m glad you found me! Would you like a cookie or maybe some lemonade?” Mia asked.
