Page 1 of Sultry Summer

CHAPTER 1

Aspen

Finally done. I can’t believe it but I’ve finally finished my business degree and I’m back home. Where I belong according to my cousins. In the waiting arms of family in our family business.

I should be happy but my body feels like it’s made of lead. Crushing fear creeps up my spine. I feel trapped. Smothered.

My cousins are great. I love them. But they act like they’re so much older and they know more than I do. Like I’m just a baby.

I’m not a baby. I’m a fully-grown woman of twenty-two and I know what I want out of my life.

I just don’t know how to tell them what I want. I don’t want to hurt them.

The flower shop is quiet this time of the morning. We’re not open and I’m waiting for a delivery from the new farm that we’re ordering from.

If Fiona hadn’t wanted to take a mini-vacation with her new man, I would never have been able to talk her into letting me open the store by myself this morning. Although she actually thought Harper would be here with me this morning.

But Harper isn’t feeling well and Darius insisted that she stay home this morning and rest.

So here I am…finally alone for once. I’ve had both of my cousins up my ass since I got home from college with my brand new degree and conflicted feelings about my new job.

The bell over the door tinkles merrily and my head pops up from under the shelf where the cash register is.

“Hello?”

The man’s a dark shadow with just enough shape to see a bare sketch of his sharp cheekbones, broad shoulders and slim hips. He steps inside and I brace myself against the desk, holding my finger over the alarm button.

“I’m sorry but we’re not open yet. You’ll need to come back later.”

He turns back to the door and then his head turns back to me. “I’m sorry. The door was open, so I thought you were as well.”

“I’m waiting for a delivery and there’s a bunch of cars parked in the back. I think they’re having an adoption event. So he has to use the front to unload.”

His dark head nods and there’s a flash of bright eyes. “I’m sorry I bothered you.” He turns away and a surge of loneliness runs through me like a cold chill.

I step forward, holding up my hand. “Wait. What did you need? Maybe I can help you?”

He turns back and steps closer until he’s standing in front of me and a shiver runs down my spine, my belly hollowing out. He’s huge. Tall, tanned, dark chestnut hair gently pushed back from high cheekbones and bright blue eyes like a summer sky.

I take a deep breath and the smell of leather and spice drifts into my nose, coiling in my body and latching on.

He smells yummy enough to eat.

A smirk touches his lips. “What might your name be?”

I roll my eyes. “My name is Aspen. Now can I help you or do you want to hit that door and keep on walking?”

He throws his head back and laughs and my belly flips.Damn the man looks good.

He leans over the counter and I’m immersed in the sexy scent of him. Wallowing in it and I’m about seconds away from rubbing up against him or rolling around in how good he smells.

My weary little heart kicks into overdrive. He smiles at me and my whole body freezes. Like a deer scenting a wolf. Prey to predator. His summer blue eyes dance with laughter and something headier that I don’t want to even think about.

“Little Aspen. Do you think you can find me a gorgeous little bouquet with some yellow roses and maybe some lilies? And baby’s breath or some other kind of filler.”

“Do you want a card?” I ask, grabbing a little pad of paper that sits beside the register for just such an occasion.

“Nope. Just a little bouquet. I’ll tell her the words I don’t want to write down.”