Rob sucked in a breath. "I already love you. Stop making it worse."
I brought his lips to mine, offering a quick brush before pulling him in, demanding more. He tasted new, different. As long as I lived, I'd swear it wasn't champagne but the flavor of beginnings. It was hypnotic, like orange blossoms a minute before they bloomed.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ben: Hey, pretty girl.
Ben: I'm working nights every day this week so I won't see much of you unless you set something on fire. If you do that, stay away from the gas. You really need to know what you're doing to do it right.
Magnolia: Firefighter humor is…dark.
Ben: You don't know the half of it.
Magnolia: Does that concern you?
Ben: What do you mean?
Magnolia: I mean, I don't know much about you or your work. Does that concern you?
Ben: There's an emergency, I show up. There's a fire, I put it out. Not that complicated.
Magnolia: Okay, yeah, I get that but…we could still talk about it. We don't talk about a lot of things. You know?
Ben: Hadn't really thought about it.
Magnolia: No worries. It was just a random thought.
Ben: Yeah. It's all good.
Ben: Hey look I gotta go. Talk later.
Magnolia: Take care.
* * *
Rob: Hi, love. I'm just getting home but I hope you're in bed already.
Rob: I have a crazy early call with London in the morning. Morning for them, I guess.
Rob: I know I'm going to be tied up from that point forward but I wanted to make sure you got a good morning message before I stumble/sleepwalk into the office at 4 a.m.
Rob: I also wanted to mention your notable absence in my bed right now.
Rob: It is not the same without you.
Rob: I'm not the same without you.
Rob: In case you need proof, I bought a potted plant on the way home from that stupid long business dinner. There was a little flower shop I'd never noticed in the South End before. I didn't know they were open so late but I went in and picked out a green thing.
Rob: The lady working there said it was a peace lily but I don't see any flowers.
Rob: She also said it's toxic for dogs. I'm sure you know that. I don't know where to put it but Gronk can't climb so we'll find a good spot.
Rob: Right? He can't climb? I wouldn't put it past him though.
Rob: Anyway, yeah, I bought a plant.
Rob: Have an amazing day, love. Feel free to warm my bed and teach me how to deal with a plant tonight.
