She was underwater, unable to decipher anything other than the deep thrum of his voice, the individual words lost in the vibration. As she watched, his dark eyebrows rose slightly, his head inclining minutely, appearing as if he were waiting for something. Somewhere in her brain, an alarm bell began to ring, a clanging clamor that seemed to rattle her teeth, that treacherous little voice screaming, just barely able to penetrate the fog she seemed to be trapped in by this man’s almost inhuman loveliness.He’s talking to you! You’re staring, your mouth is hanging open. Fucking hells, he’s talking toyou!
“Oh!” she exclaimed, jumping in surprise, her inner voice finally penetrating to the worthless bowl of pudding in her skull. Heat burned up her neck, and Sumi knew he would be able to see it splotching her cheeks. “Oh, of course! You’re talking to me! Of course you are!”What an amazing first impression in your newhome. The first person you meet is a gorgeous man and you go slack-jawed for five minutes.She laughed in mortification, her tongue off and running without any input from her brain.What the fuck is wrong with you?! This could be your new husband!“Um, I’m so sorry to have interrupted. I-I was just going to pick out a few stems, if that’s okay?”
He seemed amused by her outburst, a wry smile curving his wide mouth, showing her a glimmer of glinting white fangs. When he raised his arm to extend a hand out to the case containing the buckets of loose flowers, Sumi thought her knees were going to buckle. She was a sucker for a good forearm, and she always would be. He had his shirt sleeves rolled back to the elbow, showing off his sinewy forearm, long fingers directing her attention to the side wall. “Loose flowers are in the last case here, closest to the register. Price list is on the door. I’m happy to help you pick something out if you’re not sure . . .” He let the question trail off as she dipped her head, moving to stand before the case, her eyes closed tight.
“I-I’m going to take a look at what you have, first. But thank you. So much. I’ll let you know if I need you.Help. I’ll let you know if I need help.”I’ll let you know if I need impregnating. Like, right now. Maybe here on this table.She was childless by choice and had no desire to change that, but if this beautiful snake man suggested he would be interested in breeding her right then and there as the smiling blonde woman watched, Sumi knew that she would be able to make room in her heart for his child.
His smile stretched a teensy bit further as she turned to the case in mortification, reaching out to the cool glass for support as he turned back to the other woman.
“Anything else, Grace? Or are you done pilfering my shelves for the day?”
“You should get the little purple asters,” the cheerful woman said to Sumi’s back, ignoring the handsome man entirely.How is she able to do that? Maybe she’s a witch, immune to his charm and eyelashes.“And that deep red ranunculus, I just love how full they are right now.”
Breathe. This is the language you speak.She turned with a grin, still feeling hot, but the cool glass had calmed her galloping heart a few degrees. “Ranunculus is actually one of my favorites. I think I’ll do exactly that.” She added a bit of lemon leaf and ruscus, a bit of dark purple statice, and two stems of cheerful yellow alstroemeria. Just enough for the small vase currently on her windowsill, as yet unpacked.Attraction, admiration, optimism. The meaning of her bouquet was almost prophetically on the nose.
The blonde woman’s smile was cherry-red and beaming when Sumi carried her selections back to the register. She had a creamy complexion and a spray of freckles over her nose, and as Sumi forced herself to breathe, the other woman’s sapphire eyes moved from her to the handsome naga so quickly she might have missed it if she had been looking at her phone, as she likely would have been doing anywhere else.
“Um, I’m processing roses right now—“
Her thighs clenched at the baritone of his voice.When was the last time you were instantly attracted to someone this way?She couldn’t remember, it had been so long.ChaoticConcertina, but that’s different.
”—If you wanted to see them. They’re lipstick roses, pink and yellow? Or . . .“ he hesitated, looking over her meager selection with an appraising eye. “Hold on.”
That overfilled balloon sensation against her ribs again as he turned, his snake lower half moving him with a surprising amount of speed. Her teeth sunk into her full lower lip when he disappeared, a section of his long tail staying behind, keepingthe door propped open.That’s strangely adorable?When he returned, he carried wispy plumosus and two bright-colored stems of birds of paradise. The tropical flower was normally outside her bouquet budget, but Sumi supposed she could splurge today.Because you’re about to start a new life. Because you deserve it. Because he’s gorgeous.
“These are left over from a wedding I had this past weekend. They’re almost bloomed out, so no charge. But they work nicely with your colors and it’ll give it a bit of height.”
She could have swooned.
“That’s lovely!” the blonde woman hummed once he’d wrapped the flowers in a fluid, practiced movement.You’re going to learn to do that. Maybe he can teach you. “You seem to know what you’re doing, sometimes I’m hopeless with pulling things together. Bringing flowers to anyone special?”
Sumi hoped her laugh didn’t sound as awkward to them as it did to her own years, trying to tear her eyes away from the throat his open collar revealed. “Oh, no. Just for me. I-I’m going to be relocating to the area soon, and just wanted to pick up something for my condo to remind myself why I’m packing.”
The blonde woman’s face lit up. “How wonderful! I’m Grace, by the way. New to the area! Ranar, did you hear that? She’s going to benewto thearea.“ Her voice was pointed, although her brilliant smile never cracked.
Ranar.
“Did you want your receipt printed?” It was his turn to completely ignore the blonde woman, smiling at Sumi warmly.
Breathe. You can do this. You are going to be professional peers hopefully someday soon. Maybe he’ll give you his phone number for flower business emergencies and blow jobs.“Not necessary,” she returned his smile. “I love the functionality of your shop. Have you been in business long?”
“It’s a family business, so yes. I’ve worked here since I was too young to legally be working anywhere, but that’s what happens when your parents run a business. Child labor laws cease to exist.”
She wondered if her laugh was as tinkling as she tried to make it. “Well, it shows.” She twirled a strand of her long dark hair around a finger, gazing up.Advanced rizzonomics. “Everything is so well organized.”Here goes.“I’ve been thinking of opening my own,” she admitted with a sheepish laugh, biting her lip in a way she hoped appeared coquettish and not confused. “Do you have any tips?”
His dark eyebrows rose once more, snorting. “Tips? For a flower shop? Yeah, don’t do it. Save your money.”
“Ranar!”
Sumi could barely hear the sound of the woman named Grace’s exclamation over the sudden timpani of her own heartbeat.
“I’m serious!” he chuckled. “If you want to throw money away, just put it out with recycling. But call and let me know what night you do it.”
Grace slapped the counter. Sumi felt frozen, her heart crashing.
“Look, don’t let anyone else deceive you into thinking this is a dream job cakewalk,” he said, waving Grace’s sputtering away. “This industry is dying a protracted death. Everything is online now, and the online retailers have become greedier and greedier. Gracie, youknowI’m right!”
The blonde woman, Grace, crossed her arms, glaring. Sumi felt kinship, like she wanted to line up beside the woman and join her in scowling.
