“They’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “Can you get honey from them?”
“Absolutely. It’s bright yellow, creamy, fresh, although it does crystalize easily, so that’s a downside.”
“Would you grow some of those next year?” He reached up and caressed a yellow petal. “They’re the essence of summer.”
“Are you sure you aren’t just with me for the honey?” But I was joking now. “I’ll grow as many as you like. We can even put in a small patch of them this summer, if you like.”
“I like it very much.”
“You sure you wouldn’t rather have flowers from Australia?” I teased.
“I felt so bad for those flowers, so far from where they belong. What was that lion thinking?”
“He was thinking about you and how special you are.” I caught his hand and strolled between the rows of flowers. “And he thought you might appreciate something showy.”
“That’s not the kind of showy I like.” He tipped his head back to look up at the flowers. “It’s not like this.”
Chapter Fourteen
Wilder
Lewis tried to pay the farmer for the sunflowers my omega so admired, but he refused any money, just cut us an armload and carried them to my vehicle. “They aren’t ready to harvest yet for seed, but I do take some to the local farmer’s market and I always sell out. I’ll watch for those bees in a couple of days.”
We drove off down the drive just as the sun slid below the horizon beyond the sunflower field and it was so beautiful, it brought an ache to my heart. “Thank you for inviting me to come with you.”
“It wasn’t really much of a date as dates go.” He turned onto the highway and joined the light flow of traffic. “But you gave me so many good ideas.”
“It was—is—a perfect date,” I protested. “Or it will be if you stop at that taco truck in the rest stop we passed on the way here.”
“That’s what you want to eat? I was going to suggest the steak house in that town we passed. It’s supposed to be really good.”
“Nope.”
“A rest-stop taco truck?”
“What can I say? I’m a cheap date.” I waved toward the back seat. “Free flowers, tacos, all the best stuff of life. You even provided a sunset.”
The rest stop was just a few miles down the road, and it was more or less in the middle of nowhere; yet, there were at least a dozen people gathered around the white truck with the menu painted on the side. A good sign for a truck parked at a rest stop on such a lightly traveled roadway.
Lewis parked near the bathroom buildings, and we made our way to the end of the line. It didn’t take too long to reach the front, but when I looked over my shoulder, there were a lot more behind us.
“What would you like?” He waved at the menu board. “Anything under twelve dollars.”
I snickered. “Everything is under twelve dollars.”
“Right, and you can order several of them if you like.”
We decided to order one of each kind of taco and a side of beans and rice, one of chips and salsa, and a couple of Mexican beers. I didn’t even know food trucks could have alcohol licenses. I didn’t comment on the fact since the cougar shifter who passed me the bottles already opened and with a lime wedge in each, winked at me when I took them. Oh well. I didn’t work for law enforcement last time I checked, and the first sip of ice-cold beer hit the spot. We were lucky enough to find a group leaving one of the concrete picnic tables, so we sat down and spread out our feast.
Everything was good, and while I’d thought we’d have leftovers, that did not happen. Lewis sighed, patting his belly. “Authentic Mexican food with matching beer. You had a good idea, omega.”
I grinned at him over the lip of the bottle. “Right? It’s a shame you have to drive, or we could have another beer.”
“Did you want one?” Technically we could. It took a lot of alcohol for a shifter to feel it at all. I generally only drank it for the taste, but I was ready to go anyway and way too full for more beer.
“No, I’m good if you are.”
“I am.”
