to stop herself staring, but when she looked back, Meg was staring directly at her, her gaze lowering briefly to Kate’s lips, back up to Kate’s eyes and then down to the sunflowers.
It’s safe to say that flowers were the furthest thing from Kate’s mind. In fact, standing here with Meg was a painkiller for her hand too. All Kate could feel was Meg’s proximity and presence. Man, did she have presence.
Meg nodded, but she seemed distracted. “An absolute classic,” she said. “Nobody turns their nose up at sunflowers.” Meg grabbed a handful from the vase and turned back towards the counter without looking at Kate. She plucked two sheets of pink tissue paper and placed the flowers neatly on top. Kate watched as Meg’s strong, skilled fingers wrapped the flowers expertly. When she was done, they both looked up at each other and there was another, weighted pause.
“So you’re not doing anything tonight?” Kate’s mind was screaming the word ‘Jamie!’, but she seemed to have lost control of her mouth.
Meg shook her head. “Weddings tomorrow, so an early night for me. It’s been a long week.” She paused, glancing at Kate. “But it’s great to see you again.” Another pause. “How did the funeral go by the way? Were the flowers okay?”
Kate nodded briskly. “Went well — and the flowers were a hit. In fact, I still have some at home.”
Their eyes locked again, but this time, neither looked away.
“I’m pleased,” Meg said.
Kate swallowed as Meg walked slowly around the counter and stood next to her again. She was far closer than she needed to be and Kate’s body whooshed to life.
Meg reached over and picked up the sunflowers. “The flowers are on me — a gift to your mum and a thanks for your custom.”
But the words swam past Kate’s ears. She was now firmly in Megzone, where all rational thought flew out the window. As their gazes locked once more, Kate had never felt more sure. She wasn’t misreading the signals, was she? She was sure the heat in her gaze was reflected back in Meg’s eyes. Or maybe she was wrong — where Meg was concerned, Kate’s circuits were shorting.
The word ‘Jamie’ was still a flashing neon sign in Kate’s mind, but right in front of her was Meg’s perfect face, Meg’s rouged lips, Meg’s searching gaze. Meg. The air around them was hot with intent as Kate made a decision to throw her cards in the air. Right now, she didn’t care a jot if there was a Jamie — that particular fallout could wait for another day.
Kate’s blood roared in her ears as she leaned forward to press her lips to Meg’s. Kate closed her eyes, steadied her hand on the counter and then opened her eyes wide and let out a high-pitched scream as pain shot up her left side. Kate jumped up and clutched her injured hand, eyes scrunched up.
Meg’s eyes shot open too at the piercing sound, and just at that moment, the florist bell rang.
Both Meg and Kate turned their heads as a woman walked through the door, giving the pair a puzzled look.
“You okay?” Meg whispered to Kate.
Kate shook her head and waved Meg away. “I’m fine — go see to your customer.”
Meg gave Kate a pained look, before turning to greet the woman.
Kate was left leaning against the counter, her heartbeat still thudding in her chest, pain still catching in her throat as she cursed her luck. She heard the word ‘wedding’ fall from the woman’s lips and knew instantly the moment had passed and that Meg was now back to work, a world away from kissing Kate. If that’s what had been about to happen?
As the woman and Meg approached the counter, Kate picked up her sunflowers and slung her bag over her good shoulder. Kate couldn’t quite read Meg’s face as she tapped her on the shoulder.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m gonna shoot off.”
Meg’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you?”
Did Kate detect resignation on Meg’s face?
“Thanks for these.” Kate picked up the sunflowers and cradled
It’s safe to say that flowers were the furthest thing from Kate’s mind. In fact, standing here with Meg was a painkiller for her hand too. All Kate could feel was Meg’s proximity and presence. Man, did she have presence.
Meg nodded, but she seemed distracted. “An absolute classic,” she said. “Nobody turns their nose up at sunflowers.” Meg grabbed a handful from the vase and turned back towards the counter without looking at Kate. She plucked two sheets of pink tissue paper and placed the flowers neatly on top. Kate watched as Meg’s strong, skilled fingers wrapped the flowers expertly. When she was done, they both looked up at each other and there was another, weighted pause.
“So you’re not doing anything tonight?” Kate’s mind was screaming the word ‘Jamie!’, but she seemed to have lost control of her mouth.
Meg shook her head. “Weddings tomorrow, so an early night for me. It’s been a long week.” She paused, glancing at Kate. “But it’s great to see you again.” Another pause. “How did the funeral go by the way? Were the flowers okay?”
Kate nodded briskly. “Went well — and the flowers were a hit. In fact, I still have some at home.”
Their eyes locked again, but this time, neither looked away.
“I’m pleased,” Meg said.
Kate swallowed as Meg walked slowly around the counter and stood next to her again. She was far closer than she needed to be and Kate’s body whooshed to life.
Meg reached over and picked up the sunflowers. “The flowers are on me — a gift to your mum and a thanks for your custom.”
But the words swam past Kate’s ears. She was now firmly in Megzone, where all rational thought flew out the window. As their gazes locked once more, Kate had never felt more sure. She wasn’t misreading the signals, was she? She was sure the heat in her gaze was reflected back in Meg’s eyes. Or maybe she was wrong — where Meg was concerned, Kate’s circuits were shorting.
The word ‘Jamie’ was still a flashing neon sign in Kate’s mind, but right in front of her was Meg’s perfect face, Meg’s rouged lips, Meg’s searching gaze. Meg. The air around them was hot with intent as Kate made a decision to throw her cards in the air. Right now, she didn’t care a jot if there was a Jamie — that particular fallout could wait for another day.
Kate’s blood roared in her ears as she leaned forward to press her lips to Meg’s. Kate closed her eyes, steadied her hand on the counter and then opened her eyes wide and let out a high-pitched scream as pain shot up her left side. Kate jumped up and clutched her injured hand, eyes scrunched up.
Meg’s eyes shot open too at the piercing sound, and just at that moment, the florist bell rang.
Both Meg and Kate turned their heads as a woman walked through the door, giving the pair a puzzled look.
“You okay?” Meg whispered to Kate.
Kate shook her head and waved Meg away. “I’m fine — go see to your customer.”
Meg gave Kate a pained look, before turning to greet the woman.
Kate was left leaning against the counter, her heartbeat still thudding in her chest, pain still catching in her throat as she cursed her luck. She heard the word ‘wedding’ fall from the woman’s lips and knew instantly the moment had passed and that Meg was now back to work, a world away from kissing Kate. If that’s what had been about to happen?
As the woman and Meg approached the counter, Kate picked up her sunflowers and slung her bag over her good shoulder. Kate couldn’t quite read Meg’s face as she tapped her on the shoulder.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m gonna shoot off.”
Meg’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you?”
Did Kate detect resignation on Meg’s face?
“Thanks for these.” Kate picked up the sunflowers and cradled
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