The Florist

Kiss From A Rose

            “Since you said you wanted meaty, I picked up some fried chicken and seafood,” he announced as he set the bags down on the dining room table. When he looked up, his mouth dropped at the sight of his secret partner in his shirt and nothing else. He tripped over his tongue trying to find the right words to say. “I – I – I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were dressing.”

            “I wasn’t.”

            “Uh … but you don’t have any … pants on.”

            “I don’t have a bra and panties on either,” she purred, walking closer to him. With each alluring step in her stride, Mel’s throat tightened as his eyes travelled the length of her body. She wanted to guide his hand to the pulsation between her thighs, but she settled for rubbing her hands over his chest. She could feel his heart racing through his shirt, beating in time with hers.

            “I guess I was wrong,” he finally said.

            “Wrong about what?”

            “In assuming that … the unfortunate events that brought us together would surpass any … possible attraction.”

            “Oh, yeah,” she said heatedly. “You were wrong.”

            Their lips eagerly crashed together like magnets as their hands continued to tour each other’s bodies. He picked her up supporting her frame; her legs linked behind his back to assist. Nothing but muted light welcomed them as Mel carried her to his bedroom. The existence of his gentleness as he smoothly lowered her on the mattress during such a feverish moment excited her to the point that she bounced onto her knees and tore his shirt open. His bright eyes lit with the intensity that burned in hers. He remembered addressing her take charge attitude a couple of days before, but in that moment, he was enchanted by her fire. Still, he stood from the bed and took a step back.

            “What’s wrong?” she wondered in anticipation. “Don’t tell me this was a one-sided kind of thing?”

            “That is definitely not the case. I just – I need you to indulge me for a second.”

            “I was trying to,” she confessed as he cut a look at her.

            “I don’t want you to think I’m rejecting you. I want you more than you know. It’s just that sometimes, in a moment of grief, people do things they don’t mean to do … things that they’ll regret later. And I don’t want to be a mistake for you.”

            She scoffed skeptically. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Mel, I’m a big girl, okay? I know what I want and I know what I’m doing. This is one of those occasions where you don’t need to talk to me like I’m some kind of helpless child.”

            “It’s not about you being a child, Capri. This is about my protecting you. I’m supposed to be … protecting you.”

            She exhaled heavily and leaned back as his point of view became a little clearer to her. “Oh, I see. You don’t want the boundary lines to be blurred. I get it.”

            “No, I don’t think you do. One of the reasons I’m apprehensive about being with you is because … I’m so used to losing people …”

            “We’ve both lost people, Mel.”

            “I’m not talking about our parents this time,” he revealed. “I was married before … and I haven’t involved myself with anyone since I lost her. I don’t think I can handle being taken by someone else just to live with another loss.”

            “I don’t … understand what you mean. I’m practically living with you right now. How would you lose me?”

            “This arrangement is temporary. You know that. After we c***k this case, you’ll leave and …”

            “Are you saying that if we were to act on our attraction, it would be more than a lustful venture?”

            “I’m saying that with or without the physical interaction, we’re already on dangerous ground, and I should watch my step.”

            “Are you always this mild-mannered or do you ever just say what’s on your mind? You know, it is okay to do that every once in a while instead of … talking in polished phrases that sound like riddles.”

            “Oh, you want me to be more straightforward?”

            “Painfully so, but I don’t think you can do it. You’re so damn guarded …”

            “I’m like a moth to your internal flame, foolishly longing to touch and thrill every inch of your body until it craves nothing else but me,” he blurted as she fell silent. “Ever since I laid eyes on you, I’ve been drawn to you. It felt like I was being pushed and pulled at the same time, and I thought that the presence of the job, my job of protecting you, would lessen that desire but it hasn’t. I just keep finding more reasons to want you.”

            Capri sat with her jaw to the floor. She wanted to respond but found herself speechless. She was so used to him having control over his emotions that, hearing him speak so freely, left her dumbfounded and turned on in ways unknown to her.

            “Don’t tell me I gave you more than you asked for,” he smiled arrogantly.

            “More than expected, I – I will say.”

            “Well I don’t want to overwhelm you, Miss Winters.”

            She sighed and giggled lightly. “You’re looking at my half-naked body, Mel. Miss Winters flew out the window a long time ago.”

            “It doesn’t have to be that way. We can both walk away right now and act like nothing happened.”

            “What if I don’t want to?” she whispered in a sultry tone. “What if I want to see what could happen?”

            Mel groaned excitedly, becoming as hungry for her as she was for him. Capri bit her lip, aroused by the sound. He sat down in front of her, still fighting to maintain some self-control.

            “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?”

            She shook her head in response and slid closer to him, entertaining him with more of her sweet scent. With one finger, Mel stroked her cheek and lifted her face to his. The kiss contained both fire and desire as they melted into each other. He laid her gently on the bed, cradling her head in his hand until it found the pillow. Slowly, they helped each other strip down before taking in the sights. The tender kisses continued until their bodies greeted each other intimately. A mutual sigh of satisfaction echoed throughout the room as they swayed in sync with the light of the moon illuminating their journey from start to finish, reruns included.