Total pages in book: 172
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Deliberately, he allowed his gaze to sweep over her, and then he held out his hand. She had no choice but to take it or to be rude. There was just the briefest of hesitations before she put her hand in his. He doubted if too many others would have even noticed the slip. He closed his fingers around hers firmly and drew her in close to his body, walking her to the front door.
“I thought we could walk around to the back of the house to warm up and then jog to the woods and run once we get in them. You had to have created pathways between the trees and I’d like to see the new ones that were planted. It looks so beautiful from a distance and I haven’t had time to get up close to appreciate it. You do amazing work, Flambé. I don’t tell you enough.”
She glanced up at him, looking surprised. “You tell me.”
“No, I don’t. I have to drive around the city quite a bit with Mitya and I make it a practice to find all the places you’ve worked. I like to see what you’ve done. I know it has nothing at all to do with me, but it gives me a sense of pride that I even know you when I look at the various places you’ve transformed. The downtown park in particular was the biggest shock to me. I saw all the before and after pictures. That was your project alone, wasn’t it? Your vision?”
He felt the tension slowly leaving her body. She did love her work, another connection he could make with her if she just would let him. He hadn’t realized until he was around her how much he liked plants and trees. It was the leopard in him, needing to climb, needing the camouflage around him.
“I underbid that project for the city, but I really wanted to do it,” Flambé admitted. “I wanted a place for everyone of all ages to be able to go. Somewhere peaceful.”
“I think you managed it beautifully and it seems easy to maintain.”
“I tried. The other project I really enjoyed was the Golden Dragon Restaurant. They have such a beautiful piece of property to work with and the owner just let me do what I felt was best. Most owners have a million ideas and they don’t have a clue what types of plants work with their soil or terrain. I was able to give him a small fall tumbling over rocks into a small stream that feeds a koi pond. The gardens are gorgeous and grew up fast. I wanted the trees to be colorful, and Japanese maples fill that bill, especially dwarf maples, but the sun is too hot here for them.”
Her voice was still low and husky, but her joy created an intimacy between them that hadn’t been there before. He had slowed his steps to match her shorter ones. He wanted to watch her face, but he’d been too long in security, always looking out for danger, and she was too precious to him to take chances with. His gaze swept the roof of every building, rocks, bushes, trees, anything that might hide an enemy, but his attention was riveted on her. He counted on his leopard to be a sentry, to warn him if there was trouble close by.
“Was there a way to solve the problem?”
“There’s always a way, Sevastyan. I just had to give it some thought. I wanted those crimson reds and gorgeous yellows and bright greens. Even some of the branches and trunks can be red when the leaves fall. I planted taller shade trees first and then the dwarf trees once the shade trees took root and were a certainty to make it. The Golden Dragon is known for its garden almost as much as it is for its food now, and the garden is still quite young.”
He slung his arm around her neck and pulled her in close to drop a kiss on top of her head. “You’re so damn smart and talented, woman. I’ve developed a real love of plants just looking at all the various gardens you’ve worked on around the city.”
He let her go. They were at the back of the house, where they could easily begin to jog. He set an easy pace. He had much longer legs, so it was a matter of making certain she wasn’t running to keep up. When he was certain she was comfortable with their pace, he continued the conversation.
“I bought a bunch of catalogues when you were talking to Brent Shriver, your supplier.”
“Sevastyan.” She almost wailed his name. “Why would you do that? I have tons of catalogues. And I mostly use him for exotic plants. His prices are higher than the norm.”