Male. Tall. Lean. Dark haired. A choking amount of magic. Gorgeous.
Shit.
“What do you want?” I called through the door.
“I’m only here to talk.”
“And if I don’t want to?”
“Then I’ll leave.” His expression remained blank, though his gray eyes burned.
I snorted. “Are you alright? No veiled threats or I am the Shifter Lord, you must obey me nonsense?”
Caelan’s lips twitched. “I wouldn’t call it nonsense.”
I made no move to open the door. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day, and I want to go home.”
“Then allow me to walk you to your car.”
I barked a laugh. “My car is right behind you.”
“Then I will be quick.”
A sigh escaped me. “Fine,” I growled. Struggling to open the door with my hands full, Caelan stepped up and extricated the plant from me, using his foot to hold the door.
“Will this one be alright?” he asked.
My heart cracked a little at the concern in his voice, but I steeled myself. Don’t be weak, Evie. That way lies madness.
“It needs some extra care, so I’m taking it home.”
His massive hands wrapped with such care around that small pot did funny things to my insides. Caelan bent his head and peered at the small succulent. String of pearls was difficult enough to keep alive, that even I, the Floromancer, wasn’t convinced I could salvage the poor thing. These plants were supposed to be easy to care for, but I always felt like these things had three modes.
First: Oh no, I added a single drop of extra water. Plant:I’m dead.
Second: I moved the pot a quarter of an inch. Plant:Hisssss. I’m dying!!
Third: I did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Plant:Aargh. You’ve killed me.
Even Caelan staring at it made me nervous. He was an intimidating guy. Was he going to scare the plant to death?
But to my surprise, the plant shivered and lifted one of its vines toward Caelan. He blinked in surprise and gasped softly.
“Evie!” he whispered. “It—does it like me?”
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. “It seems so.”
He lifted a finger but hesitated and didn’t touch it. “Go ahead,” I encouraged. “It’s giving you permission.”
With a gentleness I didn’t know he possessed, Caelan touched the small, trembling vine. The String of pearls reachedout and curled around his finger. An awed smile touched the Shifter Lord’s lips, and at that moment, a piece of the stone encasing my heart cracked.
This man, this Lord, was dangerous. To my body, my soul, and my heart. He could kill me if he wanted to, and yet he stood there awestruck by the dying plant in his hands.
Tears shimmered in my eyes, and I blinked them away before he noticed. “You can have it if you want to. Once I nurse it back to health.”
He lifted his stormy gray eyes to me, surprise lighting their depths. “Truly?”
The vine hadn’t let go of Caelan’s finger. “I think she’s chosen who she wants to go home with.”
