And apparently, he'd brought his mom – a very chatty, very confident, very fudge-seeking mom who'd just called him tidy and told me he never forgets St. Paddy's Day.
What was I supposed to do with that?
Now, it was just me and him, alone in my shop. Our gazes held as Griff strode forward, all smoldering eyes and slow-motion swagger that brought everything else to a halt.
He didn't pause at the counter either. Instead, he bypassed it entirely, rounding it, steady and sure, his eyes never leaving mine as if daring me to tell him to stop.
I didn't.
Instead, I moved toward him like a girl in a trance, giving in to the magnetic pull. When he stopped within arm's reach, it was all I could do not to throw myself into his arms and bury my face against his shirt.
But somehow, I managed to hold off, waiting and wondering what he'd say.
His gaze softened, his lips parted, and with the faintest trace of a smile, he said, "Maisie?"
My breath hitched. "Yeah?"
"I love you."
Oh. My. God.My mouth opened, but the only thing that came out was a strangled laugh. Or maybe it was a sob. Somehow, I managed to say, "You do?"
"Hell, yeah." He reached for my hand. "I should've said it sooner, but I'm saying it now."
I blinked away tears. "Me, too. I mean…I love you, too." And then, I couldn't help it. I flung myself into his arms, pressing tight, like I could melt into him and never let go.
The bouquet got caught in the commotion, crumpling between our chests as the scent of flowers bloomed, fresh and sweet, like a fairy tale bursting to life.
And then he kissed me, hard and hungry, as I kissed him back with everything I had.
In that single heart-stopping moment, nothing else mattered.
Not the crushed flowers.
Not the tourists on the street.
Not even the fact that we were making out where anyone could see.
The kiss curled through me like sunlight chasing shadows, warming me from head to toe. By the time we pulled back, a shower of petals lay at my feet. Breathlessly I said, "I think I ruined your flowers."
He grinned. "You meanyourflowers." But then, he pulled close and whispered into my ear. "Don't worry. There's plenty more where that came from."
I couldn't help but giggle. "Even for St. Paddy's Day?"
With a smile in his voice, he replied, "Even then."
A rush of warmth settled in my chest. I drew a shaky breath as my fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. Softly, I asked, "So you got my letter?"
He paused. "What letter?"
I froze. "Wait…so youdidn'tget it?"
Before he could answer, the door jingled, making both of us turn to watch as at least a dozen tourists crowded into the shop, apparently looking to rent bikes.
And now, all of them were staring.
For a long moment, nobody said a word, not even me. Finally, the woman in front asked, "So…are you open?"
With my face in flames, I gave a vigorous nod. "Yeah, totally." As they moved toward the counter, I looked to Griff and whispered, "Sorry. Do you mind waiting while I handle this?"
