Jessie

It was nearly closing time for O’Shea’s, but Jessie made it there under the wire. He was going to get his order today and every day until someday, he got to the elusive “Hamper Stage.”

The front door to the store was open, but it looked empty.

Jessie hoped she’d had a good sale day today. Maybe he should have done more to get the word out? Putting the flyer up at the gym probably didn’t attract the right audience. Jessie kicked himself for not physically forcing Craddock Flynn, the movie star, to go to the flower shop. That could turn the business around. Though Craddock in a flower shop was as out of place as Jessie in a flower shop. But here he was.

Jessie followed the signs up to the warehouse sale area. Maybe that’s where everyone was. He came around the corner and heard a man’s voice; in an instant he knew it wasn’t right. It pricked the hair on his neck.

“You’re very pretty.”

“Thanks.” Jessie looked to see a man hovering over Ash.

Maybe it was her boyfriend. Maybe he’d jumped the gun and she wasn’t even available.

“I’d love to show you around town. I’m invited to the best events since I was just selected as one of Grand City’s 40 Under 40. I could introduce you around. It could help your businesses.” Ash’s body language was clear, Jessie thought. She was backing away. She’d crossed her arms over her chest. This guy was not taking a hint.

“That’s very nice of you, Wade, but I really have to stay close to the store. I don’t have a big staff.”

“It’s just, I could help, I think. What about dinner? Have you eaten dinner today?”

The man continued to move in on Ash. And it was making Jessie’s blood boil.

“Ah, no, but I just don’t have time. You can see, so much to do here.” It seemed like Ash was trying to let the guy down easy. Jessie didn’t charge in like he wanted to. Maybe he was reading this wrong. He hung back and listened, but he felt his hands ball into fists.

“Can I get you some flowers to take back to your office? I’ve got a lot of stationary, and surely ya need thank-you notes with all your 40 Under 40 friends, or what have you?”

The man backed Ash into a shelf and reached out to grab her shoulder. Jessie was about to rip the dude’s arm off when Ash slid under it.

“Alright, Wade, closing time. Thanks for your patronage. You know the way out.”

“Listen here . . .” This Wade character was about to maybe press his case with Ash, even though she’d made it totally clear the answer was no. Jessie was impressed with her fire but couldn’t stand back anymore.

“I think you’re the one who needs to listen. She’s closing up shop. Time to clear out, and hands off the merchandise.”

“Ahck.” A noise came from Ashling that sounded so much like Whitey Jessie had to do a double-take. Then Wade got his attention again.

“You’re one of those MMA guys? I watch you sometimes on the Friday Night Fights.”

“Yes, I’m also a friend of Ash’s, so just here to help close up.” Jessie took two steps in front of Ash and was now in between this Wade character and the little Irish flower shop girl. This fucker was going to know not to overstep near Ash again.

“Oh. I see. That’s how it is?” Wade looked at Jessie, and at Ash; rather, he looked down his nose at Ash.

“Uh, how what is?” Jessie felt Ash slide around the side of him to face Wade again, square on.

“You like the big, dumb types, eh? Muscle heads for boyfriends. Shit, why do women get so fooled?”

“You’ll not insult my customers like that. Jessie here is a customer, not my boyfriend, and it’s not your business, now, is it, Wade?”

Ash was getting angry, Jessie saw. Could she possibly have the same Irish temper he knew his grandma had?

“You’ve screwed this up, Ashling Byrne, big time. The money’s still due, and I’m quite sure your little sale won’t change things. You need my help, and you’re not going to get it now.” Wade spat the words at her.

“Listen to me, you piece of shite! I’ll have your money, and I’ll shove each one of the bills up your arse.” Jessie turned to look at Ash. What did the British say? Gobsmacked? Seeing this firecracker lose her temper was something new, lightning. She was lightning.

“Lovely. Just trash.” Wade said and walked by them to the door. Ash was fired up and was charging after him.

“Yeah, see yourself out, ya bleedin’ tick!” Jessie grabbed her around the waist to stop her from, well, he didn’t know, jumping on Wade’s back and ripping out a lock of hair? He’d lifted her off the ground, and she was squirming.

“Ahck. Put me down, you beast.”

“I’m afraid to release you. Afraid for my life, actually.”

“Did you hear that farging bastard? In one breath he asks me to dinner and then in the next says I’m trash? What a two-faced . . .”

“Yes. Shh. Yes. I did hear.” Jessie had and arm around her waist, her back pressed against his chest. He didn’t particularly want to end that arrangement, but he realized Ash was not to be messed with.

He slowly lowered her back to the ground.

“Kiss my arse! Pompous pencil pushing a piece of . . .” She muttered words Jessie couldn’t quite make out, were they Gaelic? She paced back and forth a few times, and he heard the door shut in the showroom. Wade was smartly running away from the hornet’s nest he’d poked.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Jessie tried to squelch a smile but clearly was doing a poor job of it.

“That’s right,” Ash stepped forward and looked into his eyes. She was this tiny, ferocious creature. Energy radiated from her eyes to his.

“You’re quite the fighter,” he said and meant it.

“What’s so damn funny?” And in a breath, she was kissing him! She had her lips on his. Jessie’s arms encircled her in response and pulled her up off her feet. He felt her hands around his neck and took her breath into his. Her lips were soft but hot. Her body tiny but on fire.

He was thinking slow, careful, baby steps with this woman, but her mouth was there, and he couldn’t go slow. He wanted to feel every inch of her body.

Jessie probed in with his tongue and responded. Her mouth fit his in a way he didn’t think was possible. Or at least in a way he’d never experienced before. And she smelled sweet but not perfumed, natural. It was her, like the flowers that surrounded her.

This wasn’t any kiss. It was everything, it was the focus of the universe. Jessie didn’t want to be anywhere else on the planet but closer to Ash. His body was on fire for her, and she was stoking the flames with her lips, her hands entwining at the base of his neck.

This kiss wasn’t innocent or tentative. It was immediately hot and an opening to something he had to have, he had to finish.

Jessie took two big steps forward, and he had Ash pinned against a wall. She wrapped her legs around him, and he slid his lips from her mouth down to her jaw. He nibbled a path down from that neck he’d been thinking about since their first steamy encounter. This time did more than brush up against her pink buds. He used his teeth to open several buttons of her blouse. He needed her skin. There was a frenzy about her, and he fed off it.

He could see the peaks of her nipples straining against her flimsy bra. He felt her writhe against him in response. Jessie leaned in and buried his face. Her softness, her smell, it was like a drug. Jessie held her up with his arm and the wall itself. He used his mouth to explore, to taste every part of skin he could get access to.

“God, you taste so good.” He spoke the words into her neck and slid down again.

He separated from her just a fraction so he could look. Her red hair was like a wildflower garden out of control around her beautiful face. Her eyes were half closed, her breath coming heavy through her lips. He slid his hand up her hip to her blouse and to the bra.

She opened her eyes to lock with his. They didn’t say a word to each other. But she licked her lip and nodded.

She was as into this as he was. This was happening. They were both on a runaway train.

Jessie bent down and captured her nipple with his teeth, he sucked it into his mouth, licked, touched, and probed. Her breasts were white, and her nipples were more gorgeous than the buds in any room of this place.

He couldn’t choose what he wanted more. Where he wanted to taste. Everything was the answer that came back to him.

She pushed back into the wall, and her hips came forward. He was going to rip her clothes off right here. Right now. In the corner of her flower shop.