The sweet fragrance of flowers and rich soil surrounded him as he sat at his workbench in his greenhouse and created the perfect bouquet for Harper. Keeping his hands busy kept him from reaching for the phone to call her. They exchanged texts throughout the day, he called in the evenings to check how her day was, but the last time he’d spoken to her was two days ago.

He knew he needed to be patient. His heart broke when she’d asked what he wanted from her. When she’d started to cry, all he could do was hold her. He wanted her story. Her trust. It needed to be Harper’s show, her pace, however slow that might be.

He wasn’t some Alpha male like most of his friends. He was quiet and unassuming. He didn’t have the bad boy allure. He had lived with his one and only for eighteen years. It hadn’t all been bad times, but most of it had. Their time together had been them leading separate lives. He had his business and friends, Joe had his Accounting Firm and innumerable lovers. They’d turned into roommates. No love existed between them, sometimes not even like.

He laid out the colorful arrangement and wrapped it in brown paper, then tied it with twine. It was a mix of pinks, purples, and bright greens. It was made with every plant he’d noticed she touched when he showed her around his greenhouse Sunday. Tulips, Lavender, Pink Roses, Lilac and several more. It was a large bouquet, but he wanted to make her something over the top.

He’d also ordered her the perfect orchid from a friend in New York.

“That’s gorgeous,” Twitched squealed behind him.

He turned to find Twitch bouncing. The young man was always so happy and positive. He’d learned that hadn’t always been the case.

“Is that for Harper,” Twitched asked with a wide smile.

He gently caressed the soft petals. “Yes, it is. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“She’ll love it. And why did I have to hear from Joker you’ve been dating Harper?”

“We’re not dating, as much as I wish, she hasn’t said yes to anything more than a dinner last Sunday.”

“That’s huge though, Harper’s very introverted. Other than spending time with Nettie or when we drag her out to hang out with us, she spends the rest of her time working.”

“Yeah, I kinda got that feeling.” He set the bouquet aside and stood, turning toward Twitch.

“You’re going to have to be patient.”

“This I know.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on the edge of his worktable.

“Why didn’t anyone ever try—”

“We all tried. We invited her to Crew events. When she sits with Nettie, we try to get her to stay longer just to talk. Joker has threatened the life of every person who even looked at her sideways.”

“Why—”

“Harper is only a few years older than me, and I remembered her growing up. Current life and past, she’s always been small and delicate, they said she was premature like me. She was always sweet and quiet, and they gave her hell in school. That didn’t change after she graduated. Harper earned a scholarship for college. She was only gone a year before she was back.”

“Why did she come back?”

“Probably the usual story, it wasn’t different outside the limits of Powers, same shit different bullies.”

“She said the other night, the Devil you know—”

“Is better than the one you don’t. Harper is this amazing woman who doesn’t see it.”

“So, me telling her—”

“You have to show her, Ghost, by being you. Sweet and charming, considerate. I’m pretty positive men haven’t ever been like that with her even when all they wanted to do was fuck her.”

“I don’t want to fuck her.”

Twitch arched a perfectly groomed brow.

“Don’t be an asshole, you’ve been with Crave way too long. Yes, I find her extremely sexually attractive, but that isn’t all I see.”

“You’re too easy, of course you don’t see her as some sex toy for your Alpha male cock strong bullshit.”

“Alpha, I’m not.”

“I’m pretty sure you have it in you, but that’s neither here nor there at the moment. I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh shit, what?”

“You’re so fucking suspicious.”

Twitch placed his hands on his slim hips and cocked one to the side. The little impish grin made him nervous and slightly terrified.

“Justifiably so.”

“Ha ha, I checked with King, you don’t have another gig for a few weeks. Psycho and Ben’s anniversary is coming up, Stacey and Bernie deserve a break, with Brawlers and all we don’t have—”

“I’ll watch the twins and Sawyer.”

Psycho, Ben, Bernie, and Stacey’s youngest, Sawyer, was only a few months old. The co-parenting relationship between the two couples fascinated him in the fact they made it seem so effortless.

He’d watched the Crew’s kids plenty over the last two years. He was like the go-to babysitter, and he loved it when the kids would run around and play in the fields.

“You’re the fucking best. We’ve already rented the cabins and arranged for romantic dinners, it’s perfectly planned. Stacey has pumped and frozen enough milk for a few days.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine. When do I get them?”

“Next weekend, we’ll drop them off Friday night and pick up Sunday.”

“I’ll need all their gear.”

“We’ll make sure you have everything, and if an emergency comes up, Elijah or me will bring whatever you need. You going to drop that off or did you want me to deliver your girl some flowers?”

“Would you? I’m trying to be patient, and I don’t want to—”

“Crowd her when she isn’t ready?”

“Yeah, that.”

“Write her a little note to go along with those flowers.”

He grinned and turned to his bench. He wished he had something prettier than a yellow notepad. He grabbed a pen in his left hand and quickly jotted down a note. Carefully he folded it and slipped it between the brown paper and flowers, then he held out the bouquet.

“I’ll drop them off on my way to see Nettie.”

“Thanks, Twitch.”

“I love playing matchmaker.”

He chuckled as Twitch bounced yet held the flowers carefully.

“Don’t get those hopes up too high. She might not even see me the way I want her to.”

“Impossible, you’ve got that sexy, cuddly Prince Charming thing going for you.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“Shut up, man, you got this. Now, let me make this important delivery.”

Twitch hugged him and held on for a few minutes, he gently stroked the younger man’s back. The man loved affection. Crave was pretty possessive of his husband, but when Crave wasn’t around, Twitch found comfort in his friends.

He walked Twitch to his car, said goodbye and he watched Twitch until the small vehicle disappeared at the end of the driveway. He wondered what Harper would think of his gift. Maybe the arrangement was too big, but it had all the flowers she seemed to like.

He sighed as he turned to head back to his greenhouse. He wouldn’t agonize over it. Harper deserved to be treated like she mattered. He didn’t want to hope for too much. Yes, she’d allowed him to hold her as she slept. Let him hold her hand as they walked through his fields and greenhouse.

Harper was innocent and skittish, even with the life she’d led, she still blushed at something as innocent as him holding her hand. She needed romance and tenderness, and that was just what he was going to give her. Because the woman he liked deserved it all.