Love On The Vine by Sally Clements Read Free Book Online Page B

feeling had only intensified. She stepped forward, and pushed his jacket off his shoulders. Undid his tie, and threw it in the direction of the sofa. The shirt buttons were next...
    Etienne’s hands came up to stop her fingers. “Bella.” His deep voice rumbled. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her thoroughly.
    Liquid heat melted her bones.
    His lips trailed down her neck to her shoulder.
    Relentless desire bloomed in her chest, escaping in a moan.
    His lips stilled, and he pulled back. “If we keep doing this, we will end up in bed.” He kissed her lips softly. “I think I’d better go.”
    “I...” Bella couldn’t string two words together as the import of his words sank through the sensuous haze. Didn’t he want her? Her heart twinged a little.
    Etienne grasped her close. Their bodies pressed tight. She rested her head on his chest, feeling it rise and fall rapidly against her cheek. His groan vibrated through her as he stroked her back.
    “I want you,” he said in a deep voice. “But we should go slow. We have plenty of time. The encounter with your father earlier upset you.” His hand loosened from her waist.
    Could she tell him how much she wanted him? If she were braver, she could show him, but the specter of her father and his insufferable rudeness tainted the space between them. She pulled away. “You’re right, it’s too soon.” As the words left her mouth, she wished she could call them back. She’d moved so wantonly in his arms and had acted like a siren on the dance floor. But if they ended up in bed together tonight, tomorrow she’d be awkward when they met. The complete antithesis of the aroused woman of tonight.
    Somehow Etienne had breached all her carefully built defenses, leaving her exposed and vulnerable. Her body still tingled from his caresses, and letting passion sweep her away would have been easy.
    A lesser man wouldn’t have given her a moment to think of what they were doing.
    But Etienne had.
    And part of her hated him for it.

Chapter Five
    T he next morning, Bella pushed open the door of Blooms , setting the bell above the door tinkling.
    Donna turned from arranging newly arrived blooms in the vases clustered in a rainbow display filling the shop’s right wall. “Good morning!” She hurried over with a warm, welcoming smile. “How’s our best customer today?”
    “Well, I’m hardly your best customer!” Bella said with a shake of her head. “But I have come to talk about another order.”
    “Great!” Donna grinned and reached for an order sheet. “What’s the occasion?”
    “A big one. A vintage launch at the St. Clair Durand vineyard.”
    “Wow. Hang on a minute.” Donna went in a dash to the door that opened into the back of the shop. “Krista, any chance you could mind the front of shop for a while?”
    Krista Verrel, one of Donna’s partners in Blooms , rushed in from the workroom, her curls dark against the armful of roses she carried. “Sure.” Her gaze landed on Bella. “Hi, Bella. Great to see you.”
    “Bella wants to talk about an order. I thought I’d take her into the back to discuss it,” Donna said.
    “Okay.” Krista perched on the high stool, and fanned out the roses in front of her on the counter. “I can easily work out here. I’m just arranging Emily Grainger’s monthly bouquet.”
    Donna made Bella a cup of coffee and pushed aside the raft of paperwork on the desk. “I wanted to ask you something anyway.” She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. “We’re providing flowers for a party, and I wondered if you might help out.”
    Flowers and parties went together like milk and cookies. And as Blooms was popular with everyone in town, being involved in a co-venture could be really good for business. Bella smiled. “Tell me more.”
    The corner of Donna’s mouth twisted into a half smile. “The thing is—there’s no money in it. Not from the client anyhow. The ladies and I have chipped in to a fund to