Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

“I hate you more,” she admitted.

“I never meant to hurt you,” he said and held her tighter. He hadn’t realized how terrified he had been that he might never see her again. “I swear, baby. I will never hurt you. I’ll never keep anything from you again. And you have my support. All of it. I’m sorry.”

He felt her sigh against him. “You were trying to do what was right by a lot of people. And you were trying to be responsible,” she said, pulling away and looking him in the eyes. He nodded in agreement. “But don’t you ever think to lie to me again.”

“Never,” he said. “I love you.”

She frowned. “Oh no you don’t! You don’t get to be all sweet and throw that word around. I’m not going to be your camper bunny or whatever you think this is. I’ve been at a big flower expo for this subdivision project, so be prepared for me to turn this shop and your world upside down.”

“I’m looking forward to it. And I do love you, you stubborn, sexy woman.”

She smiled. “So long as you know that,” she said.

“Now I need to show you something.” He didn’t give her a chance to protest. He just tugged her toward the truck and barreled down the road toward the house. By the time they got there, the rain had faded to a dull drizzle. He helped Laura out of the truck.

Jake hoped to God what he was about to show her wasn’t too bold and wouldn’t make him lose her again.

“Are you kidding me?” Laura asked as Jacob drove them up to his home. “Where’s the camper? You came to show me I’m officially homeless now?”

“I just moved it. And I’ll move it back, but first you need to see what I’m offering.”

“You want more than half the business now?” she asked. How did she love this man and hate him? Oh, right, because he really was a good man, he just went about things backward sometimes. He also annoyed her to no end, and even now, she wanted to kiss him so badly it hurt.

“Oh, I want way more than half the business,” he said, opening the door to his house and walking her inside. “I want all of you. If you’re willing to give me a chance to earn you.”

Her eyes shot wide when she saw his home. Things from the camper along with new items were placed all around the home. The walls looked like they were the same color as the living room in her childhood home. It looked . . . warm.

“I want you with me, Laura. All the time. I want my home to be your home. Our home.” He knocked on the wall

. “This paint was in the warehouse storage unit. Your dad said it was what he painted your old house with in the eighties.”

Holy God, it really was the same paint from her childhood home.

Water lined her eyes as she looked around.

“I want to make you happy and give you everything. And you had a few happy customers step forward and speak for you that you were the woman to go to for such a contract.”

“Are you saying that the flower shop has its own contracts?” she asked with so much joy she could barely stand it.

“If you want them,” Jake said.

“But you made the deals . . .” Her heart sank a little because, once again, Jake was saving the day.

“No, baby, I didn’t. It was your reputation that brought in business. In the time you’ve been here, you turned a profit and grew a loyal customer base that will vouch for you. I’ve been fielding calls for orders all week whenever Cynthia isn’t around. You don’t need Cal’s deal to be in the black. You got there all on your own. That was all your doing. Not mine.”

“I can’t believe this,” she whispered.

He took her hand and led her to the window overlooking the backyard.

“This is the last thing I wanted to show you,” he said and pointed to a heap of dirt.

“Ah . . . you got me mud?” she asked.

He smiled. “It looks like that now, but here in the spring I’m told the best dahlias are set to bloom.”

She stared at him in shock, and that water in her eyes threatened to spill over.

“What? How did you know?”