Wife by Design

As she got closer, she could see why the area was still cordoned off. Electrical wires stood up, capped, around the fountain and the large, kidney-shaped pool that fed the fountain.

There were more wires along a small stream that wound from the pool into another area of the garden—one filled with greenery and a couple of additional smaller benches. This section of the garden reminded her of a prayer forest she’d been to once when she was a kid at camp.

As she looked more closely, she noticed other capped wires set surreptitiously around the acreage.

Lynn wanted to pick a bench—any of the ten or so she could see—and just stay awhile.

“I was going to invite you down when I had it all finished.”

If she’d been holding anything, she’d have dropped it. Twirling around, Lynn saw Grant at the entrance to the garden, his brown eyes glinting with that…something…that existed between them.

“I came out here looking for you and then just couldn’t help myself. Grant, this is beyond anything I’d imagined or expected.”

He shrugged. “It’s not done yet.”

“I’m just so… I had no idea.”

He walked toward her and she met him partway. She didn’t want a man in her life. But in the garden, in those moments, the only thing she wanted was Grant. The outside world faded into insignificance for that time.

And she had a man again. For sex. But for more than that. She had what Brandon had taken away from her. A companion by her side. Caring about her and their lives first and foremost.

Not a husband. But more than a friend.

He stopped about a foot in front of her. Close enough to touch, but not touching. “Seriously, Grant, you’re wasting your talent on yard work.”

His business wasn’t any of her business. But what he’d created here…

With a grin lifting one side of his mouth, he cocked his head and said, “You do realize that I don’t spend my days mowing grass and trimming bushes, don’t you?”

God, she loved that grin. “I know you’re the boss. That Luke, Craig and, when he’s able, Darin do most of the manual labor.”

If he moved a little closer, they could flirt with the idea of something between them. Make innuendo that she could take with her into her bathtub later that night.

“Bishop Landscaping doesn’t do yard maintenance,” he said. “Except as part of completing a project. Or when we go in for remodel or repair.”

He was staring at her lips again. She moistened them and asked, “What do you do?”

“I’m a landscape architect.”

Oh. Feeling stupid, she took a step back, glancing over at him. “I’m sorry. I thought you had a landscape business, as in you maintained yards for clients.”

“We started out that way,” he said. “When Luke and I were at college we made extra cash by mowing yards. That venture grew to trimming trees, and then doing general irrigation systems maintenance. We continued to grow that business until I started getting enough design jobs to support us all.”

“I feel horrible that we’re wasting your time with mowing and trimming.”

“It’s not a waste of my time. I’ve kind of enjoyed the return to the manual part of the business. And the brainless part, too,” he added, grinning at her again.

He was such a combination of professional and down to earth, of stereotypical guy and caregiver.

“You said you’d come out here to find me.” He had that look in his eye again. Slumberous and vitally alive all at once.

As though he found her intoxicating.

And that was just plain crazy.

“I…” She should just let it go.

And remembered how down she’d been all day.

She’d come out here for a reason.

But maybe not a good one.

Reaction without thought spelled disaster. Or, at the very least, heartbreak.

She’d had enough of that.

Vacillating wasn’t like her.

He moved closer. Close enough that she could smell the freshly cut grass on him. And something musky, too.

“Before, you said you’d like to be my friend.”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s right.”

“I didn’t answer you and that was rude. I…came out to apologize.”