A Week for Love to Bloom (17 page)

“I’m great, Mom. Lauren makes life perfect. It’s overwhelming at times.”

Susan walked over and patted the side of his cheek. “You feel vul
nerable son, and men especially, are uncomfortable with that emotion.”

Justin hugged
his mom and went back into the living room to get Lauren.

They were
seated at the table, and Jack seemed pleased to have Lauren sit beside him, evident from the grin on his face as he kept trying to give her food off his high chair. Lauren continually blushed from all the attention he was giving her.

“Lauren, Jack genuinely likes you. Do you have a lot of siblings?
” Jonathan asked.

“Actually,
I’m an only child. I wish I had siblings. Of course, if I had siblings I wouldn’t have received all the attention I did from my grandparents and would probably not run the nursery. I say that because they taught me everything I know about horticulture.”

“It shows
you’ve had a lot of training. Every plant we purchase from you grows wonderfully,” Emily said.

“Thank you. I devote a lot of time and care
to them.”

“Lauren, have you ever wanted to have any other career?” Jeffrey asked.

“I think all children imagine different jobs they’d like to have when they grow up but by the time I was a teenager I knew this would be my life. I was raised to believe you do what you love, and I’m fortunate to get to do that every day. It’s why I endure the hard work. I love bringing something to life.”

“
You’re well spoken, Lauren,” Susan said.

“Thank you
, ma’am.”

“Please call me Susan fr
om now on,” she said, giving Lauren a welcoming smile.

“
I’m sure Justin told you his plans to go back to Vanderbilt. We’re anxiously awaiting his graduation,” Jonathan said.

“Yes, he told me, and I think
it’s great he’s going to get his degree. I always thought I’d go to college for horticulture, but then my grandparents became ill, and I had to step in full-time at the nursery.”

“
Justin, why don’t Lauren and you tell Mom and Dad how you met,” Jonathan said with a smirk.

“I think we can save that story for another day.” Justin shot him a glare.

Lauren blushed and excused herself to the restroom. Justin gave Jonathan another glare, signaling him to knock it off. Jonathan let out a chuckle. Questions were thrown at Lauren once again when she returned.

“How is business this summer, Lauren? I ask because we have a business, so I wondered how things were for you.
We’re having a pretty good year,” Jeffrey said.

“Um, business is good. It seems the same as years past, although it seems harder to stretch the money these days.”

Jonathan choked on his bite of food after her response.

“My parents
separated last year, so my father moved and left me in charge. I’m still learning how the business side works. I imagine it would be hard to compare our businesses since they’re so different.”

“How about dessert, M
om? I think Lauren has answered enough questions for one night. I don’t want to scare her off,” Justin said as he took hold of Lauren’s hand under the table.

By the end of the night, Emily had to
pull Jack off of Lauren. They all said goodbye and Justin walked Lauren out to the truck.

Jonathan went with Jeffrey into his home office. “What now, Dad? This is worse than I thought. Did you see the way he looks at her?”

“
We’re just conducting business as usual. She seems like a very nice girl, and I don’t like it any more than you do, but what are we supposed to do? Like I said before, I’m hoping it blows over.”

“Dad, I don’t think there will be time. I think
she’s being served papers within the next few weeks. I imagine we’ll know when it happens, and I just hope he can handle it with maturity.”

Justin held Lauren’s hand on the way back to her house. “I told you there was nothing to worry about. They love you, and I think Jack would’ve gone home with you. Emily said he usually screams if anyone besides the family holds him.”

“It went better than I expected, but I don’t think your dad and brother are too
fond of me. I know they’re worried I’ll interfere with you returning to college.”

“It has nothing to do with you. I could tell they were impressed by how you carried yourself at dinner and with conversation. You never fail to deliver Ms.
Evans.” Justin squeezed her hand as they pulled into her driveway.

“I wish there were more people to show you off to. Don’
t get me wrong, you always look beautiful, but tonight you’re stunning.”

“Thank you. You don’t look to
o shabby yourself, and did I mention you smell incredible?” Lauren leaned over and nuzzled her nose into his neck. “I have a confession to make. I wanted to spend the night with you tonight, but I thought it would be in poor taste to walk out of their home and into the guest house.”

Justin’s heart fluttered and raced from her words.
“They saw me leave, so please go in and get your stuff. When we go back, they’ll think I’m alone. I’ll bring you back here in the morning.”

“OK, just give me a few minutes.”

He grabbed her hand as she started to get out of the truck. “Um, Lauren, I’d love for you to leave that dress on. I’d like to remove it myself.” He gave her an alluring look as his nerve endings came alive.

She
gave him a bashful smile.

***

Lauren stood by the bed as Justin turned on the lamp on the nightstand.

“Oh, wait here. I have to get
something out of the truck,” he said.

Justin returned quickly carrying a small
, white box with a pink, satin bow on top of it.

“This is for you.” Justin stood in front of her smiling as he handed her the box.

“What’s it for?”

“It’s a gift because I love you. I meant to give it to you when I picked you up, but once I saw you I couldn’t think o
f anything else. Now open it.”

She pulled the ribbon off
, letting it fall to the floor. Lauren gasped when she opened the box and saw the diamond bracelet inside. It was lined all the way around with diamonds and encased in white gold.

“I’ve never owned a piece of jewelry this nice.
Justin, it’s beautiful, but you’re not working right now, so I can’t accept it.”

“You’re keeping it. I wouldn’t have bought it if I couldn’t afford it. I lived with four
dudes in a small apartment when I wasn’t on the rig, so I’d have money set aside for my future. You’re my future, and you deserve to have nice things. Now, let me put it on your wrist.”

A single tear ran down Lauren’s cheek as Justin hooked the clasp. Lauren held out her arm to admire it.
“I love it. It’s perfect, like you.”

Justin turned a radio to soft
music and sauntered toward her. Holding her face, he engulfed her mouth, sweeping and swirling his tongue until it entwined with hers. She returned his kiss as she glided her warm hands up and down his back. He let out a moan of pleasure, grabbing at the back of her head, massaging a handful of her glistening hair.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful your hair is?
It’s beyond sexy, and it has the most intoxicating smell, as does the rest of your body,” Justin whispered.

“You’re
the sexy one,” Lauren said, pulling his shirt over his head and kissing his neck as she ran her hands down his bare, contoured chest.

Justin responded urgently
, stripping off the rest of his clothing, releasing his throbbing, eager hard-on. He looked at her with an intense gaze.

“Now I get to open
my
present,” he said as he took hold of the bow on her dress and pulled it loose. Holding it open, Justin admired the lacy white bra and panties taunting him, pleading for him to remove. His eyes were smoldering as they returned to hers from the hypnotic spell her irresistible body had placed him under.

Lightly peeling
the top of her dress off one shoulder, he laid kisses all along her collarbone. He saw the light trembling of her body as he dropped her dress. Her exposed and exquisite figure, standing in heels, held his gaze prisoner for several seconds before he fell to his knees in awe of her breathtaking body. Squeezing her bottom he buried his face into her front, skimming his tongue along the lace.

Lauren grabbed the top of his hair
, tugging and twisting it between her fingers as her head flew back. He fed her rapture with his fiery tongue and breath that lingered along the front of her panties.

“I swear, Lauren,
you’re my temptress made just for me to try and resist—a sinful pleasure. But it’s futile. I’m bound to your magnetic force.” He groaned and slowly stood as his hands traveled up the sides of her curvaceous body before he unhooked her bra.

Justin slipped on a condom as he watc
hed her kick off her heels and step out of her wet panties. He growled as he lowered her onto the bed. “I can’t get inside your irresistible body fast enough. Baby, you are so gorgeous.” Gently lying on top of her, he slid his thirsty tongue between her parted lips as he sank himself into her, again and again, savoring all of her depth while the wet warmth encased him.

He took in her gaze, increasing his speed until
he felt her body squeezing his molten flesh from her release. The waves of pulsating pleasure flooded his body until he came from the mind blowing ecstasy that seized him. He fell onto Lauren as air rushed in and out of their lungs.

Justin lay next to her with his face snug in the crook of her neck as one leg hooked around hers. “I wa
nt to do that with you forever,” she said.

“I feel
the same, baby … I feel the same,” he said.

***

The next morning, Justin awoke from the rays flickering in through the blinds. Part of his body was draped over Lauren’s nakedness on top of the sheets. The days were becoming warmer, and it was harder to chill the house, so he felt himself stuck to her. He smiled at the thought of them glued together.

Quietly pulling
himself off of her body, he enjoyed the view of her bare skin. Seeing her naked wearing only the diamond bracelet turned him on, so he put on his boxer briefs with the hope he’d be less tempted.

Justin
realized there was no way he could leave her for nine months when it had pained him to go three days without seeing her. He made the decision to attend a different university and keep the news to himself. If he waited long enough to tell her and his family, then they’d know it was too late to do anything about it, and there would be no battle.

UT in Knoxville was a
close enough drive to allow him to live in Masonville. Justin couldn’t believe he was trying to stay there until he looked down at Lauren. Although he loved her inner qualities the most, the fact that she was beautiful kept a constant flame burning inside him.

He took mental
photos of every mouthwatering feature, starting from her silky skin, to her long, lustrous hair. Working his way down, he longed for her succulent breasts to be in his mouth and her hourglass body to be underneath him. Seeing her stark naked on top of the sheets sleeping peacefully, Justin was aware of how safe she felt with him, and it warmed his heart.

“Wake up sleeping beauty.”

Lauren opened her eyes and looked around. He saw her blush.

“You know, we
have
seen each other naked before,” Justin said, smirking.

“Yes, but if I know you
, then you’ve been watching me.”

“You would be correct, and I took a lot of photos.”

“What?” Lauren sat straight up in the bed before she crawled under the sheet.

“
I’m joking. I only took mental pics, and let me tell you, I have a lot of them stored for future reference.”

Lauren grabbed the pillow and shoved it on his face. He pushed her back down, straddling and tickling her waist.

“Stop, Justin!” She cried out.

He leaned down and gave her a long, tender
kiss. “I love you more every day.”