Blossoming Flower (Wildflowers Book 1) Read online

  “I’m sure you weren’t expecting to share a room, so you can have the bed tonight,” he offers as he unlocks the door. “It won’t be for long though. We’ll need to be up by two in the morning.”

  Flor steps in first, her eyes adjusting to the dark as her hand searches for the light switch. But before she flicks it on, she notices something moving in the far corner of the room behind the tall lamp. Her skin prickles and her heart begins to race. “There’s something in here,” she whispers.

  “What? I can’t see anything.” Collin reaches around to find her hand over the light switch and turns it on.

  “Oh my god!” Flor screams. The hideous creature with bristly hair, small eyes, large ears and a long tail stops and stares back at them. She steps behind Collin and buries her face in his back. “What the hell is that thing? Is it a rat? Please tell me it’s not a rat.”

  “Are you crying?” He asks, trying not to laugh.

  She shakes her head but otherwise doesn’t move. “I can’t handle small freaky creatures.”

  “Don’t you plan to become a vet?”

  “Yes, but for horses. I wasn’t planning on treating overgrown rats. Is it still there?”

  Collin nods, though with her face buried behind him, she can only feel it from the movement of the muscles in his back. “Then get rid of it,” she insists adamantly.

  “I’m not going near it,” he replies. “If possums feel threatened, they release a really foul smell. We’ll close the door slowly and get someone in here to take care of it.”

  “You’re afraid of it too.” Flor smiles as soon as he closes the door. “I didn’t think cowboys were afraid of anything.”

  He smiles back. “Like you said, I like horses, not small freaky creatures.”

  “You should let me sleep in the chair tonight,” she calls out from the bathroom.

  Collin glances over at the small armchair and shakes his head. “It’s too small.” He runs a towel over his wet hair.

  “Then what do you propose to do? I’m not sleeping on the floor, and you’re not going to either.”

  She comes out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a paper-thin white towel. Flor threw on the only clean shirt she had packed, which was a tight tank top. She hadn’t planned on sharing a room with Collin.

  “Bed’s big enough,” he says matter-of-factly.

  Flor lets her long hair out of the towel, not caring that it’s dripping down her back. Collin shifts a bit in her silence.

  “If it makes you uncomfortable, I can sleep in the truck.”

  “No,” she says quietly, motioning with her hand for him to move over. “You don’t steal blankets do you?” She lies down on the scratchy, bleach smelling sheet.

  “No.”

  “Do you snore?” Flor asks, facing away from Collin.

  “No one has ever complained.”

  For a brief moment, Flor wonders who are the ones who haven’t complained, but she dismisses the thought almost immediately. It doesn’t matter, she decides. Past is past.

  When he turns off the light, every muscle in Flor’s body is on alert. Her upper body feels tight, and her heart wants to pop out of her chest. She’s so close to his body that she can feel the heat coming off of him. She clenches her fist to keep from reaching out and touching his arm, to see if the contact would once again send shockwaves through her, but she already knows the answer. She stares into the darkness. How badly she wants to ask him if he feels it too.

  “Are you asleep?” He asks, his voice barely audible.

  “Almost,” she lies, closing her eyes.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  Flor resists opening her eyes. “Sure,” she says.

  “Do you steal the blankets or snore?”

  Flor’s eyes fly open, and she smiles. She turns over and playfully hits Collin over the head with her pillow.

  He laughs. “It’s a fair question.”

  “No, and not that I’ve ever been told.” Flor returns her head to the pillow, this time facing his profile as he looks toward the ceiling. “Promise to tell me if I do,” her voice drifting off as she closes her eyes again, allowing sleep to take her this time.

  He turns toward Flor and stares at her for a while, marveling at how beautiful and peaceful she looks. She’s so unlike how he imagined her to be when his parents told him about their special guest for the summer. He expected spoiled but got down-to-earth. He thought she’d be condescending but only sees her humility. He’s never met a gorgeous woman so unafraid of the physical demands of ranch work. And that smile. If only she knew how much he liked seeing her smile. He lets out a long exhale then quietly slips out of bed and makes his way to the chair to sleep.

  Chapter 25

  Five, four, three, two, one . . . . Flor counts down, opening her eyes slowly when she reaches zero. She could feel Collin near her face, watching, waiting for her to wake. He said her name a couple of times before gently shaking her. She had woken up around midnight and saw him sleeping in the torn leather chair in the corner. It didn’t surprise her. Pretending to be asleep was her way of giving him distance, the space he seemed to need from her.

  This cowboy is unlike any guy she’s ever known. Seeing him asleep in the chair, merely affirmed it. Of all the men and boys she’s ever been with, she couldn’t think of one who would’ve gotten out of bed after she fell asleep, let alone not try to at least touch her or cop an “accidental” feel. Flor’s experiences had merely taught her that men are physical creatures who crave the sight and touch of a lover. Collin doesn’t fit that mold. Yet a part of her could tell last night, as she lay next to him, that he’s a physical being who knows what physical connection is. She tried hard not to imagine it too much and lose any more sleep than she already had over him. Yet, as she lied awake and watched him sleep, Flor could feel her body sing to him, wanting his touch, the warmth of his lips.

  “Good morning,” she murmurs, stretching her arms above her head. She unconsciously kicks off the threadbare blanket to reveal her long bare legs.

  Collin’s attempt not to look fails miserably. His dark eyes move quickly over her legs up to the boy shorts that cling to her ass perfectly. Her nipples strain against her fitted top. He stands quickly and clears his throat. “I’ll go check on the horse and let you get dressed. We still have a few hours’ drive ahead of us, so we should be on the road as soon as possible if we’re going to make it back tonight.”

  Flor looks down and pulls the blanket over her, embarrassed not by her veiled nakedness as much as by his discomfort over seeing her like that. “No problem,” she replies, her soft voice conveying an apology. She’d forgotten how modest Americans can be. Still, for a moment, she thought she saw something in his look. After he shuts the door, Flor rolls over on her back and considers those few seconds carefully and smiles to herself. It was desire.

  The mere idea fills her with a familiar longing that begins to pulsate throughout her body. Flor spreads her legs slightly and her hand travels down to her warm pussy, anxious to release her own desire that’s been building since yesterday—really since the first time she saw him. If Collin only knew just how easily he could reach her, how open she’d be for him. She closes her eyes and imagines his lips on hers, claiming her for the moment. She brushes two fingers over her sensitive clit and lets out an audible cry. It hasn’t been that long since she’s had sex, four months perhaps, but she’s never felt this incredibly charged and in need for someone’s touch before.

  She slides a first, then a second finger inside her wet cunt. She visualizes Collin above her, moving himself in and out slowly, his hard dick filling and stretching her. Unconsciously, the image of Paco replaces Collin, his strong chest on hers, his eager mouth marking every inch of her body. Her fingers begin to move faster, her body moving in rhythm with her own strokes, enjoying this build-up to a much needed release. God, how badly she needs this, how strong her desire for each man is. But there’s only one she wants, emotionally and physically, a
nd she quickly substitutes Paco’s face for Collin’s.

  There’s a greater intensity when she thinks of Collin. Her skin prickles, and goose bumps spread over her. She lifts her left hand and sweeps it over her nipples, cupping the perfect weight of her breast. Flor slides her fingers once again over her clit, her body so close to its pleasure. Could being with him really be as good as she imagines it to be? She wants to think so, and in this moment she’s confident it’s entirely possible as she climbs toward her orgasm. How good it will feel to finally let go, and hopefully with it, release some of her desire for Collin. Perhaps it’s what she should’ve done a while ago. Maybe then she could’ve gotten some of that cowboy out of her system.

  The sudden rattling of the doorknob startles her. She turns her head and watches, waiting to see what will happen. She had been too aroused to consider he could walk in on her. Would she care if he did at this moment? Most definitely not, she thinks to herself, the possibility stirring her desire even more. Besides, Flor can’t, no, doesn’t want to stop at this point. And maybe if he catches me . . . .

  Another moment and she’ll be able to think clearly again, respect the wall Collin puts between them. For now, he’s hers and she doesn’t want to let go. The rattling stops, replaced by a light knock.

  “Flor, are you almost ready?”

  The young woman doesn’t reply. She closes her eyes and allows herself to melt into her orgasm, letting out a soft sigh of relief as shockwaves of intense pleasure radiate throughout her body. Her pussy quivers and drenches her fingers as she lays on the bed that smells of bleach and stale smoke—and now her sex.

  Finally, Flor opens her eyes and looks at the door. She swallows, saliva wetting her dry mouth and throat. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Chapter 26

  Flor grips the steering wheel and checks the rearview mirror before entering onto the highway. Saying good-bye to Dama de Noite wasn’t as difficult as she thought it would be. Naturally, good-byes leave her with a particular void, one that she’s learned to live with rather than attempt to fill with useless things or people. She knows that something won’t feel right, that an emptiness will remain a part of her for a while until one day it disappears and is replaced by a fond memory.

  That’s how it’s been since she left school in Switzerland and again in Virginia. It’s also how she felt the last time she saw her father in Brazil. The man waving good-bye on the airstrip was not the man she had believed him to be, and that realization created a hole so big inside of her that she didn’t know if it would ever close or disappear. Eventually it did. She can’t isolate exactly when or how, just that at some point she woke up and realized she didn’t miss the person he was anymore. It doesn’t mean she loves him less. Rather, she loves him differently, having come to accept how much his flaws shape who he is. It doesn’t make it any easier, but the distance from him helps.

  As she eases the truck across two lanes, she glances over at Collin and briefly wonders how much his imperfections define him. Flor marvels at his self-control. Then again, maybe it wasn’t that difficult for him or perhaps he has a girlfriend. Flor never thought to ask.

  “Do you have a girlfriend?” She says.

  “That’s a random question,” he replies with a nervous laugh.

  “We have a fifteen hour drive ahead of us. Expect a few random questions.” Flor turns off the music to show she’s intent on making conversation.

  “Why do you want to know?” Collin asks.

  “Why can’t you answer a simple yes or no question?” She retorts.

  “Maybe I prefer to keep my private life just that. Private.”

  “Saying that you have or don’t have a girlfriend is not divulging a deep secret,” she replies, frustrated. Flor had hoped for a fun conversation, perhaps sharing a few personal details about each other so that she could get to know him better. Maybe that way she could really determine if he was worth the angst.

  “Is this some kind of test? Depending on the answer you come to some conclusion about me?”

  Flor raises an eyebrow at the tone in his voice. He sounds tense. “You have one don’t you?”

  “No, not really. I was . . . I mean . . . .” He shakes his head. “It’s complicated.”

  “That’s a cagey response.”

  “How so?”

  “A guy hiding or not owning up to dating someone usually means he doesn’t like the person as much as she likes him or it’s more physical than anything else. Am I close?”

  Collin stares forward. After a minute he replies, “Like I said, it’s complicated.”

  “Relationships don’t have to be complicated,” Flor suggests, that empty feeling in her heart expanding just a bit more. She pushes down the disappointment that’s bubbling up to the surface. Although if she were to admit it, a part of her is relieved. It will make leaving at the end of summer easier for her. “I think we allow things to become complicated when we’re not honest with ourselves.”

  He folds his arms across his chest. “No offense, but I’d rather not discuss this with you.”

  “Why not? I’m a female and completely impartial.” Well mostly. “If you’re having relationship issues, what better person to talk to?”

  The cowboy scoffs and mutters something Flor can’t hear.

  “Seriously, please just drop it,” he insists in a way that makes the young woman gulp down her next question.

  An awkward silence fills the truck. Uncomfortable, Flor turns on her Bossanova playlist and hums along.

  “What’s your fondest childhood memory?” Flor asks before biting down into a burger. She wipes the side of her mouth with a thin paper napkin and chews, waiting for Collin to respond.

  He dips an onion ring into a small glob of ketchup. She had finally gotten him to talk to her again during the drive when she promised not to ask any relationship-oriented questions.

  “Again with the random questions.” He pauses to consider and says, “It would have to be when I turned three. My parents bought me a colt. I’ll never forget that feeling of having my very own horse.” He looks distant, obviously reliving the moment in his mind. He furrows his brow, making Flor think that something unpleasant just invaded his thoughts.

  “What did you name him?” She queries, glad he was actually answering a question.

  “Spot.”

  Flor nearly chokes on her burger. “You’re kidding.”

  Collin shrugs his right shoulder and takes a bite of his onion ring. “I was three.”

  “But still. I would think your dad of all people would’ve encouraged you to name him something more . . . more . . . .” The word escapes Flor. English being her fourth language, it happens, albeit rarely. “Shit, what’s that word?” She says, not realizing she’s thinking aloud.

  “Noble?”

  She nods. “Yes, thank you.”

  “I was little, Flor. And this horse,” he stops to take another bite. “I was in awe of him. Spot was light brown with a dark brown patch on his right hindquarter. That’s how I came up with the name.”

  Flor smiles and sips her water, marveling at the joy in his expression.

  “What about you?” He asks.

  “What? Oh, my fondest memory?”

  “Your first horse,” he prompts, preferring to stay off the subject of anything too personal.”

  “I was also three,” she tells him. “I couldn’t ride her alone at first. My dad or grandfather would usually ride with me.”

  “What did you name her?”

  Flor shakes her head, not wanting to answer.

  “Doesn’t seem fair,” he argues. “You want answers from me, but you won’t give me the name of your first horse?”

  Flor chews the inside of her cheek for a moment. Of course her questions would come back and bite her in the ass. “Cinderella,” she says under her breath.

  Collin chuckles. “You named your horse after a Disney princess?”

  Flor pops the last bite of burger into her mouth. “
What can I say? Back then I was a sucker for a fairytale.”

  “You still believe in fairytales?” He asks, the look on his face serious.

  “No,” she replies, shaking her head. “Not for a long time.”

  Chapter 27

  “Close your eyes,” Flor tells Collin through the open window when she reaches the passenger door. He does as he’s told, and she climbs in.

  “Okay, now open them.”

  He laughs when he sees Flor holding a chocolate snack cake with a plain blue candle in the middle of the white squiggle icing. “You’re really going to make me celebrate it.”

  She smiles. As soon as she finishes singing “Happy Birthday,” she says, “Make a wish.”

  The cowboy blows out the candle and looks up to see Flor watching him carefully. She splits the snack cake into two and hands Collin the bigger piece before licking the center filling. “The best part,” she says.

  Nightfall brings the most impressive display of stars Flor has ever seen outside of her family’s fazenda. Some even appear low enough to touch. The wide, open expanse of the land around Belo Horizonte takes on a different life at night. Everything stands still below the brightness of the stars, yet she can feel a current of energy moving around her. It’s nature, she realizes. She lowers her window to let in a cool breeze as they wait for the gate to slide open. The young woman rests her head against the door and takes a deep breath. “I love it out here,” she declares, closing her eyes. “It feels like home,” she says softly.

  Collin’s warm gaze settles on her as he eases the truck onto the long driveway. If only you knew, he thinks to himself. Maybe she should . . . . Then he shakes his head to rid himself of the thought. No more drama, he resolves.