Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

P erry

The smell of fresh flowers fills the air as I move around my shop, surrounded by vibrant blooms in every shade of pink, red, and cream. Roses, peonies, and ranunculus stand in delicate vases on the counter, each arrangement more stunning than the last. The late afternoon light spills through the wide windows, casting a golden glow across the room and making everything feel warm, alive. It's hard to believe this place was once a quiet refuge where I used to hide from the chaos of my past. Now it's buzzing with life, filled with customers, laughter, and the constant hum of possibility.

I swipe a loose strand of hair out of my face and focus on the bouquet in front of me. My hands move automatically, fingers deftly adjusting stems and flowers until the arrangement is perfect. I take a step back, satisfied with the result, and breathe in the heady mix of rose and peony. The shop feels different these days—like a reflection of who I've become. Stronger. Confident. Free.

The door creaks open behind me, and I don't even need to look up to know who it is. I'd recognize the solid, familiar presence of Knox anywhere. My heart does that little flip it always does when he's near, and I glance over my shoulder to see him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his broad chest, a faint smile playing at his lips.

"This place looks amazing," he says, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down my spine. There's always something in the way Knox speaks to me that makes everything feel more charged, more intense. His words aren't just compliments—they're promises.

I grin, unable to hide my pride. "You think?"

He pushes off the doorframe and strides toward me, his presence commanding even in this cozy, flower-filled space. As he reaches me, his arms slide around my waist from behind, pulling me gently against him. His lips find the top of my head, pressing a kiss there that makes my skin tingle, and I lean into the warmth of his body, letting myself relax into the moment.

"You've built something incredible here," he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear.

I close my eyes for a second, feeling the weight of his words sink in. It's true. The shop is thriving now—customers pouring in, flowers flying off the shelves, events booked weeks in advance. It's a dream come to life, and the thought of how far I've come makes my heart swell. But I know I didn't do it alone.

"I couldn't have done it without you," I say softly, my fingers trailing over his forearms where they wrap around me. His strength is grounding, steady, and every time I've faltered, Knox has been there to catch me, to remind me who I am. "You've been my rock through all of this."

Knox makes a low sound, almost like a growl of disagreement, and shakes his head, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he speaks. "No, Petal. You did this. I just gave you the space to thrive."

My heart melts at his words, and I tilt my head back, looking up at him. His face is serious, those piercing blue eyes of his locked on mine, filled with an intensity that makes it hard to breathe. The way he looks at me—it's like he sees all the parts of me I'm still learning to love, and he treasures every one.

I reach up, my fingers tangling in his hair as I pull him down for a kiss. His mouth is warm against mine, soft at first, then more insistent as his hands tighten on my waist, pulling me closer. The kiss deepens, and a low hum of pleasure escapes me as I press against him. Even in the middle of the flower shop, with the sunlight pouring in and the scent of roses thick in the air, Knox manages to make everything else disappear. It's just us, locked in this quiet, intimate moment where nothing else matters.

When we finally pull apart, I'm breathless, my head spinning from the feel of him, the taste of him. Knox rests his forehead against mine, his hands still firm on my waist, his breath coming out in short, ragged puffs.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he murmurs, his voice gravelly with desire.

I smile, teasingly. "Oh, I think I have some idea."

Knox chuckles, the sound low and sexy, and it makes my stomach flip again. I can feel the heat radiating off him, the tension in his body, and I know where this is headed. But even as the desire between us simmers, there's a lightness too—a playful edge to our chemistry that wasn't there before. We've fought for this, for each other, and it feels different now. More real. More grounded.

He brushes a stray curl away from my face, his fingers lingering against my skin. "So what's next for you, flower girl?"

I bite my lip, glancing around the shop. The place is finally everything I dreamed it could be, but I know this isn't the end of the road. Not for me, not for us. There's always more to build, more to create.

"I've been thinking about expanding," I say, trying to keep my voice casual, but the excitement sneaks in anyway. "Maybe start offering workshops or floral design classes. People seem really interested, and it'd be a way to bring more business in."

Knox raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "That's ambitious."

I shrug, but the grin spreading across my face betrays my excitement. "Why not? I'm not afraid of a little ambition."

He pulls me closer, his lips ghosting over mine as he murmurs, "I love that about you. You never back down from a challenge."

I arch an eyebrow, giving him a playful look. "Maybe that's why I fell for you."

Knox's grin widens, his eyes darkening with that familiar heat. "Careful, Perry. You keep talking like that, and I'm not going to be able to keep my hands off you."

My heart races at the way his voice drops, rough and hungry, but I hold his gaze, matching his intensity. "Who says I want you to?"

That's all the encouragement Knox needs. In an instant, his lips are on mine again, his kiss more demanding this time, more urgent. His hands slide down my back, gripping my hips as he presses me against the counter, the wood digging into my lower back. I gasp into his mouth, my pulse quickening, but I don't pull away. I can't. Not when it feels this good, this right.

The flowers around us—roses, peonies, and lilies—fill the air with their sweet, intoxicating scent, but all I can focus on is Knox. The way he touches me, the way he holds me like he never wants to let go. The world outside could be crumbling, and I wouldn't care. As long as I'm in his arms, I feel invincible.

Knox pulls back slightly, his breath hot against my neck as he murmurs, "You're so damn beautiful, Perry."

I shiver at his words, my fingers curling into his shirt as I tug him closer. "And you're a terrible distraction," I tease, but there's no mistaking the desire in my voice.

He smirks against my skin, his lips grazing the sensitive spot just below my ear. "Good."

I laugh, but it quickly turns into a breathless moan as Knox's hands roam lower, his touch setting fire to my skin. He lifts me effortlessly onto the counter, positioning himself between my legs as he leans in, his lips claiming mine in a kiss that leaves me dizzy. Every inch of me feels alive, humming with need as I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him even closer.

We've done this dance before—this push and pull of desire—but something about today feels different. Maybe it's the fact that we're standing in the middle of the flower shop I rebuilt from the ground up, or maybe it's the way Knox looks at me now, with a tenderness that wasn't there before. Either way, I can feel the shift between us. This isn't just about passion anymore. It's about everything we've been through, everything we've fought for.

Knox pulls back just enough to rest his forehead against mine, his breath ragged as he stares into my eyes. "You're everything, Perry. You know that, right?"

My heart swells at his words, and for a moment, I can't speak. I just nod, my hands cupping his face as I pull him in for another kiss, pouring everything I feel into it—love, desire, gratitude. Knox responds with equal intensity, his lips moving against mine in a way that leaves me breathless, trembling with need.

The shop around us fades away, the flowers, the sunlight, all of it dissolving into the background as Knox and I lose ourselves in each other. There's nothing else. Just us.

And it's perfect.