Touched by a Phoenix (13 page)

Up before dawn, Brad could hardly wait to see her again. He showered and dressed, then paced the floor waiting for the time to pass, much like a schoolboy on his first date. As he walked to the car, it occurred to him that she might not even be awake yet. When had that ever let anything stop him? He would just make a few stops along the way.

First the bakery for pastries, perhaps breakfast in bed. He mentally smacked himself as soon as the thought entered his mind. The next few weeks or even months could be a long, hard road for them both. There would be many changes, acceptances, and time for letting go. It would pain him to see her hurt while she worked through the process. He did not think Alexandria would find it easy to forget her fear and he was sure he would forget all too quickly. What happened didn’t matter to him. In his mind, he would still be her first and something in her eyes told him, he would be her last.

Not knowing which pastries she preferred, he stopped by the French bakery and bought a variety of tasty little treats. He soon waltzed out with a large box tied with silver ribbon.

Next…the florist. He did not expect to find anything as beautiful as Alexandria, but he would certainly try. It was the first time he had ever been to a florist. In the past, it had always been easier to call and have something delivered.

How interesting, he thought as he entered the shop. The sweet smells were heavenly and the colors exquisite.

A lovely young woman behind the counter was preparing some sort of floral arrangement. “Good morning. May I help you, sir?”

“Good morning to you as well, ma’am.”

“Are you looking for something in particular,” she asked.

“I have no idea what I’m looking for ma’am, but I will know it when I smell it.”

She giggled. “Let’s start with the basics, shall we. Do you know what kind of flower? Roses, perhaps?” as she held up a bouquet of roses for him to sniff.

He closed his eyes. “No, she is sweeter than a rose.”

“Are you sure sir, we have some extremely fragrant roses?” His inquisitive look told her that he had no idea what she was talking about. Laughing, she then suggested, “Why don’t we check out a few things…you can perform a sniff test.”

“Fine by me, as long as you have the time.”

They smelled various roses, each lovely, but not what he was looking for.

Another woman stepped out from a large refrigeration unit and smiled. “Good morning, sir. Sarah, do you need any help?” She beamed a bright smile at Brad.

Sarah responded, “The gentleman is looking for a particular smell.”

Brad assumed she was the manager as she was a little more mature in her appearance. “Good morning, Nancy,” Brad said as he read her ID badge.

“Can you describe the smell, sir?”

“Heavenly, intoxicating, yet exotic. She’s almost indescribable.”

“Are you sure we’re speaking of a flower, sir?”

Brad smiled in spite of himself. “Yes and no, Alexandria is well…her scent is quite tantalizing.”

Nancy smiled knowingly. “Ah, I think I might have an idea. Would you like to step into the cooler with me?”

Brad shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve done stranger things lately, why not.”

Nancy laughed and led the way.

The moment she opened the door, the scent overwhelmed his nostrils. “That’s it, what is it?”

“Gardenia, sir. Here, let me show you.” She pulled out a box of the most delicate white flowers he had ever seen. The petals were soft and delicate, just like Alexandria. The fragrant scent was much stronger, but it was still her…his sweet Alexandria.

“I’ll take all that you have. Would you have time to put them with whatever else you think would go well with them?” he paused, “no…actually, would you mind helping me make the selections?”

Nancy grinned. Whether he knew it or not, this man was in love. She nodded politely and began making a few recommendations. As they strolled through the aisles of cut flowers, she wondered if he knew the meaning of a gardenia. He had been open and friendly and she was just curious and bold enough to ask, “Sir, do you know the meaning of the gardenia?”

“No ma’am, I don’t.” His brow arched, “But you have piqued my interest.”

“Every flower has a meaning behind its origin and naming. The gardenia’s means,
you are lovely,
and is even considered the symbol of a secret love.”

“Then they are most fitting.”

Brad exited the florist with a huge bouquet of flowers; gardenia’s mixed with orchids and white rosebuds. Quite pleased with the results of his little jaunt, he happily made his way to Alexandria’s house. The morning drive was pleasant and filled with thoughts of Alexandria.

Shortly after nine, Alexis opened the door to her favorite flowers and a box tied with a silver ribbon. Brad was hiding somewhere behind the enormous bouquet.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he peeked around the flowers. After last night, uncertainty plagued him. He kissed her on the forehead.

She beamed, “Good morning,” as she lifted her face for a proper kiss.

He sighed with pleasure, such soft sweet lips as he pressed his lips to hers. “These are for you and I brought breakfast pastries.”

She took the bouquet from his outstretched hand, burying her face in the luxurious blooms, drinking in the sweet seductive scent.

“Brad, they are beautiful, but how did you know?”

“
Mmm,
I am a man of many talents…remember?” he smiled roguishly.

“Seriously, you knew my favorite wine and now you’ve managed to figure out my favorite flower.”

“Darling, I told you I had great powers of observation.” Nuzzling her neck, he whispered, “You look lovely this morning.” He placed soft kisses in the curve of her neck, tracing his tongue along her collarbone.

Her body quivered with each kiss. “How about I turn on the coffee and put the flowers in a vase? We can have breakfast by the pool,” her voice husky as she gently broke away and led him through the house to the kitchen.

“A pool….” He stepped into the kitchen behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dipping his head to cover her exposed neck in feather-light kisses sending sweet chills down her spine. This time she didn’t resist, but instead tilted her head back, giving him access to her neck. She nearly forgot breakfast as her body softened and she leaned against him to enjoy the moment. His kisses moved up her neck to her cheek. She tilted her head upwards for a loving little kiss over her shoulder. All he wanted was to make the most magical love to her, to show her what love was, to drive everything else away…her past and her fears. Dammit, you must restrain yourself, Scott!

He was sure he had an angel sitting on one shoulder and Satan on the other…battling between good and evil in his universe.
Behave yourself, don’t you dare, yes, no, yes, no, yes…you have no choice!
his heart screamed.

An annoying beeping sound announced that coffee was ready, the sound was enough to rouse Brad from his wayward thoughts. It was going to be a very long day if the battle between his heart and body raged on.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Sure,” Brad replied, trying to sound chipper.

“How about I fix eggs and bacon to go with the delicious pastries you brought?”

“Breakfast sounds good.” He wondered if she was trying to distract him or herself? “Would you like some help?” he ventured, pulling her to him for another kiss.

“I’ve got it, why don’t you make yourself at home while I cook.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure.”

Alexandria’s home was warm and inviting. The kitchen was in a dark cherry wood with some sort of glaze that made the cabinets appear to be a rich chocolate brown. A mixture of cream and chocolate swirled the granite countertops. Brushed nickel knobs set off the cabinetry perfectly and the cork flooring was an incredible mixture of light and dark designs melding together in perfect harmony.

It had been dark last night but even if all the lights had been on, he wouldn’t have noticed anything other than Alexandria. He eyed her quizzically for a moment, not wanting to invade her privacy, but ever so curious at the same time. He wondered about the rest of her home.

She seemed to read his mind as she glanced over her shoulder. “There are two bedrooms—well, one bedroom and my office at this end of the house. The master suite is at the other end and everything else is in between. You’re more than welcome to take a look around while I finish breakfast.”

This end was closer, so he started with the guest bedroom. Rich coffee finished furniture adorned the room, a platform bed with a headboard upholstered in a linen type material, with matching dresser and nightstands. A plush bench sat at the foot of the bed, combining a touch of romance and history. He moved to her office. The room was in moss greens with a huge partner desk in what he thought must be a dark rum colored finish.

Beyond the hallway, columns accented the dining area with an enormous floor-to-ceiling bay window. The room was decorated in the same rich dark wood with a round table, the chairs covered with ivory fabric. The buffet and china cabinet had marble tops with an area rug in muted blues, darker blues, golds and ivories.

He reached the master suite and paused, unable to bring himself to enter her room. He had come so close to making love to her last night. If he stepped inside now, he might forget the plans for the day. He closed his eyes, the image of her body pressed against him having burned an unforgettable image in his mind. The intensity buried deep in her eyes…raw, pure molten hot liquid branded his soul, telling him everything he had ever wanted to hear without uttering a word. One more second and he would not have cared if her father had called—she would be his today. He growled as his manhood instantly came to attention. He tried to break free, to cool himself by surveying her room.

The room was enchanting and spoke volumes about her deepest desires. A fairytale romance she thought would never happen. A large, ornate platform bed stood in the center of the wall with a rich leather upholstery center trimmed in old-world nail-head style. Her room was not what he expected; it was neither too girly nor too masculine.

The detailed carvings and trim sent him back in time by a hundred years. The matching dresser, chest, and nightstands each had a grayish tan marble top, creating a lavish presence. Across the room was another large bay window serving as sitting area with an oversized chaise lounge in a light tan suede fabric. The bedding was in tan and browns with burgundy accents running throughout. Beautiful drapes cascaded down the sides of each window, falling into pools on the floor.

My God,
he would never make it through the day this way. This room—her room—was perfection, and he could easily lay her on this bed and make sweet love to her for hours, torturing her sweet body in the most sensuous ways….

Tearing his thoughts from her body, Brad walked to the living room.

A double-sided arched fireplace led to a cozy study on the other side of the back wall. His mind wandered…visions of making love to Alexandria in front of the fireplace stirred him, this was going to be a long day, he thought. A high open ceiling with large windows made the room appear bright and cheery, the balcony above adding the perfect touch to the room. The sofa was different, a three-section divan with a slight curve. Several accent chairs in bolder colors complemented the space, bronze and glass tables adding a sense of flare. Fresh flowers and crystal also adorned the room. Finally, a large, ivory oriental rug with brown designs covered the floor beneath his feet.

The study was set in what he would consider an old English office space with oversized leather chairs and antique looking dark tables, a soft rug covering the largest part of the floor. Artwork hung gracefully in various locations throughout the house, each piece with the perfect lighting for display. Not one overhead light marred the high ceilings. Instead, wall sconces created a tranquil environment.

Alexandria’s home was lovely in every way, surreal in fact. She incorporated the perfect balance between hard and soft, just like her—lavish but not overdone. One would never guess she was an extremely wealthy young woman. She did not flaunt money; instead, she did quite the opposite. While it was obvious that she enjoyed the finer things, she was also quite practical.