Claimed For The Billionaire's Convenience. Melanie Milburne

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       CHAPTER TWO

      HOLLY WAS NORMALLY the first of her staff at work in the morning but her elderly landlady, Mrs Fry, delayed her. She’d insisted on telling Holly about the other neighbour on the left, who hadn’t put the rubbish bins the right distance apart for collection. Behind her back, Holly called her Mrs Pry because nothing escaped the old busybody’s attention.

      Holly was only renting the small one-bedroom flat while her new home was being renovated. It was taking longer and costing way more than she’d planned, but she knew it would be worth it in the end. Owning her own home was something she’d longed to do ever since she’d moved to London. All those years of living in bedsits or cramped flats where the walls were as thin as cardboard had made her long for her own place. A place she could decorate to her taste, where she could have a pet—a dog because they were so loving and faithful, unlike men.

      When Holly arrived at work, Jane turned the computer screen so Holly could see the order that had come in first thing. ‘You must have made a good impression on Zack Knight last night. He’s ordered flowers for his legal practice. A regular order too. Two dozen roses, a different colour every week.’

      Holly leaned forward to glance at the order, her heart doing a little skip and trip when she saw his name. She straightened and hoped her cheeks were not glowing as hot as they felt. ‘I don’t want his business. I loathed him on sight. He’s an egotistical jerk who thinks he only has to smile at a woman to get her into bed.’

      Jane’s eyes danced so much they could have won a dancing competition. ‘And that’s not all.’ She pointed to the bottom of the order, where it asked for special delivery instructions. ‘He wants you to deliver them in person.’

      Holly pinched her lips together. ‘I’m not a courier, for pity’s sake. I’m the owner of this business. I haven’t got time to hand deliver roses.’

      ‘His practice is walking distance from here. And if you don’t deliver them, then he says here he’ll come and get them.’ Jane’s smile was sugar sweet. ‘Won’t that be fun?’

      Holly snatched up her apron and tied it around her waist with savage movements. ‘I’m not kowtowing to that man’s outrageous demands.’

      ‘Maybe he likes you. I mean really likes you.’ Jane had gone all dreamy looking. ‘How cool would it be to be wooed and won by a man as gorgeous as him?’

      ‘You’ve been watching way too much TV,’ Holly said. ‘I don’t want to be wooed or won by anyone and particularly not by someone who doesn’t understand the word no.’

      ‘Think about it, Holly.’ Jane suddenly turned serious. ‘His interest in you could be really good for business. Did you get a photo with him? I’ve been checking social media but nothing’s come up.’

      ‘Kendra took one but she must have changed her mind about uploading it.’ Thank God.

      ‘I can see the headlines now.’ Jane swept her hand from left to right as if to highlight a billboard. ‘“Top Celebrity Divorce Lawyer Falls for Wedding Florist”.’ Her grin widened. ‘You’ll have brides queuing down the footpath once they hear you’ve caught the interest of London’s most eligible playboy.’

      Holly rolled her eyes like marbles but her brain was already doing the calculations. How long would a so-called relationship with Zack take to turn her business back around? If spurious gossip had already soured things for her, then why shouldn’t she use more gossip to turn things around?

      Because dating Zack Knight would be dangerous.

      Capital D Dangerous.

      Holly was finishing an arrangement for a new mother in hospital when the bell on the front door tinkled as someone came in. Normally Jane or one of her other assistants handled customers when she was working on an arrangement. But all three girls were currently out of the shop—Jane on a coffee break and Taylor and Leanne both away sick with colds. Holly put the arrangement to one side and came out of the workroom to the shopfront. She saw Zack Knight standing there with a lazy smile and her breath caught.

      She stayed behind the shop counter, gripping it with her hands and setting her shoulders. ‘Can I help you?’

      ‘Did you get my order?’ His deep blue eyes were backlit with amusement. Or was it mockery?

      Holly forced herself to hold his gaze. ‘I don’t take orders from customers... I mean, specific orders like the one you sent. If you want my roses or any other flowers, you’ll have to accept they’ll be delivered by my courier.’

      ‘I’ll pay you double to deliver them in person.’

      Had he somehow heard about her financial troubles? Had everyone? She would not fail. She could not fail. Holly fixed him with a steely glare and gripped the counter so hard she thought her knuckles would burst out of her skin. ‘Mr Knight, I might not have quite the disgusting amount of wealth you’ve accumulated, but let me assure you I am not in such dire financial straits that I would ever consent to accepting a bribe from you.’

      He stepped closer, so close she could smell the sharp citrus scent of his aftershave and the lighter, more subtle fragrance of cleanly showered man. So close she could feel her resolve downing tools and walking off the job. ‘Forget about the roses. Have dinner with me instead.’ It was a demand, not a request, delivered in a low, deep burr that did strange tickly things to her insides.

      Something at the back of her knees fizzed as his lips curved around a smile. She swallowed. Swallowed again. Her heart skipping like it was in a jump rope competition. She was tempted to accept. Tempted because she hadn’t been on a date for so long and she was tired of sitting alone in her flat. Tempted because she wanted to prove she wasn’t the pushover he thought her to be. It would be fun teaching him a lesson. The sort of fun she hadn’t had in a long time. She would have dinner with him and show him he couldn’t win her over with his polished charm. And if anyone saw them out and about, the gossip would bring back the brides to her shop.

      Holly released her clawlike grip on the counter and let out a you-win-this-round СКАЧАТЬ