Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

*

Two hours, one barn viewing and an orgasm later, Olivia sat at the island in Sven’s kitchen while he made pancakes. He had a small black apron tied around his waist but otherwise was completely naked.

She’d pulled on panties and one of his oversize T-shirts. The hem hit her midthigh—a very flattering post-coital length, she thought. She’d already set the table with plates, butter, syrup and a blueberry compote he swore he’d made himself.

Music played from hidden speakers. It had a very New Agey tone to it, but somehow it suited the man and the house. The view wasn’t bad, either, she thought, watching the muscles in his back bunch and release as he flipped pancakes.

“Do you do this a lot?” she asked. “Have midday sex and then pancakes?”

He smiled at her. “This is a first.”

“Which?”

“The pancakes after sex.”

“It’s nice that you cook. I never learned. I suppose I should. It’s traditionally female to cook.”

“Is that why you don’t?”

“Maybe.”

He piled pancakes on a plate, turned off the burner, then handed her the stack. As she carried it over to the table, he unfastened his apron and walked naked to claim a chair.

He was so unselfconscious, she thought. So beautiful. She wanted to run her hands up and down his body until they were both aroused. But first, pancakes.

“Thank you again for the offer of the barn,” she said. “It’s really going to help.”

“You’re welcome. What are you going to do with the extra money?”

“What extra money?”

He put two pancakes on her plate and took four for himself. “You’re well on your way to making the auction a success. You’re going to raise more than what’s needed for the roof. What will you do with the extra?”

It was rare for someone to have that much faith in her, she thought. “It’s not mine. I guess the tourism folks will decide. They should use it to fix up the craft mall. Right now it’s a disaster and it doesn’t have to be. It has a lot of potential.”

“You should tell them.”

She took a bite and chewed. The pancakes were light and fluffy, the blueberries just sweet enough. “Delicious,” she told him when she’d swallowed. “They don’t know me from a rock. Why would my ideas matter?”

“You’re obviously smart and you know what you’re doing. Why wouldn’t they?”

She nearly dropped her fork. “You think I’m smart.”

“No. I know you’re smart. Beautiful, too, but that’s on the surface. Although it’s easier, isn’t it? People don’t expect as much.”

“Because you trade on your looks?” she asked.

“My body more than my looks, but yes.” He smiled at her. “Ironically, my last girlfriend didn’t care about my body. She didn’t look at me the way you do.”

Olivia glanced at her plate and willed herself not to flush. “I do enjoy the show.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I enjoy looking at you, as well. Your face is perfect. Your smile draws me in and when your breasts move under the T-shirt, I get hard.” He raised his shoulders. “We like what we like. It took me a long time to figure that out.”

“Is that when you ended your last relationship?”

He nodded. “What about you? Tell me about your great loves, aside from Ryan, of course.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ryan isn’t a great love. In fact I haven’t had one. There have been men, but no one I really loved.”

“Because of them or because of you?”

“What do you mean?”

His blue gaze was steady. “Either you deliberately chose men who wouldn’t touch you or you wouldn’t let them touch you.” He held up a hand. “I don’t mean your body. I’m speaking of your heart, Olivia. I can see what you’re doing. You deliberately keep things superficial so you won’t be hurt. I’m not going to ask who wounded you, I promise. If you want to tell me, I’ll listen.”

The unexpected words, so kindly spoken, undid her. She’d been prepared for flip or casual conversation—not for a man who could see all the way down to her soul.

He’d guessed the truth about her, about why she was the way she was. She had to win at nearly any cost, all without letting anyone in. Because people who were supposed to love you betrayed you over and over again.

She started to speak and realized she couldn’t. Worse, tears burned in her eyes.

Horrified, she dropped her fork and started to stand. Before she’d made it all the way to her feet, Sven was at her side, pulling her close. He wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tight. At the same time he kissed her.

He tasted of blueberries and maple syrup. Their tongues met in a dance of hunger and need. In seconds she was wet and ready.

Even as he lifted her onto the counter and drew off her panties, a part of her brain pointed out that escape was only temporary. Eventually she was going to have to face what she was feeling. Then he drew off the T-shirt and cupped her breasts. As he entered her she was able to pretend once again that absolutely nothing was wrong.





13

“You’re happy,” Griffith said as Sven whistled softly.

“I’m a happy man.”

Griffith knew his friend to be even-tempered but he rarely whistled. “You’re freaking me out a little.”

Sven grinned. “Then I’ll stop.”

They were in Griffith’s office, going over different garden designs for the most popular tiny homes. Griffith had decided to offer mat gardens as an option and needed pictures for his website along with a few posters for the showroom. He and Sven had taken pictures and were now choosing the best ones.

“I heard from my cousin Lars,” Sven said. “He’ll have the custom pieces to you by the end of the month.”

“I look forward to seeing how they work.”

Lars was a carpenter who had designed several multipurpose pieces for the tiny homes. Chairs that folded down into beds or staircases with hidden storage. They were well-made from reclaimed wood. Not cheap, but there was a market for them.

“I’m going to ask him to donate something to the auction,” Sven added.

Griffith chuckled. “Trying to impress the new girl?”

Sven winked. “You know it. She’s very different from her sister.”

“I’ll take your word on that.” Griffith couldn’t imagine anyone being more interested in Olivia than Kelly, but that was just him. “Kelly’s more my style.”

“She likes you.” Sven flipped to another picture. “You’re one of the reasons I broke up with her.”

Griffith stared at his friend. “Me?”

“I saw how she looked at you when she thought no one was watching. She never looked at me like that.”

Griffith didn’t know what to say. Shouting with delight and pumping his fist seemed to be in bad taste. “I, ah—”

“I know you didn’t do anything while we were together. I’m glad you’re dating her.” He hesitated. “We were never meant to last as long as we did. There wasn’t enough chemistry. Kelly’s very quiet and I’m not.”