A warm-hearted rich man's son, Richard Gardener needs to overcome three obstacles: find a way the family business can run without him, help his mother cope with grief, and stop butting heads -- and other parts of his anatomy -- with the gardener.<br><br>Ethan Fields has worked for the Gardener family for many years. He’s struggling with debt and the desire to leave, and has loved Richard far longer than the man would believe. Ethan can cope with most things, but his anger with Richard’s mother won’t fade. Until that and his feelings for Richard are resolved, he feels trapped and, alas, the idea that sex will get Richard out of his system isn’t working.<br><br>To make the situation worse, both men assume too much and don’t say the right words, and Ethan’s offer of ‘just sex’ grows more complicated by the day. Can Richard and Ethan stop getting their wires crossed before their paths diverge?

Flowers for the Gardener

Well…he wanted an excellent reason for resisting the man’s advances and he couldn’t ask for better. So why the disappointment?


Self-doubt reared but the way Ethan glared allowed little time for self-examination. Should he ask whatwas wrong?


“Why—” The question broke off as fast as it had begun, Rich distracted by the sight of a younger man walking along an adjacent footpath, carrying several gardening implements. The stranger didn’t take his gaze from the trail and didn’t as much as glance in their direction, but Rich experienced a strangesense of the world around him both narrowing and elongating. What if the young man overheard? Had he said anything to hint at what happened between them the other day?


Cabbages. The name of a shrub. Garden plans. Nothing about sex or emotions. He was safe. “Who’s that?” He nodded to the newcomer.


Something resembling impatience made Ethan snap. “There’s a lot of work, so what’s so surprising?”


Chapter 28