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

A little too hard. Richard flinched, but instead of pushing him off as Ethan expected, Richard moaned, head going back, and body jerking. Ethan pulled on his skin, and rolled his hips, in some manner stakinga claim, before he managed enough self-will to pull back.


For a few seconds he didn’t think Richard would obey, but as the man blinked, swayed, and found his feet, pushing away from the wall, he appeared to rise out of a daze. Fumbled attempts to shuck several items of clothing at once might have been amusing if Ethan didn’t fight his own frustration. At last Richard reached the bed, but with nothing more than his jacket and one boot gone, and his shirt half undone.


Clean boots. Despite the lust riding him, the sight earned a roll of Ethan’s eyes. Another reminder of the two, he was the one who toiled for a living.


Chapter 29