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

What was she saying? A mental hum turned her statement into senseless noise. Her lips moved, but with nosound. Ethan had said William took a step back. Rich had assumed his sneaking into the staff house was more for Ethan’s father’s sake than for Rosie, who spent more time in the main house than the annex anyway.


“Richard. Richard! What is wrong with you? You look ill. Pour me more wine, will you? I’ve asked you twice.”


“Shut up!” Saffie snapped at their mother and placed a hand on Rich’s arm. Her fingers, icy from playing with the droplets on the side of her water glass, brought him out of his daze.


“Rich, Ethan’s father ended up in a nursing home. He died a year before our father. Ethan’s been taking care of the grounds with little help since.”


The last word barely passed Saffie’s lips before Rich was up and out of his seat. He fled the house intothe pouring rain.


Chapter 61