Page 3 of Protecting my Zinnia

I race home, shower and put on a nicer shirt, painfully aware that I haven't been on a date in ages.

Something worries me on the drive to her apartment. Marty said that the flower girls were all in their early twenties, and I'm guessing that Zinnia is the youngest. She's so beautiful. So fresh faced and innocent. It makes me think embarrassingly impure thoughts.

I mean, I'm one of the good guys and totally trustworthy, but does she have any idea how dangerous it is for her to go out with a stranger?

I park in front of the building with three small stores at street level and the girls' apartment above. Looking up at the living room window, I see the curtain move. Probably one of her sisters, watching for me.

Stepping into the entryway at the bottom of the stairs, I look up to see Zinnia already coming down to meet me. My heart pumps forward and back as if it's staggering.

She's utterly gorgeous.

I try to keep my staring subtle. Her long auburn hair is wavier, and she's wearing a bit of smudged brown eyeliner that makes her blue eyes even more riveting.

Her porcelain skin, her willowy limbs in a simple dark purple dress… Everything about her is angelic.

A force of lust slams through me like a lightning bolt. I've never wanted a woman like this. Never craved anyone or anything with this kind of instant force.

I need her. Need her to be mine. Need to protect her and care for her and—

Say something, dude.

"Hi, beautiful," I manage. "You look absolutely stunning." Zinnia is nervous, which I want to fix immediately.

The skin on her cheekbones glows slightly pink. "Thank you," she whispers.

I hold out my arm as we step out into the street, and notice she has a sweater draped over her shoulder bag. "It's pretty warm. I don't think you'll need that."

"You'd think so, right?," she laughs. "But I'm a freak of nature. I'm cold all the time. 'Sokay. I'm used to it."

As she wraps her hand around my arm, I feel a strange sense of pride. I shouldn't feel so incredible just walking her down the street. But I do. I need to focus on making the best impression possible.

The restaurant is only a few blocks away, and I stop a few doors down in front of a gift shop that's thankfully open late. "Before we eat, could you spare a few moments to share your female gift-selecting powers?"

Zinnia giggles sweetly. "I wasn't aware I had those, but sure."

We walk inside and I explain that I need gifts for two very special ladies in their mid-fifties. I stand back as Zinnia begins chatting with the sales clerk, filling gift baskets with a strange assortment of items that I would never have thought of.

Picking up a slender flat box, I look at the photo skeptically. "People put green goop on their face, and that's a good time?" They both laugh at me, and I can tell that Zinnia is gauging my reaction. I chuckle along with them, totally unfazed. "Okay, you're the experts."

They arrange two large sturdy baskets that they assure me can be reused afterward. Inside are everything from moisturizing masks to cuticle cream to bath bombs filled with flower petals. Instead of commenting about all of that organic material clogging the pipes, I keep my mouth shut and arrange for delivery tomorrow around noon.

I place Zinnia's hand lightly on my arm again as we walk to the restaurant. "I hope you like Greek food."

Her eyes light up. "Love it."

Once we're seated next to each other in a cozy back corner with saganaki on the way, Zinnia asks, "Who were the gifts for?"

"My mother and her best friend Renee." As I turn to face her, our knees brush under the table, and I'm pleased when she doesn't move away.

"Mom was in a minor car accident a few weeks ago. Her hip had always had problems, and this made it worse. So they replaced it, then kept her in for some physio and to make sure she healed enough before they sent her home."

Zinnia smiles warmly. "I'm so glad that she's all right."

"Thank you."

I've already taken her hand. It seems so natural, and she leans closer. "She's being released tomorrow morning, which is why I was so frantic in the hardware store when her friend called. Renee is a nurse, so she's going to be helping Mom over the next few weeks. She's kind of like an aunt to me."

"That's sweet," Zinnia says. "Lovely of you to get gifts for both of them."