1. All characters are 18+
2. No characters represent real people
3. Enjoy the fiction
----
CHAPTER 1
----
I almost didn't see the flower shop. It was tucked into the wall a bit, and the signage wasn't very good. You'd only see it if you were actively looking for it, which I was.
When I walked in, I saw flowers that I'd seen in other places. But I wasn't looking for normal flowers.
I had a date that night with Melody, whom I'd been crushing on for a while now. One of her friends told me she loved flowers, and that she'd be impressed if I could find something different. So no ordinary daisy or rose would do for me. I had to find something unique. So I found this little shop online. Their website wasn't fancy, but it had boasted that they had flowers no other shop did.
Behind the counter, there was a short Asian man, who I assumed was the shop owner. He had a gaze that was a little creepy, but very knowing. As I perused the bouquets, he asked in slightly-accented English, "Can I help you find something, sir?"
I ventured to the counter. If anyone could help in my quest, it would be him. "I'm looking for something unique. Something beyond the normal roses."
He smirked. "How unique are we talking about?"
I told him, "I have a date tonight, and I need something she's never seen before."
"I can help with that," he nodded. "I have rare flowers over here," he pointed to his left, "but if you're truly in the market for something one-of-a-kind, I have something better in the back."
"How much better are we talking?" I asked, implying the monetary cost.
"Not as much as you think. Come with me."
He led us into a small back room, where I saw a table with several small pots lined up on it. Each pot had the most amazing, multi-colored flowers inside. It seemed that the petals almost sparkled in the light. I also noticed that each pot had a plastic lid on top.
"These are my own hybrid," he explained. "I call them Glittariums, for the obvious reasons." He lifted a pot and brought it closer to my face, and the petals inside sparkled brightly."
"They're fantastic. I've never seen anything like that," I marvelled. "But why the plastic lids? Won't that hurt the plants?"
He smiled and explained. "These are no ordinary flower. Their scent does magical things."
Inwardly, I rolled my eyes. "Really? Magic?" I was thinking he just made that up to raise the price on gullible morons.
"Yes, magic. Here, smell." He lifted the lid a crack for me.
I sniffed it. "I smell nothing. No aroma at all."
"Yes sir. Men don't smell a thing. But women, however, smell a pheremone. It makes them intensely attracted to the man who brings them the flowers."
"Bullshit."
"I assure you, it's true!" He pleaded. "Trust me."
I did not believe his story about the magic, of course. That would be ridiculous. But these were amazing flowers, so I was still interested. "How much?"
"Only $25 per pot."
Very reasonable for something that pretty. "Sold." I dug out some money from my wallet, and paid the man.
He smiled again as he handed me the pot. "Remember, don't lift the lid until you give the woman the flowers. You will not be disappointed."
----
I showed up at Melody's place three minutes before 7, but I sat in the car for a minute, gathering myself. The small flower pot sat next to me. I eyed it again before I picked it up, and carried it to her door. Then I rang the doorbell and waited.
She answered the door with a smile. She was wearing a blue button-up blouse, a grey knee-length skirt, black heels, and her blonde hair down at her shoulders. "Hi Tom," she said. Then she saw the flower pot. "Oh. Wow. What are these?"
"Special flowers. For a special lady." I grinned. I had practiced that line in the mirror.
She was quite amazed. "They're sparkling. I've never seen flowers do that. What type of flower is this?"
"I forget the name. Glitteriums, I think?" Then I remembered about the lid. "Let me open this up for you."
I removed it, and again, I smelled no odors at all, aside from Melody's perfume. But I watched Melody's face as she obviously smelled something. Her eyes changed in a moment, and she blinked a few times. "Wow," she said. "That's a... that's an interesting smell."
"Good interesting?" I asked, hoping that I had not bought stinky flowers. If that old man swindled me, I swore I would burn his shop to the ground.
"Yes, very good." She sniffed them again, and smiled at me. "Thank you, Tom. These are wonderful. You're wonderful."
I took her arm, and led her towards the door. "Come on, I've got dinner reservations for us. Let's go have fun."
"Yes, let's go," she agreed, and we went on our way, leaving the small flower pot on the table.
----
We had a great dinner. Melody was charming and sweet and intelligent and funny and sexy. Not just sexy looking, she had this way about her that made her actions and words sexy too. It's why I was attracted to her in the first place. Our conversations were riveting.
I had met her because we worked in the same office building, for different companies. I saw her once or twice a week in the lobby, or at a nearby lunch place, or in the parking garage. She had long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and long gorgeous legs showing underneath the skirts of her conservative work outfits. I finally got to talk to her when I was behind her in line at the sandwich shop across the street. It was enough to learn her name and where she worked, and it took me a few weeks longer to ask her out. I was thrilled when she said yes.
As we drove back to her place, I could feel her eyes on me. When we stopped at a red light, I looked back at her. She had that same look in her eyes that she did right before we'd left her house.
"Do I have something on my face?" I joked.
"What? No," she said, snapping out of it. "Was I staring?"
"Maybe a bit. I'll make sure I stare back when I'm not driving."
She laughed. "Yes please. A car accident makes for a poor first date." She looked back at the road, but I could tell she was still sneaking glances at me.
As I pulled up in front of her house, I made sure to run around the car and open her door for her. She got out, and took my hand. "Umm, Tom, would you like to come in? For coffee or something?"
"I'd love to," I replied. I had not planned on getting lucky on the first date, but I didn't want the night to end, and clearly, she didn't either.
When we walked in the house, the plant was there on the table, exactly where we'd left it. She went over and sniffed it again. "The scent is so wonderful."
Then turned and looked at me. Her eyes were wide, and her breathing had quickened a bit. "Tom," she said, "I want to kiss you."
I wasn't going to turn that down. I closed the distance between us, and put my hand on her chin, tilting it up to meet me. We kissed, and it was beautiful. It felt like a storybook romance kiss, like it was meant to be.
I went to break the kiss, thinking that was enough, but she pulled me in closer and kissed me again. Her arms wrapped around my body, and she pressed her body to mine. I wrapped my arms over her shoulders, continuing the kiss for as long as she wanted it.
It was a long time, when she finally came up for air. "Wow," she said. "I don't usually do that. Not on the first date, I mean."
"Me neither. But I really liked it."
"Me too. I think, this is really fast I know, but... I think I love you."