Monthly Bonus 3 - Nat Sewell - Spring Scenario Special (Patreon)

“Peonies?” The word blurts out of me like a curse.

Nat’s bright smile falters at my tone, the small plant grasped in her hand seeming to wilt as much as she does. “You don’t like them?”

“Oh, I love them. But you do have some magic to go with them, right? ‘Cause that’s about the only way you’re going to get them to grow,” I reply, adding a slight laugh to help bring her smile back. The expression on her is like an addiction—I need a fix of it every day for as long as possible.

“Are they really that difficult?” she asks, turning her focus to the tiny green thing in her hand.

“They don’t like overcrowding. You need to plant them at just the right depth. They don’t like wind. They don’t like rain. They like sun, but not too much sun—”

Nat chuckles and steps in towards me. “Ok, I get what you’re saying. But Tina sent it over, so why not give growing it a shot?”

I lift a brow. “You’re close enough with Tina that you’re exchanging plants?”

“It was more like she was offloading them. And with how difficult they are, I kind of see why…” she mutters.

I can’t help but break into a smile. The idea that Nat is settling into Wayhaven enough that she’s making friends with my friends…It feels solid. Secure.

Like a future is truly possible.

“You’re right,” I exclaim, reaching out to carefully take the pot from her. “Let’s plant it. See how it grows.”

Her eyes shimmer, as though she understands it’s not just the plant I’m speaking about.

“We can clear a patch over by the tall hedges. They should help shelter it while it gets established,” I say, moving over to where bushes of commanding privet stand guard against the elements for the flower border behind them.

Well, it’s not much of a flower border yet. But the makings of it are there, under the mounds of ivy and weeds.

I kneel down and place the peony plant nearby, leaning forwards to start yanking out the weeds from the packed earth.

After a while, I realise I’m on my own doing it.

I glance up to Nat beside me, the sun haloing her with a bright glow. “Are you going to help?”

“You want me to…stick my hands in dirt?” She barely keeps the strain from her voice.

I scoff a laugh. “You’ve touched worse things than dirt.”

“For missions, yes. But…this stuff will get under my nails for days.”

I roll my lips together to suppress another laugh. Standing back up, I pull a pair of gardening gloves from my back pocket and gesture at Nat. She obediently holds out her hands.

I slip one of the gardening gloves over her long fingers and wriggle it up the rest of the way until it sits securely at her wrist. Then I do the same with the other.

I squeeze my fingers around her gloved ones. “There. You’re all protected.”

She leans in to rest her forehead against mine. “If only it was so easy to protect you, ya rouhi.”

“I protect myself just fine,” I reply, cupping her cheek. This close, I can see the light dance in her eyes, as though her deep brown gaze captures the very radiance of the sun itself. “I’m still here, aren’t I? Getting to spend my downtime with the only person I want to spend it with.”

“You’re trying to be romantic to change the subject,” she replies.

I shrug and lean back a little. “I’m trying to stop another argument about all the overprotective stuff before it ruins this perfect day. The Agency already benched me from doing any missions for a couple of weeks. That should make you happy.”

Her brows crush together. “The only thing that would accomplish that is you being happy.”

“And I am,” I state, cradling her face closer and kissing her lightly on the lips. A shot of warmth pours through me at the touch.

Her gaze searches mine for a long while before she sighs and wraps her arms around me, drawing us together. “I only want—need—you to be safe.”

“I know,” I murmur. “But right now, I am. And right now, we’re together. So, let’s enjoy that to the fullest.”

She smiles, leaning in to copy my gesture and peck a kiss to my mouth. I slide my tongue over my top lip to savour the moment a little longer.

We draw away, and I kneel back down to the border, setting to work on clearing out the patch. Nat does the same, tugging long vines of ivy away while I focus on the weeds.

It only takes an hour or so to clear enough of an area to plant the peony.

We stand up, arms curled around each other and smile down at our work.

“You know, even with all the difficulties, I think this peony is going to make it,” I say, turning to meet Nat’s gaze.

She brushes her lips over my cheek and whispers in my ear, “Not only will it make it. It’s going to thrive.”

My mouth finds hers, capturing the taste of that promise and enjoying not only the prospect of what is to come, but having her here with me right now.

Nat is my moment, whether that is present, past, or future. And I will do everything I can to see we always bloom.

_ _ _

I absolutely loved writing this scenario for N! Something subtle but with that intense meaning beneath.

But man, I could not stop thinking of this the entire time:

LOL!!

(From the film 'How to lose a guy in 10 days' where she has a love fern to signify their relationship)