a/n: dear all, I don't usually like doing this because I like to have the story speak for itself, but since you're all so sweet to me and stick with me through the second book, i really feel like we're all friends and i love you guys too much and i don't like disappointing you, so i want to explain a little bit before you read further.

while some of you think of this book as a romance, it really isn't. like the first book, i'm more interested in exploring relationships from a different and hopefully more realistic aspect. this is not an ideal love story. if you're looking for grand gestures, chasing and pursuing, people fighting to stay together against all odds, an epic love that never wavers...then i'm probably going to let you down.

we're reading Sean and Flora's story as onlookers, so even though it may seem like they're feverishly in love all through these years, they're really not. they're not thinking of getting back together all the time. they're more like two people who care a lot about each other, who carry a part of each other with them, who bury that love somewhere so deep even they overlook it sometimes, and their passion flares up every time they meet, but they also have a lot of other things going on in their respective lives. i don't know how to explain this better.

people are complicated. there's not a clear cut black and white, right and wrong, in love versus total indifference. i think it's completely normal and necessarily that they date other people and not all their relationships are rebounds. they get attracted to other people too. yes, they will never forget each other and they will always 'love' each other, but this "i'll wait for this person forever and i'll never love someone this way again" mindset, while romantic, is also quite dangerous.

we have memories and it's not always possible to ask for a 100% clean slate but that's what makes us human. trying to move on is natural. not giving up on the chance to find love is healthy. i hope this explains the previous chapters and i really hope you still love the story. after everything that i said, i still really like the idea of Sean and Flora together and i hope this chapter finally makes you happy. thank you for all the support and wonderful comments; you make me teary after every chapter too so i think we're even ;)

∞

Sean Foster sat in the spacious meeting room and tapped his pen against the table, wondering for the briefest second about how he got here. This office in Midtown boosted natural light through its dark-framed floor-to-ceiling windows and an interior almost made up entirely of glass, metal, and architectural concrete—or in Fred's words, the look of success. Fred believed in appearances.

One of the engineers, Timothy, glanced at his face and closed the file he was presenting, like he was embarrassed to keep it up there on the monitor.

Tim swallowed. "What do you think, boss?"

Sean cringed every time he wasn't addressed by his first name. "I like your idea a lot," he said, "and the execution is even better. In fact, I'd be hugely impressed if I were doing business with you."

Timothy relied on encouragements. If this were Seo-jun, Sean would tell him directly that it wasn't quite up to par. William needed a constant push, while Priya hated to be reminded; tell her once and she'd deliver with precision. Clayton and Steve were their newest members and he had interviewed them over tequila shots, his reasoning being that he only wanted to work with people he'd gladly drink with. He felt respected by his team, who would take a figurative bullet for him anytime and vice versa.

Coding with these people was the fun part. It was being an employer that he had to struggle with.

"But you're one of my best developers, Tim, and I know you're more than this. Do you think this is as ready as can be, or maybe you can show me something even more polished if I give you two more days?

"I can do better."

He smiled what he hoped was a warm smile. "Cool."

It was hard to get around the fact that within two years, they went from the dream trinity to a glossy office with 35 employees. With power he wasn't sure how to maneuver, Sean felt like a toddler operating an excavator. He had ten developers working for his tech team now, but it didn't give him the freedom to sit back. He spent equal if not more energy on personnel management on top of technical strategies. Managing people stressed him out.

Maybe after a while he could start thinking about bringing on a VP of engineering so he could finally do what he really loved, which was getting holed up in an obscure coffee house somewhere and working alone.

Fred drove him up the wall sometimes, but Sean was always the first to defend him if anyone were to complain about his overbearingness, and after a few drinks, Fred would sling a leaden arm around his shoulder and tell him that "Seany, you're my best investment. You're like my kid brother but you get stuff done" before going off to hit on girls. Fred's CEO title worked better than any aphrodisiac. Melissa Ng, on the other hand, was incredibly easy to work with. She pulled out pretty spreadsheets with budget estimates like pulling out a tissue, and the best part was she didn't hold a grudge after finding out he was a coffee addict. They had become good friends and Sean promised to help keep her office romance a secret.

After spending 12 hours in the office on average, Sean would take the subway back to his rented loft. He got it through a great deal Fred helped him land. Located in Williamsburg, it was surrounded by quirky coffeehouses and some of the coolest bars in the city, and he was especially appreciative of the vaulted ceiling, huge windows, and exposed brick walls.

It took him two weeks to get settled in this close-to-perfect life, but when it came to personal relationships, there wasn't anything sparkly to talk about. Breaking up with Heather didn't leave him heart-broken, but it was enough to depress him extensively. He liked being with her, and if the marriage issue had never come up, he would've been happy without complaints in Massachusetts.

And then there was Flora.

She was like a thorn stuck in the back of his heart and even though the bleeding stopped, the wound never healed. He got used to the dull pain since he'd had lots of practice. They had uncountable fond memories together, but missing her had started to feel like missing childhood and an old neighborhood; he still cared about her deeply but perhaps he had moved on.

Perhaps she had, too. Two years was a long time, after all.

He picked up his phone and dialed. Why did her phone go straight to voicemail again?

Sean had wondered many times about the when and how of meeting Flora again. He could feel her everywhere in the city.

Perhaps they would catch each other's eyes through the window while she was picking up a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery, or while they were waiting in line to get into a club in the Meatpacking District, or maybe they'd run into each other on the stairs of MoMA, both slightly out of breath, or maybe he'd jog past her in Central Park before doing a double take.

In the end, it happened rather anticlimactically. They met in a coffee shop after she called him.

"You're here and you don't even call," she said on the phone. "How rude. Don't you know this is my territory?"

"I did. I called you and left you half a dozen messages...I thought you were still ignoring me."

She groaned. "I was out of the country and my phone broke. Just got it fixed two days ago," she said. "Perfect timing as usual."

"How do you know I'm in New York?"

"I have my resources..." She trailed off. Her tone was light and natural, as if she didn't just spend the past 2 years of her life shunning him. "Alright, Jake called me this morning, which is weird because he never calls me. He started the conversation by singing hello from the other side, and at first I thought he wanted me to invest in he and Dylan's bar—speaking of which, how could you let them go with the name Jaylan? Doesn't sound like the hottest bar in town, to be honest."

"Well, they want a combination of their names. It's either that or Dyke, so..."

Flora chuckled like they were friends who spoke everyday. "Anyway, he asked me if I wanted to hear the good news or the better news first. Turns out you've not only relocated here, but you're here alone. I have to start donating to charity more often because apparently Karma does exist."

She was as chirpy as he remembered and the whole conversation felt surreal. He kept waiting for himself to wakeup, but if this were a dream, it sure stretched on long. It stretched on all the way through the afternoon until she was sitting across from him, and Sean finally allowed himself to believe that this was truly happening, that he got to feel the steam rise up from his Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee while she blew at her caramel latte.

She looked almost the same. Just prettier.

"I bet you have a load of questions," Flora said, "and I bet I can guess what they are. Question one. Dear Flora, why did you never contact me?"

"Um, yes. That's on the top of my FAQs list."

She nodded and the dark blue ribbon she wore in her hair bounced with it. Her eyes were large and hypnotizing. "Well, at first it's just like I told you. I was heartbroken and I needed a break. That lasted for weeks...no, months."

Sean stopped sipping his coffee and listened. She was nonchalant, but he didn't dare imagine how those months had been like for her.

"Then I started feeling a little better. I wanted to hear your voice and I thought, maybe I can do this. I can be your friend and just see how you're doing. But then I thought of it from your side."

"From my side? But I was dying to hear from you!"

She nodded slowly, taking a few long sips from her mug before she spoke. "I know, but would you be comfortable if the roles were reversed, and you were in Heather's position? Would you like it if she had a male friend, no, soul mate," she corrected with a slight tinge of bitterness, "who had a lot of history with her and is still in her life, keeping in constant touch?"

She took another sip and said, "I don't want to put you in that position. I wouldn't like a Flora in Sean's life if I were Heather, either."

Sean rubbed his temple. He was surprised and moved by this altruism, coming from the same beautiful Flora who used to do things that pleased herself.

"People have pasts," he said. "We wouldn't have done anything out of line."

"Yeah, but I know you had feelings for me, Sean. I don't want you to wonder if you made the right choice every time you see me or hear from me...we were never just friends and you know it. It'd be like...you're mentally cheating on her. I don't want to jeopardize your integrity."

Flora was right. He did wonder, often at the most unexpected moments. Her lashes fluttered and it was exactly how he pictured in many sleepless nights. He had the hardest time forgetting small things like this.

She set down the mug with a light clatter. "In a twisted way, I actually like that you rejected me. I'd rather you focus on her so you're always this great guy...this perfect boyfriend who chooses what you have and be content with it, even though it sucks for me. You're so rational it's downright infuriating, but I also really respect that. I'm happy you didn't go back and forth between the two of us."

Sean heard a loud thud in his heart. Flora just completely got him. She acted on impulsive while he was the opposite, but she understood him and never judged him for it. Of all the people, she was the one person that commended him for sticking to Heather and trying to move on.

"I needed you to be happy with her because that's the only way my sacrifice would be worth it," she said, "and I thought I could help by staying away. Does that make sense?"

His chest tightened. "Absolutely."

"And it was good for me too. I couldn't move on with you in the picture because I kept comparing everyone to you. I needed to learn to properly say goodbye." She stirred at her drink, and then she put down the spoon and met his eyes. "But Sean, of all the reasons, not one of it was because I wanted to hurt you or get back at you. I know it was a hard choice for you to make and I want you to know that I don't blame you. Maybe it's hard precisely because both choices are the right ones."

Flora made his heart melt like the caramel swirl on her latte. He rubbed his palm over one eye as his throat constricted. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I'm just glad life circumstances brought us together again. Which brings me to the second question you might want to ask. Flora, are you ready to be friends again?"

Sean nodded. It had become hard to relax his throat. "Yes, I'd like to know the answer to that question very much."

Flora smiled at him with the radiance of a thousand flowers all blooming at once. "Yes. I'm always ready for you, dear Sean. Of course we can be friends again."

He was dazed and speechless at how easy she was making it for him. He swallowed and tried to sound normal. "Thank you, Flora."

"Third question," she went on. "What have you been up to after you disappeared right off the radar, Flora? What unspeakable horror made you sound like you aged 10 years?"

Sean smiled at her tone, liking the astounding maturity she now possessed and also the familiar playfulness of the way she always conducted a conversation like she was giving an interview. Only she was now interviewing herself.

"Well, I was depressed in the beginning so I dove headfirst into work," Flora said, answering her own question. "A few more months after that, I got in this whirlwind romance with my boss at Esquire, only to find out he cheated on his ex with me. I was the other woman, you know, but I was already in too deep when I found out. I should've dumped him right away but I was infatuated...I blame his suit because that guy really knows his way around fashion."

"But it's over now?"

"Ugh, of course. It ended after he cheated on me. It's true when they say cheaters gonna cheat and it made me really sad for a while...not because of breaking up with him, but because as it turns out, I didn't get my job as assistant editor because of what I can do. It's not because I was a damn good intern or because of my style blog with 487 thousand followers or my impeccable taste...it's because my boss is a slimeball who likes how my legs look when I wear a romper."

"You would've gotten that job anyway," Sean said, meaning it. "Don't let him doubt your abilities just because you look great."

"Yeah. I guess." Flora nodded. "By the way, you're not allowed to subscribe to Esquire anymore. We hate Esquire. We're switching to GQ from now on."

He chuckled. "Got it. I'll cancel my subscription right away." It felt so good when she said we, like they were a team. She knew he would back her anytime.

"After that I dated a few people," Flora continued, "but I've decided that maybe I just like dating. Nothing more. Maybe to me it's not about finding the one but to find self-fulfillment...like I don't hate the idea of falling in love, but I'm not actively seeking. That's acceptable, too, right? I mean am I weird for not wanting to get married?"

"I feel you a hundred percent on the not wanting to get married thing. To each their own, but it seems to have become a life goal to some people when there's so much more in life to focus on."

Flora nodded vehemently. "Exactly. Exactly. But then life threw another curve ball at me, and I accepted a proposal and now I'm up to my elbows with wedding planning. It takes so much effort—"

Sean could practically feel all the blood drain from his face and bleed out from his heart, and then it was as if a bucket of icy water rained down on him and made him shudder. "You're getting married?" he croaked.

"—just to decide what flavor the cake filling should be, not to mention—"

"You're getting married."

Flora smiled patiently at him. "How do you feel about this piece of information?"

"I...I...Oh God." He held his head with both of his hands as he fought against the nausea rising up. His stomach clenched. His scalp prickled and suddenly he couldn't breathe. "I can't...Jesus. This is a shock."

"Are you happy for me?"

"I'm going to puke."

He wanted to scream but no sound came out. He had no right to say anything but this fucking hurt. This felt like betrayal.

Flora threw back her head and laughed. "Gotcha. Oh my God that was extremely satisfying! I just really wanted to see your reaction...see if you can really be happy for me..." She laughed some more, showing all her pearly teeth. "Ah that makes me feel so good!"

"Wait. So was that a joke? Are you getting married or not?"

"I got a job proposal to work for an event planning company and I specialize in wedding planning now."

He blinked. "I hate you."

"Sorry. Forgive me for being a little bitter. Just had to get back at you for a sec there." She laughed heartily. "You're a big hypocrite, Sean."

"You're a brutal woman, Flora."

"I'm not getting married," she said as she gazed at him, full of smile and all indulgent, and his heart slowly climbed back to its usual place. "I'm not even dating anyone in particular."

"Tell me which charity I should donate to."

She grinned, pushing back a strand of loose hair. She ate half of her cheese cake and pushed the rest of it across the table towards him, and he picked up her used fork just like the old times.

"My turn to ask you questions," Flora said. "How are you settling in? Everything okay so far?"

Sean gave her a brief report about his company and his apartment while Flora responded as usual with enthusiasm before she went on to her second question.

"I'm going to a bar opening tomorrow night with my roommates Liz and Carrie," she said. "Do you wanna come with? I'd love to meet Fred and Melissa, too."

"That sounds great, thank you for asking."

Sean half expected her to grill him about Heather, but she didn't. There was no dwelling on the past, just looking forward. This Flora had the same core; playful, forgiving, friendly with a good heart, but she was also someone different now.

"Okay, last question." Flora leaned in. "This is a little embarrassing..."

Here it comes.

"...but what brand is your dress shirt? I can't tell."

It was a simple walnut-colored shirt, but when the sleeves were rolled up, the blue lining on the inside of cuffs showed. It was the third shirt he tried on before meeting her, and Sean felt like he passed a small test. "It's Dries Van Noten," he said.

"He's my favorite out of the The Antwerp Six! It's so glamorously eccentric," she said, and the edge of her lips curled up into a smile as she leaned back into her chair. "No further questions, your honor."

She ordered a second cup of latte and said she liked the place he chose. A small amount of victory built up in his chest, and he was delighted that she wasn't underwhelmed by his new favorite hangout. She went on to tell him details about her job, her roommates, some of the hidden gastronomy gems in the city, and how much she enjoyed her life right now. She was happy, he could tell. He hoped he could at least add a tiny ounce to that happiness.

When they were standing outside and ready to say goodbye, Sean said, "Can I ask one more question?"

"Go ahead."

He gazed in her familiar hazel eyes and swallowed. "Can I get a hug?"

Flora glanced up at him. For the briefest moment her shoulders tensed, and then she took a step towards him and put her arms around his waist.

As her namesake perfume hit his face, Sean felt a lump swell up his throat. All it took was a short coffee date for him to fall again. Like a stretched coil spring, he snapped right back and this time the impact was stronger than ever.

He laid his palms tenderly against her shoulder blades, feeling her hair splashing down his fingers like spring rain. He thought of snow melting and water cutting into rocks and mountains crumbling. He thought of glaciers running into cool streams. It was like getting over a huge fight, a long bitter war, and eventually returning home.

"I missed you," he said. His voice was raspy to his own ears.

"Not as much as I've missed you."

"You just completely exiled me from you life," he said, choking up, realizing how wounded he had been as all the hurt bubbled to surface. "I needed you but you ignored me for two years."

"22 months, 3 weeks, and 4 days."

He shut his eyes and tried to hold the tears back. "You're so cruel," he murmured. It sounded more like a teary whine and he felt like a kid. A kid who was honest with his feelings, who complained, who forgot to say the right things and act like a gentleman for once.

"You made me," Flora said, and he could hear the watery sadness in it. She sniffled. "You told me I was your soul mate and then you went home to another girl. You're cruel."

He said sorry and she did too. It felt like another type of very adult relationship, the kind that started due to acceptance, understanding and finally figuring out exactly what mattered to the both of them.

He was turning 25 in a few months, and he felt exactly as he did at 17 after every argument. Weak, relieved, emotional, but also the overwhelming desire to smile.

"Welcome back," Flora said.

∞

"Sandy—you know, my best friend from high school—thinks I let him off too easy," Flora said. She was sitting in the living room with Elizabeth as they got ready for another night out with Sean and his friends. "She says it's nauseating the way I run back to him every chance I get."

Elizabeth shrugged. "What are you supposed to do? Make him go through a fraternity initiation before he's allowed to talk to you again?"

Flora chuckled. She knew Sandra's logic—make him work for it, make him suffer a bit for choosing Heather over her, but she just didn't have it in her heart to give him a hard time. It would be like holding a grudge against a puppy for chewing through your designer shoes. He was too cute and innocent.

Not to mention how seductive he was in the trim-fit shirts he often wore with the top two buttons undone and the sleeve rolled up.

"I just can't bring myself to be mad at him," she said. "He knows exactly how to tug on my heartstrings."

"Flo, you've been pining over this guy since always. Now he's here, you jump at the chance to reconnect again! Don't make it harder for the both of you."

"That's exactly what I said! But Sandy's fiercely loyal to me and I love her for that."

"Yeah, but Sandy's not the one in love with him so easy for her to say. I've never been able to understand this vengeance," Liz said, squinting at the mirror as she checked out how Flora's YSL lipstick looked on her. "Obviously if he was a bad boyfriend who cheated on you, he didn't deserve a backward glance, but he was just figuring out himself like the rest of us. I like how you don't keep score and I bet he appreciates that."

"Liz, thank you. I'm glad you don't think I'm lame for being completely defenseless when it comes to Sean."

Elizabeth smacked her lips together. "If you really want to punish him, give him a good spank after you get back together."

Flora giggled. "Why are you such a huge supporter of him? You've only met him twice so far."

"Hmm...let's see...he fixed our WiFi," Liz said, running a hair through her hair and pulling it into a high ponytail. "You've got to love a man for that. He did some magic to my laptop and now it runs so much faster. He's got some really charming friends and it's like our social life went through an upgrade. I love hanging out with his co-workers! He's unbelievably cute...I don't know how you restrain yourself, but if I were straight I'd jump him in a second."

Trust Liz to come up with the shallowest reasons, Flora thought with amusement.

"And he's only shy when he's around you," Liz said, looking at her through the mirror. "Have you noticed that?"

"I feel kind of shy around him too."

"You both act like people around their first loves...oh wait, you are." Liz blew a loose strand of hair off her forehead. "So when are you getting married? I'm still waiting."

"That's jumping too far ahead. We haven't spoken in two years and I've only seen him 6 times—not that I'm counting—since he came to New York. We're just starting to learn how to be friends again."

"Uh-huh. Right."

"I mean, it's totally normal to stare at your friend's lips when he talks, right?"

"Totally."

"And get goose bumps when he leans over you to check the signal on your computer?"

"Standard reaction for friends," Liz played along.

"And send each other 8 billion texts every day?''

"I wouldn't expect any less."

"And fantasize about ripping his shirt apart so I can grope his chest?"

"What kind of friend are you if you don't even fantasize about groping him?"

Flora laughed.

"But his chest is where you want to grab?" Liz shook her head. "Bad friend you are."

Flora wasn't in denial. She understood clearly what Sean meant to her and where she wanted this to go, but for the first time in her life, she wasn't anxious.

Slow and steady wins the race. She liked the pace of their rejuvenated relationship and she felt certain that Sean was on the same page. She liked being with him when it was just the two of them, but she also enjoyed a big group hangout where they were the hinges that connected friends from both sides. She savored each one of his discreet smiles and lingering gazes, their inside jokes and texts that got flirtier by the minute, and how they always made some lame excuses to leave first so they could catch a few moments of alone time, even if they got plenty already.

This was one of the best parts of a blooming relationship because this was a passing phase that she'd never get back again. It was like tearing open an envelope without knowing who sent the card, or like the process of opening a present, or the few seconds before the right pair of lips touched your own. Every day was soaked in anticipation during the heat up. This obscurity and tentativeness was something long-term couple had to give up in exchange of more profound things, therefore Flora cherished it.

Their friends were all waiting for them to happen, and Flora knew it would.

She was confident and at ease.

She hadn't been this happy in a very long time.

∞

Melissa Ng sat in the swivel chair in the meeting room, wondering how long it would be until they reached an agreement. She adored working with both guys, especially since they were more than generous to her when they gave her 10% of equity on top of her salary, but this took too long.

She was dying to hop out of the office for something icy to drink.

"We can't meet the deadline you gave us," Sean said, and Melissa noticed with interest how he always used the word we when he mentioned his team of developers. "I know when I can push them and when they've reached a limit. What you're asking is unreasonable."

"You never say no to me," Fred said with his jaw tight. "There's a tide coming and you either catch it or get swept under. What do you think, Mel?"

"We're expanding too fast," Melissa said.

"You don't want them to burn out before they even get to the beach," Sean said. "What we really need is an afternoon off to picnic at Central Park or something. We all know how to work, but sometimes I feel like we forgot how to unwind."

"You can picnic after this project is complete, Seany," Fred said like the idea disgusted him.

Melissa wondered what she wouldn't give to have a glass of orange juice right now.

A hesitant knock sounded at the door. Fred and Sean frowned simultaneously, even though Sean's annoyance was slightly less transparent.

"Sean, there's someone here to see you," Tim said, opening the door.

"I don't have an appointment," Sean said.

"She said her name is Flora Morgan."

"Oh." Sean whipped his head around to look at his co-workers. "Um...could I? Five minutes."

"Two minutes," Fred said, but his face relaxed. They had all met her and Melissa thought Flora and Sean were the cutest couple she'd ever seen, even though they both denied it.

Sean said a hasty thanks before running outside, but Melissa could see he was already smiling.

Fred and her peered at their CTO through the glass wall, both amused at how he acted like a kid on a trip to Disney World. Flora was carrying a large box and Sean took it from her hands before setting it down on a table nearby.

"I'm so slow," Melissa said. "I didn't even realize MsMorgan was named after Flora until now."

"I thought you were a genius," Fred said. "Can't you tell he's whipped?"

"Everyone can tell."

"Look at him giggling and blushing like a middle schooler with his crush."

He wasn't doing either of these things, but the whole office could smell his giddiness. They watched him rub the back of his neck. He had a smile on his face that made his eyes turn into curved moons. He said something and pointed at the box, then he picked up two bottles of what looked like juices. As Sean headed back, they both pretended they were looking at the documents in their hands.

"Flora brought us fruit drinks," Sean popped his head in and announced merrily.

Melissa let out a whoop.

Flora appeared behind him, looking stylish in a leather pencil skirt and a peach-colored top. She greeted them and it was like a sliver of sunlight poured in the meeting room. She was stunning, but the most special thing about her was the atmosphere she created, like she could be your best friend. She was the kind of girl you'd love to have a sleepover with as you flipped through magazines for hairstyle inspirations and talked about topics like 'is he into me or is he just being polite?'

"You carried 40 bottles of juice over here by yourself?" Fred asked.

"I took a cab," Flora said. "The driver is the nicest person ever and he helped me get it in the elevator. I figured you guys work too hard and you need some vitamins."

"It's just what I need," Melissa said. "You're a life saver!"

"My pleasure." Flora beamed. "I love your bangs, by the way. You have to text me the name of your salon."

"You had a haircut?" Fred asked.

Melissa looked at Flora. "You're the only person who noticed."

"I see Mel's face and I only see spreadsheets," Fred said.

"Must be hard working around geeks, right?" Flora asked, flicking her eyes over Sean's face briefly. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and glanced away, giving away the clue that she secretly adored geeks. "Sorry to interrupt your meeting. I'll get going now."

Sean looked at her with apparent longing on his face before he cleared his throat. "Is it possible to take a quick break? I could use a walk to...blow off some steam."

Fred threw up his hands. "I knew it."

"I didn't even eat lunch," Sean said.

"Keep calm and drink some juice, Fred," Melissa said, picking up the vitamin mix drink from the table. "He needs his creative fuel."

Fred shook his head and sighed. "Go. Get your ass back here in an hour."

Sean grabbed Flora's hand. "You heard him," he said. "We better start running. Talk to me at double-speed."

Flora chuckled and the pair of them ran off like one of those annoyingly sweet couples.

∞

"Are you sure you don't want some real food?" Flora asked as Sean got a bag of M&M's from the newsstand. He tore open the package as he walked.

"This is real food," he said, dropping some in her upturned palm. "I haven't had a proper lunch break for at least a week now."

Flora sighed. "I knew it."

For someone so successful with his business, Sean was surprisingly clueless when it came to taking care of himself. He usually ate a bag of chips at his desk and called it lunch. He had circles under his eyes and he looked like he lost weight. He was leaner than before in his  fitted dress shirt.

"There's an Italian restaurant right over there." Flora pointed. "At least let me buy you a chicken pita to go."

He agreed, so they headed towards that direction.

"You know what this feels like?" he asked, smiling as they waited in line. Sunlight glistened on his thick lashes. "It's like cutting German class in high school. Thanks for rescuing me."

Flora smiled at the memory. Back in high school they snuck out so they could make out, but now she was happy just to make sure his physiological need to eat was fulfilled.

"You haven't been getting much sleep lately," she observed.

"We have a new project coming up, so yeah...I go home around midnight, but every morning I force myself to get up at five thirty so I can go jogging. It clears my head."

"I get tired just hearing that. You're so hard on yourself," Flora said. Instead of worrying whether he'd have time for her, she found herself wondering if there was anything else she could do for him. She paid the cashier and reached over for the two bags of chicken pitas she ordered.

"No, this right now is actually my dream life. I'm right where I want to be. I like working," he said, then he peered at her and smiled, "and this...taking a break to meet you...it's revitalizing. I'm very happy you stopped by."

She handed over one bag of food after they sat down on the bench outside the restaurant. "I was a bit hesitant because I didn't want to get in the way of your meetings and such."

"No way," he said, then he took a large bite into his food. "Fred's been pushing us really hard, though. You know how much I admire him...he's a leader with great visions and we wouldn't be where we are today without him, but sometimes he's too idealistic. I want to deliver everything he asks to implement our business strategy, but I also know how long it takes to build something new. He doesn't believe me."

"What does your tech team feel about this?"

"They think he's the devil," Sean said, "which is very unfair to Fred. Someone's got to lay down the rules in this office and act like the boss, as you know. My team like me because I stay late with them every night, but they don't understand Fred put in more effort than anyone else in this company."

"You know what this reminds me of? You're like a general eating, sleeping and fighting alongside your troop, while Fred's sitting there on the Iron Throne signing treaties and drawing up strategies...of course they're going to think he's some overly-ambitious mad king who doesn't care about them."

"Yes. Yes."

"You should ask him to stay behind one night," Flora said. "He doesn't have to pull an all-nighter with the rest of you, but at least show up for a while and give a pep talk or something. Sometimes all people need to hear are some words of encouragement to keep them going. Your team gets to show him they're working their tails off for him, and Fred gets to prove he has a heart. He might also understand that some demands are just impossible to meet."

Sean looked at her for a while and Flora felt her heart hammer. "You should come work with us, Flora," he said. "I can pay you really well, but I won't hire you because Fred bans office romance."

"That pretty much contradicts the only reason I'd want to work with you."

He smiled. "Office romance is overrated anyway. I'd much rather date someone who works in an entirely different field. An event planning company would be ideal."

"What a delightful coincidence," Flora said. "I heard people who work in event planning strictly date founding CTOs."

His smile deepened and he brushed a strand of hair off her face.

His kiss would probably be composed of a slight tinge of lemon juice and oregano, Flora thought. Maybe with a dab of olive oil.

It was completely normal to wonder what your friend's mouth tasted like, right?

∞

Flora: had the worst day ever. help Oct 23 09:15PM

Sean: Where are you?

Flora: home

Sean: Be there in 36 minutes

Sean: Wait for me

Flora: ❤️

Sean: ❤️

It would take him 3 minutes to get ready and leave the house, 23 minutes to get to where she was, and an extra ten minutes so he could pick up some cupcakes on the way. He changed into a basic white Maison Margiela t-shirt which didn't look that special at first glance, but after trying it on at the store, he had to admit designer items weren't all that overrated. Flora would spot the difference and probably tell him something nice about how modish it was.

He didn't even need to ask if she wanted him to come over anymore. They had both visited each other a number of times, and he remembered the first time she came to his apartment, she had walked up and down before sticking her face out of the balcony, and then she had shut the floor-to-ceiling window and asked, "When can I move in?"

He had laughed, surprised to find that he was nervous about her reaction. She had complimented him on his good taste and he remembered feeling ridiculously relieved that she liked his place. He liked hers, too, and since then, they had engaged themselves in a series of indoor activities when they weren't out exploring the city with their friends.

She once suggested a home-cook meal but expected him to do the cooking, so he searched online and made her beef stroganoff, which wasn't stunning but was at least a marked improvement compared to the spaghetti he made for her in high school. They went on a movie marathon and watched the full trilogy of the Godfather, after which she refused to leave, so he offered his bed and took the sofa himself. They shared a Chinese takeaway in front of the television and he let her have the last spring roll, but she said it was so delicious they had to share the last piece so they did. She was delighted when she found a pack of marshmallows in his cupboard; he told her those weren't for him as he filled her mug of hot chocolate with so many pieces, they nearly fell through the rim. She smiled at him and she was sweeter than chocolate.

These late night dates were so good, Sean almost wanted to stay in this phase forever. They seemed to be best like this when they were more than friends but not quite there at the next level, and every time sex came into the picture, it complicated everything.

But the key word there was almost. He almost wanted to stay friends, but he didn't. They were too much of everything to pretend that the current state was perpetual, so he allowed himself to ease into this role of a title-less boyfriend, bit by bit, while simultaneously planning how to declare his love to her, to show her that this relationship didn't happen out of convenience.

He chose her because it was always her. He chose her because she was Flora Morgan and there was no one else for him, even though he was too stupid to realize it before. Now that she was back in his life, he planned on having her stay forever.

But better to focus on her worst day ever right now. Flora threw open the door and on seeing him, she flung herself in his arms. Sean caught her body with surprise.

"Hey. Hey." He patted her back. "What happened?"

"Thank God you're here," she said and pulled back. She squinted at him. "Is that Maison Margiela? I love guys in Maison Margiela! Very mysterious and modish."

"I knew you were going to say that."

She smiled. "Liz and Carrie aren't here. They both have some steamy hot dates and probably won't even come home."

She took him by the hand and led him inside the house. Her fingers were delicate and soft.

"I brought you red velvet cupcakes," he said.

"They're my favorite! Thank you. By the way, that explains the extra time. I thought it was 23 minutes between us."

23 minutes and a lot more between us, he thought, watching the infuriating shoulder strap of her nightgown slip off her shoulder. She pushed it up again and headed to her room, like it was normal for him to be there. She even picked up a bottle of wine from the kitchen first.

They both sat down on the floor with their backs pressed against her bed.

"You know I like making friends, right?" she started, opening the wine bottle as she spoke. She poured the burgundy liquid into two glasses. "My motto to myself is, have your best friend plan your wedding, which means I try to get to know the bride and groom in private as friends."

He nodded for her to go on.

"I take them out for tea and snacks and try not to act like I'm hired help. I have my phone on at all times. I let them call me to cry or complain about their bridesmaids or wedding guests. I text them whenever I see something they might like for the wedding. I'm like a planner, maid of honor, therapist and marriage counselor all rolled into one."

Sean swirled his wine glass gently, waiting for the wine to open up. "I bet you're great at what you do. But how's that working out for you?"

"Awful. At first I was full of energy, but recently things start to go wrong. For example, one of my client found out her fiancé was cheating on her, so I kept asking her if she really wanted to go through with it. I encouraged another girl to postpone when she wondered about if it was what she really wanted; she was hoping marriage could solve all their relationship problems so I flat out told her that it was the wrong reason to get married and she shouldn't do it."

"Marriage isn't the solution to anything," Sean agreed. "If they're already having problems before the wedding, it's only going to get worse after it."

"Right? So many people have unrealistic expectations," Flora said between sips of her wine. "They think marriage is endgame and two people have to get married to prove they didn't waste all those years together. Isn't it more important to be with someone you love than to get married just because everyone's doing it?"

"Absolutely. Dill and Blair aren't married, but they're a very happy family of four." Unlike his parents, who fell out of love a long time ago but felt bound by a contract. Somewhere along the way, Sean had lost interest in marriage completely. It was a comfort hearing how Flora didn't deem it necessary, either. He liked that they were both passionate about their jobs and it was what they chose to focus on at this point in life.

"I'm not saying all weddings are meaningless, though," Flora said, her voice growing softer. "Once in a while I see these people and you can literally feel their bliss warming the air around them. They have the kind of look that says, this isn't the happiest day of my life. This is the start of happiness for the rest of my life and I can't wait."

Sean nodded.

"It's infectious. I love that look and it's why I like my job," she said. "I always feel a bit teary when I see the couple walking down the aisle, because as cliche as this sounds, it's a beautiful sight."

"If I were your client, I'd really appreciate how much you put your heart into this."

Flora smirked. "Too bad you can't be my client. When you get married, obviously I'll be the..." She cleared her throat. "I mean, obviously that won't happen because you don't even believe in marriage."

He raised his eyebrows. "Right."

Flora picked up her glass and took a big gulp, choking a little on the wine before she continued. "Right. So, as I was saying...I offer my opinion as friends sometimes, but they never listen to me. In hindsight, nothing good comes out of it. It's only going to leave a dent in their memory when they realize not even their planner has faith in them. The weddings end and they move on, and I see I'm the only one who think we're friends!"

"Flora, I think your willingness to make friends with everyone is one of the reasons you're so wonderful," he said truthfully, "but you're going to get emotionally drained if you get too attached every time."

"Exactly. And something atrocious happened today. A groom filed a complaint against me and accused me of hitting on him! I swear I didn't do anything out of line. I hung out with them and answered their phone calls, sometimes at night, and he was the one hitting on me. I told the bride, but they teamed up and turned against me!"

"That is atrocious! Did you get in trouble for it?"

"Samantha sat down with me and we had a long talk," she said, referring to her boss. She took a long sip from her glass. "She believes me and she says she'll deal with the client, but she also says she worries about the way I do things. She thinks I'm unprofessional, Sean. I look up to her so much and I hate disappointing her."

"I'm sure you didn't disappoint her. Flora, you have talent, creativity, and you pay attention to details," he said. "It's just...I get that you have your morals, but maybe your job as a planner is to plan the best wedding possible with your expertise instead of...you know, offering relationship advice or your opinion on whether they should get married. Relationships are complicated and I feel like that's overstepping the line a little. Some people will appreciate it, but some are going to turn against you. I hate to see you get hurt over this."

"I know. I'm so naive." She sighed. "You used to say I don't have boundaries and I totally get that now. It's the same with guy friends...I thought I could do as I pleased as long as I didn't mean anything, but some guys really do get the wrong idea."

She filled up both their glasses and drank hers a little too quickly. A few drops of wine sloshed over the edge.

"Hey, go easy on the wine," he said gently.

She ignored him and drank some more. "There are some implied, unspoken social rule that I wasn't aware of before. Send out a text too late and they think it's a booty call. Invite them for a drink and they think I'm ready to hook up. I just want to hang out sometimes." She shook her head and rubbed her temples. "Speaking of which, this...this is only for you. I don't share alcohol with other guys in my room anymore, especially when I'm wearing this. I don't ask them to come to Tokyo and stay in my dorm, either."

Thank God.

"I'll drink to that." He smiled, pushing his glass against hers to make a small sound.

"Cheers," she said. Her pupils were dilated and she looked dazed.

"I like the wine," he said. "It tastes like blackcurrants? Or Cherries?"

"Yes!" Her face lit up. "This is Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic full-bodied red wine. I can pick up a slight hint of licorice too. Do you really like it?"

"I do."

"Really happy to hear that." She had started to speak louder now. She poured the rest of the liquid into his glass. "So like, hypothetically, if we date again, you don't have to worry about me bringing other guys home anymore...ugh that sounds so inappropriate."

"Well, hypothetically, if we date again, I'm fine with you meeting them outside. You'll have to wear a hidden camera, though, and I'll monitor everything from a van nearby."

Flora chuckled.

"Kidding," he said. "I'll just hide in the bushes and spy on you."

She laughed. "Yes. You do that, Sean."

"Seriously, though, I trust you. I'm really okay with you hanging out with them. If you want to introduce us, that'd be great too."

She smiled and her eyes disappeared into curved slits. "Hypothetically, if we date again, I think we'll be very happy together. We'll drink French wine all the time, too."

"I agree," he said. "Cheers."

He finished the rest of the wine. Flora seemed sleepy already, as she couldn't hold her liquor well even though she loved showing off her knowledge. She yawned and leaned her head against the bed, and then she went on to throw out  more in-depth analysis about why they would make a great couple, hypothetically, including things like they had the best conversations, they really got each other, they supported each other in moments of weakness, and everyone rooted for them so they had to do it for the people. Sean nodded at everything she said and smiled to himself at how cute she was.

"And we're like, incredibly, preposterously, inconceivably attracted to each other," she murmured.

"Yes," he said, watching her face. Her hair spilled over her shoulders and he wanted to kiss her. If only she wasn't half drunk already. "Especially that."

Flora nodded. Her eyes were closed for a long time now.

"Do you want to go to bed?"

She nodded again.

He leaned in and scooped her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her onto her bed and gently placed the duvet over her.

"Can you stay?" she mumbled.

"I have to get up really early tomorrow," he said. "But we can have dinner together? I'll take you somewhere nice."

"Yes." Her arms were still around him, and she tightened her embrace and pulled him closer. He felt her lips brush against his face as she kissed him there. It made his heart clench pleasantly.

"I'll ask you again tomorrow in case you don't remember," he said. Flora didn't move an inch. He patted her head lightly before he bent down to pick up the glasses and the wine bottle.

"Good night, baby." I'll show you all your hypotheses are true.

∞

Flora had the feeling that Sean was going to bring their relationship to the next level. It was about time. She expected it from the way they flirted, how he called her baby the night before, and the lavish Michelin starred restaurant he picked. It was Eleven Madison Park in the Flatiron District, and she knew that reservation had to be made at least a few weeks ahead. He had this planned in advance.

She didn't expect him to get food poisoning, though.

When she arrived at his place, he was curled on the sofa, looking positively green. "I had some bad oysters for lunch," he said. "Don't ask."

"Are you okay?"

"I feel a little faint." His cheeks were flushed. "I'm so sorry about dinner. I really wanted to take you out—"

"No worries. We can have dinner anytime."

"You don't have to come over," he said softly.

"I know. Did you eat yet?"

He shook his head. "I've been throwing up for the past three hours. How about you?"

"I grabbed a quick bite on the way over. Oh, and I brought you chicken broth," she said. "I can heat it up for you later if you're not hungry now."

"Thanks, Flora." He squeezed out a weak smile. "I can have it now."

She picked up a bowl from the kitchen and poured the soup in. Sean took a small sip, and she caught a faint wrinkle between his eyebrows that he tried to hide. He said he liked it, and as usual she could see straight through his lie.

"Would you rather have some toast?"

"This is fine," he said, pointing to his soup. "There's just an ingredient I'm not familiar with...some sort of herb. Ginger?"

"It's ginseng."

He nodded, and then he closed his eyes. He frowned. "I'm feeling sick again. You might wanna—"

"Do you need—"

He reached out a hand to push her away. "I'm going to throw up."

Then he did. He rushed to the bathroom and vomited some more. She could hear him retching his gut out through the door as he found time to ask her not to bother with the mess. She didn't listen, of course. Then there was the sound of water running through the faucet and him brushing his teeth.

"I'm so sorry you had to witness that," he said when he came back. He looked mortified when he saw that she had cleaned up everything. "Oh God, Flora. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it." She handed him a glass of water. "Do you feel better now?"

He nodded. "Did I get any on you? Do you want to change?" He pointed to the direction of his bedroom. "My closet is in there. Just grab anything you want."

Sean's apartment was one open space aside from an ensuite bedroom. He opened the window and sat back down on the sofa, and Flora headed off to change. She pulled open the single closet, smiling to herself that almost everything he owned was either blue, gray, black or white. As she rummaged through the rack, her fingers caught on something fuzzy and very familiar.

It was azure with a hint of gray, the color of his eyes, and it was adorned with lots of unintentional holes.

She knitted this scarf for him back as a Christmas present back in high school.

She thought for sure this was something he would left at the closet back home, but miraculously it had made its way to his savvy New York apartment. She fingered the material, her mind wandering and landing back to the time she was so eager to do anything for him, much like this night.

Blinking away the memory, she picked a random t-shirt and changed out of her silk top. The fabric fell around her body like a loose embrace, one that smelled clean like him. She wondered back to the living room to see him lounging on the sofa.

Houston, we have a problem. Flora was alarmed that she found him sexy even when he just vomited in front of her, wearing his sweatpants with his face slightly haggard and the shadow of his beard stubble just starting to show. This was like a mellower version of him with the edges blurred compared to his sharp CTO position during the day. She liked both and she was so far gone. Hanging out at his apartment doing nothing seemed better than a candlelight dinner with other guys.

They chatted for a while, but she could see his eyes were tired.

"Maybe you should rest earlier tonight," she said, even though she still wanted to talk to him. "My turn to tuck you in bed."

"That'd be nice." He trailed his fingers lightly down her forearm, until he circled his hand around her wrist. "But don't leave."

"I can stay for a while longer."

"How about you stay for the night?"

She raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Why? Do you need a nurse?"

"Obviously. I could choke on my vomit and die. I need someone I can trust." He headed to the bathroom, opened the cabinet, and handed her a spare toothbrush. He met her gaze steadily, but his tone was soft. "Please stay, Flora."

"I'll...I'll take the sofa then."

"No...join me in bed," he said. "I want to sleep with you. Literally."

Did he have to remember everything she'd said? That was her line.

Flora took her time getting ready for bed. She eased off her jeans and loosened her hair before she got under the covers. Her bare legs made her feel naked next to him, who ran his eyes briefly over her body when she joined him.

She pulled the duvet up to her chest and stared at the ceiling, her heart pounding hard.

"Thanks for keeping me company," Sean said. "I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it." She swallowed. "You don't have to be so courteous. We know each other so well already."

"Fair enough." He moved closer, and Flora felt his hand travel under the duvet. His palm slid teasingly down her shoulders and landed at her waist. He tugged her toward him and put his arms around her from behind. "Is this less courteous now?"

His mouth was so near and her back was pressed tight against his chest. A spark shot up between her legs even though he wasn't touching her anywhere close. Flora thought she would be the one to choke on her drool and die first.

"I want to tell you something," he said. His breath painted a row of goosebumps along the back of her neck. "It was supposed to happen over dessert at Eleven Madison Park, but as usual we have the worst timing."

Flora chuckled dryly. "We do."

"It's nothing you don't know already, but I'm going to say it anyway," he said. His arms burned her through her clothes and she felt hot all over. "Flora, I'm so in love with you. I've always loved you. I said before that we were going to be okay without each other, but it never felt completely right without you. Since you came back in my life...I feel so much better than okay. I haven't been this happy in a long time."

Flora felt like one of those clockwork toys that was all wound up and ready to bounce all over the place. She sighed.

"As you know, I just got out of a long-term relationship," he said, and his arms tightened almost unnoticeably, like he was nervous. "I didn't want to rush into anything...serious...too soon, and I thought we were great as friends, but I don't want to be just friends. I feel like it's not really rushing with you. I just...I don't want to waste any more time."

"Well, we've known each other since we were 14," she said. "You were never just a friend to me."

"I know." He let out a small breath of air. "I kept putting this off because I was scared that I wouldn't be good enough for you. I thought I could step away as long as you were happy, but now...I want to be the person who makes you happy. If I'm not good enough for you, then I'll try harder. I know I made you cry too many times and I hope I get the chance to make it up to you."

Flora willed the lump in her throat to magically disappear. "You're making me cry right now."

"Sorry," he said, one hand caressing her shoulder in a comforting manner. "You don't have to decide tonight. You probably need some time before you can trust me again, but I want you to know that I'm serious about you. I'll chase you and pamper you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated, Flora. I love you."

Flora was never the kind of girl that needed chasing. She saw something she liked and went for it until she got it. When someone she liked spoke about loving her back, she didn't need time to build trust. She was ready to jump right back into this pool of Seanness.

But it sure was nice to keep him talking.

He buried his face against the nook of her neck. "If you still want me, I'm yours," he murmured into her hair.

She felt a shiver zigzag through her insides. He wasn't playing fair. First food poisoning and then close body contact. How was a girl supposed to respond?

"Okay," she said, swallowing. She ordered her hormones to behave. "I'll think about it."

Sean nodded behind her, his arms still circling her waist. He shifted lightly. "I have a very demanding job," he said, "but I promise I'll always make time for you. I'm not very rich, either. I'm a founder, so I get a below market rate salary that only covers my basic—"

"Oh God, Sean. Please don't talk about money. I don't care how much money you have."

"—but the company has an estimated market value of 50 million, so we probably won't be poor forever."

50—50 what?

Flora felt her eyes budge. "I wish you didn't tell me. Now I feel like a gold-digger."

"I told you so you know I'm not working this hard for nothing. I'm good at this and I have something to show for it, just like how you're brilliant at your job. I think we're perfect for each other."

"After you mentioned that 50 million, I'm starting to feel that way too," she joked. Sean's body seared against her back and she realized suddenly that it was too warm. His skin was heated like a furnace. "Sean, you're hot."

"I know. Thank you."

"No, literally. You have a fever."

He loosened his embrace. Flora flipped around to see his face flushed. She placed a hand against his forehead and withdrew it a second later. He was burning up.

"Do you have any fever reducers?"

"I feel okay," he said.

"Sean, you got me very worried. Can you please take something to make me feel better?"

He chuckled. "I have Tylenol in the drawer next to you."

Flora got him water and watched him take the medicine. He smiled at her with his hair ruffled and traces of sleep on his face. He looked very cute like that.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"It's instant relief," she smiled back at him. "Let's get some sleep now. We can talk more in the morning."

"Okay." He pulled her back in the covers.

Flora was delighted that he went right back to spooning her. Was fever contagious, though? Her cheeks were flushed, too.

∞

Flora woke up to the sound of the shower running. It was 06:45 in the morning.

She stretched and yawned. It felt surreal waking up in Sean's bed while wearing his clothes, feeling well rested physically but unsettled mentality. He said lots of things last night while he was feverish and she could practically still trace his warmth on her skin.

She slipped out of bed and knocked on the bathroom door. "Sean? Can I come in to brush my teeth?"

"Sure." His voice came through the running water and echoed off the tiles. The shower curtain was dark blue, not even allowing a glimpse of him. She turned on the faucet and let her imagination run wild, thinking of him at just a thin curtain away. Morning routines were never this fun.

She washed her face. "Did you go jogging?"

"Yeah. I left you a note," he said.

"Do you have to be so hard on yourself? You were really sick last night." She asked between brushing her teeth and rinsing her mouth.

"I feel so much better this morning."

"That's good."

He turned off the shower head. Flora spat out the remaining water in her mouth and waited for him to ask her to pass him his towel. The tiny bathroom was filled with humid air and the mirror was all fogged up.

Sean pulled apart the shower curtain and stepped out.

Just like that.

He ran his eyes over her face. "Good morning," he said and smiled sunnily, as if this was a normal scenario.

As if he wasn't just standing there dripping wet and completely naked.

She could see everything. From his watery blue eyes and full lips, to his sculpted chest and his happy trail to his...um...

Flora Morgan had been in lots of awkward situations but this one knocked her right over the head. She stood rooted to the spot while Sean reached over her shoulders casually to grab a Persian green bath towel off the rack.

"Hey, do you remember this towel?" he asked, wrapping it loosely around his waist. "We went to the mall one day and you insisted on buying me something."

"I wanted to buy you a leather jacket but you said this was intimate!"

"Yeah. You said it served as a great surrogate when you weren't there to wrap around me yourself."

Flora's throat dried up. Looked like she hadn't changed much since high school because that was exactly what she was thinking two seconds ago. She diverted her gaze and coughed. "I'm surprised a towel can last that long."

"I don't use it very often," he said. "It's very expensive and precious."

The air in the bathroom seemed to have thinned considerably. Flora's palms were clammy from the heat, but mostly it was because he was standing so close. Water droplets were dripping from his hair and landed silently on top of his shoulders. His chest was glistening. His forearms were wet, too. Rivulets of water ran down along the lines between his abs before disappearing in the towel.

"I know what you're thinking," he said.

"What?"

"You're thinking..." He smiled slowly and took a step closer. "Why can't every morning start like this?"

"Actually, no." She straightened herself. "I'm thinking...I hope I don't have toothpaste foam around my mouth right now."

He laughed. "You don't."

Flora stared at him and he stared back. He took another step towards her until she felt her back against the cool tiles. She felt like she was starting to sweat.

"Flora."

"Yes." Her heart hammered.

He picked up her chin and sighed. His thumb pressed gently against her skin. "I can't wait anymore. You're so beautiful."

Sean closed his eyes first and Flora's fluttered shut a second later. She didn't plan on waiting, either. His lips fell on hers and kissed her firmly, like leaving a bookmark in a page he wanted to keep visiting. She kissed him back without hesitation, while her arms went around his waist to clutch at the towel for support.

The cool tiles behind her kept her sober while his warmth made her deliriously light-headed, like rising on a high. His body was still slightly damp. She kissed the smoothness on his neck and he ran his fingers through her hair, tugging on it before letting his hands wander. Flora felt completely exposed through the fabric of her shirt. He kneaded her breasts with just the right amount of pressure, and it was like hitting a nerve that shot all the way down there. Her body clenched.

He slid his palm down her leg and climbed up again from between her thighs. The tip of his fingers brushed against her panties in the most tantalizing way and she felt herself crumble. Sean held her up and went back to twirling his tongue around hers. She was faint.

This felt too good.

She reached out to stroke him through the towel, pleased to find him hard against her palm. He laid his forehead against her shoulder and uttered a muffled moan, his breaths fanning her skin. "Oh fuck."

They kissed and teased some more, both hot and aroused and out of breath.

"I need..." Flora panted. "I have to get home and change. I'm going to be late for work."

He sighed against the edge of her mouth. "Me too. I always get there the earliest."

"We can take a break and...pick this up later."

He let out a whoosh of breath and pushed his hair off his forehead. "Okay. Don't forget where we left off."

She smiled and shook her head at him. "You play dirty, Sean. You bribed me with nudity and you know how defenseless I'm against male beauty."

"Thank God you're so superficial." He leaned in and pressed a final kiss to her lips. "Can I take you out tonight? I probably can't get a reservation at the same restaurant, but there's a jazz club near your place I really like."

"Sure."

"I bought you breakfast. It's on the kitchen counter," he said. He smiled and hugged her before he left. His shampoo smelled like patchouli and she liked it very much.

∞

Flora said through the intercom that she wasn't ready when Sean arrived at her apartment. She buzzed him in, and after he rode the elevator up, he passed her roommates on the hallway. They both smirked at him knowingly.

"Flora's in her room trying on the seventeenth dress," Carrie told him.

Liz winked. "Have fun going to that jazz club."

When Sean went to her room, Flora was standing barefoot in front of the mirror in a body-hugging, milk-tea-colored dress. Her hair fell around her shoulders in chocolate waves. Sean leaned against the door frame and wondered why he had ever thought he could be okay without her.

She held up two pairs of shoes before his eyes. "I can't decide. What do you think?"

He could've sworn they were identical. "Is that a trick question?"

"No." Flora went on to show him the different details. "This one has those thin straps while this—"

He took the shoes from her hands and dropped them to the floor. "I don't care what shoes you wear."

Flora lifted her head to meet his gaze, her eyes darkening dangerously. A smile tugged on her lips and Sean dipped his head down to kiss that smile. Flora responded with enough eagerness to match his, her slender fingers fanning out across his face, bringing him in to meet her.

Kissing her felt as intense as the first time. There was a sense of desperation in it, requiring no time to heat up. He moved his hands to her back, found the zipper and pulled it down smoothly, then he took down the shoulder straps until the dress collapsed to a heap on the floor.

"I just spent an hour deciding on what to wear," Flora complained. "I thought it would stay on for a bit longer."

Sean smiled briefly. "It's a really good choice."

He couldn't remember who initiated it, but before he knew it, they were tangled on her bed. She had torn his shirt off him, and her hands were busy savoring him everywhere. She ran her fingers down his back and all the way under the waist band of his boxer briefs. Sean could hear his breaths picking up speed as he proceeded to unbutton his jeans.

They were both naked in a matter of seconds, and the first time was completed in a fiery, urgent frenzy. He took his time after that, focusing on her reaction and making sure she was enjoying it. He hadn't touched her for so long. Every inch of her at the tips of his fingers felt like a privilege.

"You're beautiful, Flora. I can't get enough of you."

She smiled at him with her eyes glazed and her hair wild. Her face glowed and he was enchanted. He relished her with a slower, more romantic rhythm, a sense of fulfillment washing over him like quiet waves crashing against the shore. The night was a blur of swollen lips and patched up promises. Her body arched when he placed his mouth down there. Her fingers dug into his back and he kissed harder.

When it was done, Flora curled up in his arms. Time slowed down and halted into an eternity. He traced patterns on her shoulders, liking the warmth of her glimmering against his body, her perfume dancing across the bridge of his nose. She was toned and radiant and velvety.

"I didn't plan this," he murmured in her ear.

"Plan what?" Flora smirked. "Come twice in forty minutes?"

"Are you mocking me? I could've kept at it for a lot longer if you hadn't begged me to—"

"Shh." She pressed her fingers to his lips. "Don't repeat all the embarrassing things I said. I was feeling really dirty."

"I love it when you talk dirty." He kissed her bare shoulder. "I meant to say I didn't plan to start out the first date in the bedroom."

"Well, this isn't our first date," Flora said.

He grinned. "You're right. I hope this is my last first date, though. Do you still want to go out?" he asked, even though he'd rather just lie in her bed. He was all worn out from the Florgasms she gave him.

"Let's just lie here and talk for a bit. There's a hot dog stand downstairs that I love. We can get some later if that sounds good to you."

"What have you done to my girl Flora?"

She laughed and took his hand. "I don't mind this every once in a while. After not being with you for so long...even lying in bed together seems like a luxury."

She said it lightly, but it felt like a forceful blow. Sean hugged her closer, his chest tightening at the realization that Flora was so ready to accept him. She always welcomed him with open arms and the most stunning smile.

He cleared his throat. "Do you still want to see the email I wrote you?"

Flora sat up. "You still have it?"

He nodded. "I can read it to you if you want." He scrolled through his sent mail with his phone and found it.

Halfway through, Flora was already crying.

"I want to be with you right now..." he read. "I put an underline beneath the words right now."

She chuckled through her tears.

"Tell me I'm not alone in feeling like this," he continued, his voice shaking a little. "I can't do this anymore. I love you. I need you. Not in a melodramatic sense where I need you to survive, but I sure want you a hell of a lot."

He was such an idiot. He felt the same if not more about everything he had written, and in hindsight he couldn't figure out why he had let himself get talked out of sending it.

"I hate you." Flora sniffled after he finished reading. "I just really feel like smacking you right now."

"I know. I'm so sorry."

"You're really frustrating to love, Sean." She groaned, digging her fingers into her hair.

"Please still love me?" he said in a small voice.

She shook her head and smiled suddenly. "Oh my God. I can't believe Luke read about you getting hard and us having sex. And you guys actually talked about this letter civilly. This is surreal."

She took the phone from his hand and read it again, then she put it down and sighed. "You sure write a hell of a good letter, though. I just can't not love you even though I'm so mad at you."

"Can you rephrase that in a positive way instead of using a double negative?"

"Fine." She stared right at him, meeting his gazing without flinching. She stirred up every romantic emotion in his body that he didn't even know existed. "Sean, I love you."

"I love you too, Flora. Can I show you another email to cheer you up?"

Her eyes widened. "Did you write another love letter?"

"Something like that."

"Not a poem, please."

He laughed. "I'm not Jake. Here." He showed his phone to her one more time, and he watched her expression turned from surprise to delight before her eyes watered again.

"It might be more romantic if I printed it out and put it in an envelope," he said, "but you know, paperless documents save the environment—"

"You got us tickets to Paris."

"Business class tickets, Flora," he corrected. "I wouldn't dream of making you fly coach. I also booked a room at Four Seasons Hotel George V, and we can see the Eiffel Tower right outside the window."

"I can't believe we're going to Paris," she repeated as if she hadn't heard, wiping her tears away with her fingers. "How can you afford this?"

"We might have to start eating instant ramen noodles to save up," he said. "Well, you know I have a mobile app called MsMorgan? It generates revenues every month. You wouldn't believe how many people are willing to pay for virtual handbags and shoes in a game."

"Try me," Flora said. "I spent money on that app on a regular basis."

"Oh, Flora. You don't have to pay for my game. I can help you cheat your way to the top."

She laughed. "How did you get Fred to let you have time off?"

"That was a lot harder. So I went to him and asked if I could get a week off, and he was real nasty about it. He was like, why do you think you deserve a vacation? And I literally begged and bargained and cut my leave down to four days, and he was still giving me a hard time. Then he said, this is outrageous, Seany. You want to go a Paris for a week? You can't fit anything in a week. Take two weeks off and don't let me see your face in the office."

Flora smiled. "Aw. Fred's so nice. We have to get him a souvenir or something."

"Yeah. Like one of those I heart Paris tees," he joked.

"You're awful." She hugged her legs to her chest. "This is crazy. I can't wait to go to Paris with you!"

"That's months away, though. I called your office and found out that you're booked for the next 5 months. At first I wanted to surprise you and stop by your place on the day of the trip, but apparently you're a very hot event planner with a hectic schedule. The good thing is we get to go in spring."

Flora brought her hand up to his face and smiled playfully. "Well, I usually don't date people for that long..."

"Baby, you have to make an exception for me."

"You're always my exception, Sean." Her face softened and her fingers weaved through his, gripping him hard. Her voice was all shaky. "Are we...is this final? You can't build my hopes up and let me down again. I'm tired of finding someone to replace you."

"I won't do that to you. I'm ready to be Floverwhelmed."

She smiled and pushed him down on the bed, catching his wrists by the side of his face and started to kiss him again. Her weight on him brought him back to one night when he was 16, kissing her in her bedroom, dizzy with excitement at never meeting someone quite as aggressive before.

"This feels like our first kiss," he said between ragged breaths. "I was pinned down on your bed too and I was so turned on you have no idea."

"I'm not pinning you down," she said. "You can get up if you want to."

He smiled up at her. "I like where I am."

It was true. He had wasted so much time getting back to exactly where he wanted to be— vehemently in love with Flora and knowing that she felt the same, too.

∞

I'm really nervous and I hope that was okay! so that was 13k words and I'm exhausted. i'm thinking i can do shorter chapters now since there will be snippets of their life together and they won't be separated for a long time like before, so the chapters can be short, sweet, and more frequent like how they are together. there will be more to come, and there's still going to be a plot so don't worry, they won't just be having pointless sex on every chapter.

hope you're happy with this and i love you all very much.

this chapter is dedicated to @Dorks- for making me a bunch of gorgeous covers x