#buy orchid flowers online

[theluxuryflorett]

Orchid Flowers Online in Delhi 

Looking to buy orchid flowers online in Delhi? The Luxury Florett is the best choice for you.  We offer a wide range of fresh and beautiful orchid flowers. You can choose from various colors and arrangements,  orchid bouquets, and orchid arrangements in vases. Ordering online is quick and easy. Simply browse the luxury florett, and visit the official website. Choose your favorite, and place your order. We offer same-day delivery for orders.  So why wait? Order your orchid flowers online today and enjoy the beauty and fragrance.  

[amitkumarmuraya]

Online flower delivery for sending flowers

Online flower delivery service that allows customers to order and send flowers through ORCHIDYA. The service works with local florists or flower suppliers to fulfil orders and deliver the flowers to the recipient’s address. Flowers are beautiful in colour and elegant with positive glass vases, ceramic pots, and many more. Flowers are the perfect gift option for your home or friends. Orchidya delivers flowers throughout central London. Here you can buy seasonal flowers for the arrangements you send, and they are the best sellers when you deliver flowers. Flower delivery in London has several benefits, including convenience with a wide selection of flowers and arrangements and the ability to order and send flowers to loved ones by sitting at home. ORCHIDYA is a florist supplier who prepares and delivers the flowers to their requested date. Pamper basket delivery in London is a service that allows customers to order and send a basket filled with pampering items such as bath products, skincare items, candles, and other luxurious treats to someone in London. You can order pamper basket delivery in London. Customers can browse through different options on the website or app of a delivery service or local florist that offers this service. They can choose from a pre-arranged basket or create their own custom basket by selecting individual items to include. Orchidya has popular items that can be included in a pamper basket delivery in London, which include different types of flowers, body scrubs, moisturisers, face masks, aromatherapy oils, candles, chocolates, and teas. Here you can order luxury gift baskets, hampers, cheer hampers, and celebration hampers. The rose delivery service in London allows customers to order and send roses to someone in London. Roses are popular gifts for special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and anniversaries and can be delivered directly to the recipient’s address. There are popular colours of roses, including red for love and passion, yellow for friendship and joy, and white for purity and innocence. Orchidya is a London-based florist that specialises in luxury flower arrangements and plant designs. The company offers a wide range of services, including flower delivery, event styling, and corporate events. Orchidya's flower delivery service in London offers same-day or next-day delivery options, and customers can choose from a range of delivery slots to ensure their flowers arrive at a convenient time. ORCHIDYA is an overall highly regarded florist in London known for its high-quality flowers and plants, unique designs, and excellent customer service. Visit us now at https://orchidya.com/product-category/gifts/hampers/.

[falconcoast]

gift shopping | al-haitham x reader

day one. gift shopping ft. al-haitham.

event masterlist

your boyfriend truly doesn’t understand why you insist on shopping at the mall when you could do it online. you show him why by the end of it. 

a/n: IM LATE i know i had practice today T_T enjoy the first of the home for the holidays drabbles!

al-haitham really doesn’t get it.

with the conveniences of modern technology, he doesn’t understand why he needs to get up out of his reading chair, bundle up into a scarf, get in the car to drive, and get presents. hell, he had even bought a mug for cyno that read “world’s worst joke teller”. but you seem happy, so he goes along with it anyways.

arriving at the mall, there’s a sparkle in your eyes. you had always loved the holidays, he muses while threading your hands together. al-haitham was never one for going on shopping trips like you, but he hypothesized that you had some nostalgia for buying gifts in-store rather than online.

you first drag him into one of the department stores, where he swears there are a million people crowding the aisles. after a few minutes of shuffling around, you land in the shoe section. he leans against the wall, preparing for you to go through at least fifty pairs and require him to give his opinion on all of them.

for the first five minutes, you rapidly sort through all sorts of shoes, from flip-flops to high heels, to sneakers. eventually, you settle on a pair of pale blue flats. observing them carefully, you tilt your head. “whaddya think?” you ask, presenting them to him. “do you think nilou would like them?”

al-haitham knows that nilou would like anything you got her, but he decides to spare your feelings. “the blue color goes well with her color palette,” he nods.

soon after, he’s walking out of the store with a neatly wrapped shoe box. he’s slightly peeved that the glitter is coming off of the bright red bow, but he’s too focused on you to care.

he’s beginning to understand why you like shopping so much. the mall always has some flashy advertisements around the corner, and you’re easily swayed by the brightly colored sale signs. certainly a marketing tactic, al-haitian muses.

you weave through the mall. a stop at the flower shop and tea store for an egret orchid and curated peach tea bags for tighnari. a go around at another shop for a pair of golden earrings for candace. at the toy store, you picked up a rather complex puzzle for nahida and a nearly hundred-dollar tcg deck pack for cyno.

admittedly, al-haitham wondered about his own gift. as you practically climbed up the bookshelf to reach for an anthology for layla, he spoke up. “may i know what you’re getting me?”

“sweetheart, that ruins the purpose of a present,” you deadpanned as you leaped off of the bookshelf. “but, if you wanna know a little more about them, i can say i bought them months ago.”

“months ago?” he asked incredulously. he says it as if he hadn’t been planning out your gift since the beginning of the year: a series of love letters, one for every day on the calendar. there are also the matching golden chain necklaces, and an all-expenses paid trip to fontaine, but he knew you also went all out on your gifts for him in years previous.

his perplexed expression pleases you, and you continue to scale up the shelf for more books.

he continues to think about his gift, all while understanding why you like shopping in person more than you do online. you pointed out each store to him, telling him where you got all of your presents last year. perhaps you have a nostalgia for shopping as well, he thinks.

after finally getting everything you need, al-haitham can barely see over the top of the original shoebox you got at the first store. he waddles alongside you, hands full with bags upon bags and arms full of perfectly wrapped boxes. it’s almost comical to watch the two of you walk alongside each other. suddenly, you stop, sending him into a frantic state to balance everything.

“oh, archons,” you groaned, smacking a hand on your face. “i forgot that i wanted to run and get a new pin cushion for collei. she mentioned a few weeks ago that she wanted one. i’m sorry, darling, but would you mind staying put for a while? it won’t take more than five minutes, i promise!”

“quickly now,” he says, shifting the weight of the boxes. he doesn’t really mean it when you flash him a brilliant smile and kiss him on the cheek; for all he cares, you could spend another six hours there and wouldn’t be annoyed.

he lets out a breath as you leave, deciding to lean up against the wall to support himself. for a moment, he considers putting some of the bags down. pursing his lips, he begins to contemplate this before looking up.

“just the right gift!” the advertisement banner reads above the jewelry store in which you had purchased candace’s earrings. curiously, al-haitham looks at the product on display.

a shining, diamond ring is on show. the band is gold, and the diamond is cut into a cushion shape. smaller studs dot the band, cradled by the delicately crafted metal. his mouth drops as if coming to a grand revelation. the perfect gift indeed, he thinks.

“i’m back--oh? what’s got you starstruck?” you ask as you return with a tiny box. you place it on top of the stack, smiling at the ridiculousness of it.

you look at him expectantly, a grin still on your face. for once, the linguist is without words. any attempts to formulate a sentence fail, and he shakes his head with a reserved smile. “just thinking about your gift,” he says, kissing you on the forehead.

al-haitham will certainly go shopping in person for your final gift. after all, the smile that will be on your face when you receive it is well worth getting up out of his reading chair for.

[malk1ns]

for your pleasure: it’s culturally said that Russian men never show up when meeting a women (whether business or pleasure) without a bouquet. Food for thought around your 1950s Geno fic lol

👀👀👀

Sid expects the flowers to stop after a while.

Geno brings a bouquet to every date, to the point where Sid runs out of vases and has to ask some of the WAGs where he can gets more that fit with his house's decor scheme. He buys flower food and a watering can and does his best to keep them alive for as long as possible, and then Geno starts bringing over live plants in pots and Sid falls headfirst into online research on how to care for all these living things suddenly in his home.

He maybe goes a little crazy on Amazon getting supplies. It's worth it when Geno sees how carefully arranged all his gifts are, how well-tended the blooms and leaves look.

That's normal early-relationship stuff, though, so Sid figures after a while it'll die down, and he'll maybe get a new plant for his birthday or something, to supplement the collection in the west-facing room he hadn't found a use for yet that's rapidly becoming a greenhouse.

It's when individual stems start appearing in his locker before every practice that Sid begins to suspect this might be more of a permanent thing.

The guys razz him, of course they do, but Geno just looks smug whenever Sid comes in and smiles over the new flower. Sid's not sure how much money he's spending on them, or where they're coming from, but he carefully gathers them and brings them home, and the biggest vase he owns, the one that sits on his kitchen island where he can see it as often as possible, becomes dedicated to the workplace gifts Geno seems determined to leave him every day.

"It's a Russian thing," Tanger says one day, examining the orchid bloom Sidney found before practice. "The men, they bring flowers for women when they meet them, even if they're just friends, even if it's work. I think it's safe to say you're getting what you wanted?"

Sid flushes hot. "How do you even know that?" he asks instead of acknowledging Tanger's question.

Kris smiles at him, all teeth and knowing eyes. "I called Sarge and asked what it might mean, if our little Geno was giving someone flowers every single day."

"Fuck, the whole goddamn league is gonna have a field day with this, you're such an asshole," Sid groans, kicking Kris in the shin hard enough to make him yelp and hop away. "And give me that, you're going to crush the stem."

Geno's waiting for him outside the locker room, slouched against the opposite wall and playing on his phone, chewing on his lower lip as he rapidly scrolls through whatever he's looking at. When he sees it's Sid coming through the door, orchid safely in hand, he straightens and slips his phone into his pocket.

"I think maybe you're lost," he says, smiling down at Sid and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Ready for go home?"

Sid settles into the warmth of Geno's touch, letting him steer them through the halls and out to the parking lot. Geno opens the passenger door to the car and waits until Sid's buckled safely in before shutting it and circling around to the driver's side.

"Do you think you'll keep getting me flowers forever?" Sid asks abruptly when they're halfway home.

Geno lowers the volume on the music and glances quickly at him, brow furrowed. "You're not like?"

Sid looks down at the orchid in his lap, touching the plastic water pick at the base of its stem. "No, I love it," he says, shifting in his seat. "It's just. I guess Tanger talked to Gonch."

"Ah," Geno says, fingers tightening a little on the wheel as he changes lanes to get off the highway. "It's okay?"

Sid knows what he's asking, knows what they're dancing around. It's something neither of them have been willing to actually put into words yet, even though Geno's behavior makes it crystal clear to anyone who's paying attention.

"It's more than okay," he finally answers, rolling his neck to try and ease a tight spot he hadn't been able to get fully massaged out at the trainers' after practice. "It's...you know. You know I like it."

Geno's shoulders come down from where they'd been climbing up to his ears. "Good," he says firmly. "Then we keep do. You like flower, you should get flower every day. I'm do this for you, I like it too."

"Good," Sid echoes. "What do you want for dinner? I think we have some of that chicken parm left, or I can make us pasta."

Geno looks over at him again, but this time his eyes are hot, and Sid squirms. "Think about dinner later," he says, hand landing high on Sid's thigh. "Have other thing to do when we get home."

[bozepomagaj]

Modern/College AU HC's! (Twins edition)

Nai/Knives Saverem

I plan on writing a small drabble on Rem's backstory and how she met&adopted the twins so I don't wanna spoil too much but as I mentioned, she worked as a biologist, made plenty of discoveries but then later on started focusing on rheumatology after taking the twins in. She found out after she adopted them that they both have a rare disease that barely any doctor was willing to work with, let alone give them some kind of treatment. Thankfully, Knives spent most of his life in remission, and when his symptoms did show, it was nowhere near like Vash. Vash's longest remission lasted for around 2 years. Since doctors didn't know what illness he had at first, they just stuffed him with random drugs that ended up causing other problems and illnesses in his body. I can go more into detail about the illnesses they have, but... maybe another time.

Due to all this, Knives takes meticulous care of his body. Goes to the gym regularly, makes sure to eat enough calories every day, takes supplements if needed, and has an extensive skincare routine. He has his sweet cravings, but he never indulges in them. 'Cheat days'? Never heard of them. Alcohol? He'd rather drink poison. I mean to him, it's the same.

Everyone thinks that the nickname 'Knives' came from Wolfwood, who kept calling him that because of his incredible cooking skills. In reality, it's because Knives had an affinity towards 'pretty' knives since he was a kid. A black higonokami and a trapper are his favorite possessions at the moment.

To add to the previous hc, Knives wanted to play darts so badly as a kid. He thought it would make him look cool, but Rem refused to buy him the game. So he just started throwing knives at the wall until she caved in and finally bought him the game so he'd stop making holes in her walls because she loved him. He loves playing 301 because he gets to show off how precise he can be.

Knives and Vash's shared apartment is big, but definitely not big enough to fit a grand piano, and it irks him. He bought an electric piano, but he absolutely despises it. It sounds too soulless, too shallow for him.

Cat dad? More like plant dad. That man has an insane amount of cacti in his room, their entire apartment is filled to the brim with all kinds of greenery Vash could rarely go outside as a kid due to him constantly going from hospital to hospital so plants and nature calm him down, he loves being surrounded by flowers but you can only find the cacti in his room, no other plant. Except... a singular Adam and Eve orchid next to his bed.

Surprisingly, Knives does enjoy video games. In fact, he was the one who first started playing them and got Vash into them. Anything with deep, unique plots and lots and lots of world building will have him drooling. Avid player of FF14 and a huge Zenos fan and defender. As for his favorite game, without a doubt, it's 'The Last Guardian' but he'll never admit it if you ask him.

Out of the entire friend group, the only person he actually likes is Milly, surprisingly. He knew her prior to finding out she's a part of Vash's friend group. They often went to the gym around the same times and left around the same times. It started with Milly trying to talk to him, but he'd never pay her any heed. But she continued. Hours upon hours. Every day. After some time, he finally started giving in, nodding and agreeing with what she's saying. Until they eventually started making actual conversations, giving each other tips, exchanging their favorite protein bars and their drinks. Vash was presently surprised by their friendship.

He enjoys sketching. Never actually making full-fledged art but just sketching either some type of scenery that left an impression on him or practicing dynamic poses he sees online or in fashion magazines. When he gets frustrated with his piano because it just 'doesn't sound right,' he'll plop down on hus bed, get himself a notebook, and start sketching until he gets bored of it. He wouldn't classify it as a hobby since he doesn't do it as often, but if he wanted to, he could definitely make some beautiful pieces of art.

Vash The Stampede

Plant dad #2 except he SUCKS. He has so many plants, sometimes when he's caught up with things he will completely forget to water them. He'll only notice when they wilt and he'll spend hours crying over it and feeling bad No, Knives isn't holding his laugh back when this happens, its just the allergies messing with him, he's just coughing.

Despite being incredibly ill, drumroll please... Vash has no allergies! He does have food restrictions, but hey, at least he can eat peanut butter!

Unlike his dear brother, he doesn't really watch after himself that well. Sure, he goes out on walks and spends an hour or two at the gym but dieting? Hell no, he's eating whatever he can, whenever he can.

Also, that man is as clumsy as it can get. He could be walking on a completely flat surface, and he'll still find a way to fall and hurt something.

Y'know how some people can tell when its gonna rain due to their joints hurting? Vash. Just... Vash. Everytime. But hey, at least everyone has their umbrellas always ready!

Like I mentioned with Knives, Vash loves video games! Simulators, RPG-s, point-and-click horror, anything! His favorite would definitely have to be 'Ori and the Will of the Wisps'. Loves the way it looks, and he always, and I mean always, cries when he sees Shrieks' backstory. The ending, too, makes him cry.

Also unlike Knives, he absolutely loves the multiplayer part of FF14. He'll spend hours of talking with people, making friends and just doing dumb shit.

Can't read notes for shit but will somehow make the most heart-wrenching tunes known to man when he gets ahold of his brothers piano. Knives will just stare at him, mouth agape, lowkey jealous...

Has plenty of cheesy, donut themed stuff around the house. Earrings, rings, cups with lil donuts on them, plates in the shape of a donut, shirts with donut puns, everything! This is due to Knives finally snapping and telling him to stop eating so much sugar every day. He is now allowed only 4 donuts per week.

He tends to get overwhelmed by beautiful scenery to the point of tears. Rem took them to a nearby forest once, near a stream during spring when flowers were in full bloom, and Vash ended up breaking down into tears because it was so beautiful to him.

Despite what Knives thinks, Vash doesn't always drink when he goes out. He does get drunk from time to time, but the cause of his clothes always smelling like alcohol is from constantly being on the dancefloor and bumping into people

Barely anyone knows about his condition, actually. He begged his professors not to tell anyone when he brought in the papers for the first time. As for his constant hospital visits, he'll just say he's 'unlucky' and got sick again, same goes for when he's gone for a couple of days/weeks.

That's it for now I think. If anyone has any questions or wants me to elaborate, I would absolutely love to do so🫡

[rollforfelicity]

It's Creator Day on Itch!

That means that 100% of what you pay on itch goes to the creators! Which means I'm going to talk about the TTRPGs you can buy on itch that I've played since the last creator day!

As soon as I read Orbital Blues by Soul Muppet Publishing for the first time, I was like “oh this game is made for me.” If you’ve ever wanted to play a game that emulates space westerns like Cowboy Bebop, this is an excellent one.

Cantrip by Hipólita uses the Belonging Outside Belonging system to tell stories about young witches finding themselves and their powers in a magical academy. Cantrip’s prompts give little peeks into a rich world just begging to be explored.

Not only is Paris Gondo by Kalum from The Rolistes Podcast incredibly easy to pick up and play, it’s also SO funny, starting with the very concept of playing as adventurers who are trying to survive their journey out of a dungeon with as much useful and meaningful stuff as they can carry. I also have to mention that the Miro board for online play is ingenious. I've linked the English version, but it's also available in French.

My friend @wildjayblue wrote a game that feels as though it was written for me specifically. Totally Normal Human Roommates is a game where you and your friends play as totally normal humans. Like the Nocturnal Human, who has a strong bite and hypnotic personality. Or the Hirsute Human, who is weak to moonlight and silver, just like lots of humans are!

Babes in the Wood by World Champ Game Co. is a game that perfectly captures the feeling of watching Over The Garden Wall for the first time, but also makes you feel SO CLEVER for having told such a good, original story by the end of it.

If you’re a sucker for cheesy holiday movies and you want to play a game that lets you compete against your friends to become the protagonist of one, look no further than Hometown Holiday by @kidnickgames. The mechanics are simple but very fun, and the playbooks perfectly emulate the genre.

Do you have a vampire OC and want to put them through a tough night? Do you want to MAKE a vampire OC in order to put them through a rough night? Bloodless by @enniogoes is the game for you! Bloodless uses the Caltrop Core system and I love that the prompts swing from funny to heartbreaking, and I had an absolute blast when I played.

I love Phoenix Wright, so when I heard about Justicar from @dinoberrypress, I HAD to play it. Justicar is one of those games where the setup portion of the game is as fun as watching the whole thing unravel in the in-character portion. The setting can be anything you want, and the collaborative and zero-prep nature of the game makes Justicar unpredictable and hilarious.

I also want to shoutout a few Mausritter adventuring locations I’ve used from Itch! First up is Temple of the Slumbering Orchid by @imsobadatnicknames2. Running this felt like leading my players through a Legend of Zelda dungeon in the best way.

Drained Temple of the Brackish Basin by brstf has such an unusual concept, and my players had a lot of fun exploring the unique creatures and chambers of this temple, including a very fun little hermit crab character.

I am a huge @mortphilippa stan, so of COURSE I’m going to recommend Tomb of the Slumbering Queen, a creepy, bat-filled Mausritter location. Philippa is the queen of rollable tables (this one features effects from eating strange mushrooms), and her NPC art is charming. While you’re there, make sure to check out Philippa’s other stuff because it’s all good.

I'll wrap up by saying that an added bonus to playing any of these games is that there are REALLY REALLY GOOD one-shots of all of them on YouTube...because I've run them all on stream.

Wait, you're still here?? You're looking for even MORE games to get on itch??? Okay, well check out these two previous threads of game reccs! My 2022 Itch Creator Day thread

My 2021 Itch Creator Day thread

[jrob64]

It’s the 1st anniversary of ‘Lonely No More’ - A Modern CS AU Based on “The Words” Music Video

Today is the wonderful and wacky @xsajx ‘s birthday, which means it’s the first anniversary of the story I wrote for her last year! I hope you have a wonderful day, my friend!

Special thanks to @spartanguard who did the manip of Emma as a FedEx driver. Even after a year, it still blows me away!

Summary: Killian Jones lives alone in his secluded little house in the country, and that’s just the way he likes it. When he discovers he can have even less contact with people by ordering supplies online, he jumps at the chance; but the fiery blonde FedEx driver who delivers them might make him rethink his lonely existence. A CS fic based on the music video for “The Words” by Christina Perri.

Rating: M

Words: 11,744

Also on Ao3 & ffn

*********

Lonely No More

It was a lonely existence, but one he had voluntarily chosen for himself. Killian Jones knew about loneliness, after all; had lived it most of his life. His childhood was spent living in a crowded, dirty city in England, yet even among all those people, he sought solitude. He had his brother and his ailing mother, and didn’t need or want anyone else, including his mostly absentee father, who abandoned his sons for good once his wife died.

Now, he lived in Maine with lots of open space around him. His little house wasn’t anything fancy, but it had everything he needed. He spent his days chopping wood, taking care of his garden, and nurturing the orchids he grew for the flower shop located in a nearby city. The trips he made to deliver them and to purchase necessary supplies, provided the only interaction he desired with other people.

Books were his friends. Books held no expectations and didn’t make him feel self-conscious or uncomfortable. He could lose himself in sea adventures, jungle safaris, and space travel, or learn about horticulture, cooking and shipbuilding.

Recently, he splurged and purchased internet service. The florist had suggested it as a way for him to order his supplies online, instead of having to make an extra trip into the city to buy them. He also set up an email account, so she could let him know ahead of time how many plants she required.

Today he was awaiting his first delivery of floral supplies, along with two new books he was excited to read. He had to admit that having everything coming to him was going to be much more convenient.

As he was tying up the stems on an orchid plant he would be taking to the shop the next day, he looked out the sunroom window and noticed a cloud of dust being kicked up along his lane. He quickly snipped the ends of the thin strings and moved through his house to emerge onto his back steps.

The white FedEx truck was stopped beside his old pickup and Killian descended the stairs to meet the driver. He could hear noises coming from inside the vehicle and figured the delivery man was searching for his packages in the back. While he waited, he leaned on his truck’s tailgate and dug some potting soil from beneath his fingernails, so he was startled when he heard a woman’s voice say, “Do you know how freaking hard it is to find your house?”

His eyes shot up to take in the scowling blonde who was jumping out of the truck to the ground, balancing two packages in her hands.

“Excuse me?” he asked, his voice sounding strange to his own ears.

She rolled her eyes. “I said, your house is almost impossible to find! I’ve been driving around for fifteen minutes and now I’m behind getting these deliveries made. Why don’t you have your house number on your mailbox or something?”

“I…I guess I’ve never thought of doing that.”

Her green eyes flashed. “Well, you should think about it! If you’re gonna live out here in the boonies, you could at least make it easier on delivery drivers!”

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

She nodded her head in satisfaction, then looked at the label on the top package. “You are Killian Jones, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She glared at him. “Seriously? I’m more than likely younger than you and you’re calling me ma’am?”

“Umm…”

“Emma.”

“Pardon me?”

“Whenever you order anything, I’ll probably be the one making the delivery, so you might as well know my name; it’s Emma Swan.”

“Oh. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Emma Swan, and I’m very sorry that my house was difficult for you to find. I also apologize for causing you to be delayed.”

A smile crossed her face and Killian felt like the sun had suddenly broken through the clouds. “Thanks. I only have four more deliveries to make anyway, so it’s not that bad.”

Killian realized she was still holding his boxes. “Here, let me take those. I’m sure you need to be going.”

She handed the packages to him and gave him another smile. “Yeah, I do. Now that I know where you live, I won’t need to yell at you next time, okay?”

“I would appreciate that, lass, er um, Emma.”

“I can live with ‘lass’,” she laughed, turning to head back to the truck.

Killian stood slack jawed, wondering why her laugh had such an effect on him.

She climbed onto her seat, started the engine, and called out to him, “Will I see you soon, Killian Jones?”

“Oh, uh, y-yes. I’ll probably be ordering supplies on a regular basis.”

“Okay. Until next time!”

He shifted the packages so he could raise his arm to wave, then watched the white vehicle disappear down the long lane.

*********

Killian laid on his side in bed, staring at the book in front of him, but unable to concentrate on the words. He flopped onto his back and ran his hand over his face and through his hair. Images of flashing green eyes and blonde tresses preoccupied his thoughts and he couldn’t seem to shake them.

Perhaps it was because he had so little interaction with other people, but he never reacted to the few he did meet the way he had with Emma Swan. He knew it was absurd to be so affected by someone he met for such a brief time, but there was just something about her that captured his attention.

He folded his arms behind his head, his white T-shirt stretching across his chest as he sighed. He could still hear the pleasant sound of her laughter, as well as her melodic voice - when she wasn’t yelling at him.

Giving up on doing any reading, he closed the book and placed it on the nightstand, then switched off the lamp. When he finally managed to drift off to sleep, his dreams were filled with flowing golden hair and sparkling emerald eyes.

*********

Grocery shopping was one thing Killian despised and would put off until there was barely any food left in the house. The day he realized he could buy most of his groceries online was a happy one for him.

As he checked the cupboards and made a list of items he needed, he couldn’t help but look forward to the next day delivery guaranteed by his upgraded membership. Since FedEx was named as the preferred delivery method, he knew his excitement stemmed from more than just having his food supply replenished.

The next morning, he felt the unprecedented need to dress in his best blue checkered flannel shirt with a gray henley underneath. He set out for the back of his property to chop a bundle of firewood, stopping often to survey the vehicles passing by on the highway in the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the white truck with the distinctive orange and dark purple logo on the side.

After carrying the wood to his house and stacking it on the porch, Killian puttered around inside; oiling a squeaky hinge, fixing the leaky bathroom faucet, and nailing down a loose floorboard in his bedroom. In between jobs, he looked out the window, checking the lane for any approaching delivery trucks.

He heated up leftover beef stew for lunch, dipping pieces of soft, white bread into the rich broth. As he ate, he flipped through a magazine, trying to find an article of interest to help distract him from thinking about her.

By mid-afternoon, he was beginning to wonder if the delivery tracking app was wrong when it showed that his packages were supposed to be delivered that day. He was outside stacking crates in the bed of his truck and folding the green tarp he used for covering the flowers, when he saw the cloud of dust at the end of his lane. His traitorous heart began to beat faster as he spotted the FedEx truck headed his way.

Not wanting to appear too eager, he finished his task and placed the tarp in the cab of his pickup, while the delivery truck came to a stop. When he glanced up, he saw the flash of a blonde ponytail disappearing into the back storage area.

By the time he walked over to stand beside the white vehicle, Emma had emerged with two large boxes balanced on top of one another. She stepped carefully onto the ground and Killian hurried to take them from her. He had assumed they weren’t heavy since she didn’t seem to struggle carrying them, but was surprised to realize the combined weight of the two boxes was rather substantial.

“How are you today, Miss Swan?” he asked politely.

“I’m fine, Mister Jones,” she smirked. “My name is Emma, remember?”

He knew he would have been nervously scratching behind his ear if his hands were empty. As it was, he felt the heat moving up his neck. “I didn’t want to be too forward.”

“So you’re a gentleman, huh?”

“Indeed I am.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have told you my name if I didn’t want you to use it.”

Killian smiled. “Duly noted.”

“I notice you have your house number added on your mailbox now.”

“Aye, better late than never, I suppose.”

Emma laughed, which caused his heart to speed up just like the last time. “All of your other delivery drivers will appreciate it, too.’

“There are no others. You’re my one and only,” he blurted, then wished the earth would open beneath his feet to swallow him.

“That’s good to know,” Emma laughed, stepping back up into her truck. “Have a good day, Killian.”

“You too, lass. Drive carefully.”

“Yes, Dad,” she grinned, then put the truck into gear and waved.

Realizing his hands were full, instead of waving, he nodded his head and graced her with one of his rare smiles, which she returned before driving away.

He carried the packages into the house, with the smile still on his face.

*********

Usually, Killian was content when he went days on end without going into the city or having any interaction with other human beings; but as the week after the delivery of his groceries progressed, he felt restless. He found himself searching the shopping app for items which would be useful, even though they weren’t necessary.

He knew he shouldn’t spend money on frivolous purchases, but since he had more than enough savings in the bank, he didn’t really feel guilty about buying a few things. Still, his finger hovered over the ‘place order’ button for several seconds before he finally tapped it.

That evening as he soaked in his vintage, claw-footed bathtub, he started having second thoughts about what he had done. He couldn’t believe he ordered things he didn’t need just so he would get to see Emma again.

Laying his head back on the rim of the tub, he sighed deeply. He was probably reading too much into her friendliness and was sure she treated all the other people on her delivery route the same way.

He leaned forward and scooped water into his cupped hands, then splashed it over his face and through his hair. Regardless of whether or not he had done the right thing, his order would arrive tomorrow.

As he pulled the plug to drain the tub, climbed out and began to dry off, he came to the conclusion that his excitement over having Emma arrive in her FedEx truck was because of the novelty of having packages delivered to his house, instead of having to make the trip into town. Perhaps seeing her would become routine, and soon his heart wouldn’t race every time he saw the delivery truck coming up his lane.

*********

“This is getting to be a habit,” Emma remarked, hopping down out of the truck with a small package in her hand.

Killian’s fingers found the spot behind his ear which always seemed to itch when he felt awkward. “Aye. I’m sure you’d rather not have to make deliveries all the way out here.”

“I really don’t mind, Killian.”

His hand brushed against hers as he reached to take the box, and the feel of her soft skin caused a tingling sensation to travel through his fingers. He noticed she wasn’t quick to pull her hand back and he lifted his eyes to look into her face. She was wearing a soft smile that he couldn’t imagine she gave to all of her other customers.

He felt her fingers slowly glide against his as she finally let go of the package and stepped back.

“I guess I’d better be on my way,” she remarked. “Do you, uh, will you have more orders arriving soon?”

“Oh, um, I…I don’t know. Possibly. I forgot a few things when I ordered my groceries last week.”

Her smile brightened. “Great! I’ll see you before long, then. Goodbye, Killian!”

“Goodbye, Emma.”

“Don’t worry - I’ll drive carefully!” she quipped before taking off.

He shook his head at her banter and stood in the driveway, until the dust created by her vehicle had completely settled.

*********

Killian was amazed at how light his heart felt in the following days. When he made his bi-weekly trip to the flower shop to deliver his pots of orchids, the florist noticed.

“You seem to be in a good mood,” she commented. “I mean, not that you’re usually grumpy or anything, but you just seem…different.”

“Do I?” he asked. “Well, this batch of flowers is of exceptionally good quality, so perhaps that’s the reason.”

She threw him a skeptical look, but didn’t make any further comments as she wrote a check for him.

*********

Killian had become engrossed in repotting some plants and wasn’t waiting outside when Emma made a delivery the following week. By the time he glanced up to see the familiar truck sitting in his driveway, she was already striding toward the door carrying a large box.

He quickly brushed his hands off over his workbench, then rubbed them down the front of his jeans. She knocked on the door just as he reached it.

“Did you forget I was coming?” she smirked through the screen door.

“No, I was just working.”

“You work from home?”

“You could say that. I grow specialty flowers to supply a florist in the city.”

While he was talking, she was peeking in the window beside the door, which looked into his sunroom. “Oh, wow! You grow those? They’re gorgeous!”

“Would you, um, would you like to come in and see them more closely, or are you not supposed to go into your customers’ homes?”

“We’re strongly encouraged not to, mostly for our own safety, but I trust you, Killian Jones.”

A bright smile stretched across his face as he pushed the screen door open, being careful not to accidentally bump her with it. “Come on in.”

She stepped into the house, glancing around for a couple of seconds before following him into the sunroom. He took the package from her hands, laid it on a chair, then stood back as she walked around his workbench, marveling over the beauty of the orchids.

After she walked completely around it, he began telling her about some of the complexities of growing the fragile flowers. She listened attentively, hesitantly reaching out to lightly stroke her fingers over the silky petals.

When she realized she had been there for over five minutes, she declared that she had to get back to work. As she made her way to the door, he plucked one of the stray blooms off of the bench.

“Swan?” he said, causing her to stop in her tracks and look back at him.

He stepped over to her and shyly held the bloom out, then ducked his head and scratched at the back of it after she took it.

“Thank you, Killian. It’s beautiful.” She twirled the stem between her fingers and looked up at him from under her lashes. “You’re very talented.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that…”

“I do. And you’re also very sweet.”

As the tips of his ears reddened, she turned, pushed the door open and made her way to the truck. He watched through the screen to see her gently lay the flower on the dashboard before driving off.

*********

The next time the FedEx truck came rumbling up the lane, Killian was sitting on his back steps, bundled in his olive green, Sherpa lined coat, and wearing a heather blue infinity scarf around his neck. It was a Thursday towards the end of October; the last leaves were clinging to the bare branches of the trees, and a front had moved through, dropping the temperatures with the first true cold snap of Autumn.

He stood up as the truck stopped and strode over to stand beside it, waiting for Emma to emerge from the back with his latest purchase. When she did, he sensed a difference in her demeanor immediately. The slight smile she had pasted on her face wasn’t natural and didn’t reach her eyes.

As soon as she handed him the box, she mumbled, “Here you go, Killian. Have a good day,” and began to climb back into the driver’s seat.

“Emma, wait,” he called, causing her to pause before getting behind the steering wheel. “Is something wrong?”

She stood stock still for several moments and he wondered if she was warring with herself about whether to confide in him or not. He gave her time, not wanting to pressure her into saying something, but hoping she would, since something was clearly bothering her.

Finally, she turned back to face him with tears shining in her eyes. “To-today is my birthday…”

Automatically he responded, “Happy birthday, Swan!” then realized two tears had escaped the confines of her lower eyelids and were tracking down her cheeks. He carelessly tossed the package he was holding onto the open tailgate of his pickup and closed the space between them.

Acting on instinct, he reached up to brush the tears off her cheeks, and the simple gesture seemed to break the dam. A few more tears fell as Killian implored, “Emma, what is it? Tell me what’s wrong.”

After several seconds, she took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped her face with her sleeve. “I’m sorry, Killian,” she whispered in a tear-thickened voice.

“You have no reason to be sorry, lass, but perhaps you could share whatever it is that’s burdening you. Is it something to do with your birthday?”

She kept her head down, as she explained, “I just…I don’t have any family - never have - and it’s hard every time my birthday comes around, because all it does is remind me that it’s been another banner year of being alone. I wish…I wish…you know what, I’ll be okay. Forget it.”

“Making a wish is one of the traditions of birthdays, I believe,” he observed. “Please tell me your wish, Emma.”

Raising her head at last, she looked at him with a sad smile, “I wish I didn’t have to be by myself on my birthday.”

“I can help make that happen, if you’ll allow me.”

“Killian, no. I didn’t tell you this so you would feel sorry for me.”

“What I feel for you is empathy, Swan. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a recluse. I have no remaining family myself, and I haven’t gone out of my way to make any friends since moving here from England several years ago. I would be happy to keep you company on your birthday.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. Would you feel comfortable coming here to have dinner with me?”

“Um, sure. Do you want me to bring take-out from somewhere?”

He rubbed his finger behind his ear. “I thought I might cook the meal. I’m no chef, but I can hold my own. Do you have any food allergies?”

Her smile brightened. “Umm…no, no allergies, and I’m excited to taste your cooking! Is there anything I can bring?”

“Just yourself. Shall we say seven o’clock?”

“That works for me. I should probably go, so I can finish the rest of my deliveries. Thanks so much, Killian - I’ll see you later!”

“One moment, Swan. Perhaps I should, uh, perhaps we could trade phone numbers, just in case…”

“In case you want to cancel?” she asked, trying and failing, to make it sound like a joke as her smile faltered.

“Of course not. I just thought it would be a good idea to have each other’s number. That way, if you’re running late, you can call so I won’t worry.”

“Oh, okay. Let me put my number into your phone, then you can send me a text and I’ll have yours.”

Once that was done, Emma bounced up the steps of her truck and dropped into the seat. “See you tonight!” she called as she slid the door shut, fastened her seat belt, and drove off.

He watched her go with a fond smile on his face, then hurried into the house to decide what to make for her birthday dinner.

*********

By the time Killian saw headlights coming up the lane, he was pulling dinner rolls out of the oven while the loaded potato soup simmered on the stove. He stepped out onto his back porch to see a yellow Volkswagen come to a stop, and heard the hinges screech in protest when she threw open the door to climb out. She tried to close it, but it wouldn’t shut completely, so she bumped it with her hip in a move he was sure she used on a regular basis.

Turning toward him, he could see the beaming smile on her face - quite a different countenance than she’d had earlier in the day.

“Good evening, Love,” Killian greeted. Even in the low light, he saw her brows raise at his use of the term.

“Hello again, Killian,” she returned, brushing past him as he held the door open for her. “Wow! Something smells delicious!”

He held her coat as she shrugged out of it, then hung it on a hook in the entryway. “I hope you like salad and loaded potato soup.”

“I like anything, pretty much. If I was home tonight, I would probably be having leftover pizza from last week. Potato soup sounds like heaven to me!”

They moved into the kitchen where he pulled a chair out for her at his small table, went to the stove to ladle soup into two bowls, then sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese on top. He placed them on the table where the basket of rolls and plates of salad were already waiting.

“I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer you in the way of drinks,” he apologized. “I wish I had some wine or…”

“No problem. Water is fine with me.”

He took two glasses from the cupboard, dropped some ice cubes in, then filled them with water from the faucet.

Emma was stirring her soup, inhaling deeply. “I can’t wait to try this - it smells so freaking good!” she declared.

He chuckled. “Well, dig in then, Swan,” and watched her surreptitiously as she did.

“Mmmm…” she moaned after taking her first bite. “This tastes amazing!”

Her moan sent a warm sensation through his body, and he cleared his throat before speaking so his voice wouldn’t betray the wash of longing it set off in him. “I’m, uh, I’m glad you like it.”

“Did you actually make this, or have you hidden the cans you opened somewhere?”

“No cans to hide - I made it from scratch, and I grew the vegetables for the salad in my greenhouse garden out back,” he grinned, tearing off a hunk of bread to dip into his bowl.

She watched him before doing the same. “How about the rolls? Did you make them, too?”

“Ah, now those I just warmed in the oven. I had them in my freezer.”

“Oh, you just burst my bubble, Jones. I thought you were a master chef and baker!”

“Well, I didn’t have room in the oven to make both fresh rolls and your birthday cake, so I chose to make the cake,” he smirked.

Her eyes grew wide and she laid her spoon on the table. “You…you made a cake for me?” she gasped.

He slowly nodded his head. “Aye, and I hope you like chocolate. It’s a recipe of my mum’s and it’s my favorite. I also made buttercream frosting for it.”

“I love chocolate! I can’t believe you did that!”

“Well, everyone should have a cake for their birthday, although I don’t usually bother to make one for myself.”

“Do you know what I did last year? I bought myself a cupcake and a little blue star candle and took them to my apartment. Then I stuck the candle in the cupcake, lit it, made a wish and blew it out.”

“Did your wish come true?”  

She looked him in the eye. “I wished I could have someone in my life to talk to, even if it was only one person. It’s one of the reasons I started working for FedEx. I thought if I was making deliveries to different houses, I would meet people, but most of the time, they’re too busy to talk, or they don’t answer my knock, so I just leave the packages at their door. Then I started coming here and, well, I guess you could say you made my wish come true, Killian.”

He ducked his head and busied himself with stirring his soup. “You’ve done the same for me, Swan. It gets lonely out here by myself, but I have no desire to live in the city. I enjoy chatting with you when you deliver my purchases, and I, uh…I have a confession to make.”

“What’s that?”

She waited for his answer while watching his ears turning red. “I…well…I’ve been ordering things I really don’t even need, just so I can see you.”

Reaching across the table, she covered his hand with her own. “I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

He raised his eyes. “You do?”

She nodded.

“I have another confession to make,” he admitted. She squeezed his hand to encourage him. “I, uh, I asked for your phone number because I thought perhaps I could call you in between the deliveries you make out here.”

“I’d like that, Killian. I hope you won’t mind if I call you sometimes, too?”

“That would be nice, Emma.” They shared a smile, then he observed, “Perhaps we should finish our soup before it gets cold.”

*********

After they finished their dinner, Killian carried the cake in, along with dessert plates and clean forks.

Setting the cake in front of her, he apologized, “I’m sorry I don’t have any birthday candles. I’ve never had any need for them.“

“Maybe you should order some to be delivered,” she smirked, and he laughed.

“If I did have candles, how many would be necessary?” he asked hesitantly.

“Are you trying to ask me how old I am, Jones?”

He shrugged. “Maybe?”

She giggled, causing him to grin. “I’m twenty-nine.”

He began cutting the cake into large squares, then lifted a piece out of the pan to place on one of the plates. As she watched him, she inquired, “When is your birthday, Killian?”

“In January.”

“And you’ll be…?”

“Thirty-three. I’ve got a few years on you.” He laid a fork on the plate, slid it across the table to her, then set to work plating a piece for himself.

“Less than four. That’s hardly anything,” she commented.

Once he was seated again, he looked at the beautiful woman across from him. “Even though you don’t have a candle to blow out, would you still like to make a wish, Love?”

“Okay.” She closed her eyes and concentrated, until a smile crossed her face. When her eyes blinked open again, she saw him watching her. “You know I can’t tell you what I wished for or it won’t come true.”

He reached across the table to give her fingers a squeeze. “I truly hope it does.”

They ate their cake, with Emma exclaiming over how delicious it tasted. When they finished, she tried to help him clean up, but he wouldn’t hear of it. “I’ll just clear away the leftovers, then take care of the dishes tomorrow.”

He insisted on sending some of the food home with her, giving her a generous amount of soup, three rolls, and several pieces of cake, all of which he packaged and put into a cardboard box.

“I seem to have a lot of these piling up, for some reason,” he quipped, and she rolled her eyes with a grin.

Soon all the food was squared away and the two of them stood together in the kitchen, feeling a little awkward.

“Would you, um, would you like to watch some television?” he asked.

“I should probably go home. I have to work tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes, okay. Well, I’m very happy you were able to come over tonight.”

“So am I, and I can’t thank you enough, Killian. This is the best birthday I’ve had for as long as I can remember!”

“It was my pleasure, Emma. Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you before you go.”

“You don’t have to give me anything; you already made a delicious meal and cake for me.”

He took her hand and tugged her along behind him into his sunroom. “I want to do this, Swan,” he told her, stopping in front of his work table, on which sat an orchid with pale pink blooms. He picked it up and turned to hand it to her. “Happy birthday, Love.”

“Killian, I…I can’t take this! You grow these for the florist…”

“I grow these to share with people,” he interrupted, “and I can think of nobody with whom I’d rather share this one.”

She set it back on the table and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He returned her hug, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her scent.

When they finally separated, he held her coat for her as she slid her arms into it, then carried the box to her car while she carefully handled the plant. They placed everything on the passenger side floor, making sure the flower was secure.

As they stood in front of the driver’s door, Killian remarked, “That’s quite the vessel you captain there, Swan.”

“It’s paid for and it gets me where I need to go.”

“Ah, of course.”

He dropped his eyes shyly, until he heard her say, “Well, I guess I should get going. Thanks again for everything, Killian.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Both of them remained still for several moments, not quite knowing how to end the evening. Finally, Killian said, “I’d, uh…I’d like to see you again, if that’s okay. I mean, besides you coming here to make deliveries. Would you be interested in going out on a proper date?”

Emma graced him with a brilliant smile. “I would like that very much.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow evening to set something up. Perhaps dinner and a movie?”

“Sounds good! I’ll look forward to it!”

Stepping forward, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, but before she could move away from him, he put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. Looking into her moonlit eyes, he saw acceptance for what he was planning to do, and in the next moment, his lips found hers.  

The kiss was gentle and sweet, and he could feel her breath quicken as his lips glided over hers. After a blissful few seconds, he reluctantly broke the kiss, licked his lips, and smiled at her.

“Goodnight, Emma. Drive safely.”

“I will. Goodnight, Killian.”

He opened the door for her, and closed it once she was settled behind the wheel with her seatbelt fastened, bumping it with his hip as he had seen her do, to make sure it was latched.

She gave him another smile and a wave as the engine rumbled to life, then turned the car around and started down the lane. Killian went back into his house, still smiling to himself, not realizing that with his kiss, he had already made Emma’s latest birthday wish come true.

*********

After spending the following day watching the clock until he knew Emma would be home, Killian was true to his word and called her. They arranged to go out the next evening to a nice, quiet, out-of-the-way diner outside the city.

Just before ending the call, he suggested wearing casual, warm clothes for the second part of their date. He thought of something to do after dinner besides a movie, but wanted to make the suggestion face-to-face with Emma, to get her honest reaction. He did ask her if she liked horror movies or if she scared easily, because he didn’t want to put her in an awkward situation during their date. She assured him that she enjoyed things that got her heart racing.

On Saturday, he made a delivery of flowers to the florist in the city, then spent a couple of hours cleaning out his pickup truck and washing it. He wished he had a more luxurious vehicle, but he knew she probably wouldn’t care, considering the car she drove.

It felt like time was moving at a snail’s pace all afternoon. He took a bath, trimmed his beard, and dressed in jeans, boots and a heavy red and black plaid flannel shirt. Then he spent some time figuring out the best route to take to her apartment, not putting his trust in his phone’s GPS, and checked his appearance several times before the clock finally showed it was time to leave.

It had been years since he last went on a date, and he hadn’t been on one at all since moving to Maine. Going out with women always made him feel awkward and anxious, so it became something he chose to forgo. Tonight, however, he surprised himself with how much he was looking forward to going out with Emma.

He pulled up to the curb in front of her apartment building almost ten minutes early, so instead of going in and knocking on her door, he sat in his truck, fidgeting and repeatedly smoothing the hair on the back of his head.

When his phone dinged with a text message, he grinned as he read it. You don’t have to sit in your truck until the exact time, you know. I’ve been ready for over an hour.

He exited the truck and looked up at the third floor, spotting her standing in one of the windows, waving at him. He grinned in return, then entered the building and took the elevator to her floor. She opened the door before he even had a chance to knock, wearing a bright, though slightly nervous, smile.

“Swan, you look…stunning,” he said sincerely, pulling a bouquet of Autumn flowers from behind his back, and causing her smile to grow wider.

“Oh, Killian! They’re gorgeous! Fall colors are my favorite! Come in so I can put these in some water.” She stepped off to the side of the doorway to usher him in, taking the bouquet from his hand and automatically bringing it up to her nose.

“Look, I haven’t killed the plant you gave me yet,” she said proudly, using her free hand to gesture toward a small table in front of the window, on which sat her birthday orchid.  

“That’s good. I think if you had, it might be a new world’s record for murder of a plant!” he chuckled.

He could hear her rattling around in her small kitchen, opening and closing cupboards, followed by the sound of running water. When she emerged, she held a bright yellow plastic pitcher with the flowers inside.

“I’ve never gotten flowers before, so I don’t have a vase,” she explained, setting the pitcher on the table beside the orchid.

“You’ll need to cut the stems diagonally under running water and trim the leaves off below the water line; that makes cut flowers last a little longer,” he informed her. “There’s a little packet of plant food tucked in there to sprinkle in the water, too.”

“Should I do it right now?”

“No, it can wait until later. Are you ready to go?”

“Is this okay for what you have planned?” She swept her hand downward, indicating her dark jeans, knee-high boots, black and white striped sweater, and dark red, fleece-lined coat.

“It’s perfect. The Weather Channel says it’s only supposed to get down into the low fifties tonight, so you should be warm enough.”

“The Weather Channel, huh? What are you, like sixty years old?” She laughed as he rolled his eyes, then added, “You have me very curious about what we’re going to do.”

He opened the apartment door and allowed her to lead the way into the hall. “Right now, we’re going to eat dinner,” he teased.

“Yeah, I figured that out, Sherlock. I was talking about after we’re done eating.”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he assured her, following a step behind as she walked down the stairs.

*********

The diner was a cozy little nook which wasn’t too crowded, and allowed them to have an uninterrupted conversation all through dinner. Killian was a bit shocked with how easily he was able to talk to her, after being alone for so many years and having limited contact with other people. She was a good listener and had him laughing with stories of some of her delivery mishaps.

At the end of their meal, he asked if she would like to have dessert or coffee. “Actually, I’d like some hot chocolate,” she said, “with lots of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.”

“That sounds…interesting.”

She saw his raised brows. “What?”

He opened his mouth, then hesitated before responding, “Nothing.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it, buddy.”

“I’m feeling adventurous tonight.”

When the waitress brought the beverages out, he took a tentative sip, then gave a whipped cream-enhanced smile. “Not bad, Swan.”

“Told ya,” she gloated. “So when are you gonna tell me where we’re going next? I’ve been very patient.”

“Indeed you have. I’m not sure how you’ll feel about this, so if it’s something you’d rather not do, don’t be afraid to tell me.” She nodded her agreement, and he went on. “I found a farm a few miles from my house which offers haunted hayrides through the woods.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? That sounds like fun! What time does it start?”

“The first one is at eight o-clock and there’s one every forty minutes until midnight. We should be able to go on the third one of the night.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go get the begeezus scared out of us!”

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “We still have time to finish our cocoa, Emma.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m just so excited! I’ve never been on a hayride of any kind before, let alone a haunted one!”

Killian was happy he was getting to witness some of her first experiences that evening, and that she was so receptive to his idea. He had worried that she would think it was a silly and childish thing to do.

Every moment he spent with the fiery blonde had him becoming more and more fond of her, and when the voices in his head started chanting that he could get hurt, he shut them up immediately. He was tired of being lonely, and was ready to take a chance with this woman, who was already well on her way to capturing his heart.  

*********

The couple enjoyed the hayride, which turned out to be more humorous than scary. Emma had trouble controlling her giggles as people dressed as zombies with bad make-up jumped out at them from the woods with chainless chainsaws, rubber knives and fake machetes.

Killian didn’t mind the occasions when she was startled, because she kept jumping closer to him on the hay bale on which they were sitting. By the time the half-hour ride was over, he had his arm around her, holding her close against his side.

Before leaving the farm, they purchased hot apple cider and caramel popcorn and took it back to his house.

“Would you like to watch a movie, Swan, or will that make it too late for you to get home?” Killian asked, showing her into his living room.

“I can get home after midnight; I won’t turn into a pumpkin…or a zombie,” she smirked.

“Shall we continue on with the scary theme?”

“That’s fine with me. I like horror movies, but I don’t really enjoy watching them by myself.”

They chose a movie from Hulu together and sat on the couch as they watched, munching popcorn and sipping their cider. About an hour into the movie, when the food was gone, Emma gravitated toward where he was sitting and was soon leaning against him. He encouraged her snuggling by wrapping his arm around her shoulder and resting his cheek on the top of her head.

Killian was not a person who welcomed human contact - most of the time he would avoid it if possible. So he was surprised to realize he not only enjoyed Emma’s body being close to his, but almost craved her touch. Several times she hid her face in his chest when she knew a particularly scary scene was coming and he held her tighter, boldly pressing kisses into her hair.

When the movie ended, he reluctantly released her, allowing her to sit up. She turned to look at him and he asked, “Did you like it, Love?”

“The movie or the date?”

“Both, I guess?” he shrugged.

Instead of answering, she leaned in and kissed him. His eyes widened in surprise at first, then he let out a happy sigh and allowed his lips to caress hers in return. He felt the fingers of one of her hands find their way into the soft strands of hair at the nape of his neck, while the other slid up his arm to squeeze his bicep.

His hands didn’t stay idle, as he ran them from her waist to massage her back. He lost himself in the kiss and found himself wishing it wouldn’t end. When it did, he drew back to look into her shining eyes, then dove back in for more.

Finally, they both had a need for air and separated, though they maintained contact with their foreheads pressed together.

“Can I take that as a yes?” he grinned.

“It is most definitely a yes,” she assured him. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such a good time!”

“You didn’t find the haunted hayride to be a bit feeble?”

“I loved it! This date was so much fun, Killian. I truly have enjoyed every minute of it…especially the last few,” she added, winking at him.

He laughed deep in his throat and pulled her in for another hug. “I’ve had a really good time, too,” he murmured against her temple. “Would you be interested in going out again?”

“I’m assuming you mean with you?”

“That was kind of the idea, yes.”

She pressed her lips to his again. When she pulled back after several sweet moments, he licked his lips and said, “Not that I’m complaining, Love, but do you ever just answer with a yes or no?”

She threw her head back and laughed, and he took the opportunity to scatter small kisses along the creamy skin of her throat. Her sudden intake of breath told him the effect they had on her.

“I…I would love to go out with you again, Killian; more than once, if possible.”

“I think that’s entirely possible.” He settled her against his chest once more and they sat comfortably together, her fingers finding the gold chain around his neck, while his stroked up and down her upper arm.

The chimes of his grandfather clock signaled the hour of one o’clock and he reluctantly sat up and put some space between them. “I’d better get you home, Swan.”

She heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I guess so. You probably need your beauty sleep.”

“It’s how I retain my youthful glow,” he responded cheekily.

She laughed again and he realized he could listen to that sound for hours on end, if given the chance.

Killian went out to start the truck while Emma put her boots and coat back on. Soon they were on the road back to her place.

“Do you like living in the city?” he inquired as they drove along the highway.

“Not really, but I’m not lucky enough to own a house out in the country.”

“Lucky is a good word for it. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to purchase it, and got it for a steal. It’s quiet and far away from other people, so it has plenty of privacy, which I value.”

“I figured that out by the number of things you order so you won’t have to make trips into the city.”

He glanced over at her with a shy smile. “I don’t allow many people in, Emma. In the past, I’ve found it very difficult to trust them, because they always let me down.”

“I can identify with that.”

“You, uh, you said you never had a family…”

“Nope. I was abandoned at birth and never got adopted.”

“Ah, I see. I actually had a family, but my mum died when I was very young, my father abandoned my brother Liam and me, then Liam was killed in an accident. I’ve been alone for nearly fifteen years now.”

“It sucks, doesn’t it?”

“Aye, but I’ve gotten used to it.”

Silence fell for a while as the truck passed three mile markers. Finally, Emma broke it by quietly asking, “Do you think you would like being a little less lonely?”

He glanced over at her before directing his eyes back to the dark road. “I would if it meant we were being less lonely together.”

*********

When they arrived at her apartment building, Killian hopped out of his side of the truck and hurried around it to open her door, taking her hand as she exited and not letting it go. They took their time walking up the three flights of stairs, exchanging few words, but numerous smiles with each other.

“Do you want to come in?” she asked as they stopped outside her apartment door.

“I might want to, but I really should get back home.”

“Busy day tomorrow?”

“Not really, but I was planning on calling a certain lovely lady at some point in the day.”

“Lucky girl.”

He moved closer to kiss her briefly. “I guess you are.”

Looping her arms around his neck, she initiated another kiss, this one lasting far longer. Pulling back at last, she said, “I had such a good time tonight, Killian. Everything about it was perfect.”

“I’m very happy to hear it. Shall we do it again soon?”

“I would really like that. Will I, um, will I be making any deliveries to you this week?”

“I do have some floral supplies ordered.”

“Good.”

They shared another lengthy kiss before he stepped back. “Goodnight, Emma.”

“Goodnight, Killian.” Unlocking and opening her door, she threw him one last dazzling smile, then walked inside and closed it behind her.

He stood leaning against the wall for a few more moments, then blew out a breath and touched his fingers to his lips, remembering the way they tingled when they were touching hers.

********

In the following weeks, Emma and Killian called or texted each other daily, and went on several more dates, using every opportunity to get to know one another better. He looked forward to the days when she made a delivery to his house, since it gave him another chance to see her briefly.

It became more and more difficult for him to say goodbye to her at her apartment after their dates. Sometimes he would accept her invitation for hot chocolate and they would talk and kiss for an hour or so, but he never pushed it any further. He wanted her to know that he respected her and would wait until she decided the time was right to take their budding relationship to the next level.                                                                                                          

Christmas was quickly approaching and the couple had been dating for nearly two months. Early one evening, Killian was beginning to worry when Emma wasn’t answering his phone calls or texts. He knew it was past time for her to be home from work, and because there had been periods of freezing rain throughout the day, he started to imagine the worst when he thought of her having to drive her delivery route on icy roads.

He was pacing back and forth across the kitchen, hoping his phone would light up with her name, when headlights illuminated the room. Knowing there was only one person it could possibly be, he threw on a coat, hurried out the back door, and jogged down the steps.

She was bumping her car door closed with her hip as he reached her. “Swan, what are you doing here at this time of night? Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. I just have a delivery to make.”

“A delivery? I don’t think I’m expecting anything. What is it?”

She took a step forward and ran her hands up his chest. “Me.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise and it took a second for what she was saying to register. When it did, he put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. “Is that right?”

Looping her arms around his neck, she ghosted her lips against his as she said, “Yes, it is.”

“Shall we go inside, Love?”

She leaned back and looked into his eyes. “Just so we’re clear, Killian - when we go inside, I want more than one of our usual make-out sessions, no matter how much I enjoy them. Is that…is that okay with you?”

“Well, it would be rather rude of me to reject such a special delivery,” he chuckled a little nervously. Then he grew more serious. “Emma, I…it’s been a long time since I was in any kind of relationship, and it didn’t end well. I don’t want to…to…what I mean is…”

She took his hand and started leading him to the house. “Let’s talk inside. I’m freezing.”

After shedding their coats and boots, they sat together on the couch with their fingers intertwined. “What were you trying to tell me, Killian?” she asked, watching his thumb rub over her knuckle.

“The last woman I dated broke my heart. That’s one of the main reasons why I made the decision to leave England all those years ago, and I haven’t dated since. So what I’m trying to say is, I’m out of practice.”

She twisted in her seat, and the next thing he knew, she had flung her leg over his lap and was straddling him. Her hands came up to the sides of his face and she leaned her forehead against his.

“I’ve heard it’s like riding a bicycle,” she said. He chuckled and she sat back to look at him. “My sexual experiences have been very few and far between, too, but we can figure it out together. If you want to, that is.”

“Oh, I want to, Emma - that’s not the problem at all. It’s just that, in the past…”

She put two fingers over his lips. “Let the past stay in the past - those are ghosts we can’t control. This is now, and I want you. I know the scariest part is letting go, but I’m yours to choose, so why don’t you take what’s right in front of you, Killian?”

He contemplated what she said for less than two seconds before surging forward to engage her in a passionate kiss. It grew increasingly heated until he felt that if he didn’t do something soon, he was going to internally combust.

He wrapped her securely in his arms and pushed to his feet, not breaking contact with her lips. Her legs automatically went around his waist and she moaned deeply into his mouth, causing him to nearly stumble.

His bedroom seemed so much farther away than the few steps it actually was, but when he finally made it to the edge of his bed, he eased her onto it gently. Then he stood looking down at her as she reached for him, her hair spread out in a tangled halo, her lips kiss-swollen, and her eyes dark with desire.

“Killian, please,” she panted, “I need you.”

Her fingers scrambled for the button of his jeans before he stilled them with his hands. “I…I don’t have any protection,” he admitted. “I’ve been meaning to get some, but…”

“I’m covered and clean. Been on the pill for months to regulate my cycle,” she explained, pulling her hands free. “Do you have any other excuses?”

“No, no excuses. There is just something I need to tell you. I know this may be too soon for you to hear, but I want to say it so you understand this isn’t just a one-time thing, to scratch an itch.”

She swallowed hard as she looked into his eyes, the expression in them so intense she was almost afraid to find out what he was going to say. “What is it?” she managed to ask.

“I…Emma…I’m in love with you,” he stated, tenderly brushing her hair away from her face.

“Y-you are?” she squeaked.

“Utterly and completely. I think I have been ever since the moment you yelled at me during that first delivery you made. I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I didn’t know how, and I didn’t want to take this next step before I did.”

“You actually love me?” she asked, with disbelief lacing her words.

“Aye, Sweetheart. I love your sense of humor, your determination, your boldness, and your stubborn streak.” She grinned at that. “I also love your ability to see past the walls I’ve built to keep people out, in order to see the lonely person inside. No one has ever made the effort to do that before.” He paused a moment, before continuing, “But don’t worry, Love. I’m not telling you this to pressure you into saying…”

“I love you, Killian.”

“…it,” he finished, a look of awe crossing his face. “Do you really?”

“Yes. At least, I think I do, if this is what being in love feels like. I’ve never felt it before. All I know is that I think about you all the time…”

“Same.”

“And every time I talk to you, my heart races and…”

“I can’t stop smiling.”

“Exactly! And whenever you touch me, it’s like my skin is…is…”

“Like an electrical current is running through it?”

“Yes! Is that what being in love feels like?”

“I assume so. I’ve never been in love before, either.”

Emma giggled adorably. “Well, now that we’re clear on how we feel about each other, what else is keeping you from ravaging me?”

He grinned at her and ran his hands up her sides underneath her sweater. “Just this jumper,” he said as he pulled it over her head. “And these jeans, and bra, and…you’re wearing far too many clothes, Swan.”

“Hmmm, I guess we better do something about that. You have a lot of clothes on too, you know.”

In a flash, she tackled him and had him on his back in the middle of the bed, while she knelt above him, undoing the fastener of his jeans and pulling the zipper down. He lifted his hips to help her tug them down his legs until he was in his boxers, and she licked her lips as she took in the sizable bulge he was sporting.

She felt his hair tickling her fingers when she ran them up his legs and into the openings of his underwear. One hand fondled his balls while the other found his shaft, stroking it lightly. Her eyes moved up his body to watch the effect she was having on him.

His eyes were closed and he was biting his lower lip. His hands reached up to grip the pillow under his head and he groaned, “Bloody fuck, Emma! That…that feels so good!”

She continued running her hand along his velvety skin, stopping periodically to brush her thumb across his slit, until he gasped, “P-please stop, Love. I…I don’t know if I can…hold back if you keep doing that.”

She gave him one more gentle squeeze, then removed her hands and sat looking down at him with a smirk, before swinging around on the bed to yank off her socks.  As she reached for the button of her jeans, he stopped her. “Let me do that, Love.”

She hopped up off the bed to stand in front of him, clad only in her bra and jeans. “Okay, but I get to finish stripping you first.”  

“As you wish,” he conceded.

She pushed his flannel shirt off his shoulders and, once he pulled his arms free, lifted his henley over his head. Seeing that she still hadn’t reached bare skin yet because of the white undershirt he wore, she blew out an exasperated breath.

“Holy shit, Jones! How many layers of clothes are you wearing?”

“I live in Maine and it’s the middle of winter. What do you expect?”

“I expect to get naked with you, but I didn’t know it was gonna take until the New Year to get you there!”

He laughed as she grabbed the hem of the T-shirt to drag it up his body. Her eyes danced with delight as she took in his muscular chest with its generous peppering of hair. He tried not to squirm as she lightly ran her fingers through it and stroked along his ribcage.

“You’re gorgeous,” she breathed, watching her fingers as they moved.

“Not nearly as much as you,” he responded, bringing his hands up to spread them over her sides, and rubbing his thumbs under the elastic of her bra. As his hands slid around to the back of it, he looked up at her through his lashes. “May I?”

She nodded and held her breath as he made quick work of the fasteners, then she pulled her arms through and let the bra drop to the floor.  

Killian lovingly caressed her breasts, strumming his thumbs across her nipples, which hardened immediately under his ministrations. “Beautiful,” he whispered.

He bent to take one of her pebbled nipples between his lips, running his tongue across it, then sucking lightly. When it garnered a gasp and soft moan from her, he sucked harder, while his left hand squeezed and fondled the other breast.

Emma’s eyes closed and her head dropped back as she enjoyed the sensations passing through her body. Her fingers found their way to his hair and she scratched through it, giving little tugs to the ends.

Every sigh and utterance went straight to his groin and soon he was even harder than her stroking had left him. He moved his mouth down her stomach before realizing she was still wearing her jeans. He fumbled with the button for a few seconds before she reached down and undid it herself.

“So impatient,” he growled, undoing the zipper and shoving her jeans past her hips.

She peeled them off, stepped out of them and kicked them aside, as his hands moved around to squeeze her ass, while he nibbled on her hip. She went to work in earnest to completely wreck his hair.

“Touch me, Killian,” she begged.  

He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and quickly disposed of them, inhaling deeply to take in the heady scent of her arousal. Now that he had her completely naked, he guided her back to the bed, encouraging her to lay down.

Before she did, Emma helped him remove his boxers. She knew by feeling him that he was well-endowed, but seeing it made her eyes widen. “That’s quite a package you’ve got there, buddy.”

He laughed. “I hope you’ll enjoy the delivery I make to you!” he said with a lopsided grin, causing her to roll her eyes playfully.

Finally lowering herself to the bed, she scooted back and laid down. He aligned himself beside her, looking into her face. “You are truly a very beautiful woman, my love,” he said, before leaning in for a sweet and tender kiss.

He ran his fingers across her collarbone, along the side of her breast, and down her ribcage. She giggled a bit at the tickling sensation and then drew in a quick breath as his fingers pressed between her thighs. She automatically widened them to allow him better access and moaned as he swiped through her slick folds.

“So…so wet, Swan,” he declared, watching his fingers stroke her, picking up more of her creamy essence on each pass.

“Mmhmm. K-Killian, please. Get inside me. Make me…make me come,” she whimpered.

In response, he tentatively pushed a finger into her heat. “More…” she encouraged.

Nodding, he pulled out and added a second on the next gentle thrust. “How does that feel, Love?”

“Insanely good,” she gasped, placing her hand over his, urging him to go deeper.

He continued working her up while his mouth kissed up her body to give attention to her breast.

Her head was rolling side-to-side on the pillow, her eyes closed and her mouth open to emit short panting breaths. He could feel her legs begin to quake as she drew them up and let them fall open, allowing him more freedom to explore.

“Can you take more?” he asked quietly.

Unable to form words at the moment, she simply nodded her head up and down. He pulled his glistening fingers free, knocking her hand away, and slowly pressed three fingers into her, watching her face carefully to discern any discomfort. Once they were completely enveloped in her welcoming heat, he twisted and curled them, then rolled his thumb over her bundle of nerves.

The effect was immediate and intense as her walls squeezed his fingers and she cried out, “Yes! Killian!”

He continued to stroke her as her body gradually relaxed, and his mouth latched onto her nipple again, sucking and licking to help draw out her ecstasy a bit longer.

When she finally came down from her high, she opened her eyes. “You call that being out of practice?” she teased.

He slid his fingers out of her and dragged them up her body, leaving a trail of her arousal which he followed with his tongue. Reaching her mouth at last, he uttered against her lips, “Perhaps it IS like riding a bicycle,” then plunged his tongue into her mouth.

After overcoming her surprise at the sudden intrusion, she gave back as good as she got, filling the room with sounds of clashing teeth, smacking lips, heartfelt moans, and heavy breathing. He settled his body over hers and her legs came up to encircle his hips.

Feeling her wet, hot, heat rubbing against his cock, he began grinding to add some friction. “Fuck, Emma! Feels so good!” he panted. “I need more!”

She desperately nodded. “Yes, pleeease!”

Loosening her legs, she let them fall to the mattress, giving him room to maneuver.

“Guide me, Love,” he requested, dropping his forearms to rest on either side of her.

Taking the opportunity to run her hands through the soft hair on his chest again, she slid them down his body to his fully erect member, drawing the head through her abundant slickness.

Killian was struggling not to thrust into her hand and come before he even had the chance to get inside her. “I…I love you, Emma,” he gasped. “Let me show you how much.”

Without wasting another second, she positioned him at her opening, then moved her hands to his ass, squeezing it encouragingly. He began to enter her at an achingly slow pace and when she looked up, she could see the cords of his neck standing out, his head thrown back, teeth clenched, and eyes closed tightly.

“Don’t hold back, Babe,” she pleaded. “Just let go. You won’t…you won’t hurt me.”

He pulled back until just his tip was still within her, then thrust his hips forward to enter her more deeply. Repeating this motion a few more times, he finally stilled balls deep and dropped his head to her chest.

“Bloody hell, you feel amazing, Love! I could live the rest of my life right here!”

“That…that might be a bit…inconvenient, but…I wouldn’t object!” she stammered.

He gripped her shoulders from underneath and began to move, slowly at first, but picking up speed as the sensations started to overwhelm him. She bent her knees and drew her legs up alongside his body and the new angle added to the pleasure.

With every snap of his hips, her breath caught, her hands roaming up and down his back and buttocks, her nails scratching against his skin, which heightened his arousal and drove him toward the edge faster than he wanted.

“Emma…I can’t…I’m going to…”

“Me…too!” Her knees tightened around him and her hips raised off the bed, her legs shaking with her impending release.

He plunged into her once more and suddenly she was flying. The throbbing of her walls along his swollen cock was his undoing, and with another thrust, he joined her. Feeling his release washing through her, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him against her and letting their sweat mingle as their hearts beat erratically in their chests.

“I love you,” she murmured, her lips finding their way to the hollow of his throat, then nuzzling into the juncture of his shoulder.

He rolled them over to reverse their positions and wrapped her securely in his arms. “I love you, too.”

As their breathing evened out and their bodies cooled, Killian reached down to find the blanket and pulled it over both of them. “Mmmm, can I just stay here all night?” she mumbled sleepily.

“I think that’s a grand idea, Love.”

She lifted her head to look into his face. “Do you mean it?”

“I can think of nothing I want more than to hold you in my arms for the rest of the night, my love.”

“You know I have to work tomorrow, don’t you? It’s the Christmas season so we’re swamped.”

“I’ll wake you early so you can get to work on time.”

“Deal, but be warned - I’m not a morning person.”

“I’ll be cautious.”

They fell silent for several minutes while she enjoyed the soothing movement of his hands kneading the skin of her back. She was just starting to doze off when his voice rumbled against the top of her head. “Does it have to be just for tonight?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will you…could you make a special delivery to me again tomorrow night?”

She rested her chin on his sternum and grinned up at him. “I think I could do that.”

“I can pick you up, so you don’t have to drive all the way out here by yourself.”

“That’s not necessary. I’m used to doing things by myself.”

“But you don’t have to, Emma. You…we…aren’t alone anymore.”

A smile lit up her face. “That’s true. We have each other now.”

“That we do, and you are always welcome here. I want you here - as often as possible.”

“You might regret that offer.”

“Never.”

She sighed happily and laid her head back on his chest. “Thank you, Killian.”

“For what, Love?”

“For opening your heart to me and making me feel wanted, beautiful, special and loved.”

“You are all of those things, Sweetheart.”

He could feel her smile against his skin. “And for giving me a place to belong,” she added.

“You belong right here,” he said, patting the spot over his heart. “I want to thank you too, Emma, for taking a chance on me, by giving me your heart and blessing me with your love. I feel very lucky, and obviously less lonely, having you in my life. When I think of the hell I had to walk through, I wouldn’t trade a day of it, because it led me to you.”

She raised her head again and her lips found his for a long, languid kiss. “I know what you mean, and I feel the same way, too; no longer lonely and very lucky to have found you,” she whispered afterwards.

They decided it would be a good idea to clean up a bit before going to sleep, so he led her into the bathroom. When they returned to the bedroom, he pulled on flannel sleep pants, and offered her the matching shirt, which she tugged over her head.

As he pulled open a dresser drawer to grab another, Emma put a hand on his arm to stop him. “It might be the middle of winter, but it’s a shame to cover up that sexy chest hair. I promise I’ll keep you warm,” she said with a sly grin.

He didn’t argue, knowing that he would give her anything her heart desired. They climbed back into bed and shared some sweet kisses, then Emma turned onto her left side and reached back to find his arm, wrapping it around herself and pulling it up between her breasts. He scooted closer and pressed himself against her back, sighing contentedly as he buried his nose in her hair.

“I love you, Emma. I’ll see you in the morning,” he murmured.

She yawned before replying, “I love you, too, Killian. Goodnight.”

As they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms, their hearts a perfect match, that night became the first of the rest of their lives together; a new beginning for both of them, never to be lonely again.  

*********

If you’re reading this story for the first time, thank you for giving it a try, and if you’ve read it before, rereads are the best kind of compliment! Thanks to all of you who are reading, commenting and reblogging! 

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[scatteredandcloudy]

Speak With Flowers

A marvelous sight is euphoria forever-this was the way the famous English writer John Keats portrayed the Lily. The Lily could live for a day yet is interesting to such an click here extent that daily's life is worth numerous lovely sights. Flowers are often portrayed as a lady's closest companion. They don't cost you a trillion and are lovely to the point that the entire reason for gifting is justified by their charm.

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[cybirspaece]

Online Flowers

There are a wide range of puts on the Net where we can buy our flowers. These shops sometimes will have online flowers that you can use for some occasions. These online flowers or virtual flowers are in numerous ways one more method for sending visit site here some flowers to individual that you know or care about.

The Net stores where you can buy online flowers will by and large various dissimilar to virtual flowers that you can take a gander at before you take your desired ones to send.

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A considerable lot of these online flower stores will have a fascinating selection of flowers for you to pick. You can check whether you might want to deal jungle like Ostrich Crest Ginger flowers, Lobster hooks, or Peruvian Lilies. You can likewise pick various roses, numerous dissimilar to orchids, tulips, daisies, asters and numerous others

[theluxuryflorett]

Orchid Flowers Online in Delhi

Looking to buy orchid flowers online in Delhi? The Luxury Florett is the best choice for you.  We offer a wide range of fresh and beautiful orchid flowers. You can choose from various colors and arrangements,  orchid bouquets, and orchid arrangements in vases. Ordering online is quick and easy. Simply browse the luxury florett, and visit the official website. Choose your favorite, and place your order. We offer same-day delivery for orders.  So why wait? Order your orchid flowers online today and enjoy the beauty and fragrance.  

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Choose the best exotic luxury flowers

Orchids get their name from the Greek word Orchis, which means testicles and orchids come in a variety of pure colors and combinations. White orchids are for sale in London, white color is associated with purity, virtue, and innocence and white adds a hint of elegance and glam to the orchid flower.

White orchids flower is everyone's favorite and it is appropriate for every occasion. If you can find it hard to decide what to send as a gift, then no worries white orchids are the best for gifting to someone special and your loved ones. White orchids are known for their beauty and elegance and they are often used in floral arrangements, weddings, and another special occasions.

There are many different types of orchid flowers with each own unique characteristics and requirements for growth. White Orchid flowers require specific growing conditions such as the right amount of light, water, and temperature in order to thrive.

ORCHIDYA also delivers a Luxury flower delivery service that offers high-end floral arrangements for special occasions or as a gift. Luxury flower in London same day delivery that also offers additional services personalized messages, and gift wrapping. Orchidya London Luxury plants will be a fantastic choice for wedding decorations, home décor, restaurant interiors, and other specific occasions.

Luxury flower delivery in London provides you with exotic flowers which includes the fascinating Anthuriums, these waxy effects flowers are excellent for use in contemporary flower displays and have become increasingly popular to send for Valentine’s day to convey a message with the best flowers. Orchidya London luxury orchids are elegant, but not quite as simple as minimalistic Orchid arrangements. Orchids have been among the most popular plants of all time.

Orchids provide you with services such as,

Contract

Christmas

Events

Weddings

Styling

Funeral

Luxury Orchids flowers which you can shop gift to someone and select lots of flowers. Orchidya, have florists who can assist you in styling your celebrations, and vivid appearance as they have a variety of flower and plant styles, colors, and sizes to pick from based on your individual preferences.

Make your special occasion more special with Luxury Orchids plants and create luxury orchids plant London and arrangements in central London, where you will get fresh and hand-picked directly from the grower, order before 2 pm for same-day or next-day delivery. Orchidya also has a florist who can assist you in styling your celebrations with a variety of flowers and plant styles, colors, and sizes to pick from based on your individual preferences. Visit us now on https://orchidya.com/product-category/orchids/luxury-orchids/

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Marketing Wholesale Fresh Flowers

Selling wholesale fresh flowers is a remunerating independent venture. The source for marketing fresh flowers are growing as it becomes simpler to buy flowers using online ordering. Flowers are transported direct from growers to wholesalers and show up inside a few days so it's not difficult to keep inventory levels read more here right where you need them. With just a few days notice you can respond to huge orders, special orders and normal orders the same.

Marketing Tips for Wholesale Flowers

With the growing popularity of fresh cut flowers there are an ever increasing number of organizations that like to exploit the natural beauty and economical estimating of wholesale flowers for their workplaces.

Find Local Organizations That Use or Buy Wholesale Flowers Turn into the trusted supplier to local chapels in your space or eateries that use fresh flower arrangements on their tables. Local clinics might be searching for special estimating to propose to medical clinic guests, and local businesses may occasionally use fresh flower arrangements to dress their workplaces up when they are expecting conference visitors, tossing holiday parties or celebrating the appearance of a celebrity.

Follow the Seasons with Wholesale Flower Ideas

There are such countless occasions all through the year it is not difficult to track down reasons to advance different wholesale flowers consistently. Flowers most certainly conjure up atmosphere and can undoubtedly be related with special times. Order bountiful amounts of tulips and daffodils in the spring, daisies, Gerberas, asters and sunflowers in the mid year or chrysanthemums in the fall. Winter white roses, lilies or orchids make extraordinary flowers in the colder time of year or think of bright eruptions of color to add cheer to the bleak weather months.

Market Wholesale Flowers for the Holidays

It's not difficult to think of tropical flowers like amaryllis with their unbelievable red trumpets for Christmas and orchids and lilies for Easter yet don't forget the other holidays consistently. Consolidate blue delphiniums, red roses and white lilies for a fabulous Fourth of July show. Chrysanthemums and daisies are accessible in rich harvest time colors and make magnificent presentations in a horn of bounty or a pre-winter container. Use impressive flowers, for example, Calla lilies or white irises to mark Remembrance Day and say good-bye to summer with an immense, colorful bouquet of the remainder of summer flowers on Work Day.

Make Shocking Arrangements with Wholesale Flowers

If you are firing up a flower business, your administration and consistent supply of top notch wholesale flowers is vital, yet the visual presentations you make are likewise an important cornerstone for your business. As you travel through life, keep your eye open and notice what catches it. Glance through catalogs, magazines and peruse sites for ideas. Notice what catches your eye when you see flower shows that you like as you stroll through inn entryways, local businesses and other organizations. At the point when you can make a visual that catches people's breath as they stroll by and give fresh flowers that outlive the competition, your business will flourish.

[citrinemystic]

Hello! You have a set of beautiful decks and I think you have a great set of taste in buying them. (I kind of checked them online before sending you a message through the ask box) I would like to request a general reading using a The Language of Flowers by Cheralyn Darcey because I'm quite lost in the moment 🗿thanks a lot!

The card I drew for you is Unity, represented by Pyramidal orchid.

This card encourages you to seek harmony with others in your life, whether they're friends, family, or coworkers/peers. Seek reasonable compromises, and remember that our words and actions affect those around us. At the same time, do not lose sight of who you are as an individual, for your own unique gifts and talents are needed in order for the group to succeed.

Thanks for the ask!

[flowersonline24]

How to Preserve Birthday Flowers for Long-Lasting Beauty

Bright, beautiful, and bursting with joy - birthday flowers are the perfect way to show someone you care on their special day. Whether it's a vibrant bouquet of roses or a charming arrangement of daisies, flowers have the power to convey love, admiration, and well wishes like no other gift can. In this blog post, we'll explore everything you need to know about preserving birthday flowers for long-lasting beauty. So let's dive in and discover how to keep those gorgeous blooms looking fresh and fabulous for days to come!

The Significance of Birthday Flowers

Birthday flowers hold a special significance in our lives, symbolizing love, happiness, and celebration. They are not just a beautiful gift but also a heartfelt gesture that can brighten anyone's day.

Receiving birthday flowers shows that someone took the time to select a thoughtful present and convey their warm wishes through nature's vibrant creations. Flowers have a way of lifting spirits and spreading joy, making them the perfect accompaniment to any birthday celebration.

Each flower carries its own meaning and symbolism, allowing you to personalize your gift based on the recipient's preferences or personality. Whether it's elegant lilies for sophistication or cheerful sunflowers for positivity, there is a bloom for every birthday boy or girl.

The act of gifting birthday flowers transcends words, expressing emotions that words alone cannot capture. It creates lasting memories and serves as a tangible reminder of the love and care shared between friends, family members, or partners.

Types of Flowers that are Perfect for Birthdays

When it comes to choosing the perfect flowers for a birthday celebration, there are endless options to consider. Bright and cheerful sunflowers can bring a sense of joy and happiness to any birthday party.

Alternatively, elegant roses in various colors symbolize love, admiration, and appreciation – making them a versatile choice for birthdays.

For those looking for something unique, exotic orchids can add an element of sophistication and beauty to any birthday bouquet.

Lively daisies or vibrant lilies are also popular choices that can brighten up the recipient's day with their charming appeal.

No matter what type of flower you choose, each bloom carries its own special meaning that can convey your heartfelt wishes on this special occasion.

Tips for Choosing and Buying Birthday Flowers

When selecting birthday flowers, consider the recipient's preferences and personality. Think about their favorite colors and flower types to create a personalized gift that truly resonates with them.

Choose blooms that are in season for a fresher and more vibrant bouquet. Seasonal flowers are also usually more cost-effective, allowing you to get the best value for your purchase.

Opt for long-lasting flowers like lilies, roses, or orchids that will continue to bloom beautifully even after the celebration is over. These varieties can bring joy for days to come.

Consider adding greenery or filler flowers to complement the main blooms and add depth to the arrangement. This mix of textures can enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the bouquet.

Don't forget about presentation! Select a reputable florist or online Birthday Flowers Shop London that offers quality arrangements and reliable delivery services to ensure your gift arrives looking stunning and on time.

How to Properly Care for Birthday Flowers

When it comes to caring for birthday flowers, proper maintenance is key to ensuring their longevity and beauty. Start by placing the bouquet in clean water mixed with flower food to provide essential nutrients. Trim the stems at an angle every few days to allow better water absorption.

Remove any wilted or drooping petals and leaves to keep the arrangement looking fresh. Keep the flowers away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and drafts as they can cause wilting and dehydration. Change the water regularly every 2-3 days to prevent bacteria growth that can shorten their lifespan.

Mist the petals lightly with water using a spray bottle to maintain their hydration levels. Avoid placing the flowers near fruits or vegetables as they release ethylene gas which can speed up wilting. With these simple care tips, your birthday flowers will stay vibrant and beautiful for longer!

Methods for Preserving the Beauty of Birthday Flowers

To prolong the beauty of birthday flowers, consider drying them. One method is air-drying, where you hang bouquets upside down in a dark, well-ventilated area. Another technique involves pressing flowers between heavy books to flatten and preserve them.

For a more modern approach, silica gel can be used to absorb moisture from the blooms gently. This method helps retain the shape and color of the flowers effectively. Alternatively, try using glycerin to replace natural sap with this preserving agent for supple petals.

Freeze-drying is another popular method that maintains the texture and color of flowers remarkably well. By freezing them first and then slowly removing ice through sublimation, your birthday blooms will last longer than traditional drying methods.

Experiment with different preservation techniques to find what works best for your specific floral arrangement. Each method offers unique results that can enhance the longevity and beauty of your cherished birthday flowers.

Creative Ways to Display Preserved Birthday Flowers

Looking for creative ways to showcase your preserved birthday flowers? Why not try making a floral shadow box display? Simply arrange the dried blooms in a beautiful pattern inside a shadow box frame, and hang it on your wall as a stunning piece of art. Add a personalized touch by including photos or small mementos from the birthday celebration.

Another fun idea is to create pressed flower bookmarks. Pressed flowers can add a delicate and elegant touch to any reading material. Choose colorful petals that complement each other, press them between sheets of paper, laminate for durability, and voila! You have unique and practical keepsakes to gift along with books.

For those who love crafting, consider making resin coasters with embedded birthday flowers. Pour clear resin into coaster molds, add dried petals or tiny blooms, let them set, and you'll have gorgeous custom coasters that will impress guests during gatherings.

Get creative with your preserved birthday flowers – whether framing them as artwork, incorporating them into functional items like bookmarks or coasters, there are endless possibilities to enjoy their beauty long after the celebration has ended.

Conclusion: Celebrate with Everlasting Blooms

As you celebrate birthdays with beautiful flowers, remember that with a little care and attention, these blooms can last for a long time. By selecting the right type of flowers, properly caring for them, and preserving their beauty using various methods, you can enjoy their splendor well beyond the special day. Whether it's a bouquet from a birthday flowers shop in London or handpicked from your garden, these everlasting blooms will continue to bring joy and memories for days to come. So go ahead and adorn your space with preserved birthday flowers to keep the celebration alive!

[carstaxrs]

Best Flowers Ideas for Occasion Celebration

Order flowers online in India from Indiagift to celebrate any types of occasion, wedding find out more here anniversary, birthday, women's day, mother's day with same day flowers delivery

Flowers are the beautiful gift of nature. With intense colors, variety and style, flowers are the best way to express our emotions. Flowers are the promising addition, which makes all the occasion vibrant and feel great. Besides being the symbol of love, flowers are also known for its herbal qualities and has scored a far-renowned repute in medicine. Flowers possess its values and are used in various occasions and celebrations. Therefore, many people always remain keen to order flowers online to make the celebration really wonderful. Awe-inspiring floral arrangements can make the celebration vibrant and attractive. Right from anniversary, wedding, birthday and other spiritual celebrations, flower decorations play a major part within.

Fresh and aromatic flowers can make the event brighter and blissful. Right from young till the grown-ups, everyone go crazy and fall in love with the flower coronation. Imagine taking a bunch of rose and proposing your girl… With no doubt, your girl will blush with all the smile turning her cheeks pink out of amorous glimpse. Flowers can enlighten the magical sparks and throb her heart for sure. Rather conveying your love through words, the bunch of red roses or flower bouquet can express how much you love her. Taking the flowers & chocolates for your loved one and wishing her on any special day can make her feel on top of the world. Different flowers can make different occasions feel special and great. Let us go through and take a quick look about interesting and best flowers ideas for occasions and celebrations:

Remember every flower has its historical sentiment. It conveys significant message and meaning to the people attending the celebration. Wedding flower arrangement trends keep changing every year, whereby the color, style and decoration typically sticks closer with the vogue. Sometimes, the combination of peonies – which symbolizes the prosperity of marriage life is diligently used during wedding. With the blend of amaryllis flowers – which symbolizes determination and love, gardenias – which symbolizes joy, hydrangeas – which symbolizes emotions are some of the flowers for anniversary and wedding celebration.

Well, next comes the valentine flowers. You can buy flowers online to celebrate the special day. When you plan to order flowers online, you get an opportunity to find a variety of flowers that includes primroses, red roses, white roses, yellow roses, coral roses and a lot more. The exclusive flower bouquet will never flunk to throb your dear one’s heart. No matter if you are apart somewhere, you can still send Roses flowers to India and surprise your valentine!

Flowers are undeniably the colorful addition that can make any occasion very special. You can organize the occasion with any choice of flowers such as daisies, daffodils, camellia, Iris, Orchids, Dahlias and many more. All these exclusive range of flowers will be a perfect addition to celebrate job promotion, graduation, prom corsage and lot more.

Birthday blossoms are special, and of course the flower bouquet is simply the right choice. Different flower bouquet with exciting combination of flowers makes it the finest choice. Pink carnation expresses gratitude, Geraniums expresses true friendship while jasmine expresses love and elegance. Depending upon the person, gender and age, you can pick the best birthday blooms. With all these variety of flowers quickly accessible on the web, you can easily order flowers online.

Christmas flowers such as Christmas roses, red poinsettia, Holly, Narcissus and several other choices makes the Christmas decoration really wonderful.  With the same day flowers delivery options, it is much easier and effortless to buy flowers online.  Place your orders, sit back and relax. Your orders will be quickly delivered without any hassle.

[aworldovertheocean]

Flower Face-Off: Comparing Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose Bouquets

Choosing where to buy flowers—whether it’s for a gift, a special occasion, or just to brighten up your home—can be a blooming challenge. Let's take a quick stroll through the floral offerings of Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose to see how they stack up.

Tesco flower delivery is your go-to for budget-friendly blooms. They offer a variety of fresh, vibrant arrangements that are easy on the wallet. A bouquet of their bright sunflowers brought a slice of summer right to my door, fresh and ready to shine for days.

Sainsbury's flowers steps up with a touch more elegance. They seem to specialize in more exotic selections, like the stunning orchids I ordered, which arrived with detailed care instructions—proof of their commitment to quality and customer education.

Waitrose Flowers, the premium pick, delivers luxury in each bouquet. Their roses, known for their velvety petals and deep fragrance, are perfect for making any occasion feel extra special. Plus, their focus on sustainability makes indulging in a gorgeous bouquet a guilt-free pleasure.

Whether it's the cost-effective charm of Tesco, the unique offerings of Sainsbury's, or the sophisticated splendor of Waitrose, each store brings something special to the table. With convenient online ordering and flexible delivery options, getting your floral fix has never been easier.