He may have left the city, but he made his presence known in other ways.

For the fifth day in a row, Yasmin walked into her bedroom to find a new and elaborate display of flowers.

“Darn it,” she muttered, but with little heat. It was hard not to melt a little when the guy was spending hundreds of dollars on flowers. She leaned over to smell the roses he’d sent. There must be at least three dozen of them in the vase. They were red, white, pink and yellow. Gorgeous and bright.

“More flowers,” Vanessa noted from behind her.

Yasmin nodded without turning around. “From Volkan.”

“Obviously,” Vanessa said drily, dropping onto Yasmin’s bed. “What’re you gonna do?”

She shrugged. “Maybe take them to the hotel and leave them in the break room.”

“Not the flowers, idiot.” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Your stalker.”

“He’s not my stalker!” Yasmin defended. She eyed the flowers. “Maybe he’s apologizing for what happened after our date.”

“I don’t see an apology anywhere in those notes.”

It was true. She assumed the flowers were an apology, but the only thing written on the cards that came with the flowers was two words: Love Volkan.

The word ‘love’ sent a thrill through her. She tried to remember that the man had frightened her. That he’d raised several red flags during their date. That she absolutely shouldn’t see him again when he was in town on Saturday.

She’d been keeping a closer than usual eye on the hotel registry, so when his name popped up, she knew exactly when he was coming back and what dates. She tried to be cool about it, but since the flowers started coming, her anticipation at seeing him again grew.

Flopping onto the bed next to Vanessa, she sighed. “What am I going to do?”

Vanessa shrugged. “Your homework? Don’t you have an exam in Old World Prehistory on Monday? Forget your stalker for a few days and concentrate on the one thing that matters to you.”

“My education,” Yasmin said, nodding.

“Exactly.” Vanessa stood and headed for the door. “Of the bunch of us, you’re the one who works the hardest. Wants it the most. Don’t fuck it up now, just because some guy can’t take no for an answer.”

Chapter Five

“What do you mean, no?”

Yasmin flinched as Gary’s voice got louder. She looked around but didn’t see anyone else in the hallway. Glad there weren’t any witnesses to the manager berating her, she turned back to him with narrowed eyes.

“I have an exam on Monday,” she explained what she’d already explained in the detailed note she’d left on his desk. “I can’t work a night shift tomorrow.”

“You’re already on the schedule. You have to work.”

“You put me on the schedule without asking first! I don’t work Sundays and you know it.”