PERSEFONE POV
For once, Keres was at loss for words.
Then he huffed a laugh that did not sound like him at all, it was shy and awkward and he was rubbing the back of his neck. “Because stealing the actual ones felt too much?”
I turned my head completely.
He was watching my finger on his skin like it was burning him. Or kill him.
“Keres.”
His smile tried to show up. Another shy smile that was nowhere close to the man I was falling for.
“I’m going to make this sound worse before it gets better,” he warned.
“That is usually your brand.” I teased, trying to ease him into telling me the truth.
“Fair.” His eyes flicked to mine, then away, then back. “You talked about them in biology. Three years ago. The varieties. The grafting. Why some roses survive winter if the roots are strong en
