Read Lilly Blossoms (Lessons in Submission Book 3) for Free Online Page B

some rolls just for you."
    "Oh! That's so sweet. What colors?" Lilly watched as he ducked beneath the counter and almost clapped when he reappeared with three rolls. While most of the yardage was gone, she could tell that more than just the last little bit remained. "People really liked the pink," she told him, reaching for the one which was a slightly darker rose. "But the purple is really pretty, too." She ran her finger across the lavender-colored satin.
    "What about the white?" Jimmy asked, unrolling a few inches. "It would look mighty nice against the green stems of your pretty flowers."
    Lilly nodded. "It would. How much for a yard of each?"
    "I don't have time to do any measuring," Jimmy stated, though she was the sole customer at the moment. "How about a ha'penny for the lot?"
    Lilly gasped and shook her head. "You know that is far too cheap a price. I won't accept charity—"
    "It's not charity," the clerk insisted. "Nobody is going to want to pay for these little bits." When she continued to shake her head, he said, "All right, I suppose some rat can dig them out from the rubbish bin and line his nest." He reached for the bolt she'd laid on the counter, but she was quicker.
    "I'll take them, but not for less than a penny."
    "Fine," Jimmy said with a sigh. Taking her offered penny, he tucked the bolts into another bag and then grinned as he slipped a few pieces of candy in as well.
    "Jimmy…" she said in warning but then laughed. "I don't know what to do with you, but I do thank you." After tucking the bag into her basket, she smiled. "I think Matilda might not complain about you making her nap if you gave her some pretty flowers. I'll bring you a bunch tomorrow."
    "She'd like that," Jimmy said, his eyes twinkling. "Oh, and she is partial to purple."
    "Then purple ribbons it is." With another smile and a wave, Lilly left the store. She still had a few hours until darkness fell and she knew just how she intended to fill them. After making another stop at the market down the street, she had half a dozen apples, only slightly bruised, and a freshly baked loaf of bread, as well as a small container of jam. She'd argued over price again when the butcher insisted she take a few ends of smoked meat he'd wrapped in butcher paper and tied with a string.
    "You are skin and bones, Miss Lilly. Don't you know that men like a bit of softness to cuddle?"
    She had to bite the inside of her cheek as Mrs. Austin, the butcher's wife, was a rather large woman. When her husband, who was even larger than his wife, smiled and bent to kiss her cheek before slapping her on the behind and telling her to stop embarrassing the customers, Lilly had to smile. They were both very kind people, insisting she pay only a portion of what the foodstuffs were worth. Though they always insisted she needn't buy the bruised fruit, she always won that battle.
    With ribbon for her next bouquets, soap for her bath, and food for her belly, she hurried home. An hour later, she had eaten and bathed and had to force herself to finish her chores before settling down with a book. Sitting on her pallet, she began to massage her calves, flexing her feet forward and back, stretching her muscles. She grimaced at the ache but knew if she didn't accept this discomfort, she'd find it far more difficult to move tomorrow. The cat gave her a look as if wondering what she was doing.
    "Don't give me that look," she said. "I've seen you stretching, too." The cat meowed as if disagreeing before he returned his attention to the bounty she’d placed on his plate. Standing, she bent over and placed her palms flat on the floor and counted slowly as she lifted onto her tiptoes, held the pose for twenty seconds and then lowered her feet flat. She was perspiring a bit when she finished her fifty repetitions. Sinking onto her pallet again, she groaned.
    "Next time, exercise before your bath, silly," she scolded herself. Drinking a glass of water helped cool her down and she rewarded