Just Rose

Chapter 22

The time passed quickly, and Rose felt more and more saddened as she saw the hands on the clock click closer to six. He would be leaving soon. He had worked through all of her wooden doors and drawers and was expertly wiping them down with special cleaning cloths his friend had dropped off. They had not really talked much due to the noise of the tools he was using, and it suddenly felt like she had wasted her time with him. She wanted to claw back the hours and give him a task that involved being topless in her room, like maybe painting a wall or possibly testing out her bed springs.

‘I will leave them in the outhouse tonight and be back tomorrow to finish them however you want. Just figure out what you want and text me. I’ll pick it all up in the morning before I come over at ten.’ He was dusting himself down, wiping his hands and pulling the mask up off his head, using his forearm to wipe his brow. It was these tiny extremely male actions that made Rose want to throw herself at him in a wanton manner. Effortlessly masculine.

Did he not know how devastating that was to a single little woman like her whose last date had been five years ago? Did he not know how seriously hot and sexy he was when he was just acting like himself?

‘Uh huh.’ She was barely listening, watching as he lifted his t-shirt slightly to flap it and remove the dust some more. His tanned six pack peeking out below in dark contrast to the soft light coloured t-shirt.

‘You said whitewashed, right?’ He was focusing on the task of removing the dust from his clothes and not really looking at her.

‘Right!’ Still not listening, still mesmerised by that torso, biting her bottom lip and trying to control crazy urges going insane inside of her.

‘Rose?’ His voice almost sounded like he was laughing, definite amusement as he had brought his gaze to her face. This caused her to snap focus to his face ‘Are you daydreaming?’ That beautiful grin only helped to send her into a blushing mess.

‘Um uhh...what? ...No!’ Her cheeks flushed.

Damn, had she been drooling? Had he caught her staring at him?

‘I was...um... Thinking... About. You know... White wash!’ She lied terribly. Pasting on a smile to cover the flush running up her face and averting her eyes to focus on the glint of his eyes in the sun. He flexed his jaw subtly and Rose almost groaned.

For goodness sakes man! Don’t do things like that!

That square, chiselled, lightly stubbled jawline, moving in such male ways after watching tanned six packs flexing, it was enough to give her a stroke. He seemed oblivious to what he was doing to her.

‘I’ll swing by in the morning. We can go to the hardware shop together and you can see what you like!’ He smiled easily and went back to finishing the patting down of his jeans.

Rose felt the elation flutter inside, knowing it meant more time alone with him and the sexiest body known to mankind. ‘Um sure. I’ll be ready.’ Of course, she would!

‘Great. I get up early, but I have to pick up Morag from the airport before I come for you.’

And there it was like a slap in the face, a sobering bucket of ice thrown over a moderately drunk person. A kick off a ledge. Heart plummet, face tightening and brain crashing back to reality in a very undignified manner.

‘Right.’ Her voice now lackluster, she scooped herself up from her patio seat and led the way inside. No longer ultra-sensitive to his heat behind her in the small hall. Closed up and prickly. That sinking thud of heaviness returned. Nothing killed an overzealous libido like a man mentioning his girlfriend.

He briefly outlined the plan tomorrow seemingly oblivious to the change in her mood or the loss of sparkle in her eyes. She made all the right noises and agreements and even his closeness to her was doing nothing to lift that heavy pit in her stomach. She felt like hitting him with his stupid sander and bag of tools now.

‘Right...Tomorrow.’ She sounded tired and deflated, although he didn’t seem to notice.

Why would he?

He moved to walk out the door she was holding open for him with a sexy smile and then something extraordinary, something that seemed to shock them both by the look on his face and hers. Almost without a moment’s thought, he scooped down, planting a light kiss on her mouth. The way you would kiss a loved one goodbye, a long-term lover, or maybe a child. A nothing, grazing of the lips kind of parting that seemed so natural and unmeaningful in a normal situation.

Rose’s stomach flipped over. Sizzling sparks as their lips met so randomly and so spontaneous, that tiny affectionate peck had them both stop and look shocked.

What the..?

He said nothing at first, just broke into an apologetic smile and laughed. Both taken aback by the sensation and the act.

‘Sorry Rose, it just seemed to be automatic there. I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing.’ He brushed a stray tendril of hair away from her face, an automatic affectionate response to defuse the awkwardness then realised that even that was inappropriate and dropped his hand quickly. ‘Guess it just felt like normal to kiss you goodbye.’ He shrugged but the hesitant look in his eyes gave her, for the first time, some sort of insight that he was not as cool and controlled as he pretended to be. She smiled nervously, controlling inner chaos rather well. Her heart back on the roller coaster ride bubbling about, giddy.

‘It’s ok... Unexpected but I get it. I guess you probably kiss Abby and Morag goodbye a lot?’ Acting cool and calm was far easier than taming the tornado inside her at this very moment. His face straightened, humour vanishing, a very serious look overcoming and that darkness returning to his eyes. He shook his head but said nothing, his gaze moving to her mouth again.

Crap!

What had she said wrong? God, he made her so jittery so easily.

Without warning, barely a moment to react, he swooped down; this time more purposefully, and caught her full on the lips in a much more mature kiss. Definitely no confusion this time about what he was doing. A second of stunned delay from her and then then she responded to kiss him back. Melting together without thought.

Neither knew how or what had fueled this, but they were full on kissing within milliseconds. Mouths opening lightly to further lock together. His tongue gently sliding against hers as they deepened the kiss erotically; her back was hard against the chipped red door with his hands pressed against the solid surface at each side of her head. Bodies apart. Not physically touching anywhere else. Just lips. Her hands were down by her sides, feeling the same chipped door under her soft palms.

It was the kind of kiss that romance books were made of, not awkward or overly soggy. A perfect fit, sensual building to a knee melting climax; a passionate kiss that sent her nerves into a million burning flames and completely lost to the taste of him. The sensation of his mouth on hers as they caressed tongues and lips, an easy fluid movement sending a thousand hot explosions through her body, melting her insides and making her crave his body all the more. There was no denying the passion between them was searing like hot pokers.

Then all too soon it was over.

He pulled away and left her reeling, fluttering her eyes open and having to steady herself against the door. He ran his hand through his cropped hair, seemingly agitated suddenly, grappling to regain control; swearing under his breath he began apologising profusely.

‘Rose seriously, I have no idea where that came from, I am really sorry.’ He was frowning at her, moving around nervously and all she could do was draw in breaths to try and bring her body back from the brink of fire. ‘You just looked.... Inviting; gorgeous as always. s**t. That sounds so f*****g pervy.’ He smiled, obviously rattled and then ran another hand through that cropped hair, looking at her with some seriously cute frowns.

Rose was barely listening. Stunned into silence by the kiss. Trying to catch her breath. A kiss like that made you realise no other man’s kiss would ever do or ever be any better than that.

Damn him!

‘It... Was... Nice.’ Rose finally managed, clearing her throat softly and still struggling to breathe normally. She could hardly tell him that he had pretty much just been the best snog of her life.

‘I should go.’ He averted his eyes, humour and smiles dropping away and suddenly he just seemed like he really did want to leave. His whole manner changed in an instant and Rose felt that plummet in her stomach. She had the urge to run her fingers across her kiss swollen lips but instead looped her fingers together in front of her waist.

‘Okay.’ She had no other response. Her voice trembling slightly with after effects still ravaging her. He looked at her again briefly, only a full-on frown this time and said nothing more, turned on his heel and headed out into the garden.

She followed him out onto the path, lost for words, unable to formulate any sort of noise in protest. You didn’t just walk away from a kiss like that! It was not your average weekend snog with some faceless man in a nightclub, it was the kind of kiss that you never recovered from.

What was he doing?

As though sensing her silent panic he turned at the gate. His face now the calm familiar Rob. He had rolled in that perfect control and now looked like the usually smooth Mr Munro. No sign of anything that had just happened.

‘Nine am!’ he lingered, focusing on her face for a moment, giving nothing away. His eyes a storming grey as though clouds were literally rolling by in their depths. She nodded, unaware of her flushed cheeks and wild seductive eyes causing his own heart to race wildly. Unable to respond in any other way, holding back from chasing him down the path and throwing herself at him.

He quickly got in his car and pulled away in reverse. A quick confident manoeuvre which only highlighted how desperate he was to leave her. Rose a chaos of confusion could do nothing but watch him leave then fall into a tangled heap on her couch moments later, unsure whether to laugh, cry, sing, dance or drown herself.