Beautiful Rose (23 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jack

“So, just like that?” Alex repeated.

“Just like that. BAM!—sucker punched in the face,” I confirmed glumly. “I was so ready, Alex. I loved Belle so damn much, and for the first time since her death I felt ready to move on. She would’ve wanted that, you know?”

“Give Rose time, she’ll come around. She’s been through a lot too, you know? And all she’s doing here is trying to spare your feelings.” That’s what made it so awful. She shot me down because, in her mind, I was better off without her. How could I show her that couldn’t be further from the truth?

“She raised a valid question, though,” Alex mused. “How would you feel if she tried to kill herself again? Are you sure you could handle that?”

“Fuck Alex, why would you ask me that?” I said darkly. “I don’t know how I’d feel. If I lost her, I’d be devastated, but I think not having her at all would be worse.”

A smile spread across his lips. “Wow. Are you really Jack? You’ve become so . . . deep and emotional,” he teased.

“Fuck off,” I growled, tossing the remote at him. It bounced off his shoulder and landed on the floor.

“Ouch. That hurt, you know. I hope it broke so you need to get up and change the channel,” he grumbled. “So what are you going to do? You already know I think you should give her some space. Let her figure out her head and then try and talk to her again.”

I nodded. “Then that’s what I’ll do.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Rose

Most of my weekend was spent thinking about Jack, and then thinking about Jack some more. Slowly, it was dawning on me that I’d never be able to move on from him. Not allowing myself to be happy might be what killed me in the end. If I was going to lock myself away then I may as well have been dead.

Jack was right. We have no way of knowing when or how we will die. I could list over a thousand ways that I might die and I’d have only covered about one percent. Not exactly a comforting thought, but it was the truth.

In order to get better, I had to let myself feel, not only love, but everything. I’d let more people into my heart the past month than I had in twenty-two years. To me, that said progress. I had a long way to go, but at least I was heading in the right direction.

The thought of being with Jack made my heart race. It made my body tingle in anticipation. To experience that kind of connection with someone was something I’d craved for a long time. It wasn’t fair to either of us for me to deny that.

#

I woke up the morning of the reopening with a lot of work to do. I had most of it worked out already, but there were two things I needed help with; one from Darcy, and one from Benj. After I was showered and dressed, I went upstairs.

“Rose?” Darcy yawned when she opened the door. “It’s barely daylight.”

“It’s eleven in the morning,” I said, giggling.

“You’re very chirpy this morning,” she grumbled, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Well, I need your help. Can you tell Jack I’m sick and can’t work tonight?”

“You don’t look sick—”

“Darcy!” I cried.

“Okay! What else?”

“Is Benj there?” I asked mischievously. I laughed as Darcy’s eyes popped wide open. She shook her head and took off down the hall to their bedroom. A few minutes later, Benj came stumbling out, wearing only a pair of boxer shorts.

“Rose. What’s up?” he asked.

I grinned. “I need a favor.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jack

“You ready?” Ash grinned.

I nodded. “Let’s open this place back up!”

Darcy, Benj and Ash cheered. Everyone was here, except Rose. She was sick, according to Darcy. My theory was that she just wasn’t ready to see me yet.

It had been nearly a week since I’d professed my love for her. So many times I’d wanted to call her, or found myself driving in the direction of her house instead of Alex’s. One night I’d gone as far as parking outside her apartment block in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her. Yep. I was capable of being
that
creepy.

But, when it came down to it, I knew Alex was right. She had to come to me.

#

The turnout was actually more than I’d been expecting. Not as big as what we’d normally pull in, but by no means empty. We were halfway through our open mic night and I was busy at the bar. All night I’d been pouring drink after drink, with the same fake smile plastered on my face, while I thought about Rose.

I half-listened to the introduction for the next performer. I glanced up on the stage and saw Benj there, guitar in hand.

What the actual fuck?

He hadn’t told me he was performing. For a moment, I wondered if he was proposing to Darcy. I scrapped the thought from my head. Surely he would’ve told me something that big. It was more likely the next performer hadn’t turned up, so Benj was filling in. I went back to my serving.

“I can’t promise you I’ll always be perfect . . .”

I looked up. The glass I was holding fell to the floor and shattered. A beery mess splashed everywhere. That voice. That beautiful, sexy, sultry voice.

Rose sat, perched on a stool, looking terrified. He eyes were firmly on me. Darcy nudged me in the ribs.

“Go closer. I’ve got it covered.”

Slowly, I moved closer to the stage. Part of me wanted to race up there and kiss her, put her out of her misery. I’d never seen her look so scared. But I couldn’t move. Just like the day we’d met, her voice shot through me like a lightning bolt, leaving me useless. Unable to move, I could only listen.

“
But I’m willing to try,

I can promise to laugh at your jokes,

If you can be there when I break down and cry.

“I can’t imagine you not being in my life,

You’re everything that’s missing in me

I need you beside me tonight and every night,

I want to wake up with your arms around me.

“You’re who I think of when I close my eyes,

It’s only you I see

You’re the light in my otherwise dark world,

It’s with you I want to be.

“I can’t imagine you not being in my life,

You’re everything that’s missing in me

I need you beside me tonight and every night,

I want to wake up with your arms around me.”

The crowd erupted into cheers as Rose stood up. Her cheeks were flushed red. I finally found my legs and moved toward the stage, still in awe of what I’d just witnessed. Rose smiled at me. I put out my hand and helped her down the steps.

“What did you think?” she asked shyly.

“Wow. I’m just . . . that was amazing. You’re amazing,” I mumbled, pulling her into my arms. “Never in a million years did I expect anything like that.”

“I had to do something big to show you . . . so I could tell you . . .” Her voice trailed off. I knew exactly where she was going with it, but I decided to tease her anyway.

“Tell me what?” I asked innocently.

“That I do love you, and I want to be with you. You moron.” She blushed and glanced around. I took her hand and walked over to the bar.

“Darcy, do you think you guys are alright here? I’d like to take my girlfriend home.”

“Yes! I mean, of course,” she swooned. She shot Rose a look that I could only interpret as
“
OMG OMG OMG!
”

“Are you ready?” I lifted my hand to run my fingers down the side of Rose’s face. Her beauty still amazed me. She nodded. “Then let’s go.”

Chapter Thirty

Rose

Upstairs with Jack, his arms were still around me as he led me into his apartment. His fingers laced through my hair as he kissed me. His lips moved hungrily, as if he couldn’t get enough of me. Gripping his hand in my hair, he tilted my head and began to kiss. His tongue slid down my neck, and over my collarbone before resting on my breast. My body came alive, crying out for his touch. God, the way he kissed me there…and the feel of his fingers
there
…

We made our way to his bedroom, albeit very slowly. Every few seconds he’d stop walking and start kissing me again, and I’d melt into his arms. We made it to the kitchen when he suddenly threw his arms around my waist and hoisted me onto the counter.

“You drive me crazy,” he muttered, his fingers running down my shirt, popping each button open in the process. I shrugged it off my shoulders and let him slide it down my arms. His arm extended behind my back, and with a single flick my bra was undone. He definitely had experience there.

“Let me play with your breasts,” he said, sliding the straps of the bra down until that too was off. “That’s better,” he smirked. He looked up at me as he placed his lips over my nipple and began to suck. My legs curled around his waist as I clutched onto his hair, pulling him closer to me.

“Oh my god…” I breathed. He pulled back slightly so I could witness his tongue circling around my now very erect nipple. This was so
hot
. Suddenly, I was in his arms. I squealed as he carried me into the bedroom, throwing me down on the bed. I laughed as he fell next to me and pulled me on top of him. “You’re crazy,” I giggled as he cupped my breasts.

“Crazy for you,” he smirked. I squealed as he rolled me over again, so I now lay on the bottom. With a mischievous look in his eyes, he worked his way down toward the end of the bed. I gasped as I felt his finger trace the outside of my panties. His hands enclosed around the waistband of my skirt, tugging it until it slipped off over my legs. I lay on his bed wearing only my light pink lace panties. He winked at me, then ran his tongue along the outside of my panties.

“Oh god, stop teasing me!” I gasped. One hand curled around the bar at the head of the bed, the other latched onto his hair. He chuckled. He slid my panties off and pushed my thighs further apart. I sighed as his tongue touched my wet pussy. God, he felt amazing. It took all my resolve not to bury his face between my legs. My hips bucked as he began to tease my clit, sucking gently, then harder, then gently.

“You’re so sweet,” he mumbled, “tastes so good.” Oh god this was too much. This guy was a god.
Nobody
was this good. But he was, and he was all mine. His tongue moved inside me, every touch bringing with it a new sensation.

“I’m so close,” I whispered, wishing this feeling could last forever. My back arched as he licked me faster, sending me into the most magical orgasm I’d ever experienced. “Ohhhhhh!” I gasped, pushing him away and pulling him closer at the same time. My pussy throbbed as the blood rushed through it. “Holy shit,” I mumbled.

He laughed, and wriggled his way back up to me. “How was that?”

“Words cannot explain,” I sighed, smiling. I felt like I was floating, lost in my own world of post-orgasmic ecstasy. “Come here,” I said, pulling his face toward me. He kissed me, I could taste myself on his lips, as his tongue massaged mine. Parting my legs, I wormed my way under him, his erect cock pressing against my wetness.

“Are you sure you can handle it?” he teased, reaching into his drawer for a condom. I nodded as he rolled it on. He slowly pushed his length inside me. “You feel so good,” he whispered, his momentum increasing. He thrust himself inside me as his breathing began to get heavier.

“Roll over,” I said, “I want to ride you.” He pulled himself out of me and collapsed on his back. I mounted him, closing my eyes as he glided back inside me. “Mmm,” I moaned softly. He placed his hands on my hips and rocked me back and forth, in sync with my grinding myself against him. I could feel his cock begin to swell inside me, throbbing as he rocked me harder and faster.

“Oh hell, Rose,” he gasped as he exploded inside of me. “God you’re amazing.” His thrusts slowed, eventually stopping completely. I rolled off him and cuddled up under his arm. He turned to me and smiled. I leaned up and kissed his forehead, both of us sweating and out of breath. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whispered, my voice catching on my tears. So this is what happiness felt like.

Chapter Thirty-One

Jack

My eyes flew open. It took a moment for them to adjust to the darkness in the room. I reached for my phone. Three in the morning. Rose was still asleep in my arms, both of us lying on top of the bed, naked and uncovered. Gently, I pushed her onto her side so I could move my arm out without waking her. I stood up and grabbed a blanket. I quietly placed it over her. She stirred, but didn’t wake.

I crept out of the bedroom and made my way down to the living room. I was still amazed at what had happened yesterday evening. Seeing Rose up on that stage, singing to me. I felt a new sense of love and pride for this amazing woman.

I clicked open my laptop, and opened my email. I wasn’t expecting a reply from Luke just yet, but there it was, highlighted in bold, waiting to be read. Opening it, I began to read.

Jack,

Wow. It was a hell of a surprise to hear from you. A good one though. I’m glad you’re life is coming together. It’s what Belle would’ve wanted. It’s what I wanted too. I’ve known you a long time, and I know what a caring, loving man you are deep down inside. You try to hide it because you’re afraid of being hurt, but I know it’s there. If that Jack is surfacing more and more—and it sound like he is—then I’m happy for you.

Are you seeing anyone? I hope you’ve found someone that deserves your love and strength.

Sally is well, and Annabelle is a little package of energy—into everything. We are expecting a little boy in two months. Maybe you will come and visit us someday?