“Oh yeah?”
“Umhmm, something very beautiful in fact.” Rose’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink, as I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Ready to go?”
She pulls away from my side and grabs her purse off the counter, “Whenever you are.”
I place my hand at the small of her back and we walk toward the door, “Good night Janet,” she calls as I open the door.
“Have fun you two,” Janet calls as we step outside onto the sidewalk.
We walk to my car and as I open the door for Rose. A black pickup truck slows to a near stop as the driver watches us. I nod my head in his direction and he hurries past. Shaking off the encounter, I close the passenger door and round the vehicle to climb behind the wheel.
“Now that I have you all to myself, where shall we go?”
Rose buckles her seat belt and turns toward me, excitement dancing in her eyes. “I have one more place to show you, so, straight ahead and make a right at the light.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Without telling me where exactly we’re going, Rose gives me directions as I drive through the beautiful city of Charleston. Making one last right, I pull into a driveway flanked by hedges. At the end of the drive sits a light blue bungalow style house. There’s a large front porch where two rocking chairs sit in front of a large window. The rose bushes blooming on each side of the steps tip me off as to who owns this house.
Rose watches me as I take in the house and I know by the smile on her face that this is her house.
“You brought me to your house?”
“You said you wanted to see all my favorite places. Welcome to my home.”
Her smile is infectious and before I get a chance to open her door she is out of the car. I meet her in front of the car and take her hand in mine as we climb the steps together. Rose takes out her keys, unlocks the front door and waits for me to enter.
The inside of the house reflects as much of her personality as the exterior. Pale pink walls with white trim adorn the walls of the great room that contains the living room and dining room. A light gray sofa with pink floral pillows faces a television atop an antique credenza. A large burgundy armchair sits in the corner next to a side table with a lamp and a paperback romance novel. A small round oak table with matching chairs sits in the dining room in front of a bar that separates the kitchen from the dining room.
Rose takes a nervous step toward me, “Well, what do you think?”
I reach out and gently grasp her fingers taking a few steps to close the distance between us. “I think it’s a perfect reflection of you and almost as beautiful.” I wrap my arm around her waist as she places her hand on my chest as if to steady herself.
Her eyes flit to my lips before capturing my gaze again, “That was a very sweet thing to say.”
My hand cups her face and my thumb caresses her cheek, as I whisper against her mouth, “It’s the truth.”
A slight whimper escapes her as my mouth captures hers. With the slightest touch of my tongue, she opens for me, her body melting against mine. My hand cradles the back of her head as I deepen the kiss, tasting every inch of her warm, lush mouth. My hands begin to roam over her body, moving first down to caress the curve of her ass, then back up to her breast. My thumb brushes over one erect nipple causing her to moan, her breath shuddering, before she ends the kiss. She rests her forehead against mine as we try to regulate our breathing.
An apology falls from my lips, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t…,”
Rose shakes her head as she lays a finger on my lips, effectively silencing me. “Please don’t apologize,” she whispers. “It’s just that, it’s been a while since I’ve been kissed, let alone touched.”
Her hand rests on my chest and my hand covers it, keeping it in place. “That’s a shame, because you should be kissed often.”
A smile touches her mouth as she drapes her arms around my neck, “Why Alek Berringer, are you volunteering for the job?”
Her teasing tone makes me smile, something I find myself doing more of, especially when I’m around her. “I’m kind of hoping I’m the only applicant.”
“I’d say the odds are definitely in your favor,” she leans in and gives me a quick kiss. “Now come on, you can help me with dinner.”
I follow her to the kitchen, “I should warn you, I’m not much of a cook.”
She pulls some items from the refrigerator, looks my way and smiles. “I promise to take it easy on you.” She places a bell pepper and a knife on a cutting board in front of me. “Cut it in half, remove the seeds and then cut it into strips.”
“I can handle that,” I confirm as she places a cast iron skillet on the burner.
Taking a small onion, I watch in awe as she peels off the skin and slices before I’m finished with the pepper.
“How did you do that so quickly?”
She smiles and shrugs, “I’ve had lots of practice. Plus, this is one of my favorite meals so I have it pretty often.” Turning on the stove, she puts the onion and pepper in the skillet. She hands me a wooden spoon, “Can you keep an eye on these for me while I cut up the steak?”
“Sure.” I move the vegetables around with the spoon, “Mind if I ask what we’re making?”
“Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. They’re kind of my comfort food, and since I’ve been sharing my favorite things with you today, this seemed like the natural choice.”
I grin as I watch her, loving the fact that she put so much thought into our
