The out of the blue question from Rosie, surprises me, more so because I was lost in the past.
“There is pretty close to two years between each of my brothers, and as you know I’m the middle one. When I was a young boy, I hated being in the middle even though my mom used to try telling me that the middle child is special.” I laugh. “My brothers hated that and would try and beat me up, which only happened once until Lucien taught me how to fight back…Good days.”
I chuckle remembering, and ask, “What about you? Any siblings?” Asking Rosie this question, I realize I hardly know anything at all about her.
She looks out toward the distance before going back to her plate of food. “I was an only child. Both my parents are dead—thank god. So there really is only me. Although I think Liz and Ed who own the diner—Mama E’s—treat at me as a daughter.” Rosie meets my eyes. “Sad, huh? I don’t have a large family like you do.”
She’s alone. That’s all I can think about, and to ask her to be part of my family is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t—at least not yet—she’d probably run a mile.
With the frown marring her brows, I keep the questions about what happened to her parents to myself because I sense that will take the picnic downhill.
“I’m sorry you don’t have close family Rosie, but at least you have Liz and Ed, right?”
She smiles. “Yeah, I do.”
“And I’ve seen you with Lily and Carla, so they’re becoming your friends, right? I guess we better not forget you’re also a favorite with my brothers, and that guy.”
She starts to laugh, which is music to my ears after looking sad while talking about her family or lack of.
“That guy?”
“Hunter,” I say, grudgingly.
She rolls her eyes and nudges me with her leg. “He’s a nice guy, but lonely. Cute as well,” she teases. “If you gave him a chance instead of giving him a ‘stay clear’ look then you might even have a new friend or employee.”
Hearing her say employee has me sitting up and taking notice. “Employee?” Why would she suggest hiring Hunter?
“He helped the other week at the club. I admit I don’t know anything about him, but he always makes time to chat with me, and your brothers. I feel safe with him around is all.” She shrugs.
I’m an idiot. It’s been a few weeks since she was thumped in the face on the dance floor at Kenza, but the fact that she doesn’t feel safe bothers me. I don’t want her frightened to come to work. But there isn’t too much I can do about staff being caught in the crossfire. How can I make that safer?
Setting my plate down beside me, I remove hers from her hands and place it alongside mine. “Rosie,” I use my hand to tilt her chin up so that our gazes meet. “I don’t ever want you to feel unsafe at Kenza, and if you want me to ask Hunter if he wants a job then I will do. I want you to be safe and to feel safe.”
The night of the fight there were two security guards off because of sickness, or so they said. But I’m going to do my best to make sure she’s safe.
“I don’t want you doing anything just because I’m a bit nervous after being hit. I mean it isn’t the first time I’ve been hit, but, well, it hurt.” She gives a nervous laugh. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore, it’s ruining our time together.”
It isn’t the first time she’s been hit! What the fuck is wrong with that? I’m willing to leave it for now, but I’ll want answers eventually.
With a slight push she falls backwards, laughing. I lie down with her, but rest on my elbow and loom over her. A lock of hair has become loose from her braid, which I wrap around my finger feeling the silky texture.
“You are beautiful,” I lean in and kiss the tip of her nose, grinning, “and you are such a huge distraction that I’m sure I’m behind with the paperwork. All I think about is you. I think about how you tasted spread out before me. I think about how you looked in my bed with your hair on my pillow.”
My breath catches when she reaches up and places her palm against my chest. Her hand burns as she caresses before starting to caress up and down my side. My body hardens having her hands on me.
“Ruben, will you kiss me.”
“I’m yours Rosie. You never need to ask, but I’m going to kiss you slow.” With that warning being spoken, I roll on top of her and pushing her legs open, I settle between. Holding my weight off her with an elbow at either side, I look at her from her slim torso, up along the curve of her breasts toward her neck before finally meeting her gaze.
My hand has a mind of its own as I continue to hold her gaze, and I lightly rub it over her aroused nipples.
Her mouth opens slightly in pleasure as I do the same again. There’s no way she isn’t feeling my growing arousal as I’m pressed up close and personal.