I turn to look at him. But his attention is all on Carla as she gives him a sultry look. I almost chuckle since it’s just a wiggle of her eyebrows that gets my brother going. “You’d rather stay here than come back to our place and enjoy what’s in those bags?” she purrs.
“Put like that I’ll let him beg in private. C’mon woman let’s go.” He wraps an arm around Carla before looking back to me. “Beg brother. Women like a man who begs for forgiveness.”
“Don’t worry Ruben, your brother’s going to be finding out just how much this woman likes to watch him beg for forgiveness if he doesn’t shut up,” Carla adds, running her fingers up the front of his button down.
Rosie starts to chuckle as she listens to the exchange between Carla and my brother. He’s an immature dick, but he’s my brother.
Not wanting to waste time, I turn to Rosie and take her hands into mine, feeling delighted when she makes no move to remove them.
“Hunter told me what you overheard and I need to explain.”
Now she yanks her hands away making me feel sick at the loss.
“Please listen, Rosie. You didn’t hear everything.” I run my fingers through my hair in agitation. “Before I was with you. Veronica and I would hook up whenever she was in town. It hasn’t happened for a good while – months.” Her eyes narrow and I feel like I’m losing her; I hurry and say, “She happened to show up that night and I’d honestly forgotten about her.”
God, I hope she doesn’t think I’m a dick for forgetting about someone I hook up with. I didn’t realize how bad it sounded until I’d voiced it.
“Look, no matter how I put this it sounds bad so please just hear me out.” I inhale and try to calm my heart, which is freaking out right now because I know I’ll only get the one chance at this. “We had some kind of arrangement that I didn’t want to break at the club. She didn’t deserve that. Yes I followed her to her hotel room, but I swear to you that nothing happened between us. I told her and left, and when I arrived back at the club, Hunter told me he’d taken you home upset.”
After a minute or so of silence while she looks into my eyes, she reaches out and takes hold of my hands, caressing back and forth along my thumb with hers. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I wanted to give you time to calm down in the hopes that you’d be more willing to listen to me. Also, I promised to give you time, remember?” I meet and hold her gaze.
She whispers, “I remember.”
“That’s the truth about Veronica. There isn’t any way I can prove to you that nothing happened, but trust me, if something had you’d know about it because I’m shit at hiding things when I feel guilty, which is how I’d feel if I’d fucked her.” I wince. “Please tell me you believe me.”
“I believe you, but I can’t keep doing this so if there’s anyone else you want to tell me about please tell me now because I’m new to all this…” She pauses and bites her lip, “I’m not going to be able to handle sharing. I don’t share. Ever.”
I grin. “I don’t share either.” I feel heat creeping into my face, which has Rosie raising an eyebrow in question. “I’ll rephrase I guess. I don’t share anymore.”
She laughs. “Hmm. Well as long as that’s agreed then I guess we can move on. I still have doubts about what we talked about on the picnic, but if you can take it slow and give me time to get comfortable at being with you then maybe I can give a bit. That’s only maybe though.”
Shaking my head, I tell her, “You don’t need to give a bit. The other day in my apartment nothing even entered my head. Ribbon, rope, toys, nothing. I’d like eventually to introduce you to a few toys that are made to heighten your pleasure, but nothing frightening.” I quickly kiss her on the lips. “But don’t think about that for now—there is plenty of time and in that time I’m going to make sure you get comfortable with me and quickly.” I kiss her again.
“Will you come back to my place tonight? Let me cook you a late super or something. Just you and me. We’ll do the whole date thing again and this time we’ll have candlelight and soft music. It’ll be a first for me—wining and dining someone— but with you I seem to want to do a lot of firsts.” The more I speak the more I’m getting with this idea. Having her to myself in my apartment for the evening. In fact, she can have the evening off and we can watch a movie or something.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asks. I smile. As much as she is coming across as cool and collected, she is showing her vulnerability by chewing her bottom lip and the slight shake to her hands still holding mine.
Releasing our hands, I lean forward and take her face between my hands. “I’m serious about you Rosie. It’s frightening and exciting at the same time, but I want this thing between us more than my last breath.”