Chapter 15 #2
Rosalind huffed and leaned back on the couch.
Thunder rumbled overhead, and the dull drone of rainfall fell against the roof.
Both of them lifted their eyes to the ceiling as though they could see the rain from their place in the living room.
Rosalind thought that it fit the mood—heavy, threatening, the potential to wash everything away.
“You obviously care a lot about her, so go, ask her what she wants, then look deep within yourself and decide if that’s what you want, too.” Her mother stood up from the couch. “I am going to bed, Rosie.”
“Goodnight, Mom,” Rosalind said and stood up to embrace her mother. She could feel her mother’s shoulders shake with emotion, and they stood there for a few minutes, silent tears slipping from their eyes.
“I love you,” her mother said.
“Love you, too, Mom.”
Rosalind released her embrace, and her mother smiled at her again before turning toward the stairs.
She watched her mother go, waiting until she heard the door close behind her before focusing on the world around her.
Her mother was right, she needed to talk to Jane.
She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she just disappeared and never gave this relationship a chance.
The thought terrified her, but she had to.
She grabbed her keys from the table and slipped back out the front door into the pouring rain.
It was still early evening, but the dark clouds made it feel like midnight.
Rosalind jumped into her car and quickly backed down the driveway.
She was already soaked just from the door to the driveway, but despite the pouring rain she made her way back into city toward Jane’s apartment complex.
Rosalind parked in the street, unsure of the parking expectations within the complex itself and walked almost a block to her building.
By the time she ascended the stairs to her door, Rosalind was dripping, but she didn’t care.
She had to see Jane, she had to tell her how she felt, and see if Jane felt the same way.
Even still, as she climbed the stairs, her chest became tighter and tighter.
Rosalind focused on the rain and noise around her, nothing else.
If she let those thoughts in, they would take over.
The what-ifs. What if Jane didn’t feel the same way?
What if Jane wasn’t willing to make it work?
What if she had already ruined things with her?
Rosalind looked down at herself as she stood in front of Jane’s door.
She couldn’t help but laugh at her sopping clothes.
What kind of person does this? Still, she needed to get through it.
She needed to know. She reached up but hesitated before her fist knocked on the door.
She took a deep breath and felt the water running down her face. She pounded on the door and waited.
After a few excruciating seconds, Jane pulled the door open, concern etched across her face.
“Jane, I—” the words stuck in her throat. I love you! she screamed internally, but the words wouldn’t come out. “I…”
“Get in here, you crazy woman,” Jane said and grabbed Rosalind’s frozen arm. Rosalind allowed herself to be pulled inside. “What are you doing?” Jane’s face was creased with something that looked like fear but laced with concern.
“I just, I needed to see you, to talk to you,” Rosalind finally managed to say.
“Is everything alright? Is it your father?” Jane asked.
“No, I just—” Rosalind started, but the words stuck in her throat again.
She looked at Jane, her brilliant green eyes unlined for once but still just as beautiful.
Rosalind noticed the silky robe she had tied around her long frame, the soft ivory complementing her skin tone.
Rosalind’s eyes traveled down Jane’s body, lingering on the soft curve of her hips, her long legs, and heat crept through Rosalind’s veins.
She reached out and touched Jane’s face, aware that she was dripping all over the entryway.
Jane’s skin was so warm against her cold, damp fingers.
She tried to speak again, but nothing came out.
What had her so paralyzed? “Oh, damnit,” she finally managed to say then pressed her lips against Jane’s.
Jane’s hands flew to Rosalind’s face and she kissed her back with fervor.
Rosalind slipped her tongue through Jane’s teeth and swirled it around Jane’s and heat built in her stomach like a furnace.
The feeling was there, it was real, and it was so much deeper than a physical attraction, so why couldn’t she just say it out loud?
She kissed Jane harder, pulling her against her wet body, feeling the water soaking through the slight robe.
Rosalind ran her fingers through Jane’s silky hair, pulling it easily from the clip that had been holding it on the top of Jane’s head.
She moved her kisses from Jane’s lips and across her jaw, leaning in and nipping softly at Jane’s neck, and Jane arched into her.
Finally, Rosalind pulled back and looked at her, her robe was wet and clinging to Jane’s skin, her nipples poking through the silky fabric.
Rosalind could see every line of her body where the robe was darkened by the rain, and heat pooled between her legs.
Her eyes roved up and down Jane’s body and a deep hunger pulled at her.
She wanted to be closer, she wanted to be inside of her.
“Jane, I think I’m falling in love with you,” Rosalind finally said, though the words came out strangled.
“Don’t say that unless you mean it, Rosalind,” Jane warned, her eyes growing dark. “I can’t do this back-and-forth nonsense anymore.”
“I mean it, Jane, I do,” Rosalind said and kissed her again. Jane responded in kind, and they kissed deeper, harder, their hands roaming over each other. Their chilled skin finding warmth in their contact.
“Bathroom,” Jane said breathlessly as Rosalind kissed her neck again. “You’re making a mess.”
Rosalind chuckled but allowed Jane to lead her to the bathroom. She turned to pull Jane close again, but Jane pulled back. Rosalind furrowed her brows.
“I’m serious, Rosalind, don’t say this unless you mean it—you don’t get to tell me later that it was all a mistake. I can’t take that again,” Jane warned, her eyes bright with anticipation.
“I don’t know what the future holds, Jane,” Rosalind said, dropping her eyes. She started to pull her wet clothes from her body. “But I know how I feel, I can’t deny it, and I needed to tell you.”
“I love you, Rosalind,” Jane said, and started helping Jane with the sopping clothes, depositing each item into the bathtub and grabbing a towel for her. “But I can’t just sit here and wait for you to decide if loving me is enough.”
Rosalind’s skin pebbled in the cool air as she toweled herself off. She wrapped the towel around her and looked at Jane, whose brow was creased with worry.
“It’s enough, Jane, it’s more than I could have ever hoped for.
I’m falling for you, and I want to be with you.
I don’t know how we will make it work, but I know we can,” Rosalind said softly.
Jane’s eyes lit up with excitement and she kissed Rosalind again.
Rosalind could feel Jane’s damp robe against her skin and heat poured through her.