Chapter Three
Rosie
Wade leads me out of the brewery, his perfectly rough hand encapsulating mine. I love how he’s taken control of the evening, how much he has shared with me, how much I’ve shared with him. It feels like I’ve known him forever, despite just meeting this evening.
He leads me to the back parking lot and I’m surprised when he opens the door to a shiny silver convertible. It both doesn’t fit him at all and makes perfect sense—he’s nothing but a combination of surprises to me. Tough and soft. Kind and uncrossable. I love it.
He rounds the front of the car and gets in, grabbing my hand and intertwining our fingers before shifting the car and driving towards the mountain-side road. It’s a warm night and with the top of the car down, I look up and see the stars. A slow smile spreads on my face as I take in this beautiful night that has taken such an unexpected turn.
We pull into an overlook sight and park, looking out over the lakes and the shadows of the mountains glimmering in the moonlight. I can’t believe I get to live in this beautiful town, but suddenly, I feel overwhelmed with how quickly this night is going, how quickly I’ve ended up alone with a man I barely know.
I start breathing a little heavier, can feel my palm becoming slick with sweat as I try to get my bearings.
Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out.
I repeat the mantra to myself over and over to no avail.
“Hey… Rosie, what’s wrong?” Wade asks, turning me to face him with his free hand. His eyes are filled with concern and I can’t help but feel like I’m overreacting, but I think I need to be open with him if I want this to be anything… real. I need to move beyond my own insecurities.
He strokes the back of my hand with his thumb and I feel myself starting to calm, but I know I won’t feel normal until I tell him.
“I-I don’t know how to say this and I don’t want to scare you off,” I start. He continues stroking my hand and his chocolate eyes are lit with nothing but affection and a remaining touch of concern. “I’ve never been with anyone before. Like in any way at all. I’ve never even kissed anyone before.” I lower my head and stare at my lap, the silence seeming to stretch on forever.
Just as I’m about to jump out of the car to get away from how awkward this is, he leans in and brings my face to his with a gentle hand. He presses his lips to mine in a soft kiss and I feel myself instantly relax, like the weight of all of these years worrying about what this moment would be like has instantly lifted.
He pulls away and his eyes are still sparkling, this time with affection and warmth and something else I can’t quite place. He smiles at me.
“Well, now you have,” he says. “One less thing to worry about, honey. And just for the record, none of that matters to me at all. I like you for you and don’t want you to think for a single second that I—or any man, really—cares about your level of experience. But I am glad I could be your first kiss.”
I blush, the combination of him calling me “honey” and the instant reassurance filling my entire body with warmth.
“Thank you,” I say softly. His eyes are still searing into mine and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look away. “You made my first kiss everything I hoped for.”
“Good. You deserve nothing but the best, and I’m sorry if anyone has ever made you feel like you don’t.”
I let out a small laugh, not wanting to ruin the moment by getting into my other issues. Wade pulls away and adjusts his seat, pushing it back as far as it will go before pulling me over the console and onto his lap. I’ve never sat like this with a man before and the casual intimacy of it sends my core fluttering as he strokes a hand up and down my thigh.
“What are you up to for the rest of the weekend?” he asks, both of us still staring up at the stars.
“Tomorrow I was planning on catching up on some lesson planning for the end of the year and then going grocery shopping, nothing too exciting. Why?”
His hand is still making lazy circles, and the sensation is driving me crazy. I squirm a bit in his lap and can suddenly feel something hard beneath me. Surely he’s not…
“Just wanted to see if you wanted to spend more time together,” he says, interrupting my thoughts. “I have to work the brunch shift tomorrow, but you could come meet me after? We could go grocery shopping together?”
“I’d love that,” I say, shocking myself with my lack of hesitancy. He shocks me even more when he removes his hand from my thigh and pulls me closer, letting me feel all of him.
“Good,” he says, no embarrassment, no flush in his voice. “And yes, you felt right. This is all for you,” he whispers in my ear before pulling my face to his and sealing his mouth to mine in a kiss that can only be described as ferocious when compared to our first one just moments ago.
Following instinct, I turn so my thighs are on either side of his lap in the car seat. Thank god there’s no one else out here to see me losing my mind over this man in his car. This isn’t me, I think to myself. But it’s time for me to start living.
So, I do.
I open my mouth to him and our tongues tangle in sweet ecstasy. I can feel my skirt riding up my thighs and when I sink lower my core hits that divine hardness I felt earlier. I sink further into the kiss and further onto him, rubbing myself against him in a way that should embarrass me but fills me with nothing but hot, pulsing need.
Wade lets out a deep groan and I can’t help but smile at the sound. The idea that I’m making him as crazy for me as I am for him lights me up. Before I can go further, a rough hand finds its way between my thighs and before I know it, his thumb his circling my clit through my underwear.
“Tell me if you want more, honey, want me to make you come all over my hand,” he says gruffly into my hear, his words filled with heat that only sends me closer to the edge of need.
“I want more,” I say, leaning into his ear. He lowers his mouth to my neck, placing wet, sloppy kisses up and down before shoving my underwear to the side and thumbing that sensitive bud in a way that makes me see stars. He’s leaning back in the seat now and when I open my eyes, I see him watching his hand as he strums away.
He looks up and when our eyes meet he gives me a wicked grin before slowly sliding a thick digit inside of me. I balk at the initial pressure before relaxing around him. He starts a slow, steady rhythm and I throw my head back as he swirls within me.
“Good job, honey,” he says, his voice sounding like pure sex. “You like how that feels?”
“Yes,” I gasp as he curls his finger within me.
“You’re soaked. I think you can take another,” he says, eyes piercing mine once again. I nod, unable to form words as he slides a second finger inside of me and the immediate fullness is almost too much for me to take.
I feel myself falling over the edge when he moves his thumb back to my clit, drawing slow circles that drive me even higher.
“That’s it, honey, ride my hand. You’re doing so well,” he says, still not taking his eyes off where his hand is inside of me, on top of me, I feel him everywhere.
With a curl of his fingers, I fall. I see stars, feel like I’m exploding. It’s the sweetest relief, and yet I have no desire for it to be over.
“Wow,” I say, catching my breath. “That was… wow.”
Wade laughs, pulling his hand away from my center before raising his fingers to his mouth and licking them clean. I gasp at him in shock—shock that he did it and shock over how I think it may be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Delicious. Just like I knew you would be,” he says before sliding my underwear back over me and pulling me towards him for another kiss. I taste myself mixed with him and can’t help but think that this might be the best moment of my life.
We break apart and he holds me close.
“I should get you home,” he says after a few minutes. “I have to be at the brewery by seven tomorrow morning.”
“Okay,” I say, climbing off of his lap back into my seat. He grabs my hand again as soon as I’m buckled back in and presses a soft kiss to the back of my hand. Without another word, he drives us back towards the school where I’ve left my car.
“Let me follow you just to make sure you get home safely,” he says, standing by my door as I start my car.
“You really don’t have to do that, Wade. It’s late and I know you have work early in the morning.”
“Let me,” he says firmly. I should be taken aback by his protectiveness, but it only makes me want him more.
“If you insist,” I say with a laugh. He hops back in the convertible and I head out of the parking lot, keeping him in my rearview mirror for every second of the fifteen minute drive.
I park and he’s already at my door opening it for me. So chivalrous.
“This place is great,” he says gesturing to my cottage.
“It’s getting there,” I say with a laugh.
Wade walks me to the door and just before I unlock it, he pulls me into his arms for another searing kiss. I’ll never get tired of this.
“I had a great time with you tonight, Rosie,” he says, still holding me close.
“Me, too,” I say, fisting his shirt like I can’t let him go. But it’s late and he has to work the morning.
I give him my number and tell him to text me when he gets home and with another kiss, he’s back in his car, sitting there until he sees me lock the door.
I head upstairs to get ready for bed but don’t truly calm down until I get a text that simply reads: Home 3. See you tomorrow, honey.
I can’t wait.