Chapter 9
***MALCOLM***
Malcolm burst out laughing, and the look on Thomas’s face when he realized what Rose had said to him just made him laugh even harder. “I think that’s your signal to leave,” he finally said. “I think the lady made herself very clear.”
Instead of leaving, Thomas came a couple of steps closer to their table, then leaned over so he was right in Rose’s face.
“Has he told you the truth yet?” he asked, then waited a second to see if she replied.
“I bet not, I bet he hasn’t said a word about who he really is.
I’ll tell you one thing, Diego and Sebastian know the truth.
If you want my advice, get away before it’s too late. ”
Thomas straightened up and walked off before either of them could respond, and he looked over at Rose to find her studying him intently. “He was just trying to scare me, wasn’t he?” she asked, her voice trembling a little. “Who are Diego and Sebastian?”
Malcolm hesitated for a second, then let out a long sigh.
“Thomas is from our rival fraternity; we’ve been feuding with them since freshman year,” he said.
“Diego and Sebastian are his fraternity brothers. They both disappeared this fall, and no one has heard from them. The Kappas are convinced we had something to do with it and won’t let it go.
He was just trying to scare you. I’m sorry, Rose.
I didn’t think about you getting pulled into our little war. ”
Rose’s face filled with relief. “It’s okay, I should have known you’d never do anything like that,” she said. “I didn’t really believe him, it’s just…”
“We haven’t known each other that long,” he finished for her. “I don’t blame you, sweetheart. Thomas can be quite convincing when he wants to be.”
“Let’s just forget the whole thing happened,” she said. “I don’t want it to ruin the night.”
“Fine with me,” Malcolm said, smiling at her. “Are you ready to feel a cue stick in your hand?”
“I guess so, I just hope I don’t hurt anyone,” she said. “I’m not very coordinated.”
“You’ll be fine,” he said, pulling her to her feet. “I’ll help. You’ll see, it won’t be that hard.”
He kept her hand in his as they crossed the bar to the other side, then wound their way through the dozen or so tables to an empty one in the back corner.
“How’s this?” Malcolm asked, digging in his pocket and pulling out a roll of quarters.
“You won’t be able to hurt anyone except me way back here. ”
“Malcolm, that’s not funny,” Rose said, slapping him on the arm. “I’m nervous enough as it is.”
He walked over to the rack of cue sticks and grabbed two, then handed one to Rose.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” he said.
“We’re just trying to get the colored balls into the pockets on the table.
The worst thing that’s going to happen is that you’re going to miss.
No one will die, the world won’t end, you’ll just take another shot.
This is supposed to be fun, so just relax, and I promise not to tease you if you stink at it. ”
“Which I will,” she said, then shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, what the heck, show me what to do.”
After popping some quarters into the table, he grabbed the rack and began to arrange the balls inside it before stepping back and looking over at her. “Are you ready?” he asked, then grinned at her. “I’ll take the first shot and then you can try after that.”
“You’re the expert,” she said, stepping back to give him room. “You’re going to have to show me how to hold this thing when you’re done, though.”
“I will, just watch me for now,” he said, lining up the shot. “The white ball I’m about to hit is the cue ball, and it’s never supposed to go into one of the pockets. You will automatically lose your turn, they call it scratching.”
He sent the cue ball sailing down the table, and it hit the other balls with a satisfying crack, and they scattered all over the table. Then, to his embarrassment, the cue ball rolled right into a pocket, disappearing from sight with a loud clunk.
“You mean like that?” Rose asked, a little smile on her face.
“Okay, smarty pants, it’s your turn,” he said, retrieving the cue ball and setting it down on the table. “Find a shot that looks easy, maybe the seven ball in the corner pocket.”
Rose gave him a confused look, then stepped up to the table, awkwardly gripped the cue stick in her hands, and lined up the shot.
On her first try, she missed the ball completely, her second try glazed right over the top, and on the third, the ball popped off the table and rolled across the floor.
With a frustrated sigh, she set down the stick, retrieved the ball, set it down on the table, then turned around to face him.
“I must be doing something wrong,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Are you going to help me or keep watching me struggle?”
“Sorry, I just wanted to see if you’d get it on your own,” he said, pushing himself away from the wall he’d been leaning on. “I’m sure it’s your grip; line up the shot again.”
When she was in position, he came up behind her and gently moved her hands around, then stepped up behind her, grabbed her by the hips, and rearranged her stance.
“Okay, now I want you to draw your arm back slowly, then hit the ball,” he said, close enough that he could smell her perfume.
“Hit the ball like you mean it, don’t hesitate, just go for it. ”
She looked over her shoulder at him, her mouth only inches from his, making him instantly think about kissing her.
He was just wondering what she would taste like when she cleared her throat, reminding him what they were doing, and he forced himself to redirect his thoughts before he did something stupid.
“Like this?” she asked, pulling her arm back, then giving the ball a good thump, sending it rolling across the table toward the ball she had been aiming for. “Oh, it worked. Can I try again?”
He backed up a few steps, desire thundering through his body, his head swimming with the need that had boiled to life so quickly he hadn’t had time to prepare for it. “Sure, line up another shot,” he managed to croak, planning to stay far away from her this time. “I think you’ve got it.”
When she tried again, she hit the cue ball but not even close to where she’d wanted it to go, and after several more tries with the same result, she turned to him again.
“See, I told you I would suck at this,” she said, setting down the cue stick.
“Why don’t you take a turn? I’m sure it’s boring watching me miss a hundred times. ”
He studied her for a second, wondering if he dared get close again, then saw the disappointed look on her face and with a sigh, stepped up next to her again. “Try one more time,” he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind and guiding the cue stick in her hand. “I’ll help you.”
This time the cue ball hit the seven ball squarely and sent it flying into the pocket with a satisfying clunk and Rose whooped with excitement. “Okay, now I get it,” she said. “It felt different that time, better. Let me try it alone.”
He reluctantly let her go, then watched as she dropped the nine ball neatly into the pocket, but was completely unprepared when she let out another excited whoop and threw herself into his arms. With her body pressed up against his, instinct instantly kicked in and before he could stop himself, he was pulling her closer and lowering his mouth to hers.
Her lips were warm and soft, and she tasted like sugar cookies and something so enticing that he was sure he would never get enough.
***Rose***
Rose's senses were overwhelmed by everything she was feelingMalcolm's lips, soft but insistent as he kissed her, his tongue gently teasing her mouth open, his strong arms wrapped around her, pressing her body up against his. It all silenced the voice in her head yelling that this was a mistake, allowing her to give herself over to the best kiss she’d ever shared in her entire life. Kissing Malcolm was as wonderful as she’d always imagined it would be, and even though she knew that she should pull away, her body had different plans.
She finally managed to back away from him, her heart pounding, her breath coming in short gasps, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “Wow, that was some kiss,” Malcolm said, grinning at her. “If I’d known that’s what I’d get for teaching you to play pool, I would have done it a week ago.”
“Oh my God…I didn’t…that wasn’t…I just wanted…” she stammered, horrified by what she’d done. “I’m sorry, that never should have happened, I was just excited.”
“Yeah, you got me excited too. That might have been a mistake,” Malcolm said, desire flashing in his eyes and she gasped when her body answered with a wave of need that started deep in her belly and spiraled out until she was trembling. “I think I need another one.”
Before she could stop him, he dragged her into his arms again, and his mouth came down on hers in a hungry kiss that quenched some of the desire thundering through her.
She moaned deep in her throat, unable to stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into his hard body as her nipples hardened against his chest, eliciting an answering groan from Malcolm.
When he finally let her go, she was wobbly on her feet, and she clung to him, afraid she might tumble to the floor.
“I think our pool lesson is over for the night,” he said, looking down at her.
“I don’t know what we’ve started, Rose. I never meant for that to happen, but I can’t say that I’m sorry. ”
“Not sorry,” she croaked. “Need fresh air.”
When they got outside, she took huge gasping breaths of the cold air, fighting back the panic.
She wasn’t supposed to get involved; Malcolm was the enemy, but it sure didn’t feel like it right then.
Looking over at him, she noted the concern and worry on his face and couldn’t believe that he could be involved with the disappearances; he wasn’t that kind of person.
She had no idea what she was going to do.
Her sister was depending on her, and she had to find some information for her stepfather, or risk his wrath.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, she fought back another wave of panic. “I think I need to go home,” she said, hating the way her voice was shaking. “It’s been a long day.”
“I’m sorry, Rose, I shouldn’t have kissed you, I just couldn’t help myself,” he said, shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal. “I hope I haven’t ruined everything between us. I hope we can still be friends.”
It took her a second to absorb what he’d just said; she turned and looked over at him.
“I’m sorry, did you really just say that?
” she demanded. “After you kiss me like I’ve never been kissed before, you just want to be friends?
That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard.
Take me back to my car right now. I want to go home. ”
“Rose…I’m sorry…I just…” he tried, but she just crossed her arms over her chest and ignored him.
“I want to go home,” she said, glaring at him. “Do I need to find another way back to my car? I can always call a cab.”
“I’ll give you a ride,” Malcolm said, his voice full of misery, but she didn’t care, he wasn’t going to play with her feelings. “It really was an accident.”
She snorted. “Vanessa was right about you,” she said. “It’s not nice to play with people’s feelings.”
“Rose…I…” he tried again, but she turned her back on him. “Okay, I’ll go get the truck.”
They didn’t say a word to each other on the way to the office, and she was glad; she was closer to tears than she liked, and the last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of him.
She had been warned, and it was no one’s fault but her own that she was hurting.
Crying was a waste of time because she’d learned her lesson.
Malcom was a player, and she wanted nothing to do with a man like that.
When he pulled up next to her car, she gathered her purse and opened the door. “Thank you for the pool lesson,” she said. “I hope everything goes well with the new building.”
She slid out of the truck and slammed the door before he could stop her, walking calmly over to her car, started it up, and drove away.
It wasn’t until she was sure he hadn’t followed her that she let the tears come, but she was done crying over him by the time she got to her apartment.
In a way, she decided, unlocking her door, it was for the best. Now she could do what she was sent to do without feeling guilty.
It would all be over soon, her sister would be safe, and she could get on with her life.
Her conscience clear for the first time since she’d met Malcolm, she let herself into the apartment not bothering to turn on the light in the entryway.
After dropping her purse and keys onto the little table by the door, she took off her coat and hung it up, thinking that a hot bath and a cup of tea might relax her.
She’d just turned to go into the kitchen when it registered that there was someone else in her apartment, and she ran for the mace on her keys.
“Don’t bother, you wouldn’t use it on me anyway,” her stepfather said, then switched on the light. “Surprise, I thought I’d come check on you, make sure you’re screwing up like usual. Aren’t you going to offer me something to drink?”