Chapter 21
Chapter twenty-one
"We should sleep here tonight," Billy said, wrapped around Rosa from behind, still half undressed, relaxed.
"We have two perfectly sound beds," Rosa said, twisting her body until she was on her back and able to see Billy's face. Candlelight cast flickering shadows across her features.
"Yeah, with no heating. Here we have the fire."
Rosa smiled. "We have each other."
"True." Billy grinned and leaned down to kiss her slowly. "Don't you think this is romantic, though?"
"I do—" A shrill noise rang out. "Is that your phone?"
Billy sat up and dug into her jeans pocket, pulling the small device free. "It's Immy." She answered it. "Hey, sweetie."
Imogen's voice came through the speaker, "Hi, Ma." In the silence of the room, Rosa could hear every word. "Just checking in. We've no electricity. The signal on the phone keeps dropping out."
"Same here, but we're alright. In fact…we have something—"
Rosa grabbed the phone from her hand. "Hi, Imogen, it's Mum." She sat up, turning her back on Billy as she continued, "We have everything we need, so don't worry about us. I'm sure they'll dig us all out soon enough." She laughed, trying to cover her sudden anxiousness.
"Hey, Mum, I'm just glad you're not on your own. Being with Billy will be…really nice for you both."
"Sure. We can entertain ourselves. Are the girls okay? Grandma and Schultz?"
"Yes. We've been playing board….ga…me. I thi..k…sign…al…" The line went dead.
"Hello?" She checked the screen. The call had ended. "I think the signal has gone again."
Billy frowned at her. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Rosa said, handing back the phone.
"When I was going to tell Immy our news, you grabbed the phone and stopped me… Why?"
Rosa stood up, found her jumper, and pulled it on. "Because I'm not ready for that. This is all so… It's been a few hours of us talking and—"
"Making love…yes," Billy said, standing up and rebuttoning her jeans.
"Yes, and I think we shouldn’t rush into something and make declarations just yet."
"I just want to shout it from the rooftops." Billy smiled, cupping Rosa's cheek. "But I get it…you need time and—"
"We need time, Billy. It's been a long time since you were anything more to me than…" Her eyes cast downwards.
"Say it," Billy encouraged.
"Fine." Rosa brought her gaze back up, chin out.
"It's been over a decade since you were anything more than the woman who broke my heart and abandoned me…
and I can't just switch back into who we were before that…
I need time. I need space to process, and we will not disrupt our child's life unless we are absolutely sure this is what we both want. "
"Okay, we can do it your way," Billy acknowledged. "But…right now, here, it's just us, and I think we should make the most of that."
"Really? What do you propose we do?" Rosa stepped closer. It was all just too easy, wasn't it? Frighteningly easy to do the very thing she'd just said she wasn't sure she could—step back into it.
"Firstly, I'm going to put more wood on the fire. Then secondly…I'm getting the duvets from the beds, and then…" Her eyes scanned down Rosa's body. The jumper wasn't quite long enough to cover the nakedness of her lower half. "I'm taking that jumper off again…"
"Oh, what if…" Rosa lifted the hem and raised it over her head. "It's already off?"
"I guess you'll find out in a moment when I've completed my other tasks," Billy teased. Fingertips lifted to brush across a taut nipple. "I love that I can do that again."
Rosa chuckled and grasped Billy's wrist, pulling so her palm covered her breast. "I like it when you do."
Silence settled between them. Slowly, deliberately, Billy’s hand moved, cupping the weight of Rosa's breast, her thumb circling the nipple until it hardened beneath her touch. Rosa's breath caught but she didn't look away. Their eyes held—dark and intent, searching, remembering.
Billy's other hand found Rosa's waist, fingers splaying against bare skin. Rosa's pulse quickened beneath Billy's palm, her chest rising and falling faster now. Still, neither spoke. The fire crackled. Snow whispered against the windows.
Billy's thumb brushed again, firmer this time, and Rosa's lips parted on a silent gasp. Her hand came up to rest against Billy's chest, feeling the rapid thud of her heart. They stood like that—suspended—touching, breathing, existing only for each other in the flickering candlelight.