Sweet Rose Chapter 1
Cole
It Goes Like This – Thomas Rhett
Thank God my sister hadn’t insisted on bow ties for her wedding because I for one didn’t want to look like a damn clown, and there was nothing like a bow tie to make someone look like a clown.
As I knotted the slim black one around my neck I heard Denver, our rescue donkey, braying loudly.
He was such a drama queen, desperate for attention all the time.
Rose, the vet, suggested we get him a buddy as there’s nothing physically wrong with him.
I was still working on Liam, my brother, on that one.
Not sure why I needed to, though, seeing as he’d practically moved in with his girlfriend, Charity.
Maybe Rose was right. Another loud noise from Denver’s barn and I made a mental note to look into getting a friend for him.
Looking at myself in the mirror inside my closet, I sighed.
This was a huge day for my sister, Tally, getting to marry the love of her life.
She deserved the joy and happiness that Wilder Miller gave to her.
Liam and Charity were also in a little bubble of fully deserved love.
For fourteen years my brother had lived a half-life, mourning the death of the baby son he’d had at seventeen.
Then his sunshine came along—Charity. We all owed that woman everything, because she’d given us our brother back.
He’d always been serious. Even as a kid.
There were only eleven months between us—Irish twins—so we were the same school year and shared a lot of the same friends.
Where I was always loud and joking, Liam was quiet and contemplative.
When he lost Ezra, though, that seriousness moved into the depths of despair, until Charity.
And so, my siblings were happy, which just left me to try and fulfil my mom’s hopes and dreams of us all being settled. Did I want to be settled?
Did I want to wake with contentment in my heart and bones?
Have someone that felt like a piece of me? Someone who fit into the puzzle of my heart?
Never had before I saw the peace it brought my siblings.
My heavy sigh fogged the mirror, a bit like my brain was feeling. Clouded.
It was amazing how one night with someone could make you second guess your life choices. If it was a choice. Mom was always telling us your life was mapped out for you. That you didn’t really have a choice.
Adjusting the cuffs of my shirt, I caught the aroma of the coffee in the mug on top of my nightstand.
The richness brought back a memory of another cup of coffee, just a few months before.
The bitter edge mixed with cream, the same combination I’d tasted on her lips that morning when she’d brought me coffee in bed.
Rolling over onto my back, I stretched lazily, feeling the luxurious ache of my muscles. Muscles that I’d worked a hell of a lot the night before. My thighs, my arms, my calves, even my damn ass.
A smile crept onto my lips as I recalled everything. Every position I’d maneuvered us into. How much control she’d given to me. How much she’d asked me for.
She’d surprised me. Not as reserved as I’d expected. Funny. Sexy as hell and with confidence for miles, yet a hint of naivety that just added to how attractive I found her.
We hadn’t managed to get much sleep, our bodies finally giving in to weariness at 5 am.
Which was why I was surprised she wasn’t in the bed next to me as my phone said it wasn’t yet eight.
I looked around the bedroom, not having taken much notice the night before, too interested in getting her clothes off and between the pink and white stripe sheets of her huge bed.
It wasn’t what I expected. It was messy for one, clothes draped over a patchwork armchair, a selection of books piled in the corner and another pile on the nightstand.
Her closet door was open with more clothes hanging over the door.
As for her dresser, I didn’t think I’d seen as much hair in a brush.
In short, she was a slob, but I kind of liked that about her.
That and this thing she’d done with her hips when I was drilling her from behind.
Linking my hands behind my head, I looked over to the window, feeling the warmth on my face from the morning sun peeking through the gap in the drapes. It felt good. A lot like contentment as I watched the dust motes dancing and listened to the house settling around us.
Feeling sleepy, I closed my eyes, even though everything was telling me that I needed to get out of bed and go and try to find my hostess.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just laid in bed without the desire to jump up and start my day.
Thinking of nothing other than the warm body I was missing and how damn comfy the bed was.
When the door opened with a squeak, I lifted my head and instantly smiled. Dr. Rose Anderson, all curves, tits and hair, vanilla body lotion mixed with the musky scent of sex. Messy, thoroughly fucked hair at that. All while wearing panties and a tiny t-shirt that looked like it might be a child’s.
“Morning.” I smirked, sitting up and letting the soft cotton sheets that smelled faintly of lavender fabric softener, drop to my waist. Shifting up the bed so that she could see a lot more of me. “Wondered where you’d gotten to.”
She rolled her eyes, placing a mug that smelled damn good down on the nightstand. “Here’s your coffee. The door hasn’t moved since last night, in case you’ve forgotten where it is…”
With an exhale she moved across the room, pausing to inch her panties out of the crack of her ass.
“Do I look like I’m ready to leave?” I asked on a groan as I reached for the steaming mug of coffee. When I took a sip it scalded but tasted good. “Just how I like it. Black and strong.”
“Figured,” Rose replied, bending to pick up what looked like my shirt. “And you may not be ready to leave, but I’m ready for you to go.”
“I don’t think you are, if you’re honest with yourself.” I took another sip and then placed it back on the nightstand. “Besides, this bed is comfy. Why the hell would I want to leave it.”
Laughing lightly, I let the cover drop a little lower, watching her carefully as she picked up my clothes from the floor. When she turned to me she dropped them again.
“Seriously! What are you, a peacock? Put it away before I have you arrested for indecent exposure.”
“What did I do?” I scrubbed my hair through my already messy hair, making sure to flex my biceps.
“Showing me your dick.” She blinked rapidly. “How is it hard? Did you not wear it out last night? This morning?”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a virile young man.”
Her shoulders stiffened and I instantly saw the shutters go up. Her words the night before came back to me, ‘now you can tick fucking an older woman off your bucket list’. She was confident but had a real issue with the age difference between us and I’d just said the wrong thing.
“I’m virile and you Dr. Anderson turn me on just looking at you, so that is why my dick is hard again.”
Her body relaxed a little and a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Shouldn’t you be somewhere teaching kids, closer to your own age, how to kick balls instead of showing me yours. “
I chuckled. “Not today. Today I have a rare day to myself, seeing as my brother is chasing across the country looking for Charity’s sister.”
Rose’s smile fell and she started to chew on the edge of her lip. “I hope they find her. Charity will be out of her mind.”
“Yeah, but Liam will take care of her.” We fell silent, probably wondering the same thing—was there more to Liam helping Charity than being friendly?
When Charity had rushed out of The Tap worried about her sister disappearing to Dallas, my brother had been right behind her.
It seemed that the working relationship they’d forged had possibly grown into something else.
Them disappearing had led to Rose being left alone and when she’d been about to leave and go home, well what sort of guy would I be if I hadn’t offered to see her home safely, after buying her a drink.
One thing had led to another, which had resulted in four orgasms that I could remember.
“Anyway,” Rose said, snapping my attention back to her. “I have things to do, so if you could…” She circled her finger in my direction. “Put that away and get dressed. It was great and everything but it’s time to go.”
Can’t say it didn’t sting a little, but it was her prerogative. “Fancy meeting up for dinner later?”
She frowned. “This was a one-night thing. Wasn’t it?”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be.” I pulled back the covers and stood, letting her get a view of the goods. The hard, long, and beautifully manicured goods.
Rose’s chest rose and her nipples pebbled beneath the thin cotton of her t-shirt. She took a hesitant step toward me and then halted.
“I think it’s for the best. You’re my sixteen-year-old son’s soccer coach, not to mention ten years younger than me.”
It was almost eleven, but I didn’t think it was the time to mention it. No, definitely not, if the determined tilt of her chin was anything to go by. I knew instantly that if I wanted to see Rose Anderson again then I needed her to be the one who came to me. Didn’t mean I could help things along.
“Okay, I’m out of here.” I reached for my clothes that were back on the floor. “But I’d be grateful if you could do me a favor sometime this week.”
“What’s that?” she asked, crossing her arms over her ample chest and rolling her eyes.
“Come see my donkey. I think he’s suffering with something.”
“Are you being serious?” she asked as I pulled on my jeans, not bothering with my boxers that were nowhere to be seen.
“Deadly.” I gave her a wink, leaving my jeans undone as I pulled on my t-shirt. When I heard a little gasp, I knew Denver would soon be getting a visit.
As Denver let out another loud bray, I was suddenly back in the room. A smile touching my lips at the memory. Rose had been to see Denver a couple of times since our night together, but she still hadn’t asked me on a date. I’d seen her looking but she’d never once taken it a step further.
Maybe today would be the day. Today at my sister’s wedding there would be booze and dancing. Plus, there was always wedding sex at every damn wedding, so maybe this one it would be me and Rose.