As promised, early the next morning, we took Rose back to that shithole she’d been living in. It is even worse in the harsh light of day. I’d be surprised if the building could pass city inspection. The whole structure looks ready to collapse. Several of the units have boarded up windows, and the institutional green paint is peeling in big chunks.

I realize that this way of life is a reality for a lot of people. Unlike Asher who was born into money, I came into it later in life. I lived in a shitty house not far from here with five other foster kids. I was almost ten when the Masons adopted me, so I’m no stranger to this world. But this isn’t the place for Rose. She is gentle, and places like this tended to use up people like her.

The limo pulls around the side into the parking lot, and we are greeted by police. It turns out that Bruce is an undercover cop who’d been looking into a sex trafficking ring. The group has been using the motel to move women.

It turns my stomach to think that Rose was anywhere near monsters like that.

“Pack your stuff. You’re coming home with us,” I say as soon as the officer is done questioning us.

“I can’t stay with you,” Rose argues, heading straight to her room.

She’s fucking insane. There’s no way either of us is leaving her here. “I’m not taking no for an answer. This place isn’t safe.”

“Ten months,” she says holding up both hands. “Ten. I’ve managed to survive this long.”

I am ready to toss her over my shoulder and drag her back kicking and screaming if need be when Asher steps in.

“You need a real apartment,” he says. “Stay with us until you find a place.”

“I have a—”

“It would make my life a lot easier,” he says. “These 18 hour days are killing me. If you’re staying with us for the next week or two, we can move our evening conference calls to the penthouse. No bad takeout every night. No long commute. You’d be doing me a favor. And in the meantime, we can ask our real estate person to show you some listings.”  Asher shoots her a smile, and she loses a little of that hard defensive edge. “It’s a win-win really.”

I think she’s been looking for a reason to stay, because just like that, Rose agrees.

However, this new development gives me pause as far as the get-Rose-naked plan goes. She is living with us now, and I don’t want to make her think sex is part of that arrangement. So instead, I decide to play the long game.

Over the course of the next two weeks, it’s business as usual, with a few exceptions. She rides into work with us now, and we moved the conference calls with China to the penthouse. That also meant we could have cozy dinners at home.

And that’s how we found ourselves late Friday night, lounging in the living room after eating a tasty chicken cacciatore Rose cooked. It’s a rare night when there isn’t a conference call or a meeting or a report that needs to be finished. It is just the three of us enjoying some time off.

We’ve gone through a bottle of wine and had started on a second. The mood is languid and heady from all the pent up sexual tension between us.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

I fill up my glass and sink down into the sofa next to Rose. “If you keep cooking like that I’m never going to let you move out.”

“You both have been great hosts,” she says, “It’s the least I can do.” A soft pink blush colors her cheeks, and she bites her bottom lip.

“You don’t owe us anything.” I take her hand and slowly massage her fingers. Not long ago, this kind of casual touching would have her guard up, but tonight is a different story.

Rose leans back into the sofa and closes her eyes. “Hmm,” she hums under her breath. “God, that feels good. You’re spoiling me.”

“I can think of a hundred ways to spoil you. If you want,” I say, bringing her hand up to my lips and kissing each finger. She sucks in a breath and opens her eyes, but doesn’t draw her hand back.

“Spoil me?” she says, nervously.

The question is clear in her big brown eyes. We’ve reached the point of no return. If I push this and she’s not ready, there will be no second chances. All of this, the work, her company could end. But it’s a risk I’m ready to take.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush. I want you,” I say, looking her straight in the eyes. “I have for a long time. Having you here in our house, sharing our space, just reinforces that need. We have chemistry. I know you feel it too.”

Rose licks her lip and quickly glances over to Asher who’s been watching our exchange this whole time. “What exactly are you saying?”

Asher leans forward and sets his glass down. “We want you in our bed, Bambi.”

Her mouth goes wide, and those big doe eyes return to me. Bambi indeed. She really does look like a deer in headlights.

“So both of you?” she says, straightening up.

Suddenly, the wide-eyed look is gone, and there’s a wariness about her. “Is this why you wanted me to stay here? So I can be your live-in sex toy? What if I say no, are you going to kick me out?”

“We wouldn’t kick you out,” I assure her.

“I’m not sure how I feel about this,” she says, looking down at her hands. “It’s all, I don’t know, sudden.”

“Sudden my ass,” Asher says, eye narrowing. “We’ve been dancing around this for almost two months. The sexual tension is so thick in the house I’m choking on it.”

Rose purses her lips as if trying to keep from saying something, and moves so she can look at both of us. “There’s more to life than sexual attraction,” she says, coolly.

Asher leans forward, refusing to back down. “Not a lot in my book.”

Rose closes her eyes, and after a deep breath schools her expression. “What about my job?” she asks. “How do you think it would look to other people in the office if they find out I slept with my bosses? They are going to assume that’s how I got the promotion.”

She’s right, of course. The optics on this one are questionable, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting her. She’s the right woman for us. I can feel it, and these past weeks have just reinforced my belief.

“Your job is safe,” Asher says. “When things end—”

“If things end,” I say.

Asher shoots me a look but continues. “I had legal draft an employment agreement. We’ll keep you on as long as you want and if you decide to leave there’s a generous severance package.”

“I don’t want a severance package,” she says, glaring at Asher. “I just want to know why? Why me? Why now?”

“The why is simple,” I say catching her hand and bringing it up to my lips. “It’s because you’re a cook.”

Her brows crinkle and then she smiles. I feel the tension leaving her, but she still pulls back her hand and stands. “I need to think on this,” she says. “Tomorrow, I’m looking at apartments. I’ll be gone most of the day. When I get home, I’ll let you know.”

I get to my feet, sure that if I give her time to think, she’ll talk herself out of it. But before I can stop her, she steps away from the sofa. “Rose—”

“No,” she says, holding up both hands, and backs away. “I need to think.”

I open my mouth to say more, but Asher speaks up. “Tomorrow then.”

Rose leaves, and a heavy silence falls over the room. I’ve screwed this up. I should have kissed her until she couldn’t think straight. I shouldn’t have pushed her. I should have pushed her harder. I don’t fucking know anymore. But as I watch her door close, I’m terrified that this is it.

“Give her time,” Asher says.

“You know as well as I do that if she thinks about what we’re asking, she’s going to say no.”

“One thing I’ve learned about Rose is that she doesn’t make rash decisions,” Asher says. “If you had tried to pressure her into sleeping with us before she had time to process, she would have flat out told you no. Or worse, agreed and then regretted it.”

“I know you’re right, but I have a bad feeling,” I say, staring at the closed door.

Asher finishes off his wine and then stands, stretching. “She’ll say yes,” he says, confidently. “I was watching. She’s into both of us, and curious. The perfect combination. We just need to give her time.”

I pick up the other glasses, my eyes pulling back to the closed door again, and sigh. The cat’s out of the bag now, and there’s not much I can do. I just hope I’m right about Rose.