Chapter 35

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Alex

AS ODD AS IT seemed, waking up next to Rose felt like the most natural thing in the world to me. The bright sunlight shined through my bedroom window as I tried to calculate the time. I finally put an end to the guessing game and grabbed my phone from the nightstand, not surprised to find it was almost 10:00 a.m., much later than I was used to sleeping in, but it was totally justifiable when there was hardly any sleep going on the night prior.

I stared at Rose, sound asleep, her long dark hair spread across the pillow, and was reminded of the way she had awakened things inside of me that had been dormant for so long. I never in a million years would have believed she’d have the power to make me feel things I’d never felt before, but she did. Feeling this way for her wasn’t part of my plan, but I was powerless to stop it. I carefully got out of bed, slipped on a pair of sweatpants, and headed into the bathroom. After taking a piss and brushing my teeth, I returned to the bedroom to see if Rose was up yet. She let out a deep sigh in her sleep and began to stir, peeling her sleepy eyes open and squinting into the sunlight.

“What time is it?” she whispered as I took a seat on the bed.

“Almost ten.”

“Oh, shoot.” She sat up and pulled the sheets over her. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” I asked.

“For taking up your whole morning while I slept.”

“I just woke up too.”

“Oh, good.”

“Do you want some coffee?”

“Coffee would be wonderful!” As I started to get up, she grabbed my hand and pulled me back down. “Alex, I know a lot has changed between us within this past week, and I need to know if you’re okay with it.”

“I am.” I had finally admitted, not only to her, but to myself.

A quick smile flashed across her face. “I was hoping you’d say that, but...” She stared into space, deep in thought.

“But what?”

“Well, things are going to be…different.”

“Yeah, they will be.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is, how are we going to do this at work?”

I shrugged. I hadn’t really thought much about it, and now that she had posed the question, it still didn’t matter much to me. I pretty much always kept my personal life private from my coworkers, so I didn’t see a reason to change that now. “I think we should just act normal, and if people want to draw their own conclusions, then let them.”

“Okay, sounds like a plan. But going forward…can we please forget anything that’s happened in the past between us and just start anew?”

I swallowed hard, knowing it was now or never. If we were going to put the war we had going on in the past to rest, then I needed to tell her about the game I played with Brock and her advice column. “That sounds good, but before we do that, I just need to tell you—”

She placed her fingers over my lips. “Is it in the past?”

I nodded.

“Then please let’s not talk about it. I’m Rose Perkins, and you are?” She held out her hand to me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. I extended my hand back to her, still battling with my internal moral dilemma. “Hello, do you have a name, sir?” Rose asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

“I’m Alex.”

She looped her arms around my neck. “Well, Alex, it really is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hey, I just thought of something. If we’re putting everything in the past, then technically, we haven’t had sex yet.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, well, seeing how we just met…I think it may be a little promiscuous of me to jump in bed with you right away.”

“Agreed.” I nodded and played along then started to get up.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me back down once again. “But I’m willing to risk my reputation.”

I leaned in to kiss her and she backed away.

“After I rinse my mouth out with some water and toothpaste…morning breath.”

I let out a deep chuckle.

“Don’t you go anywhere…I’ll be right back,” she instructed.

I had no intentions of moving, and that was guaranteed when she stood up, revealing her beautiful naked body to me.

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I rolled over on my side, trying to catch my breath. After the last two hours of mind-blowing sex, I was spent but fully content.

“I’d say that was a proper introduction,” Rose teased as she planted tiny kisses on my chest.

“I don’t know, I think I may need to get to know you a little better,” I said, pulling her on top of me.

Her hair cascaded onto my chest and her deep brown eyes penetrated into me. How did I never notice just how cute the cleft in her chin was before? So many things about her I chose to ignore because I was so busy trying to convince myself to hate her. I closed my eyes as my fingertips glided up and down her back. The sex was great, but there was something about having her so close and feeling her warm, soft skin against mine that felt so right. It had been a long time since I’d been that close to a woman…too long. She was the first person I’d been with since my accident, and I was afraid that maybe, I wouldn’t be able to perform as good as I once did before I had gotten hurt, but Rose helped me wash all those fears away.

“Is that rain?” Rose asked, her head resting upon my chest.

“It sounds like it.” I turned my head in the direction of my bedroom window. The sun that lured me out of bed earlier had been taken over by clouds and thunder.

She turned on her side and nuzzled herself as close as she could get to me. As she softly caressed my arm, I could feel my eyelids getting heavier with each gentle stroke. The rain falling outside and the beautiful woman in my arms were an unfair advantage to the weights that were tugging on my eyes. Finally giving in to the battle, I waved the white flag and allowed myself to be lulled into a deep sleep.