Page 18 of More Than A Fixer-Upper (Hope Runs Deep #13)
Chase
The way Rosalie looks at me lazy smile, flushed cheeks, her fingers tangled in my hair I could fall asleep like this and not hate it. We’re a sticky, sweaty mess, tangled in sheets and silence.
“We should clean up,” I say, kissing her shoulder.
She giggles. “You might need to carry me. I don’t think my legs work anymore.”
I groan as she shifts beneath me. “Please don’t laugh right now,” I mutter, pulling away gently. I steady myself and hold out a hand. She takes it, smiling up at me.
Her lips are red and swollen. Her skin is marked from my beard. She licks her lips, and I ask, “What are you thinking about right now?”
She leads me into the bathroom. “Wondering what your beard would feel like between my legs.”
I laugh, running my hands down her back. “You want me more than once?”
“I’ll take you however you want me,” she says, turning in my arms. “If it’s just sex, fine. We keep it away from the kids. If you want to date, we date. I’m not asking you to be a dad. As much as I want that for them, I’ll take your friendship with perks.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know if I can be the partner you need. My childhood was rough. But I’d like to be friends, get to know you and the kids, and see where it goes. I’m not ruling anything outI just can’t make promises.”
I feel myself shutting down. I hate talking about my past, especially with someone I’m starting to care about.
We shower together, laughing and kissing as we soap up. I make her laugh. I make her moan. And for a moment, it feels like something real.
Wrapped in a towel, I head downstairs to toss my clothes in the dryerand walk straight into a wall of heat and awkwardness.
“Hi, Hails. Winnie,” I say, trying to act normal.
“Chase, why are you in just a towel?” Ellen asks. I hadn’t seen her standing there.
“There was a situation with spaghetti sauce and the sprayer,” I say. “I need to get these clothes into the dryer.”
I turn toward the laundry room. Ellen tells the girls to head upstairs and follows me.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hisses. “You don’t sleep with women who have kids!”
“Why do you automatically think I slept with Rosalie?” I snap.
“The claw marks down your back gave it away,” she says, trying not to laugh.
I curse. She laughs harder. “Seth, Adam, and Gerald think you two would be perfect together!”
“Stop it. We agreed to take things slow. Get to know each other. Spend time with the kids. That’s it.”
She nods, smiling like she’s already planning our wedding.
I walk out of the laundry room. Winnie’s standing there, arms crossed.
“Are you trying to get with my mom for her money?”
“No,” I say calmly. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to let Rosalie know she has company. I think I’ll take my stuff upstairs to work.”
I head to the bedroom. Rosalie’s in the bathroom, hair dryer humming. I toss my stuff on the bed and stand in the doorway.
“Where’s my drink?” she asks.
“I got a little distracted. Winnie, Hailey, and Ellen are here. Ellen loves the claw marks on my back.”
The hair dryer clatters. She bites her lip.
“I told Ellen we’re becoming friends. Seeing where things go. Winnie wants to make sure I’m not after your money.”
Something must pass across my face, because Rosalie steps into me.
“What was that look?” she asks.
I hold her close. “My past. We’ll talk about it tonight. Or soon.”
She nods against my chest.
“I brought my stuff up here to work. Our clothes are in the dryer.”
“Okay. I’ll go deal with everything while you chicken out,” she teases, trying to give me a dirty look. I kiss her nose.
“I also need to get dinner in the oven. Are you staying?”
“If you’re okay with it, I’d love to.”
I kiss her deeply before she leaves the room. I climb onto the bed. She’s changed the bedding it smells like her. I pull out my sketchbook and start drawing cabin designs.
I could do this with Rosalie. But will she still want me once she knows everything?