A Rose in Bloom

by Tamie Dearen

  “No, I’m not—”

  “It’s okay, really. It makes perfect sense. It explains everything, and I’m not even upset about it.” Her eyes grew wide. Tears no longer marred her visage—she looked positively exultant. “You know what this means? It means that confession you tricked me into wasn’t even real. I liked you when I thought you were a different kind of guy.”

  “But Elyssa—”

  “No, don’t worry. You’re a player, but that’s okay. In fact, it’s great. I don’t like players, so I don’t like you at all.” She beamed. “So we can just forget I ever said anything and go back to being enemies. Well, I guess we don’t have to be enemies since you aren’t after my building any more.”

  “Elyssa, I’m not—”

  “I mean, I’m still upset you pretended to be asleep and let me totally embarrass myself. But I’m so relieved to find out you’re just another disgusting, deceitful player. No offense, Jaxon. I’m sure you’re happy with that kind of life.”

  In one step, Jaxon closed the distance between them, covering her mouth with one hand and securing the back of her head with the other.

  “Mmmff!” Elyssa squinted at him, her nostrils flaring, her fingers pulling at his.

  “Will you let me say something now?”

  “Mmmff!”

  He turned his body sideways to dodge her sharp rising knee.

  “Not nice, Elyssa!” He swept his leg behind hers, and she crumpled. Moving quickly, he stretched his arm beneath her to support her weight and prevent her fall. Before the shock had registered on her face, he pulled her back up, crushing her against him. Her eyes blinked their surprise, and he felt her trembling in his locked arms.

  *****

  Elyssa’s heart threatened to pound itself out of her ribcage. She was enclosed in Jaxon’s arms. So tight, she could feel his heart beating against her. So overwrought, her nerve endings were on fire. So close she could feel his breath on her skin. How did I get myself in this predicament?

  She craned her neck back to look up into his eyes, opening her mouth to protest, but no words emerged. His earnest, searching gaze moved from her eyes to her lips, and she stopped breathing.

  Is my breath okay? Did I eat anything with peanuts? No… just popcorn and Milk Duds. Still, I wish I’d had a breath mint. I’ve got to get away from him before I pass out.

  “Elyssa, I didn’t go see the movie with another girl, unless you count one who’s been dead for three years.” His eyes met hers.

  “What are you talking about?” Elyssa squirmed, failing to extricate herself from his grasp. She turned her head to the side and took a quick breath before holding it again as she looked up.

  “My sister used to make me go see romantic comedies with her all the time. She passed away three years ago, but I knew she would’ve loved this one. So I went to the movie by myself… in her memory. Okay? Just don’t tell anybody. Especially Nate—he’d never let me live it down.” His voice was low and husky. She could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

  “Oh.”

  “Do you know what this means, Elyssa?”

  “What?”

  “It means I’m not a player.”

  “That doesn’t prove anything. You could still be a player.” He winced. Was it what I said? Or is my breath bad? She tried to breathe through her nose, but found it was clogged.

  “I’m not a player.”

  “It all depends on your definition of player, and mine is pretty strict.” Elyssa jutted her chin out, trying to achieve a look of disdain in spite of her intimate position in his arms. “Answer me this. How many girls have you dated this month? No, wait! How many girls have you dated this year?”

  I do not care about the answer. I do not care about the answer. I will not get my feelings hurt, no matter how many other girls—

  “None.” His smile was decidedly smug.

  “None? Ha! Let me clarify… How many different females have you spent time alone with in the past twelve months?”

  “Oh. I see. Let me think again. Hmmm…” His lips moved as he silently counted. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Fifteen seconds. Still the count went on. Elyssa felt slightly lightheaded as she continued to hold her breath while he added up his girlfriends.

  “Never mind, Jaxon. I don’t think I want to hear the—”

  “None.”

  “But you counted forever. I don’t believe you—”

  “Wait! One—the answer is one.”

  “I think you’re miscalculating a bit.”

  “Nope. Only one. You can ask Nate if you don’t believe me.”

  “If you only dated one girl, you must have been serious about her. So what were you doing with me? Was it about the building? Was it all just a game to you? Were you teasing me?”

  “I didn’t say I dated one other girl this year. I said I dated one girl. You. That is, if I can call watching a few minutes of a movie with you before getting tossed out of the theatre a date.”

  “Me?” Her voice came out as a squeak, as she let a little air out of her lungs, taking a quick breath to replace it. “I mean… No, this isn’t a date.” She wriggled, working her arms up until her hands pressed against his chest.

  “And I was very serious.” He leaned down until his forehead rested against hers. “I am very serious.”

  “Uhmm… Jaxon? You can let me go now.” She whispered the words, her knees buckling as her vision narrowed.

  “I thought about it, and I decided against it.”

  Regaining her footing, she pushed with all her might against his chest, but his iron hold didn’t budge. She could feel his heart thundering under her fingers. His lips were so close to hers. She didn’t dare to breathe.

  *****

  Jaxon was in no hurry to release Elyssa now that he finally had her in his arms. He firmed his hold. He was enjoying their little battle of semantics. He could tell he’d rattled her composed resistance. She was off-balance. Vulnerable. Her walls were down. He would finally have an opportunity to explain his feelings, and she might actually believe him.

  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kiss you. Just one legitimate reason, and I’ll let you go.”

  She closed her eyes. No argument. He had his answer.

  He closed the short distance between their mouths, gently touching his lips against hers. Her parted lips were warm and soft, just as he’d remembered. Unable to hold back, his mouth surged against hers, claiming her as his own.

  She didn’t resist.

  She didn’t respond.

  She wilted in his arms, passed out cold.

  Part 34: I’ll Take Him

  “HEY, WHAT’D YOU do to my sister?”

  Jaxon looked up from where he knelt on the ground beside Elyssa to find Scotty peering over his shoulder.

  “Nothing. I didn’t do anything. Well… I kissed her, but I don’t think that did it.”

  A crowd gathered around them. “What happened?” “Did someone call nine-one-one?” “Is she dead?”

  “She’s not dead.” Scotty’s infectious laugh rose over the gathering throng. “She just passed out. She does this sometimes.”

  “What do you mean, ‘she does this’? She passes out? Does it happen all the time? What if she was climbing stairs? What if she was driving a car?” Jaxon thought of all the ways he could lose her, and his stomach tightened.

  “No, it only happens every once in a while when she eats something really sweet. Her blood sugar goes up really fast, and then it drops like a rock. She usually avoids eating a lot of sugar. Don’t worry, she’ll wake up in a few minutes.”

  “Are you sure?” Jaxon brushed her hair from her face, searching for a sign she was regaining consciousness.

  “Pretty sure.” Scotty joined him on the ground as the crowd dissipated.

  “Is your movie over already? Weren’t you watching Racing for Time?”

  “Yeah, I just got to see the last forty-five minutes. But it was my second time, anyway. Great movie, though. Lots
of fantastic chase scenes. How was the chick flick?”

  “We got kicked out before the end, so she wasn’t too happy with me.”

  “You made her miss the end of it? She’s gonna kill you.”

  “It wasn’t my fault. She grabbed the popcorn. All I did was let go.”

  “That’s awesome!” Scotty fell back on the ground, rolling with laughter, and Jaxon couldn’t help joining in.

  “It turns out the rest of the audience didn’t find it very funny.”

  “Yikes! She’s coming to. I’m outta here.” Scotty was up in a flash. “I’m going to A Rose in Bloom and using my key to get inside and snatch those cookies before she gets back. Good luck, buddy!”

  *****

  Elyssa blinked her eyes open, as Jaxon’s face came into focus. Beyond his head, the darkening sky tolled the setting sun. Where am I? The memory returned in an instant. They’d been kicked out of the movie, and then she’d passed out before she could properly tell him off. Could this day get any worse? What am I saying? Never tempt fate like that! She bolted upright, her head protesting the sudden movement.

  “Are you okay?” His dreamy blue eyes were filled with concern. And his face was only a few inches away. Was he going to kiss her? She licked her lips, wishing she’d put on lip gloss, or at least some chap stick. She tore her eyes away from his inviting lips. I’m supposed to be mad at him, right? He helped her to her feet, and a wave of dizziness threatened to send her back to the ground. But Jaxon’s strong arms held her fast, crushing her against his firm chest.

  The theatre doors burst open and folks came pouring outside. Mostly women. And some of them looked familiar. Oh no!

  One well-heeled woman stopped, squaring off to face them, red-faced, with her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you’re still here. You ruined the movie for all of us.”

  Her friend pulled on her arm. “Come on, Molly. Don’t make a scene. It’s not like you haven’t already seen this movie ten times.”

  But more women stopped to view the commotion, and several seemed to recognize her and Jaxon as the source of the disturbance during the movie. Molly, evidently encouraged by her growing audience, renewed her verbal assault.

  “And the theatre wouldn’t give us our money back, even though you made us all miss the most romantic scene in the movie.” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the estrogenic group.

  Jaxon waved his hands, catching the attention of the small mob of women. “I’m sorry to have ruined your movie, but it was a matter of life and death.”

  “Yeah, right!” Molly didn’t seem any more convinced than the other women in the crowd.

  “No, I’m telling the truth.” Jaxon raised his voice over their protests. “You see… I can’t live without this woman in my life, but I can’t seem to convince her to give me a chance. And if she won’t have me…” He paused, letting his voice drop. “I’m quite certain my heart will stop beating.”

  “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him,” called a voice from the back, eliciting a chorus of chuckles.

  Elyssa wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. But she had to defend herself. “That’s not how it happened,” she called out. “This man tricked me. He let me spill my guts and tell him I liked him while he was pretending to be asleep on laughing gas at the dentist’s office.”

  “Ooooo!” “That’s pretty low!” “Yeah!”

  Jaxon stepped in front of her. “I did that—I admit it. I shouldn’t have done it. But hear me out.” He pushed his hands through his thick, dark hair the way he seemed to do when he was frustrated. Unfortunately, his mussed hair was oh-so attractive, and the movement made his muscles ripple under his shirt. Elyssa heard a couple of hungry sighs, and she could tell he was gaining their sympathy along with their attention. “I only pretended to be asleep because I was embarrassed. I’m afraid of the dentist, and I didn’t want her to know.” He turned, and his piercing gaze pinned her in place. “I didn’t want you to think less of me for being phobic. And that’s the truth.”

  “Awwww.” “That’s sweet.” “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him!”

  “But how can I ever trust you? You’ve given me so many mixed signals.”

  “I know. I know I screwed up. But that night when you almost died, I realized how empty my life would be without you. And when the doctor said I couldn’t see you if I wasn’t family, I told him we were engaged. It just came out of my mouth before I thought about it. Then I had to pretend we really were engaged.”

  “You see—another lie. You’ll say anything to get what you want.”

  Jaxon took her hands in his, lifting her fingers to his lips. “And then… then I started wishing it was really true. That you really were my fiancée.”

  “I… I don’t believe you. You must want something.” Elyssa took a step back, but he followed.

  “I do. I want something. I want you. With me. For the rest of your life.”

  Elyssa swallowed hard. There could be no mistake this time. His words were succinct. His intent was terrifying. Is he really asking me to marry him?

  The throng surrounding them fell silent, as if holding their collective breaths.

  “Why?” she squeaked. “Why would you want… you know… to be with me?”

  “Why do I want to marry you?”

  A gasp echoed from the back of the crowd. Or did I make that noise?

  His hands rose to cup her face, and he moved within inches of her lips.

  “Because I love you. Every bit of your stubborn, independent, competitive, argumentative, supportive, creative, loyal, kind, caring being. I love you from head to toe. Inside and out.”

  “How romantic!” “It’s better than the movie!” “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him!”

  Elyssa tried to be speak, but her throat closed up.

  And then it happened.

  His lips touched hers. The soft caress of his mouth sent tingles from her lips all the way down her neck. Tender. Tentative. Teasing. Her lips responded of their own accord. She kissed him back, opening to him. He deepened the kiss, taking her, claiming her as his own. She reveled in the electric sensations overwhelming her entire being. Connection. The crowd of onlookers disappeared. The universe contracted until only she and Jaxon remained. So intense was the moment, she felt she was losing part of her soul. As his fingers tightened in her hair and he gave a small moan, she felt it… He was giving her a piece of himself.

  His lips retreated, breaking contact. A small cry of despair escaped her lips. Why did it have to end? He rested his forehead against hers, his rapid breathing matching her own. Now she was aware of merry whooping from the onlookers. A glance to the side revealed a teary-eyed Molly, clapping her hands.

  “Elyssa, do you understand now? Are you very clear about what I want?”

  “Yes, but I’m not ready… I mean, it’s too soon… I mean—”

  “Good—I’m glad we finally understand each other. Because I have a question for you.” He dropped to one knee.

  A cheer broke out from the crowd.

  Elyssa’s heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear the words that left his lips.

  “Will you go out with me?”

  Part 35: Follow Your Dreams

  “I’M SORRY MS. ROSE. There’s nothing I can do about it. But I have these lovely carnations. I thought you’d be just as happy. But if you’d prefer to wait, the roses will be in tomorrow for sure.” The pinch-lipped woman had the nerve to appear imperious.

  “But the wedding is today! In three hours! And those carnations are pink. I was supposed to have roses—red roses. I knew I should have done the flowers myself, instead of hiring another florist.” Elyssa felt her blood pressure rising. This was a bad sign. Maybe she should call off the wedding.

  “Hey, Sis. What’s wrong? And why aren’t you in your wedding gown yet? The photographer’s waiting.” Scotty grabbed at her arm, but she shook him off.

  “Look! They brought pink carnations, instead of red roses. I w
as supposed to have twenty dozen red roses.” Elyssa, turned to the florist, who stood with arms crossed and nose lifted high. “Just use the ranunculus. Throw those pink carnations away.”

  “Oh, the ranunculus didn’t come either.”

  “What? Are you kidding me?”

  “Come on, Elyssa.” Sadie hooked an arm around her elbow, dragging her away. Elyssa hadn’t even noticed her standing with Scotty, dressed in workout clothes. “You’re way too tense. What you need is to go for a little run to de-stress.”

  “I don’t want to go for a run right now. I don’t have time.” Elyssa stumbled along in her sandals as Sadie urged her into a gentle jog.

  “Sure you do. There’s always time to exercise. You have to make it a priority.”

  “I don’t want to get all sweaty before the wedding. I don’t have time to shower.”

  “Sweat is the l’eau de parfum of a healthy life. Jaxon will understand. He owns a gym.” Sadie picked up the pace until Elyssa’s lungs were screaming for air.

  Out of nowhere, a golden retriever appeared in their path. Elyssa’s attempt to dodge the dog only caused her to trip over her own feet, sending her sailing forward, tumbling end-over-end. When the world stopped its crazy revolutions, she found herself on her back, looking up into Sadie’s wide eyes.

  “Wow, you almost took out that poor dog, but he seems to be okay.” Sadie’s cell phone rang, a loud obnoxious strain of the popular rap song, You A Foo’. “Hey Jaxon. Yeah, Elyssa’s right here. Okay, I’ll tell her.” She tucked her phone into her waist pack. “Jaxon’s going to be a little late, so we have plenty of time.”

  “Late? How late?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe an hour or two. Here comes Scotty, maybe he knows more about it.”

  Scotty extended a hand, hefting Elyssa to her feet. “Come on, Sis. You look terrible with those dark circles under your eyes. You need to go put on some make-up or something.”

  “Scotty, do you know why Jaxon’s going to be late?” Elyssa ignored her brother’s remark, deciding he would pay later for his thoughtless comment.