by Kara Parker
Just when she thinks she can stand no more, her release takes her, flowing through her like a breaking dam. Her orgasm, so long in coming, is incredibly intense, its power searing along her nerves causing her to quiver and squirm. “Fuck! Stop!” she shouts, pushing and slapping at him frantically, unable to take the sensations any longer.
He moves quickly to her lips, Rose taking his lips and kissing him frantically, hanging from his neck as she pulls herself tight to him, still moving in erotic agony, her hips slowly pumping as she keens out her release. He has surprised himself by coming to full hardness, but he can sense she is finished, so he luxuriates in the kiss and makes no move to enter her.
“Fuck...” she gasps, suddenly relaxing into the bottom of the tub. She feels like a puddle of goo, shapeless and without strength. “I hope you’re proud of yourself. Shit…” she breathes again. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Are you okay?” he asks with a smile, pleased that he has given her so much pleasure.
Rose pauses, thinking. She is going to be hurting later, that much is certain. But damn… it is so worth it! “Yeah. But you’re not getting any tonight I don’t think. I’m going to be too damn sore. You have worn my ass out! What is it with you? Have you been saving up for the last seven years or something?” she teases.
He gets painfully to his feet, his penis already softening now that the heat of the moment is passed. She isn’t the only one that is going to be sore. His knees are killing him! He reaches a hand down and helps Rose to her feet. “No. But...” he begins before stopping with a shrug.
“But what?”
“I told you. I’ve never stopped loving you. I should have never left you.”
She offers him a soft, loving smile and Melina’s words pop into her mind: Life is too short. “You want to know something? I thought I was over you. But I wasn’t. I realize now that I’ve never stopped loving you either.”
He pulls her into tight embrace, holding to her, never wanting to be apart from her again. “We have to hurry,” he says, releasing her and adjusting the temperature of the spray. “The water is getting cold.”
They take turns washing the remnants of sex from each other before standing under the remaining warm water in a tight embrace, the water cascading off their bodies, not willing to break the moment until the water runs cold.
Stepping from the shower, Joseph wraps a shivering Rose in a towel, pulling her into another embrace, sharing his warmth with her until her chill is gone and her shivering stops, relaxing with a sigh as she warms.
Dried and dressed they move about each other in the kitchen, preparing a light lunch. The preparation takes longer than normal because Joseph seems unable to keep his hands off her, frequently stopping to hold her from behind as he kisses her neck and shoulders.
“Do you have to work today?” Rose asks as they settle at the table.
“No. Not today.”
“What is it you do, again? I see you at all hours of the day.”
“I kind of make my own hours.”
“Okay. But doing what?” Rose presses, curious to how he lives.
Joseph pauses, unsure of what to tell her. “I run a delivery service. Or maybe a distribution network would be a better way of putting it.”
“You're a distributor? Of what?”
“Does it matter?”
“Well, no. I was just curious,” she says, wondering why he is being so evasive. “Don’t tell me you’re a drug runner,” she teases. When he doesn’t answer she becomes more serious. “Joseph. That’s not it is it?”
“Be careful what you ask, Rose. You may not like the answer.”
Rose can feel a chill pass through her. “Joseph… Tell me the truth. Are you a drug dealer?”
Joseph doesn’t want to answer. He knows how she will react, how nearly everyone reacts when they find out the first time. “Are you sure you want to know?”
She stares at him, her fears confirmed. “I can’t believe it. How can you?”
“It’s not what you think, Rose.”
“It’s not?” she says, her voice as cold as an arctic wind. “Then why don’t you fucking explain it to me?”
Joseph sighs. “Yes, the Nines, we distribute cocaine. We cover most of Northern California and Nevada,” he says, holding up his hand when she begins to speak. “Just let me finish, please. We run it like any other business. We won’t sell to minors, and if we find out that is happening we put a stop to it. So before you condemn me, tell me why I shouldn’t be allowed to sell cocaine to adults.”
“I don’t know, maybe because it is against the law?” she snarls sarcastically.
“Why is it against the law?” he asks, keeping his tone reasonable.
“I don’t know! It doesn’t matter!”
“It does matter. It is against the law because politicians said it is. Just like they once said the sale of alcohol was illegal. And we all know how that worked out.”
“That’s different!”
“It is? How? How is it different? More people die from cigarettes than from drugs and alcohol combined. Yet it is drugs like cocaine that are illegal. Does that make sense to you?”
“It doesn’t matter! It is still illegal!”
“Yes. It is illegal. But why? I’ll tell you why. It is simply another attempt by the government to control the people. More people die from alcohol use than drug use. Most of the deaths with drugs come from violence. We don’t tolerate violence in our organization. We operate like any other business. Nobody is being forced to buy our product and it is cash on the barrel head. We haven’t had even one drug related shooting in two years in our organization.”
“I can’t believe you are fucking drug dealer! What has happened to you?”
“Nothing has happened to me! I’m the same guy I was ten years ago. It is the world that has changed…”
“Cocaine was illegal ten years ago so don’t hand me that bullshit!” she interrupts.
“It was. But it wasn’t a hundred and fifty years ago, back before the creep of big government began to intrude on everyone’s lives. Back then cocaine was available across the counter just like alcohol or tobacco. What changed? Government is what changed. We are no longer a free nation… and most people don't even realize it.”
“That is just a load of horseshit!” Rose snaps, jumping to her feet and picking up her plate with the forgotten half eaten sandwich and storming into the kitchen.
“Rose! Think about it! Can you tell me why cocaine, heroin, or any number of other drugs are illegal?” he asks, following her into the kitchen.
“It doesn’t matter. They just are!”
“It does matter. It matters to me. There is no reason for these types to drugs to any more illegal than tobacco or alcohol.”
“Except you get addicted to them!”
“Tell a guy that has been smoking for twenty years that cigarettes aren’t addictive. Tell an alcoholic that he can quit drinking any time he wants because alcohol isn’t addictive.”
“It’s not the same thing!”
“Isn’t it? Why isn’t it?”
“Because those things aren’t illegal! Why is that so fucking hard for you to understand?” she shouts.
Joseph sighs. He’s losing her all over again. “Rose. Please. Just think about what you are saying. I know cocaine is illegal. I know that! But it shouldn’t be. That’s what I’m saying. There is no reason that it should be illegal except to give politicians something to go home and campaign on to show the sheep how they care for them. Can’t you see that?”
“I suppose you’re okay with the idea of drug addled people running around everywhere? Well I’m not!”
“Do you smoke?” Joseph asks.
“What? You know I don’t.”
“Why not? It’s legal… at least for a while longer. So why don’t you smoke?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“The same reason I don’t then. I have access to all the drugs I could ever care
to consume, but I don’t do drugs either, for the same reason. Just because something is available doesn’t mean people will use it. Rose… we’re not forcing anyone to buy our product.”
“Yet you will willingly let people ruin their lives,” she states flatly.
“Yes. Yes we will. Unlike say, the alcoholic? Or the man that dies from lung cancer and leaves his family destitute? Unlike that, right?”
Rose stares at him a moment. “None of that changes the fact that you are breaking the law.”
“No. No it doesn’t.”
“And you don’t care?”
“No. I’m not hurting anyone. I’m not depriving anyone of life or liberty. If people want to ruin their lives, then that is their business. I allow them to live their lives as free men and women. It is up to them to live it responsibly.”
She stares at him a moment. “Just take me to my car.”
“Rose…” he says, moving to take her into his embrace.
“Don’t touch me,” she snarls, backing away. “Just take me to my fucking car! You should be thankful I don’t call the cops on you!”
Joseph can feel his face harden. “You’re free to do as you think best. I won’t try to stop you.” He looks at her a moment, then turns and walks away, leaving her alone in the kitchen to go put on his shoes. Moments later he is back, truck keys in hand. “I’m ready when you are. We’re taking the truck.”
Rose grabs her purse from where she placed it last night and marches out of the house into the garage, crawling into the cab of his pickup. As the garage door growls upwards he turns the key, the diesel engine clattering to life.
They drive in silence for the fifteen minute trip to the Goose, Joseph stopping the truck behind her car. “Rose,” he says quietly as she opens the door. “It has been good to see you again.”
“Just stay the fuck away from me, okay?” she says coldly as she slides out of the truck and slams the door. The truck sits for a moment before pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road, returning in the direction it came.
Just like seven years ago, he is out of her life. And just like seven years ago, she can feel her heart breaking.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Rose Aguilar stands by her BMW as the white Ford roars away, the truck spewing black diesel smoke as the driver stands on the throttle. Less than an hour ago she had been on cloud nine and once again in the arms of the man she loves… in his arms after a seven year separation. But now…
She purses her lips, trying to hold her tears back, gasping in a desperate attempt to keep herself together long enough to get away from this public place. She unlocks her car and falls into the seat before slamming the door shut and wiping at her eyes, furious at herself for crying. For being hurt all over again. For the unfairness of the world.
She turns the key in the car, bringing it to life, wiping her eyes again to clear her vision. Clearing her throat, she slips the car into reverse and backs out of the space where it had sat overnight. She has an hour to get to Melina’s house, get changed, get her shit together, and get back here to the Goose.
She makes the short drive between The Green Goose and Melina’s home without incident, occasionally wiping at her eyes when they become blurry with tears. She had driven up from Las Vegas to managing the restaurant, The Green Goose, for Melina until her friend can recover from the unexpected death of her husband. After stopping the car in the driveway of her childhood home, she sits in the car for a moment, trying to pull herself together. Melina has enough problems to deal with after Tim’s death without her adding to them. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she exits the car and walks to the front door, pausing to plaster her generic business smile on her face before opening the door.
Melina Scholly is in the living room running the vacuum while her two young children, Michael and Kimberly, watch an animated kids' show on the television. Seeing that Melina is occupied she tries to hurry past and avoid interaction, but Melina clicks off the vacuum the moment she steps in the door.
“Rose! Glad you made it back! Does this mean what I think it means?” she teases, then frowns, picking up on Rose’s fake smile and general distress. “Rose? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Rose gasps, stepping quickly past Melina and heading for her room. She has to get changed and get back to the restaurant.
Melina drops the cord and parks the machine’s handle in the upright position, hurrying after Rose. “Rose? Honey? Rose, what’s wrong?” Rose tries to shut her door but Melina gets her hand against it and pushes it open. “Rose… what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Rose says, turning her back on Melina so she won’t see her red and puffy eyes, covering the move by opening her closet door to find some fresh clothes. “I just need a minute alone, okay?” It has only been a week since Tim Scholly, Melina’s husband, had been gunned down in cold blood in front of the Goose. The last thing Melina needs is to listen to her sulk over a relationship that is seven years dead.
Melina stands for a moment, torn by what to do. It is clear that Rose doesn’t want to burden her, but it is just as obvious that Rose is struggling to not come apart at the seams. “Talk to me, Rose. Tell me what happened.”
Rose gasps loudly, refusing to turn to look at Melina. “It’s nothing, Melina. I’m okay. You have enough on your plate at the moment.”
Melina steps up behind Rose and places a hand gently on her shoulder. “Talk to me, Rose. You were here for me when I needed you. Let me be here for you.”
“It’s Joseph,” Rose says, her voice becoming cold as ice.
“That’s where you were last night when you didn’t come home. You stayed with him,” Melina says, her tone making it a statement.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He’s a drug dealer. A mother-fucking drug dealer!” Rose shouts, snatching a fresh blouse from her closet with such fury that the hanger tears the shirt before it come free. Rose looks at the rip in disgust before throwing the shirt to the floor and reaching for another, more calmly this time.
“I’m sorry, Rose.”
“Yeah,” Rose sighs, and then she wipes her eyes and sniffs. “Serves me right for getting involved with him again.”
“Tell me what happened. How did you find out?”
“He told me. He doesn’t even care if it is illegal. I should call the fucking cops on him.”
“Are you going to?”
Rose sighs again. “No. I should, but I won’t. I just want to forget it ever happened. Forget I ever saw him again. Try to forget that I’m so fucking stupid.”
“You’re not stupid, Rose,” Melina says quietly.
“No? What do you call a woman that goes to bed with her ex-boyfriend again after seven years? An ex-boyfriend that is a certified whacko. The same ex-boyfriend that left her over a fucking book. The ex-boyfriend that is a goddamned drug dealer! What part of that doesn’t sound stupid to you?” Rose pulls a coordinating pair of pants from the closet and throws them on the bed and begins to undress. “I have to change and get to work.”
“Why don’t you let someone else take it tonight?”
“Because I need something to distract me right now. Because it wouldn’t be fair to burden Roger with having to run the place alone because my feelings are hurt and I’m pissed off. I’ll get over it.”
“Okay. We’ll talk tonight, after the kids are in bed.”
“Yeah. Okay. I’m sorry for dumping on you. You have enough to worry about.”
Melina snorts. “Don’t be sorry. Now I can worry over your problems instead of my own. Or misery loves company. Or something.”
Rose feels her lips curl into a lopsided smile. She takes another deep breath, trying to let go of the hurt and the anger. “Glad to be of help,” she mutters.
“I think the kids and I will come by for dinner. Michael likes going to the Goose. I’ll check in to see how you are doing,” Melina says while backing out of the room and closing the door.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Rose throws her dirty clothes into a chair before dressing in the fresh clothes she had pulled from the closet. She had showered at Joseph’s house earlier in the morning after a night spent in a hot and sweaty tumble, so getting presentable for work only takes minutes. Dressed, she enters the bathroom where she holds a cold cloth over her eyes for several minutes to hide the fact she had been crying, then lightly applies her makeup. It’s not perfect, but if you don’t look too closely you won’t notice the red puffiness around her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she puts on her business smile and leaves for the Goose.
