WindSwept Narrows: #15 Rose Maddock

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I’ll arrange it, Rose,” he said with a chuckle. “You find your suit and mine, while I change and make the arrangements. Then we’re going to have dinner and relax this evening. Just you and me.”

  “It’s been a mostly relaxing week, Ryan,” she said as she drove. “Except for your business things, I suppose. You looked a little steamy when that last call came through.”

  “Oh, believe me, my sweet Rose…steamy doesn’t begin to cover it,” he said simply, lifting her pack from behind him after he stepped out of the vehicle, waiting for her to come around the car.

  A smile tilted his lips when she took his hand this time, leading him to the underground. He answered her questions as they walked, amazed at how easy it was to talk to her about the frustrations and perplexities of relocating the business and its employees. It was another of those funny little buzzing sensations deep inside him, he thought as he changed into trunks and pulled his sweats over top. He waited at the patio doors, watching the sun sink below the mountains when he heard Rose behind him, the hotel robe over her suit. He watched her flip up the room key card and nodded, walking with her into the hall.

  Rose sighed and leaned back in the comfortable chair. How he managed to have the hotel pull together a private dinner for two at the pool was incredible on its own, but he seemed to zero right in on the kind of food she was hungry for. She lifted another of the grilled shrimp and bit down thoughtfully.

  “You’re spoiling me,” she said after a long slice of silence. There was no one using the amenities tonight. The table had candles and even a folding privacy shield surrounding them in the lush pool area.

  “I enjoy it,” Ryan told her honestly, matching her relaxed lean, his feet crossing at the ankles. She’d shrugged the robe off in the humid warmth of the area and blinked at him oddly when he asked if it would bother her if he shed the sweatshirt.

  “It hardly seems fair…”

  “Really? The little lapel pin on my suit this morning?” He laughed when she blushed. “You don’t think handling the movers is spoiling me? Making me coffee and a bagel in the morning before you dash out to work? I think we’re managing to establish our own forms of spoiling, Rose. I talk to you about work and your perspective, your…unusual…viewpoints and ideas…and all in five very packed days.”

  Rose left the robe on the chair and moved to stand behind him, her fingers massaging along his shoulders. She pulled the leather strand holding his hand in place free and dropped it to his lap.

  “You’re not unfamiliar with housekeepers, Rose,” he commented after a few seconds, letting his head rest against her, his eyes closed.

  “No…no, I’m not. Grandmother always had a housekeeper and cook where ever we moved. But I also learned to do all that by myself, and enjoy it.”

  “It’s not much different now then,” he said quietly.

  “I like grocery shopping. I love mixing about in the kitchen on weekends.”

  “Why do you believe that has to change?” He tugged on her hand, pulling her to the side before standing up and removing his sweats. He led her to the hot tub a few feet away, both of them sinking into the hot water with long sighs.

  “I don’t know…I think my brain’s a little fuzzy…”

  “Hmm…” He moved across the hot tub, his body framing hers against the side. “Are you afraid to try, Rose?”

  “Daphne told me you talked to her…running and talking…” She offered a little smile, not protesting at all when he shifted and pulled her to sit astride him. “She told you about Tony…in Boston…”

  “She did.”

  “He called me this morning,” she said quietly. “Left a message, actually. I…I didn’t pick up. I’m not sure who told him where I was…or why anyone would…seven years ago…I felt really stupid when I found out he was dating me because of who my family was,” Rose didn’t resist when she felt his hands on her cheeks, tipping her face up until their eyes met.

  “He doesn’t have anything to do with us and give me his full name, I’ll make bloody certain he doesn’t contact you again, Rose,” Ryan promised fiercely, already making plans to find the mans name on his own and deal with him.

  “Daphne told me the same thing,” she took his hands and just held them. “He lost everything because of what he did…he was very angry. I don’t want him bothering you, Ryan.”

  “Me? Rose…your brain seriously is fuzzy, my sweet…” He laughed and pulled her closer. “Move in with me, Rose…tomorrow. Matt and I can move your things to the house. You can go grocery shopping while it’s happening.”

  “You aren’t slowing…”

  “I don’t want to miss a minute,” Ryan answered after a lengthy silence. “I like our time together. I like the convenience living together. I’ve never wanted that with another woman before. Believe me when I saw I’m stepping far outside my customary behaviors.”

  “But you’re doing it anyway.”

  “I’m not afraid to try,” he admitted, allowing her the freedom when she moved away and climbed from the bubbling water to reach for a towel.

  Rose offered him the other towel as he stepped from the tub, not protesting when he took her palm.

  “You’re confident…but I think that’s another word for arrogant,” she mumbled testily as they walked back to the suite, fingers twined and swinging between them like teenagers.

  “Confident has a much nicer ring to it,” he returned with a cheeky grin.

  “We argue,” she returned, hanging her swimsuit over the shower door and shrugging into her nightshirt, sprawling over the bed and staring out the window into the darkness.

  “We discuss and disagree, that’s not the same as arguing,” he countered, pulling pajama pants up his legs and slipping beneath the blankets behind her. His palm went around the narrow waist, pulling her back against him. His face went to the space between her neck and shoulder, a tender bite making her squirm.

  “You know what worries me, Ryan? I like the idea of living with you,” she said honestly, unaware of the man holding his breath behind her or the thoughtfully pursed bow of her lips as she puzzled it through. “I’m not sure that came out right.”

  “Want to try again?” But he was smiling when she rolled to her back and slanted a glance at him.

  “Probably not,” she sighed, continued the roll and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in close for her kiss. “Let’s do the make up sex first and think about arguing later…tomorrow…” she breathed against his mouth, shivering as his hand found its way beneath her night shirt. “I told you sleep things were a waste of energy…”

  Chapter Eleven

  “On Saturday?” Came the mumbled, very testy voice from beneath the pillow.

  “I’d really rather not have to explain to the police why you smothered, Rose,” Ryan shook his head and leaned over the bed, kissing her brow softly. “Go back to sleep.”

  “Insanity runs in your family!” She called out, burrowing lower when she heard him laughing and the door firmly closing after him.

  An hour later she sat perched on the breakfast stool as the breakfast was laid out on the table for them, relieved when Ryan came out from his shower and tipped the young woman. He tied his hair back before folding the sleeves of his shirt up and joining her at the table.

  “Wasn’t so painful ordering breakfast, was it?” He met the wrinkled nose with a laugh before launching into a discussion of food in general. He’d managed to convince her to go shopping and let him and Matt handle the packing and moving. So they talked of food over breakfast so she knew what he liked and preferred.

  “Wait…” She stood in the doorway to her little apartment, a surge of panic rushing through her over an hour later.

  “Rose…”

  “No…this is important, Ryan…I need to make sure you know that…I’m not living with you because of…well, it’s mostly for the really good sex,” she murmured, ignoring not only the flush of red to her cheeks but his laughter.

 
; “Rose…I know you’re not after me for my earning potential,” he told her honestly, meeting a pair of eyes filled with relief. “I wouldn’t have had to work so hard if you were,” he teased with a wink.

  Matt watched her storm out of the parking lot, one brow arched at the laughter from his friend. “You two have an interesting relationship.”

  “You have no idea, Matt. On the upside, that wasn’t one of my doors,” Ryan took a set of keys from his pocket. “When will they be here?”

  “Now. I signaled them as soon as I saw her leaving,” he looked over at Ryan. “You’re going to let her think we did this on our own, aren’t you?”

  “Unless she asks. Guy points,” he said with a grin. “I’ll see you back at the house. Just make sure every drawer, cabinet and shelf are emptied.”

  “I’ll manage things, boss…”

  ****

  Rose drove through the open gates, a part of her numb with what she’d just done. She’d never spent that much money on stuff before. But today she had four and a half bathes to outfit and a kitchen to fill. Her things were coming from the apartment, so she knew what spices and little things she had. She almost managed to chew through one nail going carefully down aisles in three different stores to find the things she was after to stock the kitchen.

  She pulled her packed car next to the side of the house where the kitchen door opened directly into it and just sat for a long minute. She liked him. She liked laughing with him and arguing with him and just sitting quietly and watching the sunset outside the windows in the suite at the hotel. She liked playing with him and teasing him and just being herself. Face it, she told herself. You are part of a couple. You are part of a couple with a guy who owns a lot of the planet. That part made her groan a little.

  She was relieved to see Susan open the back door and meet her.

  “I’m not sure what happened…” Rose winced at the bright laughter as they began hauling bags into the house.

  “Did you have a good time?” Susan asked as they passed.

  “Actually…yes…I did…” she admitted with a chuckle.

  “Ryan said he gave you a credit card…” Susan saw the pulled pout on the younger woman’s lip as they passed again. “He won’t be happy, Rose,” but she chuckled at the face Rose made.

  “He’ll deal…”

  “So we need to sit down and have a glass of juice and talk before we start organizing the kitchen,” Susan suggested, offering some orange juice with ice. “He said you probably wouldn’t approach me about it.”

  “He talks too much,” Rose mumbled darkly, but sighed after a long drink of the cold juice. “I’d like the cooking detail on Fridays and the weekend.”

  “Done and easy. Usually if he has a dinner party, he hires staff.”

  “Have you known him long?”

  “Matt and him were friends for a few years before Ryan offered him a job. Matt likes doing a lot of things, but hates offices,” Susan confided with a chuckle. “I handle the housekeeping and laundry. Most of Ryan’s things are dry cleaning. I’ll find an agency and get a girl for a part time help with the cleaning.”

  “This place is huge,” Rose whispered.

  “It’s smaller than the one in California,” she met the stunned look on Rose’s face.

  “But…why…what’s the point?”

  “He has a lot of people who…stay from time to time,” she answered cautiously.

  Rose sat up and frowned. “Relatives?”

  “Not usually…some…his sister visits now and then. She’s in college in Florida. Mostly it’s business related…”

  “People who want things from him?” Rose asked softly. She watched Susan nod slowly.

  “They occupy time that should have been his to relax, to be frank.”

  “Why does he allow it?”

  “Because it’s Ryan…he’s too polite sometimes, I think,” Susan shrugged.

  “Do they get what they were after from him?” Rose felt her shoulders tense.

  “Some…some, not…sometimes I think he backs things just to get people out of his….space.”

  “Then I guess it’s up to you and I to make certain it doesn’t happen.”

  “I like how you think, Rose,” Susan smiled and nodded. “I’ll get the bathrooms set up with towels and all this stuff.”

  “I don’t like people who…who take advantage of someone. If this is our home, then people do not need to be intruding upon him…us…” Rose said with a nod, pushing against the breakfast nook and rubbing her palms over the seat of her jeans. She went around the kitchen, opening cabinets and focusing for a long minute before she began arranging and emptying boxes and bags around her. The pantry was huge, she stood in the doorway and just stared for a long minute.

  Ryan found her sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, just staring.

  “Rose?” He moved to the fridge and opened the door, sighing contentedly and pulling out a large pitcher of orange juice.

  “Hmm? There’s lunch stuff in there,” she said absently.

  “Have you eaten yet?”

  “No…I’m thinking about a nice big sandwich…” She pushed against the floor and exhaled deeply.

  “Why were you in the center of the floor, Rose? On the floor?” He explored the inside of the fridge, locating the sandwich things and selecting what he was after.

  “Oh…just thinking…”

  “What’s the smell?” He wasn’t sure about peeking into steaming pots and pans so he figured it was safer to ask.

  “Dinner. Susan gave me some notes with recipes and stuff…she’s fun,” Rose commented getting two small plates out and setting them on the breakfast bar.

  “She said you had a very good time shopping for the house,” Ryan watched her make a sandwich, wincing at the mayo she slathered on before laying turkey and sprouts between the bread. She didn’t look up at him but studied placing a freshly peeled cucumber over the turkey before going after some crème cheese, salt and pepper. “I’ve checked my online account.”

  “Then you already have the answer to the question you’re not asking,” she answered sweetly, giving him a toothy smile. “What’re the guys building off the gym?”

  “A cage,” he growled in return.

  “Kinky…” but she peered through thick lashes at him. “We could trade information.”

  “I know the answer, now I need a solution,” was his response, level and intent.

  “You’re very good at solutions,” she said, more to herself than him.

  “Thank you, Rose,” humor hinged his voice, the rest of the sandwich chewed on.

  “It doesn’t have my name on it,” she finally said on the last bite of her sandwich, the silence around them making her twitch. “So I used my own account. No big deal, Ryan…seriously…”

  “How much, Rose? I’ll have you reimbursed…” His voice came to a hard, abrupt stop at the look in those tawny eyes that whipped from her hands to meet his gaze. A lilting, soft groan broke from his lips when he saw the moisture there. “Rose…”

  “I don’t want your money,” she whispered hoarsely. “I don’t want to be bought, Ryan Flannary,” she informed him stiffly, striding from the kitchen without looking over her shoulder at him.

  He sat back on the stool, hands tented on the counter and eyes staring at the kitchen she’d just made into hers. Her touches. Small towels he’d never seen before with every manner of design on them. Pans from bright orange to deep red on the stove. Magnets in the shape of every known animal adorned the fronts of both refrigerators.

  Rose was right. They needed a manual to avoid painful miss steps. Learning as you go was going to be rough, he thought, hands sunk into the pockets of his jeans as he wandered through the house. He had an idea where she would go and headed for what she was calling the pool house. He’d overheard her talking with Susan about filling it with tropical plants, the pair of them planning to visit a couple nurseries next weekend.

  He felt his stomach lurc
h and palms begin to sweat as he slid the door open, moving quietly onto the dry tiles surrounding the indoor pool.

  “I am not packing, nor am I crying,” she informed him loftily, her hands deep in the pockets of her jeans as she stared out into the sparkling waters of the Sound. Dark clouds were moving toward them from over the mountains, but for now, brilliant traces of sunlight moved between the clouds.

  “Of course you’re not, Rose,” he said softly, not about to mention he’d seen her swipe angrily at her cheek before he entered.

  “I warned you we’d fight.”

  Ryan’s laugh was warm, his voice teasing. “Hardly a fight, Rose. More like my inept attempt to discuss a household budget.”

  “A budget,” she repeated slowly, turning to face him and knowing instantly it was a mistake to meet those damn blue eyes.

  “Yes, a budget. Utilities, household items…that sort of thing.”

  “You really want me to believe that there’s a budget for this place? And if I stray over it, we’re doomed to live on the streets under a bridge?” Rose raised one eyebrow, a sense of satisfaction when he looked annoyed. “I talked to Susan about it when we were unloading the groceries. She wanted to know a good local butcher and I found her one a little north of here. Because you enjoy BBQ’s and the occasional dinner party. She also told me that you handle your own money because you don’t trust accountants. Funny, huh? Me being an accountant.”

  “Do you believe in a traditional type relationship? Friendship, marriage…whatever term you apply to it…” Ryan walked to one of the thickly cushioned lounges and stretched out on it, his hands behind his head as he watched the wariness in her. He slid to the side and patted the empty space winking at her as her gaze went from him to the cushions. “Come join me, Rose.”

  “I don’t think so…you’re distracting…I should be immune…” She mumbled testily even as her feet moved her traitorously closer. The full bow of her lips was set in a pout when he moved swiftly, snagging her wrist and giving one sharp pull. Her body bounced off his much harder, sturdier frame and fit neatly into the slot beside him. “I really hate when you do that…”