Winner

by Belle Brooks

  “Thank you.”

  I’m quick to hightail it out of the bathroom and back down to the lower level. Rose is a no-go zone for me, and when I see her body like that, all I want to do is go into that zone.

  Laying a pillow and a throw blanket I borrow from Tessa onto the lounge, I proceed to turn on the television, ensuring to keep the volume at a low level.

  “Do I even have a sports channel on this thing?” I mutter, flicking from one station to another.

  I’m lucky, because I manage to locate a Formula One race, but before I get too comfortable, I’m forced to make room for Roxie, who appears out of nowhere.

  “Is Tessa sleeping, Rox?”

  Roxie tucks herself between my hip and the bottom of my rib cage as I lie on my side.

  “I guess you’re both sleeping now,” I mumble as her eyes close.

  We are getting down to the final five laps in the race when music begins playing. I’ve no idea where it’s coming from, but quickly figure out it’s a ringing phone with a ringtone I’m not familiar with. “Roxie, move,” I speak softly.

  She, of course, ignores me, so I pick her up, and once I’m upright, I place her on top of the blanket.

  Following the direction of the sound has the music stopping abruptly, but I believe it was coming from the games room, so I continue my investigation. Sure enough, Rose’s mobile phone is sitting on the poker table where she left it. The question is, do I bother taking it up to her, or do I leave it and tell her about the call in the morning? Hell, I’ll take it up, and if she doesn’t answer the door, I’ll put it on the breakfast bar for her to find later.

  “Hey, Tank.” Alan passes by me on his crutches as I make my way back from the games room.

  “Hey, kid.”

  “Grabbing a snack. Do you want one?”

  “No. I’m good, mate.”

  “I’m nearly done for the night—just finishing off some study. What are you doing?”

  “Watching Formula One. A few laps to go.” I point towards the television.

  “Cool. Well, night, Tank.”

  “Night, mate.”

  Alan hops into his room and just as he closes his door, Tessa’s door opens.

  “Tess, everything okay?”

  “It’s only Caterina,” the nurse says, making her way towards the kitchen.

  “Hi, I didn’t know you were here tonight. Where’s Deidre, the new nurse who was supposed to be starting tonight?”

  “I swapped with her for her first week, so I’m the new night nurse. I have exams in the mornings for my degree and it means if she does the days and I do the nights, I can study.”

  “Tess is fine with this?” I’m surprised nobody told me about the swap.

  “Yes, she is.”

  “Excellent.”

  “What are you watching?” She rests her hands on her hips.

  “Formula One.” I point again towards the television.

  “I never understand those car racing things. They drive loop to loop around and around in circles … I don’t find it entertaining.”

  “No, you’re more a Days of Our Lives type of girl, I believe.”

  “Exactly.” She smiles. “Well, I’m grabbing a snack and then going back to hit the books. I think I’m going to move all my stuff into your games room so I don’t wake Tessa, if that’s okay with you?

  I nod.

  “Thank you. Well, have a good night.”

  “Will do.”

  Watching Caterina navigate around the kitchen has me rethinking whether it’s a good idea to take Rose’s phone up to her with everyone roaming the house. It might look like something is happening that isn’t. When the door to Tessa’s room closes after Caterina walks through, I begin to approach the staircase without thought. Rose is probably asleep, unlike all the other residents of this house … I should leave it for tonight.

  Heading back towards the couch has the phone ringing again, this time in my hand. I look at the screen and the word ‘MARANDA’ flashes across it. Who’s Maranda? Is this one of her sisters?

  Leaping the stairs two at a time, I come to stand by the bedroom door with the phone still playing out its tune while cupped in my palm.

  I knock lightly. “Rose, your—”

  “Come in,” she calls out.

  “Okay.” Slowly pressing the bedroom door open, I see the room is still lit and realise Rose hasn’t been asleep at all. “Your phone was ringing.”

  “I heard,” she whispers.

  Rose stands still by the window wearing a short black negligee. She looks beautiful, and as hard as it is to look away, I do, until I realise she has the blind drawn and is gazing in its direction. Fuck!

  “I’ll leave your phone on the bed for you.”

  “Finlay?” she says, questioning.

  “Yes, Rose.”

  “I can see my bedroom window from here. I can also see my sister sitting on my bed.”

  “Oh, can you?” Double fuck!

  “Yes.”

  “Maranda, possibly? It’s the name that flashed on the screen of your phone when it was ringing. I wasn’t being nosey … It caught my eye.”

  “Did you know …” She stops speaking before rotating her head until we make eye contact.

  What I do know is I’m looking guilty as shit right now. “I did know I can see your bedroom window from mine, Rose.”

  “Finlay, have you seen me—”

  “Yes.” It’s barely audible. I’m not going to lie to her.

  “Huh.” She takes two steps forwards, and I take one step back.

  “Rose.”

  “How often have you seen me—”

  “Seen you naked?”

  Her eyes widen to saucers. “Yes.” Her voice cracks. She clears her throat.

  “A fair bit. I swear I didn’t know it was you at first—”

  “But you’ve seen me naked?”

  “Yes.” I drop my head so I don’t have to look in her eyes as they fill with deep betrayal.

  “Huh. Well …” She pauses. “Drop your pants,” she speaks calmly.

  “Sorry, what?” My head launches upright.

  “If you’ve seen me naked, it’s only fair I see you, don’t you agree?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “You heard me.” She glares at me.

  “I’m not stripping naked—”

  “Yes. You are. You invaded my privacy, so now I’m going to invade yours.”

  “Rose. Come on. I’m really very sorry. As I said, I had no clue it was you at first, and when I figured it out I …”

  “Stopped?”

  Shit! “Well, no. But in my defence, I never continued to pry when you had company.”

  “When Slade would come over.”

  “Yes.”

  “How gentlemanly of you.” She’s being sarcastic. “Take your clothes off.” If her eyes could shoot lasers, I’d have a hole burnt through my forehead.

  “Rose. I wasn’t doing it only for pleasure, I promise you. It’s just you always look so free and relaxed … and pure when …”

  “Well, let me see if you look free and relaxed … and pure when you’re taking your clothes off.” More sarcasm.

  “You’re joking, right?”

  “Does it look like I’m joking?”

  “No.”

  “Close the bedroom door.”

  I can hear the grinding of her teeth after she says this. Rose is mad, even though she’s speaking with a calm tone. Fuck!

  With the door closed, I make my way back into the room and stand before her as she lowers herself down on the edge of the bed.

  “Rose.” I throw my hands into the air.

  “I’m waiting.” Rose looks even more beautiful when a small wrinkle appears at the top of her nose … Oh crap, she’s scowling. “You were watching me …”

  “I know what I was doing.”

  “Well. Do as I’ve asked of you, please.”

  “Fine. I’ll do it.” Reaching for the collar of the white
T-shirt covering my torso, I reef the material over my head until it’s free from my body. I take no time in slipping the band of my shorts away from my waist until I’m left standing in only my boxer shorts.

  I hear Rose swallow, and before I start to remove the only remaining material I have covering my manhood I say, “Are you sure you want me to?”

  “Yes.” It’s barely audible.

  Ripping off a Band-Aid—that’s exactly how I approach the situation. I lower them fast.

  Rose doesn’t look at first. She keeps her eyes planted to mine.

  “Are you happy?”

  When her eyes scan downward, I begin to feel vulnerable. I know she’s taking in every inch of me. I wonder what she thinks about piercings.

  “Turn around.”

  “Are you …?”

  “Turn around.” Her tone is demanding.

  I do. I face the very window I’ve stared through many nights to watch Rose do this exact same thing. What if her sister sees me? Shit. “Rose, what if your sister sees me and—”

  “I never did, so I find it unlikely. However, if she does, I guess it’s no different than what you did with me.”

  Fuck.

  “Turn back now.”

  I do.

  Rose is flushed when I come to look at her once more. “We’re even.”

  “I can redress?”

  “Yes.” She swallows.

  Slipping my boxers back into place before grabbing the T-shirt and shorts from the floor has me again offering my apologies to Rose, but all she says is, “We’re even.”

  I’m quick to make my exit.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Rose

  Although his bed is comfortable, I’m still wide awake, and when I toss and turn for the hundredth time I catch a glimpse of the red numbers flashing on the small clock perched on his bedside table. They read 2:33 a.m. I doubt I’m going to get much sleep, if any. I’m mad Finlay’s been watching me from his window. I’m even more enraged I left my blinds up when undressing … I didn’t know the angle of this room could see into mine—how could I? I’ve not stepped foot in this house before Finlay moved in here and even then, I never broached the upstairs level. How can it be possible for me not to know? Maybe I never looked up? Maybe I never paid attention. Oh God, did our neighbours before Finlay see me too?

  I bet he did know it was me he was watching the entire time, and I also bet he knew I lived next door before he even moved in here. Maybe I don’t know Finlay Crossley at all.

  Hours pass and I’m restless in thought. I have so many questions I want answered. Throwing the comforter off, quickly followed by the sheeting, I find myself tiptoeing across the soft carpeting before gently pushing the bedroom door open. Is he still awake? I need to know the truth about how he came to be here in this house and why he’s been spying on me.

  Creeping to the top of the staircase and down the first three steps, I open my mouth to scream but no noise accompanies it. My mouth hangs wide as I jump with a god-awful fright. There’s a person standing halfway up the staircase I was planning to take down. “Who is that?” My voice shakes.

  “Me,” Finlay says, almost apologetic.

  “What are you doing?” I whisper, annoyed.

  “What are you doing?” He doesn’t sound dozy, as if he’s been asleep—has he been awake this entire time too?

  “I have questions.”

  “I was coming upstairs to make sure you were asleep and everything was okay.”

  “So now you were going to spy on me while I slept? This is just great.” My hands slap against my thighs with my ever-growing frustration.

  “No. That’s not what I said.”

  “It sounded like it to me.” I know my tone is becoming harsher as we stand in the dark, hashing out this issue.

  “It’s not. Fuck, Rose, are you okay or not?” Now he’s getting annoyed.

  “No. I’m not,” I say in a hushed snap.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.” This man has my thoughts all twisted.

  “What do you want, Rose? What is it you want from me?” His tone is strained.

  “You. Finlay, I want you,” I murmur.

  It’s deathly quiet.

  He rushes up the remaining stairs separating us, and without warning, places one of his hands to the back of my head before wrapping the other around my waist.

  “Do you want me to kiss you, Rose?” His lips hover an inch from mine.

  “Yes,” I breathe.

  The slight pause before he tilts his head and softly grazes his lips to mine has my knees weakening, and when he begins applying a gentle pressure, the sensations whizzing around my body like shooting stars heighten. It’s a slow, steady, and controlled ownership of my lips that finds his tongue slipping through a small opening my mouth creates. I moan. I’ve never been kissed in such a way, and I’ve never been held so securely whilst doing so.

  My arms hang limp at my sides as Finlay does things with his tongue I never knew one could. If this is what I’ve been missing out on, I’m glad I’m standing here to find out. Abruptly, I’m lifted from below my buttocks, and as my arms instinctively enfold around his neck, my feet also cross over behind his back. He never allows his lips to part from mine as he carries me with such ease, I believe I weigh no more than a piece of paper.

  I’m panting when I’m laid with gentle care on his bed, and without hesitation, Finlay climbs over me. He winces slightly from what I believe is the pain from the injuries he sustained.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.” He kisses my cheek.

  His hands splay out beside my head, and after using his knees to spread my legs wider, he tucks himself in the space.

  Holding his weight with one hand has him using the other to rip the thin material covering his upper body over his head. “Rose, are you sure?” he groans when he again hovers above me, this time free of his T-shirt.

  “Yes,” I breathe, running my fingertips down his smooth back.

  “At any time, you just have to tell me to stop and I will.”

  “I know you will.” I’m genuine in my reply as I tuck my thumbs into the waistband of his boxer shorts. He bucks his hips just once.

  “I’ve wanted to touch you for so long, Rose. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to stop once you allow me.”

  “Touch me,” I pant, and with this instruction, I’m pulled into an upright position and seated with my legs parted across his lap.

  His lips claim mine as his hand cups my breast and his fingers begin rolling my nipple between them, the silk material acting as a barrier.

  I moan into his mouth when his free hand tugs gently on my shoulder, forcing my body to sink down. His hard erection forcefully pushes against me and I can’t control the sudden rotation of my hips against him. The need to have him inside me is stronger than I’ve ever felt before.

  Finlay is trying to keep things moving at a slower pace. I can tell by the way he makes long strokes with his fingertips over my skin, but I believe it’s harder than he anticipated, because when he moves down to the hem of my negligee, those fingertips raise the material from my body like a starved lion finally claiming a feed.

  Leaning backwards, I press my breasts upwards, and Finlay needs no further invitation to take his tongue and wrap it around one nipple before he begins sucking and nipping. His hands move everywhere and I feel so much desire, I grind against him with pure desperation.

  He runs his fingers from my collarbone to the middle of my core and pushes me softly until I fall backwards, and my spine meets the mattress. Finlay hovers over me, gifting me a look I can only explain as dominating before he runs his tongue along my neck and then trails kisses down my body until he stops above the seam of my underwear.

  He’s gentle as he slowly lowers the material down my legs, and as I tilt my chin, he stands to remove the underwear from around my ankles.

  In one swift movement, his pants
are discarded, and for the first time I see him erect. I gasp. He’s big and pierced.

  “Are you okay?” Finlay’s breath skims my inner thigh as he trails kisses.

  I don’t answer because I find I’m unable to speak a single word, let alone string together a coherent sentence. He slips his tongue between my folds, causing my back to arch. He’s tenderly tasting me, as if he’s sampling a fine cuisine.

  I moan.

  He rolls his tongue in such a way that I jolt from the sensation. The growl vibrating in my throat passes through my lips. I can’t take it, so I shift away. A soft trail of butterfly kisses goes around my belly button and travels farther upwards until it stops at my breasts.

  Finlay stiffens upright before he takes my hand and runs it down his stomach until I’m holding his erection in my hand. “There are piercings, Rose. I know you saw them earlier. Your eyes said everything you didn’t. There are three in total. You’ll like it, I promise. Feel.”

  Cupping my hand around him, I let my fingers explore these piercings. It’s a different sensation, but a good different. Letting go has Finlay hovering over me once more, and when my legs are spread even wider than previously, he says, “Do you need me to wear protection, Rose, or are we fine if I don’t?”

  “I’m on the injections.”

  Running his tongue across my earlobe, he whispers, “You trust me, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

  “I believe you,” I pant out in desire.

  He places himself against my opening, and I still when the tip slips just inside me. He takes my lips to his before tilting back his head so he can gaze into my eyes. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes,” I breathe.

  Inch by inch, he pushes into me. He’s in no hurry and allows me time to adjust to his size as he nestles inside. “Rose,” he groans as he begins a slow withdrawal followed by a quick re-entry that has my head launching into the crook of his neck and a lengthy moan vibrating in my throat.

  “God, you feel good.”

  I pant.

  Every movement is timed with differing amounts of force, and with each one, I’m taken to a new level of pleasure. Finlay takes his time getting to know my body, and I’m in a euphoria I’ve never experienced before—he is more than attentive. He bucks his hips, launching harder into me, and again, I throw my head deep into his neck. He wasn’t lying about his piercings. They’re eliciting a completely different heightened sensation.