Coming Up Roses

by Anie Michaels

  He even looked sexy putting clothes on.

  I was doomed.

  “I live down the hall. I don’t need an escort.”

  He pulled a shirt from a drawer and without looking back at me said, “I’m never going to just let you walk home alone, Rose. Get used to it.”

  A thrill went down my spine at his commanding tone and I figured it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to be with a man who wanted to make sure you were safe.

  I slipped out of bed and found my clothes, putting them on all while telling myself it was normal to be naked in front of the man I’d just slept with. Even so, I couldn’t look him in the eye until I was at least partially covered.

  “Ready?” he asked when I’d slipped my shoes back on.

  “Yep.”

  He reached out for me and I slipped my hand into his happily. I wondered if it would ever get old holding his hand.

  When we reached my door, he held his hands out for my keys.

  “Really?” I asked with a laugh.

  “If you had a car, I’d drive it too, babe.”

  Part of me wanted to argue with him, but most of me really wanted him to drive my car.

  I placed my key in his palm and tried to hide a smile as he unlocked my door.

  I walked in ahead of him and immediately felt awkward. I’d never had to say goodbye to someone after sleeping in their bed or losing my virginity.

  “I had a really nice time,” I managed to sputter.

  “Nice?” Suddenly his hand was gripping my waist and he was pulling me toward him. My chest collided with his and my eyes found his smiling face. “It was better than nice, right, Rose?” He used his free hand to tuck some of my hair behind my ear.

  “It was.”

  He bent toward me, and just before his lips met mine, he veered to the side and kissed my neck.

  “I’m going to take your keys and I’ll be back in about twenty minutes. Just to say goodbye before you leave for work.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. The truth was, I didn’t even want him to go away for twenty minutes. He kissed my neck again, then disappeared out my front door. I let out a breath, but then the door opened again.

  “Lock up after me,” Aiden instructed.

  I rolled my eyes and he winked. Then he disappeared again, and I locked the door.

  In the shower, as I washed my hair, my mind drifted back to all that had happened the night before. In my late teens and early twenties, much like anyone that age, I spent a lot of time thinking about sex and what it would be like. Then, as my dating journey took a strange and disappointing turn, my expectations for sex drastically declined.

  There was never a moment, before or after I realized sex wasn’t what I thought it would be, where I’d been able to imagine what happened between Aiden and me the night before.

  Sure, I thought sex could feel good when I was younger, less so in more recent years. I thought it would be physical and reactive—I knew if someone touched me it would be pleasant. But I’d never conceived the fact that the connection would be mental too, that anyone would be able to touch me emotionally.

  It was wonderful. And terrifying.

  I was standing in my bathroom, towel-drying my hair, in my favorite cozy bathrobe, when I heard the key in the door. My belly fluttered at the thought of Aiden having a key and coming and going as he pleased. Giving him access to me in that way was exciting. It was ridiculous, seeing as how I’d only known him for two weeks, but it was exciting nonetheless.

  “Rose?” he called out right after I heard the door close. It was then I realized he’d never been in my condo before.

  “Back here,” I called out and walked toward the bedroom door to meet him.

  When he walked through my bedroom door, I almost literally swooned out loud.

  He’d clearly showered as his hair was still a little damp. But the man had on a fresh flannel shirt with well-worn jeans, steel-toed boots, and a puffy vest. He was lumberjacked out. And it was incredibly sexy.

  “Sorry it took me a little longer than I said it would,” he said as he crossed to me, not stopping until he was right in front of me and leaning down to kiss me.

  I was still in a lust haze but managed to kiss him back.

  When he pulled away he thrust his hand out toward me.

  “I decided to run down the block and grab us sustenance.”

  I looked down and saw a white cardboard cup in his hand.

  “Sugar-free, vanilla, Americano with cream, right?”

  I was so distracted by the man and his flannel, I hadn’t even noticed the coffee he’d held in his hand.

  “How’d you know my coffee?”

  “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  “Thank you.” Honestly, there was nothing in the world that could affect me like coffee. The flowers at my work? Totally sweet. The multiple orgasms? Nice and very, very appreciated. But coffee? “Where’ve you been for the last ten years?”

  My question was sarcastic, and it came out with a laugh, but there was truth there too. Why had it taken so long for me to find someone like Aiden? Why hadn’t anyone else brought these feelings out in me—physical or otherwise? It was both thrilling to finally find a man who did more for me than any other had before him. But it was also scary because, well, what would happen when it didn’t work out? How long would it be before someone else came along?

  “I could ask you the same question,” he replied with the same playful tone I’d used.

  Aiden walked me to the foyer of our building and it took a lot of convincing to get him to stop there. He’d wanted to walk me all the way to my office, but I’d struck a deal with him and he finally agreed to stay behind.

  It was oddly comfortable getting ready for work with Aiden sitting on my bed, back against the headboard, using his phone to read emails and take a few work calls. I listened, curious about what his work entailed, but he didn’t seem to mind. He didn’t leave my room or insist on calling back later, just continued with his business.

  Once I was dressed, hair dried and straightened, shoes on, I took one final look in my full-length mirror like I always did. But my stomach flipped when Aiden came up behind me and put a possessive arm around my waist.

  We were quite the pair.

  Steel-toe boots and stilettos.

  “You look amazing naked, sweetheart, but these fucking skirts that look like they’re painted on to your hips and ass, they’re probably my favorite.”

  Note to self: Aiden is a fan of pencil skirts.

  “I’ll put that on my list of things to remember about you.”

  “See that you do.” He pressed another kiss to my neck and I decided to note that too.

  Aiden likes to kiss my neck.

  “Can I see you tonight?” he asked, looking directly at my eyes in the mirror. The heated and intense gaze made my breath catch, but I managed to push out an answer.

  “Sure.” It was one syllable and it lacked volume, but I’d managed to speak it. He kissed me stupid in the elevator and then watched me walk away. I wanted so badly to look back at him but wouldn’t allow myself. I didn’t want to look like the love-sick fool I knew I already was. I had to maintain some semblance of dignity.

  When I turned the corner, I hadn’t taken ten steps before my phone buzzed with a text.

  **I liked watching you walk down the street in that skirt.**

  I was still smiling from the text when I walked into my office. Even though I was a little later than usual, thanks to my morning routine being thrown off-kilter by Aiden—not that I minded much—I still was the first one there.

  **I’m glad you enjoyed the view.**

  I sent the text and then placed it on the wireless charger, willing myself not to check it every five minutes for a reply. Luckily, there were some important things on my To-Do List that morning, and I quickly got lost in my work.

  People started to trickle into the office and every once in a while I’d peek up and catch sight of my employees ar
riving, all with smiles on their faces. That was one thing I was proud of, the fact that I encouraged and cultivated a happy work environment. Granted, people usually didn’t get into event planning if it wasn’t something they already enjoyed doing. It wasn’t a job people usually just happened upon.

  I was finishing up an email when I caught Riley marching toward my office out of the corner of my eye. She had just walked off the elevator and didn’t even go to her office to put her jacket or purse away. Instantly, my heart began to race.

  She didn’t knock, just walked straight in.

  “Rose,” she said, her voice short and strained.

  “Hi, Riley. What’s up?”

  “Why did Aiden call me at an ungodly hour this morning and ask how you took your coffee?”

  “What?” The confusion was thick in my voice.

  “Aiden called me—early—and asked what kind of coffee you drank.” She crossed her arms over her chest and then a broad smile broke out over her face. “Why would he need to know that? This morning?”

  I stood up and hustled to my door, closing it gently, giving a forced smile to Krysta, my receptionist, who appeared to be interested in what was happening inside my office.

  “It isn’t what it looks like,” I said, turning back around to face Riley.

  “It looks like you spent the night with Aiden and then he got you coffee this morning.” She clapped her hands lightly in front of her, bouncing on the tips of her toes.

  I considered lying. I considered pretending the last twelve hours had never happened. But the same feeling that made me open up to Riley the day before had my mouth opening up again.

  I let out a sigh.

  “Okay, it’s exactly what it looks like.”

  “I knew it,” she whisper-yelled. “Tell me everything you possibly can without making yourself uncomfortable.” She stripped off her jacket and laid it over the arm of the club chair. She then sat, crossed one leg over the other, rested her elbow on her knee and her chin on her hand. “I’m all ears.”

  “Clearly,” I said on a laugh.

  I took the chair opposite her, cheating my back toward the office. I was pretty sure no one could read lips, but I didn’t want anyone knowing what we were talking about.

  “So, I stayed over at Aiden’s house last night.”

  Riley nodded, still smiling. “And...”

  “And he was nice enough to supply me with coffee this morning.”

  I laughed when Riley’s expression took a fierce turn from excited and happy to narrow and irritated.

  “You can give me more than that,” she whined. “Please, Rose. I’m dying.”

  I took in another breath, held it for a moment, trying to gather my courage, and then I said something I’d never said before.

  “I may have had sex last night.”

  The words came out fast and scrunched together, but it didn’t matter. Riley heard it and immediately started bouncing up and down again.

  “Oh my gosh! That’s so exciting! I knew you and Aiden would click. This is so perfect. Oh my God. How was it? Was it good? Did it hurt?”

  My first instinct was to keep the details to myself. Something about what I’d shared with Aiden was the most private and personal experience I’d ever had, and it felt wrong to talk about it so casually. Riley must have read some of that in my expression because she quickly reworded.

  “Obviously, I don’t need details. What I meant was, um, are you okay? Aiden is a great guy, but he’s still a man. Was he, ya know, gentle?” She dropped her head into her hands, muttering, “Shit.”

  I watched as she tried again.

  “Do you want to talk about anything?”

  “Riley?” I laughed.

  “Yeah?” she whined.

  “I was a virgin, but I’m still almost thirty years old. I don’t need to have the sex talk with anyone.”

  “No, I know. But when I lost my virginity, I had questions. Lots of them. And not about mechanics. Well,” she amended, looking up at the ceiling as if recalling her very own day after. “Maybe a few questions about mechanics. But seriously, I just want you to know that if you need someone to talk to, I’m available.”

  “Thanks, Riley. I appreciate the offer.” And I really did. I was sure eventually I would get to a stage in life where sex was commonplace, where it didn’t feel so deeply personal. Or maybe not. I couldn’t be sure. But Riley was definitely at the top of my list of people I knew I could talk to about it. “And I will keep that in mind.”

  “He sounded really happy this morning, Rose.” Her tone was soft and her eyes matched with friendly crinkles around the edges. “He wouldn’t tell me a single thing, just that he wanted to get you coffee. But he sounded like he wanted to give you the world.”

  I averted my gaze from hers, not sure I could handle the intensity of what she was saying. Or, at least, didn’t want to process it with an audience. I took a breath and tried to pretend I wasn’t feeling as though I was under a microscope. Everything felt heavier, bigger, more important.

  “Well, you can rest assured, he was a perfect gentleman,” I offered. It was the only morsel of information I could bear to part with. It was all too important to give away.

  She let out a relieved sigh.

  “Oh, good. I mean, I kind of figured he would be, but us girls have to stick together.”

  “I appreciate the concern.”

  “Any time.”

  She stood and picked up her things, heading toward the door. She paused with her hand on the doorknob and turned back to look at me one more time.

  “I mean it, though, Rose. I know you’re my boss, but you’re my friend too. If you need to talk, I’m always available.”

  Riley was one of the most sincere, genuine people I’d ever met. But she’d never sounded more sincere than she did just then.

  “Thanks, Riley. You’re more than just an employee. I hope you realize that. I am not the best at interpersonal relationships, but I’m working on it. Don’t give up on me,” I added with a smile.

  “Never.”

  She smiled back at me and left. I watched her walk all the way to her office, not stopping to talk to anyone, even though they were all watching her with expectant eyes. I knew, with every ounce of certainty I had, that she would never tell a soul what we’d discussed.

  The rest of the day was busy, but not busy enough that I didn’t have moments where flashes of the night before zapped into my brain and suddenly I was caught off guard by lust. By lunchtime I noticed a distinct ache between my legs. It wasn’t wholly unpleasant, just new. And it was obviously proof that I’d used muscles the night before that had never been used before.

  I tried not to worry when I hadn’t heard from Aiden by 5:00 p.m. I went to the gym like I normally would have any other day of my life, but my workout was distracted and pointless. I just kept checking my phone.

  I was frustrated by the time I left the gym and decided to take an Uber. I just wanted to get home and relax. And try to keep my mind off the fact that I was freaking out over a man. By the time I arrived at my front door I was undeniably grumpy. And made even grumpier by the fact that I was grumpy. It was a stupid and viscous cycle.

  I hopped in the shower, rinsing off what little sweat I managed to work up at the gym, then put on my ugliest, most comfortable clothes, then opened my favorite wine. I was just about to take my first sip when there was a knock at the door.

  I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever was on the other side of my door, then tried to casually open it.

  I used to be the epitome of cool, calm, and collected. No one ever saw me frazzled because I was unfrazzlable. Now I was fumbling to open a door and seemed like I didn’t have a care in the world to a man who had started to mean the world to me.

  “Hey,” he said with that stupid sexy smile I had loved just twelve short hours ago.

  “Hello, Aiden,” I replied coolly.

  “I just got home a few minutes ago, showered, and came ri
ght over. I’ve had a terrible day.”

  “That’s too bad.” I stayed in the space made in the open door, not moving back to let him in, even though that was clearly what he was waiting for. Well, he could wait all night long.

  “Can I, uh, come in? We could figure out what to do for the rest of the evening.”

  I argued with myself for a moment, but eventually stepped back and silently granted him access.

  He slipped past me, his hand touching my waist and his mouth placing a soft kiss on my cheek. It felt so good, I wanted to scream.

  “I don’t want to seem uninventive, but I was just kind of hoping we could chill here tonight. I’m exhausted. Would you mind if I just ordered some delivery? You liked Bambino’s when we were there, right? They can deliver here.”

  Their salad had been fantastic and I’d been thinking about the breadsticks I saw sitting at the table next to ours ever since we’d been there.

  I gave him a one-shouldered shrug and took a sip of my wine.

  “Okay,” he said slowly, quirking an eyebrow at me. “You all right?”

  “Fine.” Ugh, even I hated the way I sounded.

  His body relaxed and he shoved his hands in his front pockets.

  “Okay, what’s wrong?” he asked, almost with a smile on his face. Did he think this was cute?

  “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Aiden

  I

  ’d woken up in a fucking dream that morning, my arms wrapped around Rose. For a woman who put so much work into appearing hard and solid, she sure snuggled like a kitten. She was soft and warm in bed, and I fucking loved it.

  Watching her walk away that morning had been tough. I wanted to tie her to the bed and spend the entire day there with her, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. So, I settled for another evening with her. I was going to do my best to make sure she didn’t have an opportunity to forget how good we were together.

  So, I’d gone to work with a smile on my face. And just the thought of Rose naked in my bed that morning kept me happy—and semi-hard—until my day went to complete shit.