by Sabre, Mason
“Josh,” she squealed struggling until she sat on his waist.
“You’re so damn fit, do you know that?” he said, eyeing her body.
She tucked hair behind her ear and leaned so that her face was over him. “Well I try to eat healthily.”
He frowned at her a second and then chuckled. “You know fit here means I think you’re hot?”
Rosie’s face flushed instantly. “It does?”
Josh nodded. “Yep. Write that in your little notebook.”
“You think I’m fit?”
“I think you’re damn sexy.” Josh grabbed the sides of her shirt and yanked, snapping the buttons off, and exposing her to him. “That’s better,” he said.
“You’re so bad.” She leaned down to him, kissing softly against his lips. She nibbled lightly along his jaw and he reached up, cupping both of her breasts in his hands.
Already, he felt himself growing hard under where she sat. He opened his mouth to her and she copied him, pushing her tongue in deep. He groaned into the kiss. “Shit, Rosie. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
She wiggled her hips against him, grinding down against his erection. “Maybe,” she teased.
He grabbed the fabric of the shirt just as loud banging startled them both, sending them both scrambling to their feet. With his heart in his throat, it took a moment for him to realise that it was the door. He reached to the table for his watch. Ten at night? “Who the hell would call at this time?” he cursed.
“You’re not expecting anyone?”
“No. No one visits me.” He kissed her, pushing her back until she hit the bed. He sat her there and said, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll get rid of them. Probably someone with a blown out tyre or some shit like that. You can keep the bed warm for me.”
Josh pulled on a pair of jeans before leaving the bedroom and racing downstairs into darkness. He could make out the silhouette of a woman. Lights shone behind her and he could tell from the diesel rumble that it was a bomber taxi. His chest tightened at it.
Maria? Fuck.
He opened the door, fully prepared to bundle her back into the cab and ship her off, no matter what. Her home could have burned down for all he cared. She was not taking this moment from him. She had taken enough. She’d barely left him as the man that he was now.
He yanked the door open, mouth set in a firm line. A woman stood there, young, light brown hair, her expression posed and perfect with a wooden pole stuck right up her ass.
“I’ve come to see Rosie,” she said in an accent similar to Rosie’s but a little stronger. She waved to the driver, who brought her bag and placed it down next to her.
“And you would be?”
“Cold and tired,” she shot. “Are you going to let me in or is it customary in this blightful country to leave guests standing on the doorstep?”
Josh stepped back, opening the door wider to let her in. Her sister, what the bloody hell? She eyed him once inside and he reluctantly retrieved her gigantic suitcase and rolled it in.
“Rosie,” he called up the stairs, pushing the front door shut.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Rosie
Rosie screeched at seeing her sister and dodged out of sight, leaning her head to see. “What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t mom tell you I was coming early?”
“No? She said you were coming earlier not this early. Is she here?” God she was not ready for her.
“She couldn’t make it. She had to attend a party and she sent me to acquire all her little details.”
A painful anger stabbed Rosie’s stomach with that news. A party. “I’ll be right down,” she stammered, angling her head to see what Josh was doing. Oh shit, he was shirtless and appearing very awkward. She stifled the urge to call his name. She didn’t want to sound like she was jealous but leaving him with her boyfriend stealing sister was out of the question. “Josh, can you help me with that … that drawer?”
“Sure,” he called sounding relieved. He mumbled something to which her sister replied with a thank you. Rosie’s stomach knotted in response. What did she thank him for? Why did she use her slutty tone? He better not have complimented her.
She paced in his room, waiting. Wow, a party. The door opened and she turned and found Josh entering with a perturbed expression. She peered behind him making sure her sister hadn’t followed him up. She was just the type to do that. “A party,” Rosie said. “She had to go to a party. What am I supposed to do with my sister here?” She gestured at the door. “How long does she intend to collect mom’s details?” She eyed Josh who stood with his hands on hips, shaking his head like he wished he had those answers. “Please put your clothes on, the last thing she needs is to see what’s for dessert.”
He gave her raised brows. “But I’m not on the menu.”
“Exactly, so she doesn’t need to be drooling over you. What was she thanking you for?”
“I told her to make herself at home.”
Rosie snorted. “That’s the same as an invitation to screw. We definitely don’t want her making herself at home.”
“It’s just manners, Rosie,” he said with the hint of a smile.
Rosie yanked her torn shirt closed tighter and went back to pacing. “Well … don’t use so many manners with her. Where she comes from, it’s a form of flirting, an invitation to hop in the bed and steal your boyfriend.”
“She did that to you?” he asked, sounding shocked to which she nodded vigorously with wide eyes.
“Oh yes. And you know what she had the nerve to tell me when I told her that’s what she did, when I pointed it out?”
“What?” he said, watching her pace.
Rosie stopped and faced him with hands on her hips. “I did it to help you,” she said, choking out the same, loud, bullshit laugh she had when her sister had the nerve to first say it.
“Bloody fucking hell,” Josh muttered, dumbfounded.
She nodded more at him. “Oh yes. She lovingly sacrificed her—vagina,” she blurted, going back to pacing, “Just to test the loyalty of my boyfriends.” Rosie plopped down on the bed. “You know, at first I told myself, well hell, that is a sorry testament to the men, right?”
“Absolutely,” he said, coming to sit next to her.
“And then you start to think, wait a minute. Wait a minute,” she held up her finger. “Maybe it’s actually a testament to how sorry of a catch I am! Because not a damn one of my boyfriends liked me enough not to survive her yawning… cawing … cavernous … pubic trap. And do you know she had the nerve to do it where I could hear?”
“Oh my God,” he muttered, sounding disgusted.
His disapproval made her blood bubble with warm satisfaction. “My thoughts exxxxactly. So don’t be offering her anything,” she warned. “Because I’m telling you right now, and no offense, but if you hurt me with her? I will ...” She pointed near his humoured expression. “I will do something that will … really shock you.”
He suddenly pushed her back onto the bed and kissed her with a breath stealing hunger. “Shock me?” he finally whispered on her mouth, his hands gripping her breast with a covetous force.
“Yes.” The wimpy word fluttered out.
“You’ll be the one shocked before this is all over my sweet Rosie. So … very … shocked.”
She gasped in his mouth when his hand cupped her privates and his finger slid inside her. His kiss and eager probing stole every thought until she was opening and pushing into his palm.
“Touch yourself for me,” he whispered, yanking her shirt open. With a groan he captured her nipple in his teeth. “Rub it fast Rosie.”
The idea that he was doing this with her sister beneath would’ve felt weird, but with Josh, it felt like a declaration. He was saying he was not like the others. She was the one he wanted, and Rosie took the unspoken oath with greedy longing. It didn’t’ take long for her orgasm to take her. The hungry sounds he made right in her mouth, the sound of a man equally
as desperate for what she wanted and equally as thrilled to give it.
He hugged her close to his body as she came, like he wanted to feel every bit of what he did to her. She gave herself to it, letting him have it.
He lay kissing her tenderly before murmuring, “Maybe next time I will do it so the whole world hears.”
“God no,” she said, grinning at the idea.
“Maybe she can report that to your mummy. Dr. Carter sure knows how to make love to his wife.”
“Wife?”
“Oh, right,” he paused, squinting up. “Fiancé? Mistress? Lover? Which is it?”
She bit the huge smile on her lips, knowing which she wanted. “Would be silly to say wife, right?”
Josh, stroked the tip of her nose. “Would it?”
Her heart hammered as she looked him in the eyes. “Wouldn’t it?”
“Well, for pretence sake, it would mean you got married without consulting and I’m not so sure how that would go for your inheritance.”
She pfft. “I don’t really care about money.”
“What do you care about then? Only me?” Though he wore a light smile, the intensity in his gaze said he was serious about her answer. With the soft stroke of his thumb along her face, the answer was so easy. But not easy to say.
“I guess I want her to know I’m not a failure. I mean yeah I can use the money but …” A slow burn filled her chest, and Rosie turned her face for a bigger breath. “It shouldn’t matter. It doesn’t.”
Josh turned her face to him and wiped the tears that escaped. He lowered his lips to hers and gave her the softest kiss. “It does mater, sweet Rosie,” he whispered.
An unexpected sob pushed at her throat and she pulled him into a hug, letting it escape against his warm neck.
“You know,” he whispered looking at her again. “I’ve never had a miracle but … I feel like you being here … with me …” he searched her eyes “Is my first.”
The joy of his words rushed through her and she pushed him onto the bed and kissed him, laughing and crying as she did. “You’re the stupid miracle.”
“No, you are,” he argued softly, holding her tight to his body.
“No you are,” she argued back.
“We’re a mess, aren’t we Rosie?”
She pulled up and stared at him finding his eyes serious and his joy pulling at his pretty mouth. “A good mess,” she assured.”
“I know you are, but what am I?”
She smiled at the little annoying joke, but he was very serious. “Funny,” she pecked kisses on his lips. “Because I would say the same. I know you are but what am I?”
He gave her a huge smile that said if she thought it, then it must be true and real. Maybe he didn’t agree but he believed her, and that meant everything to him. “I’d say you need your head examined.”
“I’d say the same for you?”
He chuckled, seeming to love how she fought on his behalf. “Maybe we won’t examine your head. I think I am content to leave you disillusioned.”
She smiled, content with that. “I guess I can be your lover,” she said, remembering their current predicament.
“No,” he angled his head, going serious. “You’re definitely my promised. My fiancé.”
Rosie’s heart hammered with that, as she fought back tears. “Sorry, you’d swear it was all real to me. I’m not going to go psycho on you, don’t worry.”
He suddenly rolled and put her under him. “You can get as crazy as you like Mrs. Carter to be.” He stroked his thumb over her lower lip. “Just so it’s crazy for me.”
“Are you rehearsing these lines?” she asked, tears pouring again. “I’m an emotional wreck, sorry.” But by the smile he wore, he seemed to like it. “And let’s not go too far with the whole rubbing it in her face. I mean I hate everything she did to me but I don’t want to … “
He stole her words with a hungry kiss and finally murmured. “Such an angel. My angel.”
Her stomach jolted in a painful knot at the words William used with her. Oh God, William. Her poor, sweet William. What would become of him now? The weight of that suddenly weighed so heavy on her, making her heart skip ten beats. He’d said choose Josh. He was normal. And she had, hadn’t she?
“And I promise not to be too loud about all of it,” he said.
“Too loud?” she asked, grinning.
“Maybe just …” he got up on his knees and began bouncing on the bed, making it squeak really loud.
“Stop!” she said, pulling at his arm with wide eyes.
“God, Rosie,” he yelled suddenly, making her tackle him and fight to cover his mouth. “Yes, yes,” he hollered, banging his hand on the head board now.
“Oh my God! Stop it,” she begged, torn between morbid shame and howling laughter with his monkey dramatics.
Rosie’s phone began ringing and she shot her eyes to it on the night stand as she hurried to look. Her heart hammered in her chest. “Oh my God, it’s her!” Rosie answered. “Hello?”
“I’ll be staying at a hotel.”
“No.” she cried. “No, I’m coming down right now to get you set up.”
“I’m clearly imposing.”
“No you’re not!” Rosie eyed Josh who grabbed himself in a vulgar manner and winked. “Josh was being a monkey, he’s a huge jokester.”
Her sister sighed. “I’m tired and cranky, and I’m ready for a clean bed.”
“You’ll sleep in our room of course.”
“Uh, no thank you.”
“Oh come on, I’ll put … clean sheets on of course.” Rosie stifled laughter as Josh pretended to hump the bed, slow deep strokes and his face straining in ecstasy. The sight lit her on fire with desire.
“I’ll take the couch.”
She turned her attention to her sister when he lay like an innocent angel on the bed. “You’ll do no such thing.”
“The couch or a hotel, Rosie. Final answer.”
She shook her head. Okay Miss Jeopardy. “Well, I’ll get you set up nice and comfortable. Would you like some supper? I cooked spaghetti. Josh is good at coffee if you want some. We can catch up?” Rosie saw Josh roll his eyes. Rosie gave him a pleading look. She really did miss the part of her sister she didn’t hate. “Would love to hear how you’re doing?” she chanced.
“Whatever, sure.”
Pain pummelled Rosie’s chest at her casual tone. After all these years, she still didn’t know what she’d done so wrong to her. To her whole family. “Okay then,” Rosie said. “Coming now.”
She hung up and stared at the screen before turning a smile to Josh. But the look on his face said he saw the truth and hurried to her. His arms went around her and she buried her face in the warm skin of his chest. She let herself bask in the now, not the then. Josh was now, and God he felt so good. So good that even the pain of her life couldn’t stay. His support and concern, his friendship and whatever else she dared to call it, was now. That’s what she’d hold on to.
Downstairs, Josh took over being the gracious English host and impossibly perfect fiancé as he showed her sister around. Rosie kept a close eye on Lacey, thrilled for the first time with her sister’s note taking. Josh couldn’t keep his hands and lips off of Rosie and she’d never felt happier. He was supposed to be pretending but she knew he wasn’t. He meant it.
“This is the kitchen where I adore cooking for Rosie.” He looked down at Rosie. “Tell her how much you love getting breakfast in bed.”
“Oh God, he is amazing with the breakfast thing. And the bed,” she gushed with a laugh, slapping a hand over her mouth. She’d not meant to say that. “Ugh. Too much information,” her sister said with raised brows. Was that a smile lurking on her sister’s mouth? She wasn’t sure why she would smile other than she was happy about it. Or faking. How nice it would be to have her sister happy for her. To be able to have somebody to share the best thing that had ever happened to her with.
“What kind of doctor did you say you were?
” she asked, sitting at the table and not hiding her scepticism.
“Philosopher,” Josh answered next to the cups he readied for coffee.
“Philosopher?”
“I know, right?” Rosie cut in. “I wasn’t even aware they had doctors for that.”
“Is that how you met Rosie? Therapy?”
“Oh, no. I’m not a therapist.” He searched the cabinets while Rosie eyed her sister’s seemingly innocent gaze. “I just teach classes on the subject. You may be thinking of a psychologist.” Josh offered a kind smile.
“I know the difference,” acid Lacey said. “I just figured she might still be having mental problems from— “
“Lacey,” Rosie shot out, anger riding her skin. “That. Is private.”
She gave her a fake surprised look and shrug. “I assumed you shared everything.”
“We do,” Josh offered. “But we also share when we’re ready to. There are plenty of secrets left to discover, isn’t that right?” Josh stood next to the table now and leaned to put a kiss on Rosie’s cheek.
“Exactly,” Rosie said, hoping she didn’t sound as unsure and shaken as she felt. God, she didn’t need him knowing all her dirty past. She eyed Josh who returned to finishing coffee.
“So where did you go to school?” Lacey asked.
“Salford University,” Josh said easily as he came to the table and helped Rosie up then sat her in his lap.
“Oh. So how did you meet Rosie?”
“Would you like to tell her?” Josh asked.
“Oh no, you tell it,” Rosie said. “I love hearing you tell our story.”
“Which one? Our first encounter in the elevator or our first date in the hospital closet?”
“Classy,” Lacey snorted.
“Oh, it was very classy,” Josh assured. “I met your sister on the elevator. She appeared like she could use a pick me up. I tried several attempts at conversation to which she blew me right off. And then I challenged her to live a little, be spontaneous, take some chances. To which she got quite offended and said to me, “I can be spontaneous. And I’m pretty sure I’m living. I take chances every day. I’m on this elevator when I don’t like elevators, but I’ve taken a chance and here I am. Being risky. Talking to you.”
