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Something wasn’t right.
When Cal stepped into the house, he heard unfamiliar voices. Had Rose brought Ray back to the house without telling him? They’d promised to give each other a head’s up about guests, but maybe she thought it wasn’t necessary because she’d told him she had a date.
But then he realized there were two unfamiliar voices.
He took off his shoes and stepped into the living room. A man and woman he’d never met before were there, and Rose was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine. Her date must have gone poorly, but Cal couldn’t be happy about that when she looked so miserable.
“Rose?” he said hesitantly.
She jerked her head up, and a whole bunch of emotions passed over her face. He was usually good at reading her, but not now; he wasn’t sure what was going on. Maybe it was because he’d had more than a couple of drinks with Peter. He hadn’t gotten drunk after all—it took quite a bit to get him drunk—but his brain was fuzzier than usual.
“We’ll go, if that’s okay?” the woman said.
When Rose nodded, the two strangers left, and Cal sat down on the couch beside her.
“What happened?” he asked softly.
Rose hesitated, and his heart pounded in the silence.
“I realized I didn’t like Ray,” she said at last, and he refrained from pumping his fist. “He asked if I had an Instagram account, and when I told him about Fred, he thought I was a weirdo.”
“You’re not weird. Well, maybe you are, but in a good way.”
She smiled faintly. “It made me nervous about all the other things I’d have to tell him eventually, and I also realized...”
Cal’s heart pounded quicker as he waited for her to say it. She looked down and twisted her hands in her lap. Maybe he was wrong—it wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe...
She looked up at him, and when she spoke, her voice wavered. “I like you instead.”
He didn’t say anything in response, but a grin spread across his face. Then he pulled her into his lap and kissed her fiercely. The kiss probably wasn’t his best, as he was smiling against her lips because he was so pleased, but nonetheless, he was kissing Rose. Holding her in his arms. She was wearing a nice outfit she’d put on for another man, but that didn’t matter now.
“Wait,” she mumbled against his lips, then pulled back. She was laughing and smiling, though. “You like me...like that, too? It isn’t just that you want to sleep with me again?”
“No. Of course I want to sleep with you, but it’s not only that.”
“Even though we’re roommates? It makes it extra complicated.”
He shrugged. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“You don’t worry nearly as much as I do, that’s for sure.” She sobered further. “But back to what happened. Ray didn’t take it well, and he assumed, rightly, that there was someone else. He accused me of being just another Asian woman who won’t date Asian guys, like I was a traitor to my community. I think he’s an MRAsian.”
“What’s that?”
“You know MRAs? Like that, for Asian men.” She sighed. “You can look it up later. I’m not in the mood to explain. Anyway, I asked for my meal to go, got my friends to pick me up, and here I am.”
He’d been elated a minute ago, but now he was concerned for her, and he understood why she’d looked so miserable when he’d arrived home.
“Rose, are you okay?” he asked, stroking her hair.
“I feel drained, but I’m okay...because you’re here.”
“You don’t think he’s going to—”
“No. And I feel safe...”
Because you’re here. She didn’t repeat the words, but he knew what she meant, and it filled up something inside him—though he was also pretty pissed at this Ray guy.
She kissed him again, and he clutched her against him. Slipped his hand under her shirt, and she did the same, running her hands up his chest. Her touch was so familiar, yet not quite the same as it had been in August. Or maybe he just didn’t remember; he couldn’t think clearly right now.
Rose. Rose. Rose.
He lifted the hem of her shirt, but she placed a hand on his wrist.
“Sorry,” she said. “Not tonight. After everything that’s happened in the past few hours...and I’ve been drinking a little...and so have you...could we wait until tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
“Though maybe we could try sharing a bed again? If that’s okay with you?”
He nodded.
Her pretty eyes fluttered shut. “It’s been a long day. I’m ready to go to sleep.”
When he picked her up, she laughed in that delightful way she had, and he smiled as he carried her to her bedroom. A little while later, she came into his room wearing only a long T-shirt, and he swallowed hard.
Damn, she looked good like that.
He gave her Shelly to hold, and they got under his covers. She snuggled up against him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And unlike the first time they’d shared a bed, she fell asleep in his arms.
* * *
Rose woke up knowing exactly where she was. In Cal’s bed. Against all odds, she’d fallen asleep in an unfamiliar place without any problems.
Her eyes still closed, she smiled. Last night had been a roller coaster, but she’d told him how she felt, and he seemed to feel the same way.
There was a burst of joy in her chest.
She finally opened her eyes and rolled over. Cal was still asleep. He was lying on his side, facing her, and his proximity made her warm and fuzzy. He was breathing rather loudly, in a way that might bother her if she was trying to fall asleep again, but she wasn’t. She just lay awake, basking in the simple pleasure of being next to him. The large, kind man, with his long hair a mess about his face.
She reached out to smooth it, as gently as possible, but he opened his eyes.
“Hey,” he said.
“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean...you can go back to sleep.”
He chuckled softly and pulled her close. “I’d rather spend time with you.”
Her body was already responding to his touch. Moisture pooled between her thighs as he ran his hand down her back. She swallowed. “I said tomorrow, and it’s tomorrow. If you’re interested, that is.”
“I am.” He rolled them over and raised himself above her, a crooked grin on his face. The pleasure of liking someone and discovering they liked you, too...it was exhilarating.
He removed her T-shirt, and his gaze roved over her hungrily, even as he maintained that goofy smile. He dipped his head to pull the peak of one nipple between his lips, and that was enough to make her gasp. His mouth was so wet and good. She groaned as he suckled her other breast, thrusting her fingers into his hair.
Cal turned onto his side and kissed her mouth, slipping his hand into her panties at the same time. When she felt his rough, thick finger moving between her folds, she squeezed her legs together. His focus was all on her, and he looked like he wanted to gobble her up as he slid one finger inside her channel.
“Oh, God,” she moaned. She was so slick for him, and he moved easily inside her.
With his other hand, he pulled her panties off and tossed them aside. Then he slid down her body, under the blankets, and set his mouth on her. There was something so sexy about seeing him beneath the blankets with his head between her legs. And the things he did with his tongue...
She squirmed against his face as pleasure built inside her, higher and higher until she turned her head to the side and cried out into the pillow. She didn’t say his name, was incapable of forming even a single-syllable word, but he spoke her name in a tone she couldn’t describe. Maybe like he was a bit in awe?
So was she. She’d confessed to having feelings for this man last night, and now, after sleeping peacefully in his bed all night long...
“I need you inside me,” she said.
He crawled up her body, and as soon as she could reach it, she grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, then made quick work of his boxers. She stroked her hand up and down his hard shaft, which only made her crave him even more. For some reason, she felt the need to say, “I haven’t had sex since...”
“No? Me, neither.”
Her brain struggled to process that revelation as he lowered his head and devoured her mouth.
She was nervous this time, but in a different way from how she’d been nervous before. Because this time, it meant something entirely different to her—it was like a consummation of their feelings, rather than simply lust—and OMG, what was he doing with his fingers?
She arched against him, begging with her body. Kissed him harder, ran her fingernails down his broad back.
“Cal.” She could manage to say his name now, but nothing more.
And when she stroked him again, he growled into her mouth and reached out to grab a condom from the bedside table. He rolled it on, then stopped to ask. “You ready?”
She nodded, and he held himself above her as he sank into her. Her body accommodated his girth, and she felt deliciously full.
“Oh, God,” she murmured as he grinned down at her. She wasn’t used to a man smiling like that while he was inside her.
“It feels good?” he asked.
“You know it does.”
He chuckled as he began moving, looking at her fondly. Then he partially rested his weight on top of her. “Am I too heavy?”
“No, no.” She liked being caught between him and the mattress. There was certainly nowhere else she’d rather be.
She arched up to capture his lips, savoring every current of pleasure that passed through her. Their connection...it was like nothing else. With one hand, she grabbed his ass, and she could feel him smile against her lips again as his hair tickled her neck and his beard scraped her chin.
He slipped a finger into her mouth, then moved it lower, between their bodies.
It was overwhelming.
And just what she needed.
She shattered beneath him, and he came at the same time.
* * *
Time passed completely differently when Rose’s naked body was intertwined with Cal’s. She wasn’t accustomed to this intimacy, and even though she felt boneless and sated, there was a thread of discomfort within her at, well, the comfort of it all, if that made sense.
She wasn’t used to feeling relaxed when she was naked like this, wasn’t used to feeling like she could tell someone anything and it would all be okay.
He lifted his head. “You know how I was going to take you out for dinner, before my phone got run over? How about we do that tonight?”
“I’m supposed to go to the cider bar with my friends...”
“Don’t cancel on your friends. Tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.”
He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Mmm.”
Huh. This seemed so easy, and Rose was always suspicious of easy things. They frequently weren’t as simple as they appeared, though Cal was a laidback guy, something which was utterly unfamiliar to her.
What if they were too different?
He turned her around and held her from behind. He was soft and comfortable, aside from the hard ridge pressing against her lower back.
He was already hard again? Though to be fair, she had no idea how much time had passed. When she wiggled against him, he hissed out a breath.
“God,” he said, “I just want to fuck you again and again. Make you come any way I can.”
They weren’t words of romance, but they caused a swell of joy in her chest, in addition to the dampness between her legs. Her doubts receded as she rolled on top of him and rubbed herself against his erection.
“Oh, fuck,” he groaned.
Rose grinned, amazed at what she could do to him.
Yes, this was going to be a very good day.