Chapter 13

March 27, 1947

We embrace in the library . . .

When I wokeup this morning, I was more in love than ever with Jacob. He said that he wanted to become an engineer and there were opportunities in Boston. I really hoped he would take me with him when he left. He said he would take me anywhere I wanted to go but the only place I wanted to be was with him. He also told me that he really loved me. He made me feel so special.

I bumped into Jayne on the way to work, she was dashing to the office where she worked. Late again. “Jayne, if you didn’t spend so much time getting ready, you wouldn’t be late so often,” I pointed out.

“I have to look perfect, Rose. Perfection takes time.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed.

“Come on. If you’re going to walk with me, you need to speed up some,” Jayne said.

Well, there went my leisurely walk.

We dashed through town when Jayne started giving me odd looks. I had to know why so I pulled her to a stop. “What’s wrong?” Was she blushing? “Jayne?”

“Richard has asked me out to dinner,” she blurted.

For a second, I stared at her, and then started to laugh in relief. She didn’t seem too impressed with my giggling. “I’m glad he’s moving on. He’s a nice guy, but not for me.”

She stood with her hands on her hips. “Are you seeing that man from the tearoom?”

Heck. “You do realize you’re close to being very late for work.” I blurted trying to deflect her question.

“Oh, no. I’ll see you later.” She panicked.

Lucky escape.

I finally arrived at work and was greeted by Mr. Young. He was in a tizzy because two of the staff hadn’t shown up for work. There were about six people already in the library, which was unusual so early in the morning so I could understand his stress.

I followed him to the staff room and stashed my jacket and purse, then turned around and practically bumped into him. “Mr. Young, please calm down,” I told him, safe in the fact that he wouldn’t fire me today since I was the only one there.

“Rose, there are a lot of people out there this morning and only you here to help them. What are we going to do?”

What an idiot.

“Mr. Young. I’m quite capable of helping whoever needs help. There aren’t that many people in there.”

We walked out to the main library floor, and I headed over to the front desk to check some books out for four of the people. “Mr. Young, I’m going to place these books back on the shelves. Are you capable of looking after the remaining two?” I asked, getting the evil look from him.

He ushered me away with his hands. I quickly grabbed the books that needed to be returned to the shelves and headed to the geography section first, then, with the last remaining book, the history section.

As I’d placed the last book on the shelf, I heard a throat being cleared behind me. I turned, delighted to discover that it was Jacob. I quickly glanced around to make sure there was no one close before I took his hand and pulled him into the storage closet next to where he was standing.

“Are you all right?” he asked, caressing my face.

I gave him a radiant smile. “Oh, Jacob. I am more than all right. Please kiss me.”

He placed small kisses over my eyes, nose, and cheeks before sealing his mouth to mine in a beautiful kiss.

“I really want to go to Boston with you,” I confessed. “I love you and want to be with you all the time.”

“Your parents wouldn’t let you come away with me, and you know that.”

I grinned. “I’m not planning on telling them. I’m going to sneak away with you.”

“Now, Rose. I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Don’t worry, it will be fine, and probably after a week or two, they’ll forget all about me.” I realized what I’d said was more than likely the truth. It caused me to frown sadly for a moment, but that sadness was chased away when I took in Jacob’s beautiful face.

“I’ll try and pop in again one day soon. I’m on nights for now and won’t be able to meet you, but I had better go before I get you into trouble. This conversation isn’t over.” He kissed me quickly before I could argue with him.

We both slipped out of the closet, and I stood watching Jacob walk away as Mr. Young walked around the corner, heading in my direction.

“Rose, I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been?” he asked, looking back and forth between me and Jacob’s departing form.

“I’ve been placing books back on the shelves like I said.” I walked toward the desk and tried not to laugh at Mr. Young, who was huffing and puffing after me.

* * *

March 28, 1947

Why me . . .

I was walkingalong the cliffs with Richard, who seemed to have developed a nervous twitch. “Richard, is something wrong?”

He took a deep breath. “Rose, I have to ask your father’s permission to marry you.”

I was stunned and stared at him. Not this again. I really thought this had all ended.

“My father has been talking to yours, which has set this whole thing off again.” He paused and held my shocked gaze. “Rose? You know I’m awfully fond of you and I know that you are fond of me. We may grow to love each other.” He offered a wry smile.

I sat down rather heavily on a large rock and looked at him, not knowing what to say. Richard crouched down in front of me, taking my hands into his. I was still in shock and left them there.

“Richard, I can’t marry you. I’m sorry our parents are putting you in this position, but please, don’t ask my father for my hand. My life will be unbearable at home if you do.”

He sighed heavily. “I’ll tell my father something to put him off for a short while, but Rose, you’re actually the only woman I would consider marrying.”

I looked quickly into his eyes. “I don’t know what to say. I thought you were all right with us just being friends?”

“I am, but for my father pushing me, I wouldn’t be here talking to you about this.” He let go of my hands and sat beside me. “Being friends makes the decision easier for me…at least we would have that friendship in our marriage—many don’t even have that. I will have to ask your father eventually, Rose. I have to.”

“I need to go back.” I turned and began walking back to the house rather quickly with tears pouring down my face.

It wasn’t as though I could admit that I was in love with Jacob. My father would hit the roof. What the heck was wrong with Father?

* * *

April 1, 1947

I really miss Jacob . . .

I really missed talkingto Jacob and being with him so imagine my delight when I spotted him walking into the library. I looked around to make sure Mr. Young wasn’t present. Then I followed him to the history section.

He looked really tired. I took one look at him, grasped his hand, and pulled him to a dark corner. I took his weary face into my hands and pulled him down to meet my lips. “I love you.”

“I’ve missed you so much.” He rested his forehead against mine and looked into my eyes. “Oh, Rose, I love you.”

Still holding his face, I used my fingers to brush the hair out of his eyes. He turned his head and kissed my palm.

“I still don’t know when I’m free to meet you, but I’ll let you know as soon as I have a free night.” He ran his hand over his face. “I’m so tired. I need to catch up on some sleep.” He quickly kissed me and with one long, lingering look, he walked out of the library.

* * *

April 4, 1947

Finally, I get to meet Jacob again . . .

I wasup in my room brushing my hair, ready to go and meet Jacob. He’d come into the library last night just before it had closed, and after a rather hot embrace in the store cupboard, he’d asked me to meet him behind the library tonight. My mind was whirring with thoughts of him, thoughts of leaving with Jacob for Boston.

“Rose?” my father shouted from downstairs.

I threw my brush back onto the dressing table and ran out of my room. I hurried down the stairs, wondering what Father wanted. It was very rare for him to call me down as he didn’t really take much interest in me, unless it concerned marrying me off to Richard.

When I walked into the front parlor, Richard was sitting there with an odd smile on his face.

Upon seeing me, he stood and walked over, taking my hand into his. I had a really bad feeling about this. I tried to pull my hand free, but he tightened his hold, so I stamped on his foot.

“Rose,” my father roared, “that is not the behavior of a young lady, especially toward her fiancé.”

I froze. What did he say?

My father saw the shock on my face. “Richard has asked for your hand in marriage, and I have agreed.”

I looked at my mother, who refused to meet my gaze. Richard looked as though he wanted to be elsewhere, and Father looked…relieved.

My tears were ready to fall. “So, you finally found a way to get rid of me.” Anger flared in my eyes and matched the anger in my fathers. “There is no way I am going to marry Richard.” I turned to him. “I’m sorry Richard, but I can’t.” I whirled toward Father. “I will only marry for love and Richard is a friend, and that is all he ever will be.”

I turned and ran out of the house in tears. Richard called out. I ignored him.

With tears running down my face, I ran to the library and hoped Jacob was already waiting for me. I really needed his arms around me.

Jacob saw me coming from around the corner and began walking toward me. I ran straight into his arms and held on tightly as I cried all over him.

“Rose, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”

“Richard asked my father if he could marry me, and Father said yes.” Jacob stilled at my announcement. “I told Father there was no way I was marrying him or anyone that I don’t love. I had to get away, so I ran straight here.”

Jacob placed a tender kiss to my lips, before he asked, “Do you want to go to my apartment?”

I nodded, and by the time we arrived at his apartment my tears had dried up, but I was left feeling angry that my parents had betrayed me. Leading the way inside, Jacob glanced around, nervously.

The apartment was small but nice and clean. The living room had a kitchen attached with a separate eating area. There were two doors off from the hall, which I presumed led to a bathroom and bedroom.

Jacob led me directly to the bathroom to wash my face. Afterwards, I felt ten times better and went looking for him.

I found him in the kitchen, warming some milk. I stood and watched him. He was gorgeous. My heart thumped in my chest. It felt so right being together in his apartment.

He turned and caught me watching him. His whole face lit up. “Are you feeling better?” He walked over and took my face between his palms. He pulled me closer and placed a gentle kiss on my waiting lips.

I wrapped myself around him and held on. After a few minutes, I looked up into his eyes. “Make love to me, Jacob. Show me how much you love me.”

He stared at me for the longest time, then took me by the hand and led me to his bedroom. He stood in front of me, and my heart pounded when he started unbuttoning my dress. Reaching out, I made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt and sighed when I felt the smooth skin of his naked chest beneath my fingers. Groaning, Jacob leaned closer and captured my lips in a hungry kiss, causing goosebumps to erupt all over my skin.

My hands slid up and around his neck, and my fingers ran through the short hairs at the nape of his neck while the kiss sent spirals of ecstasy through me.

Slowly laying me down on the bed, Jacob removed the rest of my clothing before removing his own. As his flesh was revealed my eyes couldn’t get enough of the stunning man. My man.

“Rose,” he groaned as he watched me lick my lips while I stared at a part of him that was really very hard and looked painful.

“What you do to me,” he muttered, chuckling with amusement.

Climbing onto the bed, he pulled me into his arms and started to trace his fingers lightly along my back, and moving down to my bottom, he squeezed, pulling me closer.

I held him against me and my whole body shuddered when I felt his excitement against my thigh.

Reclaiming my lips, he moved on top of me and nudging my legs apart, slipped between them. When he completely filled me, he wrapped me up in his arms so that there wasn’t an inch between us.

I held his gaze and when he whispered, “I love you, Rose. You’re mine, forever and always,” I felt that my heart, well and truly, belonged to Jacob.

He slowly started to rock against me while he placed small kisses all over my face. The pleasure grew more and more intense between us as I gasped for breath and clung to his shoulders. He suckled one of my breasts into his mouth and that was all it took, and I shattered into a million pieces, seconds before I felt Jacob swell and twitch inside of me. Our lovemaking brought tears to my eyes.

He withdrew, keeping me in the circle of his arms while I settled against his chest.

Making love on the beach had been wonderful, but in Jacob’s bed had been beyond that.

He moved slightly away but kept me in the circle of his arms while I settled against his chest.

“Rose?”

I lifted my head and searched his gaze because I sensed he had something important to ask me. “Yes?”

“If I manage to get an apprenticeship in Boston, will you really go with me? And be my wife?”

I burst into tears. “Yes, yes, yes.” I kissed him all over his face in my excitement as my tears continued to flow.

Jacob helped me to mop up, laughing at my enthusiasm.

I laughed. “You only want to go to Boston because of the Boston Braves,” I teased.

“That may be a factor.” He winked.