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13.

R OOSTER

I stood there stunned for a few seconds, trying to process everything that Rosie had said so rapidly and then I saw the same look come over her face that I'd witnessed that evening on the back porch. I knew that she was seconds away from leaving, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Wanna come inside and have a beer?"

"Yes, please," she said before she blew out a long breath and gave me a firm nod. "I'd like that."

I reached past her and opened the door before I motioned for her to walk in ahead of me. Once we were inside, I left the front door open for the breeze - my house still smelled musty to me even though I'd been working for days to clean up the mess of the busted water heater.

"Sorry about the mess, but I had a minor catastrophe a few days ago, and my house flooded."

"Oh no! What happened?"

"The bottom fell out of my water heater while I was sleeping, and it ran all night. The water was two-inches deep in some places. I'm still working to make sure everything is dry so I can figure out which boards will need to be replaced."

"That's awful."

"No, what's really horrible is dealing with the insurance company. That's enough to make anyone crazy," I said as I put my hand on the small of her back and nudged her toward the kitchen. "Let's get that beer."

"It's not a good sign that we barely know each other and I'm already driving you to drink."

"I'm not going to have a beer; I'm going to have tea. I wanted you to have a beer in the hopes that it might calm your nerves so you can talk to me instead of . . ."

"Verbal diarrhea?"

I laughed but nodded in agreement because that was the perfect description for what had just happened on the porch. My mind was reeling, and I felt like I didn't know what to say to Rosie. I was afraid that I'd say something wrong that would make her take off again, and I felt like I should tell her that was something I couldn't deal with.

The problem was that I didn't know how to say that without . . . well, without her running again.

"You're uncomfortable," Rosie said sadly. "I'm sorry."

"No more apologies, sweetheart," I said as I pulled a beer from the refrigerator and twisted off the top. I slid it across the counter toward her and then leaned over and rested on my elbows so I could study her face and gauge her reaction while I told her what was on my mind. "I'm not uncomfortable. I'm hesitant because I'm afraid you're going to take off again."

"Do you want to tie me up?"

"Well, I'd like to explore that option someday, but maybe in a different scenario."

Rosie burst out laughing and said, "I'll put that on my to-do list."

"Okay then. let's do this." I stood up straight and looked at the ceiling while I organized my thoughts and heard Rosie take a few gulps of the beer I'd given her. When I felt like I could say what I was thinking in a diplomatic way, I looked back down and caught her gaze. "I'm a direct kind of guy, and I appreciate it when people are direct with me in return. The first night, when I showed up at your cabin, you slammed the door in my face and . . ." When it looked like she was going to interrupt, I put my hand up and said, "Let me finish. You slammed the door in my face because I approached the situation the wrong way. In my defense, I was shocked to see you here after I'd spent so much time daydreaming about our night together."

"I did the same thing," Rosie said quietly. She laughed softly before she added, "A lot."

"Me too. I approached it all wrong that night and just bulldozed my way through that encounter, but when you slammed the door in my face and didn't let me talk, it irritated the shit out of me, so I stomped off to lick my wounds. Then the night when you took off and wouldn't listen to me, it upset me again because I had so many questions. You just completely shut me out."

"I did."

"If we ever want to take whatever we're working toward to the next level, I have to tell you right now that I can't deal with that all the time."

"When I'm upset, my thoughts just race and jumble. The only way to get them in order is to take a few minutes to chill out alone and calm down so I can think straight. That's always been my way when I'm upset. Unfortunately, when I'm angry, the opposite is true. I'm not going anywhere until I've said my peace, but when I'm sad or emotional, I need a few minutes to myself before I can talk."

"That's good to know."

"Would it help if I came up with a signal to let you know I need a minute?"

"That would be nice, but I'd like to think that if you're upset or emotional, I might be able to help you work through it instead of having you locking yourself away from me while you figure shit out on your own."

"This is some really deep shit for two people who barely know each other."

"That's the thing, Curious. I feel like I've known you forever while at the same time I want to spend every waking minute learning everything I've missed up until the night we met."

"I think that's probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"It's the truth. I want to know what your hopes and dreams are so I can help you achieve them or just celebrate with you when you accomplish them by yourself. I want to know what your biggest fears are so I can protect you from them. I want to know what makes you smile so I can do it again and again while I find even more things that make you happy." I let out an embarrassed laugh before I said, "That's also some really heavy shit to say considering we barely know each other."

"Honestly, what you just said makes me want to sit right here. Leaving is the furthest thing from my mind right now."

"If you're not thinking about running, then what are you thinking about?"

"That I'm a horrible liar."

"What did you lie about?"

"Faking it."

I burst out laughing and said, "I knew you were full of shit!"

"I want more than anything to spend the night with you, Rooster."

I shook my head before I said, "No." Before I could explain, Rosie's smile disappeared, and she gave me a sharp nod. I rushed to explain, "I'd love to have you in bed with me, Curious - more than words can ever explain."

"Then why say no?"

"Because my daughter is sleeping upstairs, and even though she knows that I'm into you, I don't want her to wake up and find you here because . . ." My voice trailed off, and I sighed before I admitted, "I don't trust that you won't disappear. I don't want her to come to depend on you and then feel even a fraction of what I did when I found out you were gone."

Rosie smiled as she leaned back to rest against the chair. She studied my face and said, "I hate that you don't trust me, but I completely understand."

"I'm glad."

"And just so you know, the reason you just gave me makes me even more sure that whatever I have to do to get you to trust me will be worth it."

"Even though I can't take you to bed and do all the naughty things I want to do, will you hang out with me for a while so we can actually start to get to know each other?"

"Will there be kissing involved?"

"Most definitely."

"Count me in."

◆◆◆

ROSIE

I tiptoed across the living room, treading carefully so the wood floor wouldn't creak as I gathered my shoes so I could make my escape.

But this time, instead of leaving without a word of explanation, I searched for something to write on.

Rooster,

I had a wonderful night last night and think that getting to know you is going to be one of life's greatest adventures. I can't wait to talk to you again. I would love nothing more than to wake up next to you, but I don't want to risk Kerrigan finding us snuggled up together.

What you said last night was exactly what I needed to hear, and if I were a parent, I would feel the same way. I need to prove myself so you can trust that I'll never hurt not just you, but anyone that you love.

So, just to be clear, I'm not running away. I'm just saying goodbye for now.

Hopefully, your favorite track star,

Curious

I smiled as I propped the note against the coffee machine and then walked over to let myself out. I took one last good look at him, peacefully sleeping on the couch with one arm thrown over his face and the other resting on his firm abdomen, and knew it was an image I'd remember forever. Just to make sure that was true, I lifted my phone and snapped a picture.

I made sure the picture wasn't blurry and smiled when I saw how the faint hint of dawn coming through the window above the couch highlighted his handsome face.

Everything had changed between us last night but in a good way. After just a few hours of talking to him, I realized that my fears were completely unwarranted. The man I had daydreamed about had turned into reality, and no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't find a single reason I might need to take off.

It was amazing and wonderful and not at all scary.

Now I just needed to make sure he understood that I was all in and had absolutely no thoughts of running away.

◆◆◆

"Why are you breathing so loud?" Flora hissed at her sister as she shot her an icy glare.

"Why are you breathing at all?" Fauna retorted. The men at the table behind us laughed, and the sisters slowly turned their heads and glared at them until all but one looked away. "What are you looking at, Jethro?"

The man licked his lips and stared at Fauna's chest for a few seconds before he gave her a lascivious smile and said, "Breakfast."

"Piss off, Hannibal," Flora said before she rolled her eyes and turned back toward the table. "What is with those guys?"

"They must be new guests. I've spent hours in here every day since I checked in, and I've never seen them."

Fauna was still staring at the man in disgust, and he seemed to enjoy it for some reason. A smart person, man or woman, would give someone with that glower a wide berth, but apparently, he didn't fit in that category.

Finally, Fauna turned back to face me and said, "His presence on this planet makes me understand why some people suddenly snap and start killing people."

"Ain't that the truth?" Flora agreed before she took a sip of her tea. "We have to buy at least a pound of this stuff. It's magical."

"I know!" Fauna said before she took a sip of her own. "We need to get plenty to share. Mom will love it, too, I'm sure."

"How is Katrine?" I asked.

Fauna smiled before she said, "She's loving life. Dad has mostly retired, but Mom wouldn't know what to do with herself if she had too much time on her hands. She's expanded her greenhouse twice in the last few years and is growing commercially for a few florists."

"Does she still come into the store?"

"Not really." Fauna said as she shook her head. "She turned it over to me a few years ago and gradually just stopped coming in at all."

"Hunter is running both bars now, and Dad pops in occasionally just because he can. I think he misses the action of it all, but mostly, he just leaves it to Hunter. Branch is the assistant manager at River Styx, and Killian is the assistant at Charon," Flora explained.

Flora and Fauna were part of a huge family that was an extension of the friends I'd grown up with in Rojo. Their uncle was one of the Texas Kings, so they had grown up visiting Rojo often which helped us develop a lasting friendship. The sisters were so much alike that it was almost eerie, and they seemed to argue almost constantly.

Their family was massive, and they had too many cousins to name. Somehow, they kept track of them, which was beyond me even though I had my favorites.

"Killian is such a sweet kid. I've always liked him."

"He's so much like his dads that you can't help but love him. His personality is a perfect mixture of Loki and Derek," Fauna said with a smile.

"I assume the dispensary is running smoothly."

Flora laughed before she said, "I've got no complaints. That's why we're here, actually. Micah's been working on a new strain. He wants to branch out and sell to some other companies, but he's not exactly a salesman, so he appointed us to be his emissaries."

"That was a good choice. The two of you could sell ice to an eskimo," I said with a chuckle.

"We're leaving, ladies," the creepy guy who the girls had interacted with a few minutes ago said as he walked up to our table.

"Don't take too long," Fauna said sarcastically.

"The women in this place are just bitches," one of the other men grumbled as he walked past.

"Is that so?" Flora asked.

"That one at the front desk can't even smile, and then there're you two, playing hard to get," Creepy Guy's equally abhorrent friend said with a leer. "I guess the coffee girl is gonna have to be my pick. I bet she's a lot sweeter when she talks to a man."

I wanted to jump to Madison's defense, but I'd dealt with enough men like this to know better than to interact with them. It would just draw more of their attention and make him set his mind on having what he was told he couldn't.

Creepy Guy wasn't finished yet, though, and said, "I bet I know how I can make all of you smile."

"By dying a painful death?" Flora asked.

"You can go ahead and get started, especially if you insist on insulting women who haven't done anything but show that they have some standards."

"Fuck you," Creepy Guy said angrily.

"Not a single chance in hell," Flora said with a fake smile.

As Flora waved at the man, Fauna flipped him off and said, "You're using too many fingers. He can't count that high."

"Bitch."

"I may be a bitch, but I think the biggest problem you have with me is that I'm not willing to be your bitch."

Flora burst out laughing and said, "That should be on a T-shirt."

Completely ignoring the man who was still glaring at her, Fauna picked up her phone and said, "I'm going to write that down. I'm sure we can use it somewhere."

"Good call." Flora looked up at the man and raised her eyebrows before she said, "Your girlfriends are probably waiting for you in the parking lot."

"I'll be back, and I can't wait to see you again."

"Only in your dreams, Hannibal. Only in your dreams."

The man's hand shot out, and I reared back in my chair, but Flora and Fauna stayed completely still. Even when he flipped my coffee cup over and the hot liquid spread across the table toward them, neither woman moved an inch. They just stared at him with a bored expression until he walked away.

The second he walked out the door to join his friends, Madison rushed over with a damp towel and started cleaning up the mess as she said, "I don't like those guys."

"When did they check in?"

Madison shrugged and then looked toward the door with a worried expression. "I don't know."

"You should tell Dianna that they make you uncomfortable. I have a feeling her interaction with them was probably almost as memorable."

"Mad's right," I agreed. "I'm sure Rooster and Clark would be happy to make sure those men go away and never come back."

"I'll help," Flora and Fauna offered at the same time.

Madison winced and asked, "Do they do that all the time?"

"It's a thing. Creeps me out too."

Madison looked at my friends. "If I invite you to the salon with me, will you promise to never do that again?"

"No," they said in unison.

"Stop it!" Madison wailed as she started walking away.

"Okay!" both women said cheerfully.

When Madison turned around and pointed at them angrily, I couldn't help but laugh. "Get used to it, Mads. They're just weird."

"Be nice to me, or I'll give that scary guy your phone number and won't send any tea home with you," Madison warned before she flounced off.

"I'm not sure which of those scenarios is more terrifying," Fauna said before she took another sip. "I love this place, that girl, and this tea. I want to live here."

"I think I do too."

"What?" they asked in unison.

"What prompted that about-face?" Fauna asked.

"After the two of you passed out last night, I went over to Rooster's house, and we talked." Flora raised an eyebrow in question and I added, "With our clothes on."

Fauna frowned and said, "Well, that's no fun."

"It was very enlightening."

"I guess that's a good thing. There is something to be said for working out your problems in bed, but dealing with them head-on is probably a much healthier, sustainable way to go."

"That was the most grown-up thing I've ever heard you say," I told Flora.

"Don't expect any more zingers like that because it gave me a headache," Flora complained.

I couldn't stop myself from pointing out, "The headache is probably from the hangover."

"Just in case it's not, I'll make sure to avoid that much self-reflection in the future."

"I'm sure you will," I agreed with a laugh.

For all of their bluster, Flora and Fauna were very intelligent, self-aware women. They'd been raised by a loving and strong mother in Katrine and surrounded by other strong women that taught them to stick up for their ideals and stand their ground with the backing of the men in their family who would go to war for them in a heartbeat.

I had been raised the same way, but occasionally, I faltered like I had a few days ago when I'd skirted my emotions instead of facing them. However, I had made a pact with myself and Rooster that I wouldn't do that again. If I had the urge to run, I'd talk to him about it and then he'd give me some space to think before we broached the subject again.

"I'm going to start dating Rooster."

"Good for you!" Flora said.

"How is that going to work?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Just while you're here, or are you going to try to make it work long-distance?"

"I'm keeping my options open and taking things slow."

"How slow? It's not like y'all need to wait and make your first time together special," Fauna said with a grin.

"Oh, I didn't say anything about waiting," I assured them. "As a matter of fact, I hope to reacquaint myself with naked Rooster as soon as possible."

"We won't wait up for you, then."

"He's got to close the bar, so I doubt anything will happen tonight."

"Do you have a curfew we don't know about?" Fauna asked.

"Well, no . . ."

"Then I say we get all dolled up and go have a drink tonight. It's been a while since we let loose and got wild."

"You were just complaining about your current hangover, and now you're planning for another one," I said with a laugh. "Girl, you just don't learn."

"I said go have a drink, but I didn't specify what kind. Believe me, I'm going to stick to water for the foreseeable future. If I drink anything else, my liver is going to jump out and slap me."

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