Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The back door slammed shut, and Rebecca skipped over to peek around the corner. Then she squealed and ran back to Rose. "Oh, my god! Rose! He's gorgeous!" She grabbed Rose's shoulders, shaking her as she jumped up and down.

A heavy picture frame fell and pinched Rose's fingers. "Ow," she said, sticking her finger in her mouth. First her little toe, now her pinky. If today continued like this...

"Charlie said he was a cutie, but...wow!" Rebecca grinned, squealed again, and gave Rose a squeezing hug. "Makes me wish I was still single!"

"When did Charlotte see him?" Rose asked.

"She saw him and you last week, walking around town," Rebecca exclaimed. "He's absolutely delicious, Rose!"

"She didn't tell me that," Rose said, not wanting to talk about Cole Fuller, since she spent the remainder of her night dreaming of him. She woke up in a sweat, her heart pounding, and a fading idea of what that dream entailed...her on the piano, keys banging, her favorite skirt hiked up around her hips...and Mr. Fuller leaning over her...

She should have dreamt about losing Jeepers, or gaining a litter of kittens, or nothing at all, since she'd been so exhausted, but no... She had to have intimate, erotic, desperate, graphic dreams about Mr. Fuller. It had been challenging enough to distance her mind this morning when she saw him, but she had to see him! Dressed again in casual slacks and a shoulder-hugging button down shirt that made his brown eyes warmer... And oh heavens, he smelled phonomenal! Cologne, or deodorant? After-shave? Or just him?

Rose closed her eyes and took a very deep breath. "Now, if these don't appeal to you, I have a few others over here..." she began, focusing on Rebecca.

It was all his fault, she told herself. He kissed her...then he'd been kind and compassionate and strong at the clinic, whereas she'd been nearly out of her mind. If he hadn't kissed her last night, she wouldn't have these thoughts about him. Inappropriate thoughts. Vividly, disturbing, dreamy thoughts.

The really disturbing part of it all had been the fact that Rose only had one experience with sex, and though pleasant at the time, she walked away from that night feeling awkward and guilty. So having such a detailed, sensual dream with any man...

...His palms smoothing up her thighs...his mouth on her...the C3 key resounding with every shift of her bottom...

Then, there he was, this morning, helping her out again by opening the store and insisting that she go back and finish her morning rituals. Looking refreshed and very handsome and smiling at her in that way...

The shower had been cooler than she preferred, but it helped her get her mind straight. If only her mindset would last longer than ten minutes.

"Nevermind that," Rebecca said in response to Rose's talk of paintings. "Tell me about 'Mr. Fuller.' Is he single, divorced, seeing someone? Have you slept with him? No, of course you haven't—"

Rose arched an eyebrow.

"What does he do for a living? How long is he here for? How about kissing? Have you kissed him?"

Rose held up a hand. "You're not here for the Ducreux print, are you?"

Rebecca's phone rang. "Oh, that's Charlie," she sang, answering the call. "Charlie, darling! You were so right! I know! What? Oh, Charlie, sweetie, you know I didn't mean that! Of course, your wallpaper isn't hideous..." She rolled her eyes at Rose and mouthed, Yes, it is. "He just left...brown eyes, Charlie, beautiful brown eyes..." Now she grinned and winked at Rose. "Could not keep his eyes off her, stared at her the whole time...you know that look, the one that goes up and down and up again...yeah, he likes her...I think she likes him, too..."