Rose Kirkland recently lost the man she most admired. She isn't ready for her life to change, but she begins to realize that her life is a series of other people's lies and interferences.
Cole Fuller needs a break. And his great-uncle's will has g...
Cole knocked on Rose's door one hour after she left his apartment. She smiled to herself. Apparently, he couldn't wait another minute to see her again.
Rose barely had time to dry her hair, since she stood under the shower spray for longer than usual. Every muscle in her body was sore. A good sore. She rubbed her legs and arms with lotion after the shower, remembering the way Cole loved on her, and envisioned his hands massaging her skin in the same way.
Wow.
She had to take a breath and calm herself. Otherwise, she might be tempted to skip breakfast and work altogether.
"Hey, beautiful," Cole said, greeting her.
My god, he was gorgeous, Rose thought, as if she saw him in a new light. Of course, last night, she saw a whole lot more of him than she had any other man. In the light of day, freshly shaven, hair still damp, a vigorous gleam in his eyes...assuredly, the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on.
"Hey yourself," she said. "Ready?"
He leaned in to her. "Depends on what you have in mind?"
Laughing and blushing, she said, "Breakfast down at the diner. Do you think Mona would like to join us?"
Grabbing hold of her hips, he pulled her flush with his body. "Our first morning together, and you want to invite the neighbors over."
"You haven't had a chance to meet her yet," she argued, spreading her fingers over the rounded muscles of his shoulders...and wondered if he still had that bite mark there...
"I met her," he said, bending his head to nibble on her neck. Rose closed her eyes and arched so that he had better access. He had a really great kiss...no matter where he placed it.
"Did you?" she sighed.
"Mm-hmm," he murmured, trailing his mouth along her collarbone. "Last night, she threatened me with pepper spray, and this morning, she got to see the color of my boxers."
Rose lifted her head. "She did?"
"I did," the girl confirmed, poking her head out of her door. Mona had her perpetual grin on her face. "You two are sooo cute."
Cole exhaled roughly and stepped back, but when he turned to Mona, he smiled politely. "Mona, pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Cole."
"Lord, I hope so," Mona said, "Or else Rose has a lot of explaining to do."
Rose breathed out similarly to Cole. "We were heading down to get some breakfast, Mona. Would you like to join us?"
Mona stepped out, slinging a large tote bag over her shoulder. "I thought you'd never stop making out in the hallway to ask."
Cole waved his hand at the stairs. "After you, ladies."
Mona skipped down before them, giggling about how all the good ones were taken, and Cole took Rose's hand to escort her. He kissed her fingers before exiting the building and said, "Can we finish this later?"
"Absolutely," Rose promised, and they followed Mona down the alley to the back door of Momma Babb's diner.
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