The kiss starts frantic, then deepens. I moan into his mouth, and he pulls me closer. His hands are firm, steady, and warm against my back.
“Rosalie,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.
“Take me,” I whisper, breathless.
He lifts me effortlessly, and I wrap my legs around his waist. We’re kissing again by the time we reach the landing. Inside my room, the tension builds. We shed our wet clothes in a rush, laughter mixing with desire.
“This first time,” he says, voice husky, “is going to be fast and intense. I’ve imagined you like this more times than I should admit.”
I crawl onto the bed, slow and deliberate. He groans. I love that I have this effect on him.
We come together like we’ve been waiting years for this moment. It’s raw, electric, and full of need. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered word feels like a promise.
Afterward, I lie there catching my breath, heart pounding, skin flushed.
I glance over at Chase, who’s watching me with something unreadable in his eyes.
I hope this isn’t a onetime thing.
Because this man?
He’s more than I ever expected.
Chapter Seventeen
Chase
ThewayRosalielooksat me lazy smile, flushed cheeks, her fingers tangled in my hair I could fall asleep like this and not hate it. We’re a sticky, sweaty mess, tangled in sheets and silence.
“We should clean up,” I say, kissing her shoulder.
She giggles. “You might need to carry me. I don’t think my legs work anymore.”
I groan as she shifts beneath me. “Please don’t laugh right now,” I mutter, pulling away gently. I steady myself and hold out a hand. She takes it, smiling up at me.
Her lips are red and swollen. Her skin is marked from my beard. She licks her lips, and I ask, “What are you thinking about right now?”
She leads me into the bathroom. “Wondering what your beard would feel like between my legs.”
I laugh, running my hands down her back. “You want me more than once?”
“I’ll take you however you want me,” she says, turning in my arms. “If it’s just sex, fine. We keep it away from the kids. If you want to date, we date. I’m not asking you to be a dad. As much as I want that for them, I’ll take your friendship with perks.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know if I can be the partner you need. My childhood was rough. But I’d like to be friends, get to know you and the kids, and see where it goes. I’m not ruling anything outI just can’t make promises.”
I feel myself shutting down. I hate talking about my past, especially with someone I’m starting to care about.
We shower together, laughing and kissing as we soap up. I make her laugh. I make her moan. And for a moment, it feels like something real.
Wrapped in a towel, I head downstairs to toss my clothes in the dryerand walk straight into a wall of heat and awkwardness.
“Hi, Hails. Winnie,” I say, trying to act normal.
“Chase, why are you in just a towel?” Ellen asks. I hadn’t seen her standing there.
“There was a situation with spaghetti sauce and the sprayer,” I say. “I need to get these clothes into the dryer.”
I turn toward the laundry room. Ellen tells the girls to head upstairs and follows me.
