Page 16 of Red Rose Cupcake

He thrusts into me slowly at first, then harder, faster, until we’re both lost in the rhythm, in the heat of the moment. I’m not sure where I end and he begins, and I don’t care. All I know is that this—this—is what I’ve been craving.

Knox kisses me again, long and deep, and I feel it down to my bones, to my very soul. It’s not just sex—it’s something more. And I’m not sure what that means yet, but I know one thing for sure.

I’m not ready to give him up.

Chapter 11

KNOX

The room is still, the only sounds are Rosie’s soft breaths and the faint rhythm of the ocean waves outside. Her body is trembling against mine, her muscles slack from the intensity of what we just shared. I’ve never seen her like this—completely relaxed, her guard down, trusting me with everything. It’s a sight that makes something deep inside me tighten, like I’ve finally cracked open a part of her no one else has ever touched.

I slide my fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her damp forehead. Her skin is warm under my touch, and I press a kiss to her temple, feeling a quiet sense of peace wash over me.

“You good?” I murmur, my voice low.

Rosie nods, her lips curving in a soft smile. “Yeah,” she whispers, her voice husky with exhaustion. “More than good.”

There’s something in the way she says it that makes me feel like this isn’t just about the sex anymore—it’s deeper, and we both know it. I gently pull back, grabbing the soft towel from the bedside. As much as I want to stay tangled up with her, I know she needs a moment to come down from the high.

“You stay here,” I say softly, brushing my thumb over her cheek. “Let me take care of you.”

She doesn’t protest, just watches me as I move off the bed. I grab a towel, wet it with warm water, and return to her side,carefully wiping her down. It’s an intimate gesture, one that feels just as important as everything that came before.

But something’s shifting in the air. I can feel it, like a storm brewing just under the surface.

“You’re dangerous,” Rosie mumbles, her smile sleepy but teasing.

I chuckle, pressing a kiss to her knee. “Dangerous? How?”

“Because you make me feel things I didn’t even know were possible,” she says, and her words hit me square in the chest.

I sit back on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of what she just said. My fingers trail lazy circles on her thigh, but there’s a tension building inside me, a need to tell her how I’m feeling. I can’t hold it in any longer.

“You’re not the only one, Rosie,” I admit, my voice quieter than usual. “This isn’t just physical for me. It’s more than that. I need you to know I’m all in.”

There. I said it. I watch her closely, waiting for her reaction, but instead of softening, her expression changes. Her brow furrows, and the warm glow in her eyes fades.

“You’re all in?” she repeats, her tone sharper than before. “What does that even mean, Knox?”

I frown, taken aback by the sudden shift. “It means this isn’t just some fling for me. I want more.”

Her breath catches, and for a split second, I think she’s about to tell me she feels the same. But instead, she pulls away from me, sitting up on the bed and crossing her arms over her chest like she’s trying to protect herself.

“So, what, this whole time you’ve been planning this?” she says, her voice rising. “You’ve been acting like this is just about exploring fantasies, but all along, you were trying to… to trick me?”

“What?” I blink, not understanding where this is coming from. “Rosie, that’s not what—”

“You said it would be physical!” she snaps, cutting me off. “You said this was just about sex, about helping me explore. And now you’re telling me you want more? When did that change, Knox?”

I sit up straighter, trying to make sense of her words. “Rosie, I didn’t plan this. I didn’t know I’d fall for you, but I’m not going to lie about how I feel. I care about you, and I think you care about me, too.”

Her eyes well up with tears, and I feel my chest tighten at the sight. “No,” she says, shaking her head. “You tricked me. You made me believe this was safe, that it was just physical. But now you’re throwing all these emotions at me, and I can’t… I can’t do this.”

I reach out to her, but she flinches back. “Rosie, please. You’re not thinking straight—”

“Don’t follow me, Knox,” she says, her voice cracking as she swings her legs over the side of the bed and grabs her clothes. “Just… don’t.”

I watch, helpless, as she gets dressed, tears streaming down her face. She won’t even look at me as she pulls her dress back on, her hands shaking.

---