Page 26 of Between Two Thorns

Rose said to break the tension and hear his gravely chuckle.

Del leaned to her, and slid their lips together, just as she was thinking about biting his bottom lip instead—when she felt something else.

Sam’s mouth wasn’t done with her. Hers was occupied, but he slid down over her chin and down her jaw, his beard almost making her giggle against Del’s kisses.

Though, when he found the line down Rose’s neck and started sucking teasingly at her freckles, Rose couldn’t help but shiver.

A groan slipped from her, from the edge of Sam’s teeth against her skin, letting Del deepen the kiss. They were both shifting against her. Overwhelming in the best sort of way. Leaning in, pressing close—

Sam’s hand reached to grab her hip, probably to pin the redhead and keep her still. When he must have pressed up against Del’s erection pressed to her side.

The younger man jerked away from Rose’s kiss so fast his teeth scraped her tongue.

She didn’t even know what had happened at first.

Just that Del clattered as he hit back against the cabinets behind him. “Don’t fuckin’ grab at me…” he hissed.

Rose and Sam both reacted at once, pushing to the side, trying to give him some space, pressing into each other. She leaned up on her elbows as the medic raised up a hand. “I’m sorry, Del, hey I didn’t mean to…”

“What happened?” Rose asked, looking up at him. Wondering if something ha been rough or had hurt the green-eyed guy.

But, looking at Del’s face—she knew he had burst out and snarl, but the look on his face wasn’t pissed and angry.

It was…he looked…scared.

And then, he dropped his head, and Rose saw him overtaken by shame.

“I ain’t—some sort—I’m not.” He muttered, mumbled over himself. Rose had the distinct impression that he wasn’t searching for a word—he knew the word, and he didn’t want to say it.

“Whoa, okay, it’s okay,” Rose urged, putting her hands up against both of their chests, though it didn’t look like there was going to be a fight. Not in this tiny space.

And because Sam didn’t look hurt or upset or even offended…he just looked sad, nervous even that he had upset Del. At least, that was how Rose saw it.

Rose looked between them, and they refused to make eye contact with one another.

The younger man turned around without a word, but with an angry grunt. Rose leaned up on her elbows, looking back and forth between the two. Wondering what the hell happened. How the romantic tension between them had turned sour.

Though, she swore she saw hope lighting in Del’s eyes for a moment, before he seemed to remember himself.

Rose sat in the tension, not knowing what to do with it. She pressed her lips together. Looking up at Sam.

Who swallowed and glanced towards the window.

“Should get some sleep.”

***

“You can sleep.” Rose urged Sam when he turned over.

It could have been an hour, or maybe it was two. It was hard to tell with the desert night.

She knew she had been keeping her eyes open and her ears peeled. Because, dammit, Rose knew it was hard to go to sleep when someone was angry with her.

Not even that Del was angry at her—she wasn’t even sure that Del was angry at Sam.

He seemed more…conflicted. Like he was pissed off at something inside himself. Or…maybe hurt by it.

Sam had turned back towards her, his eyelids drooping, but it was obvious the man was trying to stay vigilant.

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