Page 14 of Hiding Rose
Chapter Four
I had no sooner emailed Ellie back and relaxed into my pillows with my book, when there was a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock and saw it was a little after nine, which seemed unusual.
“Hang on,” I called, as I swung my legs over the pillows carefully and grabbed my crutches. I hobbled to the door and peeked out, resting my forehead on the wood when I saw who it was.
“I know you’re in there, Rose,” he said through the door. “Open up, I brought a surprise.”
I sighed and unlocked the door, throwing it open wide to face him. “Hi, Sawyer. It’s late,” I said as way of greeting.
“I know it’s late, but I brought,” he whipped his arm out from behind his back, “champagne! We need to celebrate.”
He bent down and picked up a box from the floor then strode past me as if he’d been invited. I closed the door and reset the alarm, though I figured it useless considering I just let the most dangerous guy in the hotel into my apartment. Dangerous to my heart, at least. He was on a mission to make me like him. It was too late; I liked him, but I couldn’t take it any further than like.
He was at the kitchen counter taking things out of the box and arranging them on the table. “I brought leftover fish tacos,” he said and I made a gagging sound. He put his hand on his hip. “Whatever Miss Mahi-Mahi. I want you to try them at least. If they’re a no go, I brought chicken tacos, too.”
I had to admit the food smelled good. “I already ate with Kate and Gideon, remember?”
He nodded as he set two wine glasses on the table. “I remember, but you need a snack before bed, and it’s wise to eat when you’re drinking.”
Without thinking I set my hand on his shoulder. “It’s really sweet of you to bring all of this, but I shouldn’t mix alcohol with my medication, Sawyer.”
He paused and looked at my hand on his shoulder, which I immediately dropped to my side. “You were drinking wine at the bar,” he pointed out.
I rubbed my temple. “I was, but I needed some liquid courage before I talked to Gideon.”
He held up the small bottle. “Then one small glass of champagne to celebrate your new job won’t hurt either. It’s also why I brought food. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, Rose.”
I leaned heavily on my crutches and held his gaze. “Why do you call me Rose instead of Rosie like everyone else?” I asked.
He set the bottle down and approached me, holding my shoulders as he gazed into my eyes. “For that very reason. Everyone calls you Rosie, but when I see you walking toward me, you’re as beautiful as a rose. One day, I’d like to see you blossom and share your beauty with the world. Right now, you’re closed up like a rosebud. You’re not ready to show everyone who you are and what you can do. I want to be the one to give you the confidence to be yourself and take control of your life again.”
I struggled to find words and make my lips form them. “You—you think I’m beautiful?” I whisper-asked, my knees weaker than usual.
His hands moved to my face and he grasped my cheeks, his warmth soothing me as I gazed into his entrancing blue eyes. “Oh, sweetheart, you caught my eye the first time I saw you and I can’t get you out of my head,” he whispered.
His lips lowered to mine and he rested them there. He gauged my reaction, and when I didn’t push him away he angled his head, digging in deeper for a kiss that convinced my lips to fall open. I waited for him to take advantage, but he didn’t. Instead, he ended the kiss, lifted his lips to my forehead and kissed me there, leaving them to rest against my flushed skin.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first day I met you. I’m sorry if I was out of line, but I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed your lips on mine.”
I was finally able to pull air into my lungs before I spoke. “You didn’t like kissing me or you would have gone for more,” I pointed out.
He moaned softly and lowered his head to make eye contact. “Just the opposite is true. I enjoyed kissing you so much I forced myself not to take it any further. It’s not my intention to scare you or push you too far, too fast. I can tell you’ve been hurt, both physically and emotionally. Maybe I don’t know how or by who, but I want to be the man to heal you, slowly. I’m a patient man. I’ve waited to have all your attention for the last six months. I can afford to take things slowly now that I have it. I do have it, right?”
As much as I hated to admit it, he did. I nodded slowly, his hands still holding my face. “I’m not happy my heart isn’t listening to my brain, but it’s not. My brain isn’t ready to be involved with someone again, but I can’t seem to resist you.”
He smiled and caressed my cheek with his thumb. “The way I see it, you’re ready to be involved with someone who won’t hurt you, scare you, or ask more of you than you can give, right?”
I nodded and shrugged at the same time. “It’s a big order to fill. I’m better off alone right now, Sawyer. My leg is bad. Like wheelchair bad. I’m not dragging anyone else down in my own rendition of the Titanic.”
He grasped my face tighter and held me nose-to-nose. “Stop. Right now, stop pretending you can do this alone. You can’t do this alone. Everyone in this hotel would do anything to help you, but you have to start trusting people. Personally, I don’t care if your leg is bad. I don’t care if you use crutches or a wheelchair. Your leg is the least important part about you. Is it inconvenient for you? Yes. Is it painful for you? After last night, I know the answer is yes. Is it scary? I can’t even imagine how scared you must be all the time. Give us, give me, a chance to help you walk this rocky path you’re on until you get to level ground. Okay? That’s all I’m asking for. A chance to prove I’m not like the guy who hurt you.”
I snapped my head up and almost broke his nose. I rubbed my temple as my breathing picked up and I fell to a sitting position on the bed. “How do you know a guy hurt me?” I asked, my voice shaking. “Did you talk to Kate?”
He took my crutches and laid them aside. “I didn’t talk to Kate, but I don’t need it spelled out for me, Rose. There’s a look of fear in your eyes every time I get within a foot of you. It’s like a punch to the gut because I wouldn’t hurt you, but you can’t trust me not to. It’s obvious another man did this to you. It’s all I can do not to find him, and kill him. I want you to know I would never hurt you, Rose. I pray every night there will come a time when I gaze into your eyes and there’s no fear there. You need someone to lean on when you’re going through this. I know you have Kate and Gideon, but I hope, no I pray, I fit in the picture somewhere. Even if all I get to do is bring you healthy, life giving food to strengthen your body, then I’ll be happy with my role, as long as you’re feeling better.” He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Can you accept those conditions?”
I raised my head from where I stared at the floor to meet his eyes. “You’re right, I am scared. Petrified, actually. The last man I trusted almost took my life. I know you’re not like him. I know how much Kate and Gideon trust you, but I’m still scared.”
He smiled and rubbed my shoulder. “It’s not me; it’s you, right?” I shrugged in answer because I wasn’t trying to be secretive, but I couldn’t tell him everything. “I didn’t mean it in a negative way. I mean I understand you’re scared of everything right now, not just me.”
