Page 28 of Hiding Rose
I rubbed my temple. “Dinner again?”
He chuckled. “I was thinking I should feed you, but I was hoping you’d come to my place, let me cook a light meal, and then take a walk on the beach or alternatively, head into town and go to a movie.”
I checked out the brace again while I thought about his question. When I glanced back at him, he was staring at the box on the desk. “I don’t know how well I’d do on the beach tonight with the brace. My leg might be tired.”
His attention returned to my face and he put his hand on my hip. “The brace wasn’t in the picture when I planned out my date request, but you’re right. Another night maybe?”
He turned to go and I called his name. “If you want to cook me dinner at your place I think I can trust you enough to come over for a few hours.” I set my forehead in my hand. “I didn’t mean for it to come out so rudely. I meant I think I can trust myself to trust you.”
He chuckled. “Thanks for clearing it up for me.”
I groaned. “I’m terrible at dating. Do you see how awful I am? I can’t even accept a date request without sounding dumb.”
He knelt in front of me. “Not true, and I was teasing you. I know exactly what you meant. It’s a big step to be alone in my apartment, which means you have to trust I won’t do anything to hurt you or go too far. You already told me the other night you trust me, so now you have to trust yourself in believing it. Now you have to walk the walk.”
I nodded. “You did a much better job of explaining it.”
He rubbed my arm and smiled. “I was thinking I would keep it light with a nice strawberry chicken salad. Sound good?”
“Sounds wonderful,” I said, trying to gather myself again.
He pointed at the box. “I think you should open the box first. I’m not the kind of guy who wants to compete with or steal another guy’s woman.”
I brushed my hand at the box. “I’m not seeing anyone else and I’m no one’s woman.”
He raised a brow and stood, lifting the top off the box. He peered in and frowned. “Dang, this rose is dead,” he said, lifting it out. The flower petals stayed on, but it looked like it had been freeze dried. He handed me the card in an envelope and I tore it open, pulling out the paper inside. I read it aloud.
“Roses are red. My heart is blue. This rose is dead. You will be too.”The paper swam in front of my eyes and it shook as though a volcano had opened on Crater Rim. I heard him calling my name, but didn’t get to respond before the room went black.
