Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (21 page)

“
Then why did
n’
t you lock the door
?
”

“
Because then you could
n’
t get in
.
” he had to smile at that. He blew out the lamp and then lay down beside her.

“
How do you feel
?
”

“
Stupid
.
” He frowned wondering for a second if she were joking
.“
I am really sorry
.
”

“
Hey
,
” he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer
.“
I
t’
s not your fault and i
t’
s not a big deal
.
”

“
Not this time
,
” she mumbled.

“
I am sorry about the brawl
.
”

“
That was
n’
t your fault
.
” Her voice was soft and emotionless. He sighed.

“
I should have seen it coming
.
”

“
You did
.
”

“
Not soon enough
.
”

“
Yes it was
.
” He sighed he did
n’
t want to go back and forth with her. He looked at her in the dim light. All he could see of her eyes was the shine.

“
You are really beautiful when yo
u’
re angry
.
” He whispered and heard her breath escape in a surprised quick burst. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. He felt her hands slide up along his neck and cup his face.

“
Are you alright? Were you hurt
?
” She whispered and gently ran her thumb over his cut lip.

“
I’
m fine
,
” he chuckled
,“I’
ve been in worse scrapes than that before breakfast
.
” She giggled and kissed him again. 

“
What do you think that was all about? I mean w
e’
ve had some fights before but nothing like that
.
”

“
I do
n’
t know
.
” Matt sighed
.“
It wa
s
… weird
.
”
 
She wiggled closer and laid her head on his chest. He was reminded of how fiercely he had wanted her a short time before. He shifted his hips so that she would
n’
t feel just how much he wanted her. Now was not the time.

“
Are you sure about this
?
” Matt watched Izzy follow Rose into the store room and pretended not to notice. 

“
Yes, I am sure
,
” she said as she walked back out,
“
Nothing happened
.
”

“
But something could have happened and there will be twice as many here tonight
.
”

“
That is precisely the point, there will be twice as many here tonight. It is not a good night to be closed
.
”

“
We should wait until we find out who is behind this
.
”

“
I disagree
.
” The two of them stood there staring at each other and then she turned to him. He pretended to be engrossed in the paper he was reading.

“
Matt
.
”

“
Hmm
?
”

“
Do you think it is safe to be open tonight
?
”

“
I do
n’
t think whoever is behind this will try the same tactic twice in a row. More likely it will be something else
.
” He looked over the top of the paper at both of them but specifically at Izzy
.“
Perhaps a mistake on your last order
.
” Izzy met his eyes.

“
The order almost never changes. It would be hard to pass that off as coincidental
.
”

“
It would be hard to pass off a brawl two nights in a row as coincidental as well
.
”

“
That settles it, we open as usual
.
”

“
Whatever you say dear
.
” Matt said blandly, focusing back on the paper.

“
Tha
t’
s not funny
.
” Izzy muttered.

“
Was
n’
t trying to be funny
.
” Matt folded the paper and watched Rose disappear into the store room. He stood up and looked Izzy in the eye.

“
Do
n’
t worry I double checked the order. I
t’
s a good thing I did too,it seems Mr. McGregor was under the impression that you did
n’
t need to place an order this week. I wonder how he got that impression
.
”

“
I would
n’
t know
.
”

“
Of course you would
n’
t
.
”
 
Matt walked toward the store room and Izzy walked down the hall toward his office.

Rose was right, she was more than right. They had more than twice as many people here tonight. All the regulars plus a few more though thankfully it didn’t look like the trouble makers were back. Still just to be on the safe side he stayed close to Rose. Izzy wasn’t in the saloon he wasn’t sure where he was but all the girls were here. He was certain that Izzy was behind the staged brawl but he couldn’t prove it and he wasn’t going to make the accusation until he could back it up. Now he was starting to feel like he needed to be in two places at once. If he wasn’t feeling so protective of Rose he would be tailing Izzy. He just couldn’t figure out where his efforts were better spent. 

“
Well there certainly was
n’
t a repeat of last night. Just a lot of frisky cowboys
.
” Rose laughed. Matt smiled and turned the lock. She looked at him for a moment and he saw her forehead crease just before she turned away. She took off her wig and looked back at him. He was taking off his boots. He was
n’
t watching her at all. She sat down and began taking off her shoes
.
‘

“
Something on your mind
?
” she asked, not looking at him.

“No.” She clenched her teeth and forced hersel
f not to look. “Yes,” he sighed.  She relaxed slightly and looked over her shoulder at him. “I don’t like unanswered questions.” She felt the tension return immediately. He rubbed the corners of his eyes with his fingertips. “At the moment I have more questions than answers.” Rose didn’t respond, she wondered if any of those questions were for her, if she would be able to answer them if he asked. He stood up abruptly and wrenched his shirt off over his head. “I am this close.” He held up his fingers an inch apart. “It’s like the one missing puzzle piece that keeps you from seeing the picture.” She stood up and pulled her shirt free of her waistband.

“
What pieces do you have
?
” She asked. He sighed and smiled at her.

“
Nothing solid
.
” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“
I’
m sorryyou still do
n’
t know what happened to your friend
,
” she said lightly running her fingertips on his collarbone.

“
Do
n’
t worry
I’
ll figure it out
.
”

“
I’
m sure you will
.
” He bent and kissed her and she put her arms around his neck.
 “
Speaking of frisky cowboys
.
”
 
She laughed and he grinned.

“
Oh you have no idea
.
” She climbed up on the bed and lay down. He blew out the lamp and followed her.She was laying on her back and he stretched out beside her. She did
n’
t say anything she just looked into his eyes.

“
What are you thinking
?
”

“
I was wondering what you are waiting for
.
” She challenged, one of his brows quirked up along with one side of his mouth.

“I am waiting for an invitation.” She lifted her hands and unbuttoned each of the buttons on her shirt. The shirt didn’t fall away but it gapped open.  He trailed his fingertips through the gap from her neck all the way down to her waist. He flattened his hand and laid it on her stomach. He slid it under her shirt around to her side. He heard her breathing accelerate. “You’re going to have t
o tell me where that line is,” he whispered, she nodded.  He bent and kissed her and felt her fingers grip his shoulder. She was nervous. He could feel it. He kissed her deeply then moved from her mouth to her neck he ran his tongue behind her earlobe and pulled it into his mouth. He slid his hand up from her stomach and gently cupped her breast. It filled his hand and the nipple puckered when his palm covered it. He heard her breathing becoming more ragged.  He kissed his way down her neck then continued down the center of her chest all the way to her belly button. Her shirt had fallen open all the way now in the dim light her breasts were creamy white mounds with dark rose tips. He put his mouth over one rose bud and she whimpered clutching his arms.

Rose felt such intense pleasure that it bordered on pain as if his mouth was scalding her and yet she did
n’
t want him to stop. She felt his tongue in her belly button and gasped. He ran his tongue slowly up her body and encircled her nipple with it. She was certain that what he was doing was
n’
t right. There was no way this was how it was normally done. It felt too good. He felt too good.

“
Matt
,
” she whimpered. He kissed his way back up her chest and up and over her chin and kissed her deeply.

“
Yes
?
”

“
What is your price
?
”

“
What
?
”

“
What is the price that I have to meet
?
” He was kissing her neck again and it made it hard to speak.

“
Does it matter
?
”

“
No
,
” she sighed and he laughed. She felt the vibration in her throat

“
I want you
,
” he whispered right in her ear
.“
All of you, tha
t’
s it. Do you want me
?
”

“
Yes
,
” she breathed. He slid his hand under her and pulled her tightly against him
.“
Wait, I have to tell you something
.
”

“
Tell me
.
”

“
I’
ve never done this before
.
”

“
What did you say
?
” He pulled back slightly thinking he must have heard her wrong.

“
I’
ve never done this before
.
” She repeated. It was more effective than a bucket of water would have been. He put one foot on the floor and pushed himself to a standing position.

“
Wha
t’
s the matter
?
” she asked alarmed.