Sweet Rose: Baytown Boys

by Maryann Jordan

  Watching her carefully, he held his breath.

  A beautiful smile curved her lips, and she used her fingers in his hair to draw him upward over her body. He slid up the next several steps until he was directly over her but did not want to lay on her, aware that the stairs would press into her back.

  He kissed her lightly, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth so that she would be able to taste herself on him. She moaned, and he took the kiss deeper before pulling back and planting a soft kiss on the edge of her mouth.

  “You gotta tell me what you want, Rose,” he muttered against her lips. “We can stop right now—”

  “No,” she said quickly, leaning her head up to deepen the kiss. Her chest heaved with each breath and he felt her breasts press against him.

  Pushing away from the steps with his hands, he held his upper body away from her, ending the kiss. “Then you need to say it. You need to tell me what you want,” he demanded. His cock ached with need and his face twisted in pain. “I want to do the right thing here.”

  Her dark eyes held his, and he watched as her pink tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip. “I want this. I need this. And I want it to be with you. Just for now. Just you.”

  Nodding, a slow smile spread across his lips. She was not asking for a forever with him or for promises, which was good. He had too much on his plate, too much that needed to be established to be ready for a relationship. But he liked her, and if she was good with casual when they needed it, he was good with that, too.

  He continued to push off her body, then bent and scooped her up into his arms, taking the stairs two at the time. Once inside the apartment, he kicked the door closed with his boot and pressed her back against the door, their lips never leaving each other. The kiss was demanding and unyielding as his tongue invaded her mouth, tangling with hers, dueling for dominance. His body pressed in, touching every inch of her front, and he lifted his knee between her thighs, allowing his hands the freedom to roam.

  He skimmed her hips, the curve of her waist, the fullness of her breasts. She moaned, and he captured it in his mouth, swallowing her sound.

  Turning again, he headed to the bed but slowly lowered her feet to the floor so that he could slide her dress off first. He had not noticed how it fastened, but her fingers quickly flew to the side zipper and within a moment, the dress pooled in the middle of his floor around her ankles. She reached out and grabbed onto his arms, giving her balance as she slipped off her sandals.

  His gaze dropped to her firm breasts encased in a strapless bra and her white satin panties. Her strawberry-blonde hair hung to her shoulders, thick and wavy, and her light brown eyes stared up at him, and he sensed trust in them.

  With a hand to his back, he clutched his T-shirt and pulled it over his head, watching as her gaze moved slowly over his torso. His body was ripped from hard work, not in the gym but from life. He had seen other women gaze at him with lust, but her appreciation made his pride swell. Almost as much as the aching cock in his pants.

  As though knowing his pain, she reached to his zipper and lowered it, exposing the head that was peeking up from his boxers. She hesitated, and he quickly took over, shucking off his boots, socks, pants, and boxers so that he was now standing naked in front of her, after grabbing a condom from his wallet.

  Stepping closer, his hands moved to the back of her bra and he unsnapped it deftly before sliding her panties down her legs.

  Now, both naked, he was the one who hesitated, giving her another chance to back out if she wanted. Holding his breath, he let it out slowly as she stepped forward, her lips curving upward, pressing her front to his. He gently laid her back on the bed and crawled over her body, immediately moving to her breasts. Sucking one nipple deeply into his mouth, he moved from one to the other, eliciting moans and giggles from her.

  She spread her legs, and after rolling on the condom, he settled the tip of his cock at her entrance gently. She reached down and grabbed his hips, then thrust hers upward so that he slid in deeper. “I want you. Now,” she begged.

  He finished plunging his straining cock deep inside her with another thrust, groaning at the sensation of her hot core squeezing around him. As his thrusts became more forceful, her hips moved upward to meet his, and they fell into a synchronized motion, the intensity building quickly.

  Her hands ran from his shoulders to his ass and back again, then, just as she came, her fingernails dug into his upper back as she threw her head to the side and groaned out her orgasm. He followed soon after, his neck tightened with his muscles corded in strain, pumping out his release, feeling her inner muscles clenching against him.

  He fell to the side, keeping his arms and legs wrapped around her, which was unusual for his typical tryst. Usually, sex was one and done, both soon dressing, and as he left their room, he would receive a wave and a ‘thanks for a good time’ called out.

  But something moved inside of him, demanding more…more time, more closeness. Holding her in his arms, he longed for something more than one night. He stared down at her face, her eyes closed, and his heart squeezed with concern. Shadows underneath her eyes that he knew came from worry and lack of sleep. He understood the difficulties of getting a business up and running and knew that her worries were more than just having to find a building for her store.

  She had always appeared confident and capable whenever he had seen her, and the way she had stormed at him earlier downstairs gave evidence to someone normally in control who was now reacting emotionally. But with her lying in his arms, the desire to care and protect moved through him in a way he had not felt in a long time.

  She curled into him tighter, burrowing as though seeking his warmth. His bed was small, but he reached down and grabbed the covers, tucking them around her closely. Her steady breathing gave evidence to her sleep, and as he drifted off, he thought of how he could help her with her business. I’ll talk to the realty agent that I dealt with instead of the one that’s been showing her around. Since I’ve got to get the garage up and running first, I wonder if I could use part of this apartment for my tattoo business on weekends, and let her temporarily have the store downstairs?

  His mind full of ideas on how to help Rose kept him awake for hours until he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

  Rose woke with a large, warm body wrapped around her and the feel of his thick long hair against her cheek. She blinked for a second, waiting for the sense of panic or incredulity to hit her, but it did not come. She remembered the events of the evening clearly…coming into Jason’s shop, imagining it as her ice cream parlor, and then irrational anger when he walked into the room.

  A swirl of emotions had hit her, not the least of which was the lust she felt in his presence. But if she was truthful, it was more than lust. Everyone talked about what a good guy he was, and she had no evidence to the contrary other than he simply had something she wanted. She should be ashamed, but emotions were not always rational or easy to explain. And what happened next, her kissing him, was something she had longed to do.

  She shifted slightly and glanced down at him, glad that he did not move as he slept soundly. She wondered if she would see something that would make him less appealing, but no. His face was just as handsome. His hair was just as thick and long. And now that they had had sex, she knew that he was memorable in bed as well.

  If he only knew how unusual last night was for her…she had never had a one-night stand before. Certainly, a few boyfriends and lovers along the way, but nothing like last night.

  A sliver of regret moved through her as she realized how much was unresolved. She still needed to find a place for her shop that she could afford and would be a good business move. She was going to have to continue to stay in the attic room of Tori’s Sea Glass Inn until she could afford something on her own and still felt badly that Tori was barely charging her any rent at all, giving the excuse that the room was there and needed someone in it.

  Looking down at Jason’s face, she also realized tha
t because they entered into last night as a one-night-only deal, she had no idea if it could become anything more. And if not, since she had never had a one-night stand, she wondered how to avoid embarrassment whenever she saw him.

  Sighing, she realized that while the sex had been amazing and with someone she was very interested in, it was probably not her best decision. Giving her head a quick shake, she refuted that thought. It’s high time I started living my life, not always waiting for all my plans to fall into place.

  On that thought, she slipped from the bed and made her way into the bathroom. After using the facilities, she heard a slight beep from her phone. Bending, she pulled it from her purse and stared dumbly at the message. Shock moved through her, and her breath caught in her lungs.

  Dressing quickly, she looked down at Jason’s sleeping form once more, indecision moving through her. She thought of waking him up and letting him know what she was doing, but her hand hesitated just as it was reaching toward his shoulder.

  Reaching back in her bag, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. Scribbling a quick note, she laid it on the table next to the bed. Having no time to waste, she hurried down the steps and slipped on her shoes when she got to the bottom. Racing outside, she shot a glance at the shop space that a few hours earlier she had been wishing were hers and ran out into the night, having no idea if she would ever be back.

  A few days later, Jason was opening boxes of tools in his garage, hanging them on the wall and storing them in tool chests along the back. His mood was foul, and that made him even more frustrated. All because of a one-night stand that should have been perfect but was ruined when he allowed feelings to seep in.

  “Hi!”

  He looked up at the soft greeting and smiled as Belle walked nearby. “Hey, yourself,” he called out.

  She glanced around and said, “It’s starting to look like a garage in here again. I know everybody will be happy when it opens.”

  He wiped off his hands and walked closer, saying, “I also just got the go-ahead to open my tattoo shop right next door.”

  Eyes wide, she asked, “The Town Council agreed?”

  “Seems that the town is so glad to finally have a reputable garage here that not only repairs cars but also tows, they’re ready to bring in more business. And I plan on including motorcycle repairs and hiring more mechanics as we go along.”

  He hesitated, knowing that she and Rose were friends, and added, “I feel kinda bad since Rose wanted to get the storefront for her ice cream business.”

  Nodding, Belle replied, “I know she was disappointed, but it’s probably worked out for the best.”

  Brows lowered, he tilted his head to the side. “How do you figure that?”

  “She had to go back to Maryland and put a halt to her plans. I don’t know the details, but she got a call from her mom that something happened in the middle of the night. She had to leave town immediately, and she’ll have to stay there for a while.”

  Shocked, he realized she must have found out the night they were together. Her cryptic note of ‘Sorry I have to go. Thank you,’ scribbled on a cash register receipt hardly gave him any information other than he assumed she just wanted to get away from him before he awoke.

  “Don’t worry,” Belle added. “She’ll find another place if she’s able to come back. But for your business, I’m really happy for you.” With a wave, Belle headed on down the street toward Jillian’s Coffee Shop.

  Still standing in the middle of his garage, Jason sighed heavily, his fists on his hips as he dropped his chin and stared at his boots. He felt marginally better that she had not left because of him but now worried that all of her plans were not going to be realized. And while his life was finally coming together in the ways that he wanted with his two businesses, his heart hurt for Rose, who, it seemed, was once more having to put things on hold.

  He thought about trying to find out her address from Katelyn, just to check on her. Scrubbing his hand over his face, he realized that Rose knew where he was and if she wanted to be in contact, she could easily get hold of him. Some things just aren’t meant to be. Whether he was thinking of Rose’s shop or what he hoped for the two of them, he did not know. Probably both.

  With a heavy sigh, he turned back to his tools.

  4

  Three Years Later

  Rumbling down the road, Jason maneuvered the large tow truck with ease. Glancing to the side at the young mother checking on her son belted in the middle, he recognized the nervous biting of her lip. With long hair, scruffy beard, and full arm tats, he knew he presented a sight that might make a young woman pause. Trying to ease her mind, he said, “We’ll be to the shop in just a moment, ma’am. You gave your husband the address, right?”

  She nodded and attempted a smile that fell short. “He has to leave work to come to pick us up, so I just hate…uh…”

  When Jason moved to the Eastern Shore of Virginia several years earlier, he was excited to have a chance to start over and build his automotive business. One of the things he had not checked on until he moved there was that North Heron County was considered one of the poorest counties in Virginia. He had learned to run a successful business while keeping an eye on his customers and often cutting someone a break on the price when needed.

  The towing part of his business got a lot of calls from vacationers traveling up and down the Eastern Shore, but also ones from local people who found themselves stuck with a nonworking vehicle. He recognized the woman’s distress and said, “Don’t worry about the cost of towing, ma’am. Since we’ll be working on getting your car up and running, the towing is just part of our service.”

  She jerked her head around and looked at him, eyes wide, hope pouring off of her. “Really? Oh, my God, that’s wonderful. Thank you. We knew my car needed some work and had budgeted to get it fixed. We just hoped it would last until the end of the month.”

  “When your husband gets there, we can all sit down and figure out how we can make this work. I want you to have a reliable vehicle, but I don’t want you to spend your grocery money trying to figure out how to make that happen.”

  Her relief was palpable, and she looked down at her son and smiled. “What you think of this big truck, Tommy?”

  “I want to have a truck this big when I grow up!”

  Jason laughed at the boy’s enthusiasm, remembering he felt the same way when he was Tommy’s age. Turning into the court of his shop, he parked and assisted the woman and her son down. He ushered them into the waiting area near his office, then went back out to give instructions to one of his mechanics.

  Once he had the mechanic shop up and running, it did not take long for his business to turn a profit. Baytown and the surrounding area had been without a mechanic’s shop since the past owner had died, and no one else had come into town to take over the business.

  Glancing into the bays, he observed one mechanic working on state inspections, another working on a pickup truck, and the third bay now had the woman’s car. In the corner was the motorcycle that he had been working on, glad that the owner was not in a hurry. Shaking his head as he walked in and began working on one of the state inspections, he wondered if his business would outgrow the space he had.

  After his mechanics had left and the customers had come to pay and pick up their automobiles, he was shutting down for the night. Looking up, he watched as Callan walked down the street toward him. Of all the original Baytown Boys, Callan was the only one who was still in the service, currently in the small Coast Guard station there. But his tour was almost up, and Callan had decided that he wanted to stay in his hometown, especially now that he had hooked up with his former high school sweetheart. Joining the Virginia Marine Police was Callan’s next career move.

  “Hell, man. Been a while since you’ve come around the shop.” Jason nodded toward an empty chair in the office, and Callan took him up on the silent invitation to sit. “What’s up?”

  The two men began to chat, and the conversation rol
led around to Jason’s business. “There are always vehicles here, so I know your garage is doing great. How’s your tattoo business going?” Callan asked.

  “Not too bad. It’s busier in the warmer months when more tourists come through. But considering it’s the only tattoo shop in the county, I get a decent business. At least enough to keep it open Thursday and Friday evenings as well as weekends. It doesn’t bring in a ton of money, but I enjoy the artistry.”

  “Fuck, Jason. That means you’re working all the time.”

  Jason leaned back in the chair and heaved a sigh, scrubbing his hand up over his forehead, pushing his hair away from his face. What Callan said was true since the garage was open six days a week, and then some evenings and weekends were spent in the tattoo shop. Hefting his shoulders, he replied, “What the hell else am I going to do? All you guys have fallen in love and got married, making babies.”

  Callan threw his hands up in defense and said, “I’m not that far gone yet!”

  The two men laughed, and Jason told him how he was honestly glad Callan and Sophie had gotten together. Both were good people and deserved to be happy.

  Callan stood to leave, then looked back at Jason and asked, “Whatever happened to that woman that hoped to open an ice cream shop here in Baytown? The one who got pissed when you bought the property she was looking at? I know she was friends with Jillian, and Katelyn, and that whole gang, but then she just disappeared, and I never heard anything else about her.”

  Working to keep his face neutral, Jason replied, “Rose. Her name was Rose Parker.” Rubbing his chin, he added, “Honest to God, I didn’t know she wanted the place, but I already had my offer into the agent, and it had been accepted. I’ve got no doubt the pompous Mayor Banks would’ve preferred to have had an ice cream shop instead of my tattoo business, but the papers had been signed and money exchanged.”