Rose

by Alison Chaffin Higson

  Suddenly stopping, Jacob turned me to face him and held my face in his hands, caressing me with his thumbs. “Rose, I love you,” he whispered.

  I reached out to him with my hand and tangled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. He shivered. He put his mouth to mine. I moaned, searching out his tongue, sliding mine along his in a dance as old as time. Our breathing started to grow heavy. I moved in closer to him. He put his hands on my hips and brought me in even closer, while he continued his assault on my senses.

  “Make love to me, Jacob.” He looked startled.

  “Are you sure?” he asked me in a whisper as he moved my hair behind my ears with an unsteady hand.

  “More than ever.” I kissed his palm.

  “We’re too far from my apartment.” He looked distressed.

  “Then let’s go to our place on the beach. It’s late and there won’t be anyone around. Plus it’s nearly dark.”

  He groaned. “Rose.” I took his hand and led him towards the beach. We had only taken a few steps when he picked me up, and carried me the rest of the way. He retrieved the blankets he’d hidden there the other night.

  He laid the blankets on the sand, then looked up at me and took my hand.

  We stood facing each other, as he started removing his clothes. First his blazer, followed by his shirt and tie. I unfastened the buttons on the front of my dress and let it slide down my body, kicking it to the side. I followed that with my slip. Standing in our underwear, I couldn’t help but stare at him. He had broad shoulders, muscular chest, trim waist with only a sprinkling of hair on his stomach, which disappeared into his shorts. I licked my lips when I saw the rather large bulge going on in them.

  Taking my hand into his unsteady one, he pulled me close. I placed my hand onto his naked chest and smoothed my hands over him. He was gorgeous, and I felt brave and started kissing his chest, then his nipples, only to hear him groan.

  He stopped me and moved us both onto the blanket, then pulled me into his arms, kissing me with such passion.

  He unhooked my brassiere and removed it, sucking in his breath as he leaned over me, placing kisses all around my breasts, then he gently sucked my nipple into his mouth. I shivered. He moved his mouth lower and took hold of my underwear then looked up at me, as though he was asking permission.

  “Yes.”

  He pulled them down my legs before he quickly removed his own. Kneeling between my thighs, he just looked at me. “You’re beautiful, Rose.” His voice sounded hoarse.

  I couldn’t believe how I felt, all tingly and overheated. I still didn’t feel nervous, only excited.

  He moved back up my body and stroked along my collarbone lightly, then my breasts. He bent his head and sucked one of my nipples into his mouth, then alternated between the two, licking and sucking. I couldn’t stop moving. Every part of me felt alive at his touch, and I couldn’t believe the incredible warmth between my thighs.

  Opening my legs, he placed a kiss between, which embarrassed me slightly.

  He moved between my legs and lay on top of me while he caressed my face. I could feel his penis on my thigh and it felt hot and pulsing with his need for me.

  He stroked my curls with his fingers and started to breathe even more ragged when he dipped his finger inside me. He moved slightly and nudged my legs open wider, then placed his penis between. “Rose. I need you.”

  “Love me, Jacob.” His eyes blazed down into me.

  I watched him take hold of his penis and put it to my entrance, then he started to slowly push into me. It felt good at first, then started to hurt. He stopped moving.

  “Rose, try to relax and I’ll do this quickly,” he panted.

  He placed his mouth to mine as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. Fireworks shot through me to where I was joined to him. I moved my hips to get closer, just as he did one powerful thrust and was inside me. I tensed.

  “Don’t move,” he panted, “let your body get used to me first.”

  As I started to relax the pleasure started to return, but more intense than I thought possible.

  He looked in pain. I reached up to his face and traced his lips with my finger. I moved down towards his chest and rubbed his nipples. He shuddered.

  “I need to move.”

  “Yes!”

  He started to slide in and out of me. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He started to move even faster. My body felt hot and tight, getting hotter the faster Jacob moved inside me.

  He leaned down and took one of my breasts into his mouth. I arched up from the sand as the pleasure burst inside me. I shook all over in uncontrollable ecstasy. It went on and on. Jacob swelled inside me. I felt his penis twitch. He groaned and said my name.

  He breathed heavily and slipped out from my body. I felt so relaxed and sated as he pulled me into his arms, with the cold air kissing my burning skin.

  “Are you all right, Rose?”

  “Oh yes.” I smiled at him, and after placing a gentle kiss to his lips, I sat up.

  Jacob grabbed his shorts and wiped the traces of blood from himself, before turning to me. “Lie down, Rose. Let me look after you.”

  I did what he asked, as he opened my legs and cleaned me. I knew the blood was due to it being my first time with a man. I had a slight discomfort, but it was certainly worth it.

  Jacob tossed his shorts to the side and lay down beside me, but I was feeling brave and wanted to look at him, having never seen a naked man before. Sitting up, I started to caress him with my eyes, moving from his face down to his chest to his hips. Oh my! He was so… big. I blushed and quickly looked up at him. His eyes were flashing at me, his breathing sounded labored.

  I looked at him again and his penis was twitching and growing.

  “Rose, you need to stop looking at me. We can’t do this again tonight. It will hurt you too much.”

  I didn’t listen and reached out to touch him. I slowly smoothed my hand up and down the length of him. He twitched even more and leaked at the tip.

  I looked into his eyes and rubbed the tip. He arched up from the sand.

  “Jacob, please make love to me once more, before I have to go home. I’ll bathe later to ease any discomfort. Please.”

  Groaning, he pulled me down under him and slid inside me, telling me how much he loved me. He placed a gently kiss to my lips, and made love to me again.

  “I need to get you home,” he said, not making any move to dress.

  I kissed his chest and pulled away from him to find my clothes.

  It was time for me to head home. I didn’t want to leave, I was so much in love with Jacob that I just wanted to go with him and never leave.

  Jacob walked me halfway back to the house. “I love you, Rose. I’ll come into the library to see you and to arrange to see you again. Is that all right?”

  “Yes. I love you. Goodnight.” I turned away and ran to the house. I sneaked up to my room through the kitchen.

  Tonight was totally perfect. I had a smile on my face all through my nightly ritual, with thoughts of Jacob filling my mind.

  Chapter 12

  Mack was in the kitchen cooking breakfast when Thomas arrived bearing a gift of daisies. He shoved the flowers at her with a slight blush. “Picked you these on the way.”

  Smiling at him, she reached out and took the flowers, then gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Thomas. I don’t ever remember being given flowers by a gentleman before.”

  She stretched up to the top shelf of the cupboard for a vase. “That guy in that fancy suit at your apartment gave you flowers,” Lucas stated.

  “Yes, but he wasn’t a gentleman. Now go wash up and stop listening to adult conversations.” She tried to hide her embarrassment by setting the table for breakfast.

  Sometimes she really wished she could gag Lucas. He was her nephew and she loved him, but sometimes…. Ugh!

  She turned back towards Thomas, who appeared to still be chuckling at Lucas’ comment. “Are yo
u all right, Thomas?” she asked, having been worried about him after last night.

  “I’m fine. Don’t be worrying about me.”

  She gave him a long look. “Okay, I won’t for now.”

  “I was wondering if Lucas would like to come back with me to look through some more comics.”

  “That would be fine. What comics are they?”

  No sooner had he sat at the table, she put his breakfast in front of him. “Thanks, Mack. Our Gang. I have every issue as well.”

  She was sitting at the table, now that Lucas had joined them. “You know I’ve heard of them. They’re the ‘Little Rascals characters’ right?”

  “That’s right. I have from the first issue in October 1942, to the last one before they added Tom and Jerry, which would be issue thirty-eight in November 1947. Didn’t much care for the Tom and Jerry stories,” he said, enjoying his breakfast.

  “Wow, that’s some collection you must have.”

  “I know.”

  They finished the rest of their breakfast in silence, apart from Lucas, who kept slurping his milk.

  The morning was spent with Lucas and Thomas bent over the atlas, trying to find where his parents were now.

  Not long after, the two headed out for some fun, hand in hand. Mack was really surprised with how quickly they had become friends. Lucas was used to spending time with older people, because of his grandparents and where they lived, but it usually took a lot longer for him to warm up to someone new. Then again, Thomas wasn’t like the people at her parents’ village. He was, different; all grumpy on the outside, and like a mischievous little boy on the inside, so perfect for Lucas.

  <><><>

  “Thomas?” Lucas said with a quizzical look on his face. “Why don’t you like Tom and Jerry?”

  Thomas really hadn’t expect that question and burst out laughing. “I preferred the Our Gang kids. They used to get into trouble, like I did as a child.” He grinned. “Used to give me some good ideas, too!”

  As they walked hand in hand to Thomas’ cottage, it brought back memories of another time. Except he was the child, and his sister, Rose, was the one holding his hand. She had been taking him to the beach, probably close to seventy-five years ago now.

  With his cottage door open, Lucas ran inside, straight to the front room where Thomas kept the comics for him to read. Thomas followed behind him with his mind still on Rose. He hadn’t thought about her in a long time. He’d loved his sister, and always thought she’d died hating him, until Mack had started to read the diary.

  He’d lived with regret about that final night, and in sixty-five years, he hadn’t spoken about it. If only he’d told his father, perhaps Rose would have lived her life with the man she’d obviously loved. It wouldn’t have been easy at first, because of their father, but if their love was true, they would have made it work.

  An excited Lucas brought him back to the present. “Can I look at this one, Thomas, please?”

  He glanced down. “Not that one.” He removed it from Lucas’ excited fingers at the same time as he offered him the next issue. “Try this one.”

  Thomas moved away from Lucas and walked the short distance to his bedroom, still holding the comic in his hand as he glanced down at it while he remembered. Sitting on the side of his bed, he placed the comic on his night table to read later, when he was alone.

  It was dated April 1, 1947, the comic his sister had bought him as a surprise. She’d left it on his bed the night she died. He’d placed it in to the box with the other issues, having never opened it.

  Perhaps it was time to lay old ghosts to rest and read it.

  <><><>

  Mack, who had the morning alone, decided to retrieve her laptop and hooked it up to her Internet connection, so she could start doing some very important research. She really needed to try and find Jacob. Hell, she was half in love with him herself.

  Okay, she knew his name back then was Jacob Evans, and going with his age, he was born around 1924. She decided to check New York first, and started to get all excited when only one result appeared, who was born around 1924.

  As she looked at the information, Mack was delighted there was no death certificate, but there was a marriage license dated April 19, 1947.

  After about ten minutes, she found a telephone number and address for him in Brookline, Boston. She wasn’t sure whether to get in touch or not, as he seemed to get married just a week after Rose died, although he didn’t know that, he thought she hadn’t loved him, so perhaps he got married in anger. But a week after - why?

  He also phoned Degan House a month later asking for Rose. Surely he wouldn’t have done that if he’d married, unless, of course, the wrong year had been entered on the website? She would have to purchase some credits to view the marriage license for a correct date. For now, she would act as though this was the correct Jacob Evans. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain, if he was the correct Jacob.

  With a deep breath, Mack picked her cell up and dialed the number, which was answered on the second ring.

  “Evans residence.”

  “Oh, hello. My name is Mackenzie Harper, and I was wondering if Mr. Jacob Evans lived there?”

  “What’s the reason for the enquiry?”

  “Who am I speaking to, please?” Mack asked in reply. She needed to be a bit cautious in case she was talking to his wife.

  “I’m Martha, Mr. Evans’ housekeeper.” Then she was silent, having realized she’d just practically admitted to Mack she’d found the correct person.

  “All right, Martha, this is going to sound strange, but I’ve come across a diary dated March and April 1947, and it contains information about a Jacob Evans. If your employer is the same Jacob Evans who lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, during that time, then I really need to speak to him. I’m concerned he’s been living all this time thinking something happened that didn’t. If that makes any sense?”

  “That’s some story, Miss Harper. I’ll have to find out for you. Can I take your number and your address?”

  Mack gave her the phone number and address for Rose Cottage, hoping Martha really would pass the message on. Otherwise she’d have to visit once Lucas had gone home to his parents.

  “Okay, I have that. Thank you.” Then Martha put the phone down on her.

  <><><>

  “Who was that, Martha?”

  She was surprised. “Oh, Mr. Dean! I didn’t know you were home. It was a young lady asking about your grandfather.”

  Dean placed his helmet on top of the side table. “What about my grandfather?”

  Martha was all flustered. “She said she’d found a diary from 1947, and wanted to know if the Jacob mentioned was your grandfather. It can’t be, really, because apart from the war, I don’t think he lived anywhere other than here, and certainly not Maine.”

  “Hmm, did you take her contact details?”

  He walked over to Martha and took the information from her. “Please don’t mention anything, until I’ve had time to check this out, okay?”

  “If you’re sure, Mr. Dean?”

  “I am.”

  Dean had been thinking about escaping for awhile now, to get away from his mother, who kept throwing Cynthia at him and going on and on about getting married. All because she wanted grandchildren. She really was driving him nuts, so he’d just been given the perfect excuse to escape.

  Once in his room, he tossed his things on to his bed and walked over to his desk, pulled out the chair and sat down, opening the lid to his laptop. Dean brought up a search engine and had a look at available summer rentals near Cape Elizabeth, and felt his luck was in when the cottage right next door to the mystery caller’s address appeared to be available for the next few weeks.

  After he debated with himself about whether or not this really was a good idea he picked up his cell and dialed the contact number before he could change his mind.

  His last contract had just come to an end, and the new graphic work he had scheduled did
n’t start for another two months, so it was the perfect time to head on vacation.

  He paid the deposit with his credit card and arranged to pay the rest in cash when he collected the keys from his new landlady.

  On his way out of the house, Dean left a message with Martha for his mother, saying he had gone away for a few weeks, much to Martha’s amusement. She knew he would do anything to avoid his mother and her matchmaking.

  Dean climbed on his Harley and headed north up the coast, thinking about Miss Mackenzie Harper.

  <><><>

  It was mid-afternoon when Mack heard her cell ring and dashed to answer it, only to find her sister Melinda on the other end.

  “Hi sis, how’s everything? Is Lucas okay? Any gorgeous guys? Bored yet?”

  Mack sighed in relief when Melinda finally shut up, probably to breathe. For some reason, when Melinda was on the phone she could hardly shut her up, but when you talked to her in person, she could hold a perfect conversation. “Everything’s okay. Lucas is great. No gorgeous guys, unless you count a charming eighty-year-old named Thomas, and no, we aren’t bored yet.”

  “Sorry, Mack.” Melinda laughed down the phone as she realized she hadn’t shut up long enough for Mack to answer her questions.

  “All right, I’m used to you by now.”

  While she was still listening to her sister chat away, Mack heard a motorcycle outside. She plastered her nose up against the kitchen window just in time to see a jean-and-leather clad guy pull up next door. Wow, he looked hot. Tall, dark and mysterious.

  She grabbed a magazine off the counter and used it to fan herself, because she’d started to get all hot and bothered. He looked delicious, and Mack really hoped when he removed his helmet, his face matched the rest of him.

  “Mack, are you listening to me?” Melinda asked.

  “Yes.”

  “No, you’re not. And did I hear a motorcycle?”

  “Yes you did, and a very hot guy with a gorgeous butt, which I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on, has just pulled up outside next door. Hope he’s moving in. He looks sinful… Mmm!” Mack laughed at her sister. For once, she’d managed to shut her up. She turned around to find Lucas stood behind her with a big grin on his face. “Here, talk to your mother.” She passed him the phone.