They had walked around the lighthouse already. He’d taken hold of her hand as they approached the cliffs. She’d kept her hand there, lacing their fingers together.
As Dean walked over to her, she turned and saw him approach, offering him a dazzling smile. Dean missed a step. She was so beautiful with all that flowing brunette hair; she took his breath away, especially when she smiled just for him.
He stood in front of her without saying anything and moved his hands to her face in a light caress. He searched her eyes before he lowered his head and placed a light kiss to her lips. “You are so beautiful.” He lowered his head again and used more pressure against her mouth. She moved in close and wrapped her arms around his waist as the kiss deepened. Mack opened to him and sucked his tongue into her mouth.
He shivered and groaned. “I think we better stop,” he whispered, placing small kisses around her lips.
“Then why aren’t we?”
He couldn’t stop touching her, and smoothed his hands down her arms. He moved his hands to caress her waist under her T-shirt. “Because I don’t have any willpower with you. This top has been driving me crazy all day. Every time you move, I catch a glimpse of your stomach.”
“I was so tempted to put my hands elsewhere when I sat behind you on your bike,” she said, laughing, then she squeezed Dean’s bottom before she took a step back.
“God, I don’t know how I managed to get us anywhere without crashing while your hands were on me. Nothing has ever felt so good.”
She winked at him. “I know!” Then she sauntered toward his Harley. She knew damn well that his eyes were on her bottom the whole the way, which made her feel desirable for the first time in a long time.
As he walked Lucas back to Rose Cottage, Thomas couldn’t help but think about his sister again. In a way, Mack was a bit like Rose with her spirit and soft heart. Maybe one day soon, he might be ready to talk to Mack about the night Rose died and the regret he’d lived with all these years. If only he’d talked back then, things might have worked out differently.
First, though, he had to find the courage to finally read the comic Rose had bought him. Her last gift to him.
“Thomas! Look! Auntie Mack’s been on Dean’s bike. Come on,” Lucas shouted as he ran toward them to watch his aunt climb off the bike.
She removed her helmet, and then held her arms out to him. Lucas ran straight into them.
“Auntie Mack, have you really been on Dean’s bike?”
“Yes, I have.”
“That’s not fair. I want to!” Lucas started to get tearful, although Mack knew for a fact that Lucas was rather capable of putting on the waterworks at will.
“Hey, Lucas. You want to sit on the bike and I’ll take you around the yard?” Dean asked him before the waterworks really started.
Lucas’s tears were instantly dry as he dived out of Mack’s arms and ran straight over to Dean, who lifted him aboard.
Dean winked at Mack. “You need your helmet on, young man.” He laughed as Lucas stilled with a cheeky grin on his face and allowed Dean to place the helmet on his head.
Mack felt a bit unsure about Lucas being on the Harley, and walked closer to Dean, who caught the frown on her face. He took hold of her hand and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“He’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He leaned in to give her another quick kiss, on her lips this time, before he climbed on the back of his bike. Dean surrounded Lucas with his body as he explained to him what the different instruments were for on the panel in front of them.
Mack walked over to the steps leading into the cottage and sat down beside Thomas. She couldn’t help blushing slightly when she met his eyes and saw the knowing look in them.
“I see you made friends with the neighbor then?” He chuckled.
She grinned. “Oh, yeah!”
Dean switched the bike on and very slowly put it into gear and started moving around the yard with an excited Lucas sitting in front of him. With a glance at Mack every time he passed, Dean winked at her, which really amused Thomas.
“Thomas, do you like Dean?” Mack asked just as Dean switched the bike off.
“I don’t swing that way!” He tried not to laugh at the stunned expression on Mack’s face.
With a laugh, she nudged him with her elbow. “You know exactly what I mean.”
“I only met him briefly this morning, but from what I can see and how he spoke to me, I would say he’s one of the good guys.”
“Thanks.”
“Auntie Mack, Thomas, did you see me?” Lucas just about managed to get out before diving on Mack.
“We certainly did. You were pretty good there.”
“Thanks, Auntie Mack.”
“He’s great.” Dean ruffled Lucas’s hair. “Listen, I’m going to leave you guys for now. I have some things to take care of. I’ll come round tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
Mack smiled up at Dean, slightly disappointed that he wasn’t staying for dinner. “We’ll see you at breakfast, right?”
Grinning, Dean asked, “Was that an invitation?”
“Sure was.”
“I’ll be there,” Dean replied, hesitating. He really didn’t want to end his time with Mack.
Mack turned to Thomas. “You going to eat dinner with us?”
“No, thank you. I’m meeting a couple of guys at the Irish Pub tonight so I’ll see you all at breakfast,” Thomas told her.
Dean took hold of her hand and pulled her toward him. “Walk with me a minute?”
Thomas grinned at the two of them and stood then took hold of Lucas’s hand. “Come on, Lucas. Show me that game you keep talking about before I leave.” They entered the cottage to give Dean and Mack some privacy.
They walked over to the front door of Dean’s cottage holding hands. He didn’t know what to say, because all he really wanted to do was drag her inside and never let her go. He wondered where in the hell that thought had come from. It wasn’t one he’d had before . . . ever . . . and certainly not for a woman he’d only just met.
Pushing the thought aside, he turned to Mack, took her face in his hands, and brought her in close. She put her hands on his hips and moved in even closer, coming into contact with Dean’s erection.
His mouth descended to ravish her with a hot, open-mouthed kiss. Surprising even herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck and raised one leg around his hips.
He pulled away from her mouth to take in some much-needed air, and then shuddered as she rubbed herself against him. “Mack, we have to . . . stop.”
She dragged his head back down to meet her lips again while he put his hands on her hips and brought her into closer contact with him.
He forced himself to move his mouth away from Mack’s though, when he heard a throat being cleared.
“You’re both giving me high blood pressure!” Thomas shouted from the kitchen window.
They both started laughing. He put her slowly back down then stepped away from her. “I think you better go before I drag you inside.”
She took a few steps away from him, and then on unsteady legs started to walk away to her own cottage. She couldn’t help but look back to a very aroused Dean.
“Promises, promises.”
She entered her own cottage laughing.
Dean let out a sigh of relief as he entered his cottage. Heck, he had it really bad for Mack. He’d just come so close to taking her up against the door.
Her hair was soft and smelled of raspberries, her skin was lovely and smooth, and those freckles, he thought they were sexy as hell. She’d kept teasing him all day with glimpses of her stomach, every time she moved, he just wanted to reach out and caress her skin. She was basically driving him crazy.
Hopefully, sometime soon, she’d mention the diary, or he could get her to tell him, then perhaps the perfect opportunity would arise for him to tell Mack his real name and about his grandfather.
He really wished he hadn’t been an idiot and given his actual surnam
e of Evans, instead of Simone.
Mack had a quiet dinner with Lucas, and afterwards, she played a new Super Mario Brothers game on the Wii for half an hour with him. He kept winning, telling her she was worse than his friend Scott was.
Lucas was in his bed asleep while she was lying propped up in bed, drinking her hot chocolate and thinking about Dean.
He was really appealing, both in personality and looks. She had never felt so attracted to someone so quickly. He was taller than she was, and his body rippled with muscles—there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. With his blue eyes and the tattoo that peeped out from the neck of his T-shirt, he was sinfully delicious and he hinted at being a little rough around the edges. All of it had her motor running and she couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, a man had one that to her. After being lost in her own thoughts for ten minutes, she reached out and picked up Rose’s diary to read some more. Before opening the book, she stopped and thought about Dean. Maybe she would show him the diary in a day or two and she could get his opinion on what to do if Jacob didn’t get back to her.
Chapter 16
April 5, 1947
Breakfast with my parents…
After the upset of yesterday, I really didn’t want to get up. I snuggled down for five more minutes, thinking about Jacob and how gentle he’d been last night. He had been so patient, so tender when he’d made love to me in his bed. He made me feel cherished and loved.
I’d promised to marry him and move to Boston. The thought echoed through me and I couldn’t stop the smile shining on my lips. I could hardly wait. I wanted to be with him desperately. My heart was filled with so much love and hope when I thought about my future with him.
When he walked me home last night, we talked about our plans for Boston. At first, we would rent one of the rooms his sister had available in her boarding house. Apparently, she only rented rooms to married couples so to begin with, until we could marry, we would pretend. Jacob had already spoken to his sister about me, and she had agreed to let us stay together and treat me as his wife.
I finally dragged myself out of bed, rushed to the bathroom to avoid everyone in the house and then back to my room to dress for work. I was actually dreading facing Mother and Father at breakfast. If I could avoid doing so, then I would.
I took a few deep breaths for courage before I walked out of my room and down the stairs.
“Morning, Mother, Father,” I said, acting as though nothing untold had happened last night.
I took my seat, where my breakfast was already waiting for me. While I buttered a piece of toast, my father cleared his throat. “Where did you disappear to last night?”
“Somewhere peaceful,” I replied and started to eat.
“Rose, dear, we just thought that it would be a good match between you and Richard. He would be able to look after you,” my mother said, patting my arm.
Father nodded, “Richard would be able to look after you well. His family has more money than we’ll ever see.”
I pulled my arm out from under my mother’s hand and speared my father with a stubborn glare. “Father, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to marry Richard. As your only daughter, you should want me to marry for love and to someone who can make me happy just by being with them. Money shouldn’t come into it at all.”
“You need money to live, Rose,” Father said, his words clipped, as his face grew red with irritation.
“That’s why there are jobs. I intend to marry someone who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty, and who doesn’t mind working for his money. I have no intention of marrying someone who just spends all day spending the family inheritance, and doesn’t work a day in his life.”
I stood up from the table and looked at both my parents. “Please don’t expect me to marry him because I will always refuse.” I walked out of the room, collected my jacket and purse, and then started walking slowly to work.
Unfortunately, my slow walk to work didn’t go as planned. No sooner had I left the front path had Richard pulled up beside me. “Rose, let me give you a lift to work.”
I ignored him and carried on walking.
“Rose, please talk to me,” he begged as he jumped out of the stopped car and ran up to me. “I’m really sorry about last night. My father said something that made me do what I did.”
I sighed. “Richard, I’m sorry, too. I think it would be for the best if we don’t see each other again, for a while, that way your father won’t get the wrong idea about us.”
I walked past him and left him stunned behind me. Not long after, I heard his car screech away from the curb, obviously in a temper.
At the library, Mr. Young put me on the front desk, which could be even more boring than dusting shelves. Throughout the day, I helped around ten people.
It had just turned three when I looked up, having heard the door opening. I looked straight into Jacob’s eyes. I only just stopped myself from running into his arms.
I stood and asked Mary, who was close by, to watch the desk while I popped to the restroom. She nodded and I followed Jacob to the Philosophy section.
Jacob took hold of my face and pulled me to him for a soul-shattering kiss. “I hated sleeping on my own last night after having you in my bed.” He kept kissing all over my face and finally came back to my mouth, slipping his tongue between my lips.
“I can’t wait for us to be in Boston . . . to wake up with you every day and to eat our meals together. Oh, Jacob, I’m so excited.”
“My Rose.” He couldn’t stop kissing me. Not that I was complaining. “I better go. I’ll see you again soon. Remember, I love you,” he told me.
I just stood watching him walk away and out through the door.
The rest of the afternoon went really slow. All I wanted was to be with Jacob.
Finally, after a very long day, I left work and walked slowly home. I followed the path by instinct; my thoughts were completely on Jacob and what our life would be like in Boston.
I entered the house and both my parents greeted me. I stopped dead and looked from one to the other. “Rose, please come in here a minute, I have something to say,” Father said.
Dreading what my father was going to say, I followed my parents into the front parlor.
“I’ve spent most of the day thinking about what you said this morning.” He looked very ill at ease. “We really don’t want you to be unhappy, and I’m sorry if we gave you the impression your happiness doesn’t matter because it does. Richard seems to care for you, and he would be able to make sure you are well looked after. Even if he doesn’t do anything.” Did my father just smile? “Saying all that, we do want you to marry well, so please don’t get it in your head that anyone will do because they won’t.”
I wasn’t sure what they expected me to say to Father’s little speech. “Thank you. May I leave?” Father looked ready to continue speaking, but thought better of it and just nodded his head.
April 7, 1947
Oh my, I was introduced to a wall tonight…
As I was checking a book out for Mr. Willis, I looked up and saw Jayne walking into the library. She made me laugh as she looked around to make sure Mr. Young wasn’t lurking about anywhere. Something that she always did whenever she came into the library.
“Jayne, why aren’t you at work?” I asked, leaning on the desk toward her.
“I’m on an errand for one of the bosses. What’s going on with you? I have hardly seen you. You haven’t been to any of the local dances like you usually do. Are you seeing that, what’s his name, Jacob?”
I guess I didn’t hide my shock very well, and my face gave me away. JT always said I made a terrible liar.
“Are you out of your mind? What if your parents find out?”
My face fell. “I know what my parents are like, but I love him, Jayne. I don’t want anyone else. I’m going to be with Jacob whether or not they agree. I intend on telling them soon, but not yet.” I really hoped she wouldn’t tell anyone.
Not l
ong after Jayne left, a student from the local school came in asking if I would help him with a paper on George Washington. I’d no sooner said goodbye to the grateful student than Jacob walked in. He came straight over to my desk.
“Are you free to meet me at my apartment tonight?” he whispered.
“Yes.” He caressed me with his eyes and I fought the shudder that wanted to ripple through me.
“I’ll see you later.”
“Who was that?” Mary asked after he left.
I didn’t really like her because she talked about everyone behind his or her backs and it was very annoying. “He wanted to know if we had a new book he’d heard about. I told him we hadn’t had a delivery of books for about four weeks. He said the book was released about two weeks ago.” I turned my back to her and started collecting some books that needed to be returned to the shelves. Thankfully, Mary didn’t ask me about the book or anything else.
I spent the rest of the day watching the time to when I could be with Jacob. The day really dragged on, and once or twice, I nearly went to see Mr. Young to tell him I had woman problems. He usually didn’t ask questions if one of us told him that, and he couldn’t wait to get out of sight. But I didn’t. I stayed until closing.
After brushing my hair and applying more lipstick, I dashed out of the library and quickly walked to Jacob’s apartment.
Jacob opened the door, took one look at me, grabbed hold of my arm, and pulled me into his apartment, where he kissed me. He pushed me up against the wall with his body. There wasn’t one inch between us as his body was molded to mine while he kissed me until I was breathless.
My arms went around his neck. His hands searched under my skirt, bringing it up around my waist. “I need you, Rose.”
“Yes.”
He pushed my underwear down. Stepping back slightly, he unzipped his pants, pushing them down past his hips. He slammed his lips to mine and put his hand between my thighs before he slipped his finger into me to find me ready for him. Withdrawing, he bunched my skirt again and took hold of my waist, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs around him. His penis slid inside me. Oh. Amazing. Catching his breath, he started to move his hips.
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