TO HOLD A ROSE

EPISODE VI - RAIN AND FIRE

Abel stood behind the door in the darkness as Rose turned on the lights in her living room. And she turned around to see him standing with his hands tucked by his sides. "You can't be that cold," she said as she took off her shoes. And her feet left trails of wet patches on the white tiles as she walked away from him. Abel followed her and she stopped him, telling him to take off his shoes too.

"Don't walk around in those sodden shoes of yours," she said with a smirk. He immediately took off his shoes and she pointed to the long yellow leather couch in the living room. "Come and have a seat," her hair drenched and her gown soaked. She gave a smile as she stood by his side with her gown stuck to her body like glue on paper. And her body radiated the red of the material. "You are really wet," she looked down at him with eyes beaming with uncontrollable lust. His shirt displayed his toned muscles as it creased with dripping water.

"Well so are you," Abel chuckled. "The rain got us good," he said with a wistful look. He had dropped his suit jacket in the car and he looked uncomfortable in his wet clothes. His hair had the curls of a new born as water trickled down his smooth face. His damp face begged to be kissed all over, streaming with raindrops and glorious appeal.

"Now I don't want you ruining my leather," she giggled, "or you know what? I think you should. . ."

"Undress entirely?" Abel said in a half breath. He raised his face in an instant and glared at Rose from head to toe. His lips glowed with lust as he gawped at her nipples almost piercing through the linen. And her thighs gleamed, in the white lights, extending from her illustrious hips. Her body left him with a parched throat and thirsty lips and he looked like he would devour her as she stood.

"You might you know," she laughed. "Better than having to buy new leather. I love this one so much," she sat on the couch to his right and her wrap dress slipped off her legs, revealing her upper thighs.

Abel noticed it and he looked away with his heart racing and his mouth losing words. He wanted to be careful, to respect the boundaries she had set and he decided not to make a move. They both stayed silent while the rain slapped the roof hard. And the winds bellowed strong against the windows. With each waiting for whom would break the silence. Then Abel said, "looks like it would be a long night." His eyes avoided a direct stare at hers and his fingers caressed his left thumb.

"Yeah I think so," Rose answered and she looked at him as though she was wondering what he was waiting for. He had kissed her in the car before they ran into the house and she expected him to continue from where they stopped. And the sight of Abel, sitting on the leather, soaked and wanting, increased her desire for him. He looked like a tall glass of champagne she could not wait to pop and she thought to reach for him. Why wouldn't he make the move? She thought, and then the electricity went out as a loud bang of thunder hit the skies. "Oh right!" she fumed, "expected that."

Abel felt relieved as he stared into the darkness, almost giving a loud sigh. The tension in the room had almost drowned him and he had felt helpless. Like it had always been with Rose, he felt confused. He had not planned to enter her apartment; neither did he think it was a good idea to make a move on his first chance. What if she wanted to test him, he thought. She had mentioned how men had reduced her to beauty and lust. And although, it burnt his chest to make the first move, he thought it would be wrong. Rose deserved someone that would respect her and not take advantage of her. He thanked the skies for the electricity outage as he sat still, until Rose talked.

"Abel, are you there?" she stretched a hand to his arm in the darkness and she held his wrist.

"Yeah," he muffled, "of course I am." He could hear his heart pound.

"I thought you disappeared," she said and she stood up. She bent over and held his neck, and then she kissed him.

Abel's eyebrows rose to his hairline, astonished as her wet lips plugged to his. Rose then sat on his legs with her knees folded on the couch, as the kiss grew more intense. His heart pounded against his cold shirt and he eased his hand on her hips as she kissed him with her eyes close. The thoughts of them waiting for a better time could not leave his head –even as it seemed like there was no better time. He wanted to be sure that she wanted this, to know that he was safe if they continued. But he was far more concerned about Rose—if she felt very safe in his arms. He pulled back from the kiss and Rose squinted at him in surprise.