Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Cole followed Rose up the back stairs to their apartments. She'd been smiling for the last half hour. She told him about six times that her sister was staying the night with her. She even had a spring in her step. Cole especially enjoyed her happiness since that springy walk caused her skirt to swish around her knees, and he never thought he'd see the day when a woman's bare knees gave him pleasure.

"I'll have to tidy up before she gets here," Rose chattered as she unlocked her door. "Oh, and I should feed the little ones, too."

Cole stepped up and pried the basket and bag out of her arms. "No, you shouldn't. It's my night, remember?"

She gave him a blank look. "You watched them this morning and helped all afternoon."

"Yes, I did. And now I have the pleasure of doing it tonight."

"You were serious about that? About taking turns overnight?"

He smiled at her. "Why wouldn't I have been serious?"

"I...I don't know."

"I am a man of my word," he told her, fishing his keys from his pocket. "I do keep my promises. Have fun with your sister. I'll see you in the morning. Is six o'clock too early? Apparently, I'm meeting your cousin Max at the gym — oh, wait, he's your uncle, right?"

She smiled back at him. "Yes, my uncle. Okay...if you're sure..."

"I am absolutely sure," he said and went into his apartment. "Good night, Rose."

"Good night, Mr. Fuller."

He gave her a mock frown. "Really? We're back to that again?"

"Sorry. Good night, Cole," she said, and he nodded.

"That's better." He closed his door and glanced down at the kittens, who were awake and squirming. "Your mother... It's a good thing she's beautiful, because she's driving me crazy." One of the females let out a soft mew, and Cole figured that was meant as sympathy...or just a protest of their empty bellies.

"Okay, okay," he said. "Four bottles of milk, coming right up."

Five hours later, he finished the third feeding of the night when he heard Rose's piano. He frowned at the floor between his apartment and the store. Why was she playing at this time of night? He didn't hear her leave her apartment...and now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard her sister arrive.

Damn, he thought. No Violet? Had Rose been waiting on her sister all this time? Was she downstairs, playing the night away, still waiting on her?

Cole tucked the kittens into their basket, on top of a fresh towel, and made sure they were warm enough before he went to check on Rose. He should probably stay away, stay out of this sisterly issue between them, but if Rose was down there, disappointed and hurt... He couldn't ignore that.

Her eyes were closed, her head bent over the keys, her lovely long hair loose around her shoulders, when he entered the back of the store. A lamp in the corner illuminated only a small portion of the music room, casting Rose and her piano in shadows. Cole walked over and sat down on the bench beside her. She never noticed him crossing the room. Only until his leg touched her did she jerk and stop playing.

"I wondered if you would play for me tonight," he said, as a way of easing into a potentially awkward conversation.

"I couldn't sleep," she said. "Did I wake you?"

"Not you," he replied. "Your babies did. Third feeding of the night so far."

"I'm sorry," she said. "It was rough last night. I'll take them for the rest of this one so you can get some rest." She tried to stand up, but he gently pushed on her arm until she sat down again.