Rose

Chapter Thirteen

Rose woke to the sound of spray on the tile.  Josh was taking a shower.  She stretched and sat up reaching for her shirt as she did so.  When she was semi-decent she got up and discovered her stuff from the other hotel had been delivered to this hotel.  How had she slept through the delivery?

Josh appeared in the bathroom doorway, wearing a towel around his waist.  "They delivered them shortly after I got up.  Nice, huh?"

"Very," said Rose.  "What time is it?"

"About three.  I have to get going to the venue shortly."  Josh went to his duffel and rummaged.  He found fresh, if rumpled, clothes and padded back to the bathroom, but he didn't close the door.  Rose sneaked a peek.  She saw the towel come off and then she got a view of Josh naked for the first time.  She started to sweat.  God, he was a fine specimen of the young adult male.

When Josh was dressed he came out of the bathroom.  He didn't say anything, but his smile told Rose he knew she'd been looking.  Rose sighed.

She said, "Last night was the third time we've 'slept together' without having sex.  Maybe we should just forget it."

Josh wasn't worried.  "Oh, it's gonna happen."

"That's good to know, but it won't happen if Jake has anything to say about it.  That fire alarm last night proved that."

"You think Jake did that?"

"Yes, I do.  When you and Sam and Daniel went to the men's room, he asked if we were going to sleep together.  When I told him it was none of his business he said you were his twin and that made it his business.  Did you know he's even thinking of breaking up with his girl?"

"Well, they aren't officially broken up, but they are taking a break."

"Oh no," Rose said.

"Rose, don't worry about it, it's been coming for a while now.  It's nothing you did."

"Yes, yes it was my fault.  Josh, he tells me he loves me.  How can he?  He doesn't even know me!"

"Do you want me to talk to him?  We pretty much stay clear of you as a topic of conversation, but if it bothers you, I'll say something."

"No, please, don't mention it to him.  I'll just try my best to be civil and Jake will have to work it out for himself."

Josh finished getting ready to go and he said, "Mind if they bring my stuff in here?  I figure we may as well bunk together since all we're doing is sleeping.  But that's nice too.  Really nice."

Rose went to him and kissed his cheek.  "I don't mind," she said softly. Josh squeezed her hand and then said goodbye.

Steve was watching their room.  Perfect time to grab the little bitch, but there were people going in and out of the room, milling about in the hallway, all over the lobby.  Seems the top dogs carried a lot of weight in the rock and roll world.  Shit, he needed a drink.

He went to the lounge and ordered a Boilermaker.  Steve downed that one right away and ordered another.  This one he drank slowly as he thought about Rose.  And the more he thought about Rose, the more he came to the conclusion that his step-daughter was a liability.  As much as he'd hate to, Steve was going to have to make Rose disappear.  But he'd have his fun first.  And the boyfriend?  Easy enough to get rid of if needs be.

But Steve hoped it wouldn't come to that.  After all, he was a top dog.  He would be missed in a way Rose never would.  There must be a way to use the twin angle, there must be. And then he saw her.  Dressed in her tight jeans and her crop top she looked ripe for the pickin'.  He began to get an erection just looking at her.  Did the boyfriend do the same?  Was Rose a natural in bed like he thought she might be?  Damn the boyfriend, he'd gotten a taste of what Steve had coveted for a long time.

Steve watched Rose get into a waiting car.  She was going to the venue, he was sure.  She seemed to want to be near the boyfriend ---- or his twin.  Yeah, there was something there, he'd just have to study on it awhile.  And so, Steve adjusted himself and ordered just plain beer this time.  He thought better with a buzz, but not when he was drunk.  He would call Rose's mother, his wife, and tell her something had maybe panned out on the job front so he was staying a few days.  Looked like he was Lousianna bound.

Rose could feel Jake watching her.  She was going to have to talk to him sooner or later.  She sighed.  Damn!  She wasn't even twenty and she had the troubles of a grown-up. Well, she supposed she was grown-up.  Her conversation with her mother had proved to her that Steve came first in her mother's life and that made her sad.  Rose would now have to consider herself an orphan.

Now she was feeling blue, so she wandered to their make-shift sewing room where she found Violet, as usual.  She had the obligatory cup of coffee and a cigarette dangled from her lips.

"Well, well, look who decided to come in after all."

"I'm sorry, Violet, it won't happen again.  There were...special circumstances."

Violet was quiet for a moment, then she asked, "So, you slept with them yet?"

Rose was somewhat shocked.  "Violet!  That's a very personal question!  And I wouldn't tell you anyway!"

Violet said, "If you haven't yet, then don't.  I love those boys in my own way, but sleeping with them will only lead to your misery.  I just felt obligated to try and talk some sense into you one more time."

"Violet, for the last time, please leave my love life to me."

Violet threw up her hands and said, "Okay but don't say you weren't warned."

Rose sat down and picked up a shirt to be hemmed.  Them, Violet had said them.  Was it that obvious?  Yes, Rose wanted to be with Josh more than ever, but, if she was honest, she lusted after Jake.  She had told him as much.  Rose shook her head vigorously.  She had to stop thinking about Jake!  Jake had a girl, and even if they were taking a break, she was sure they would be together again soon.

But the little devil on her shoulder whispered in her ear, "He's free at this moment.  What's the harm?"

The angel on her other shoulder said, "Think of Josh," and Rose did.  But no matter how she longed for Josh, Jake was still constantly in her thoughts.  She had done it again.  She had lost track of the time.  And before she knew it, he was standing in front of her.  Jake.  In all his rock god glory.  They had performed sound checks and practiced the harder numbers.  Jake came to her fresh from the shower.

She had to admit he looked and smelled extraordinary.  "We need to talk," he told Rose.  

"About what?  Here's your shirt."

Jake took it but didn't put it on right away.  "We need to talk about us," said Jake.

"There is no 'us', Jake."

"Yes, Rose there is.  No matter that you're with Josh now, I could be better for you."

"This is not the time or the place," Rose hissed.

"Then meet me after the show.  Say you will." 

"I'm supposed to be with Josh..."

Jake looked down at Rose where she sat.  He reached out and stroked her cheek.  "Josh knows we should talk.  He said it was okay, I asked him."

What could she do?  She was out of excuses.  "All right, Jake.  I'll meet you at the coffee shop across from the hotel.  Okay?"

For the first time in a long time, he gave her a genuine smile.  He bent down and kissed her cheek then he stood up and walked away.  And Rose wondered, what had she just done?