Chapter 43

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Hey guys! Please check out my last few messages to my followers on my board! They're important!

I am leaving for the army on September 14th, and I will be gone for 10-23 weeks. All of my stories will be on hold until then, I'm sorry! Not having technology is going to suck!

Sorry for any grammar and editing mistakes!

Please comment, vote, and follow!

Enjoy!

-&-

Chapter 43

       I was so exhausted I actually fell asleep and stayed asleep until light streamed through my bedroom window the next day. I went to stretch, my limbs sore from spending so much time on the hardwood floor, but my body only met iron resistance. I frowned and reached down for the heavy arm wrapped around my waist.

       Rex was sleeping soundly on his stomach at my side, his perfect face buried in the pillow while that arm kept me firmly against him. What was he doing here? He still had a day or two... Then I realized I didn't care—he was here. That's all that mattered. I tried to force down the silly, beyond thrilled, smile pulling at my lips as I pressed closer.

       He made a low noise in the back of his throat, rubbed his handsome face against the pillow, then settled down again. I didn't want to wake him, especially with how peaceful and relaxed he looked, but I couldn't help myself.

       I wiggled under that arm until I could roll over and let my fingers slowly trace the hard lines of his face. His nose scrunched up all-cute-like, and I pulled my hand away until he settled back down, then went back to gently tracing the sharp curve of his jaw. He really was perfect. Too perfect for me—for anyone really.

       With a soft sigh I went to pull my hand away and curl it back into the covers. "Don't stop." Rex's raspy sleep voice grumbled and he curled that arm tighter around me until I was flush against his side. My eyes widened but I tried to choke down that embarrassed blush and went back to slowly tracing his strong features.

       "Not that I'm not happy you're here," I started softly as my fingertips just barely brushed along his skin. "But I thought you had two more days?"

       Those dark eyes blinked slowly open, or the one that wasn't pressed against the pillow did, before he closed it again. "You were sad. Didn't want... you... alone." He yawned, pulled away from my touch to rub against the pillow again, then rolled on his side so that arm could bring me tightly into his chest.

       My heart fluttered at his words, and at how easily he was able to move me. I had to physically resist the urge to curl my fingers into his shirt and press my face against his chest. "You shouldn't have left because of me." I whispered quietly into the otherwise silent room. He grunted and pressed his cheek against the top of my head.

       "It's nothing I can't do later."

       "What were you doing?"

       He shrugged, and the movement pulled my whole body along with him. "Touring the building, discussing the job and an internship in college. Stuff like that." I wanted to ask him more, but then those lips were brushing softly against my forehead and I lost my train of thought.

       "It was too long though." Rex murmured against my skin, and I completely agreed. Even if he was only gone for two days. "I don't like being away from you." His lips traced slowly between my eyebrows then over the bridge of my nose. The light tickling feeling made me laugh, and the nervous, excited flutters in my chest weren't helping anything.

       "Me either." I mumbled around the butterflies ricocheting in my stomach and let my arm slip under his to wrap around his back. I still wasn't sure if he always wore a t-shirt to sleep because of me or if that's just what he liked to do, but I really wished I could press myself against that toned tan skin. Even if that did make me sound like a crazed person.

       "Mm..." His mouth dropped from the bridge of my nose to rub gently along my cheek. "Does that mean you missed me?"

       "You know I did."

       "I like hearing you say it."

       I couldn't stop the laugh that pulled from my lips, and his lifted into a smile. "I missed you." Please don't leave me again. I kept that part quietly to myself, and then shoved the thought way down. He wouldn't be with me forever. I shouldn't fool myself into thinking he would.

       Rex pulled me back into his chest, and squeezed those arms so tightly I for sure thought he was trying to absorb my body into his, then kissed the top of my head. "Missed you too. Never leaving again." I forced those giddy butterflies down. Not the time to go all girl crush crazy.

       "Did you have a good time at least?" Another shrug moved my entire body along with his.

       "Yeah, it was fine."

       Fine wasn't good, but I knew that was all I was going to get out of him. He had that immobile tone in his voice, like he was fully ready to stop talking completely. "Nap time?" I teased softly as his eyes closed and he snuggled further into me.

       "Yes, please. It's very earlier."

       "Okay, but I have to get up—" I went to pull away from him and get ready in the bathroom, but those arms turned to iron and he let out a disapproving grumble.

       "What? No, you don't. You have to stay here." His arms pinned me against him and when those mind numbing, and manipulating, lips brushed against my own I totally forgot what I had to do today. "With me." The kiss was soft, gentle, and left me wanting so much more.

       "But—but I have..." He pressed another kiss against my lips, just as soft and short as the last. "I-I have... things... to do..." It was useless. Rex's arms were unwrapping from around my torso to travel into my messy hair, though that didn't see to bother him.

       "Go back to sleep, my Roza." He murmured against my mouth, not carrying one bit that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet. Though he hadn't either and his breath seemed just fine to me. "We can do those things later." More soft short kisses followed until his hands were curling me back into his chest and under the covers.

       I guess a few more hours of sleep wouldn't hurt—

       Then my alarm started beeping loudly on my nightstand.

       With a loud, overly dramatic, and very unhappy groan, Rex let go of me and rolled onto his back. "Your house hates me. Never letting me sleep. We're staying at mine from now on." I tried not to laugh at the exasperation in his voice and rolled over to hit the 'off' bottom.

       "You can go back to sleep, you big baby. I have to get ready though."

       "Why?" He groaned like the baby I called him out for being. "It's Thanksgiving Break, Rosalyn. Break. As in vacation—sleeping in late, eating a lot of crap, going camping, whatever."

       I threw the covers back with a smile I didn't bother hiding and hopped to my feet. "I have to go to the doctor's today. They're going to recheck my wrist and see if I can get this thing off." I waved the splint over his handsome grumpy face before turning towards my closet.

       Rex leaned up on his arms and watched me with a frown as I grabbed some leggings and a large sweater. "You didn't tell me you had an appointment today."

       I shrugged as I turned towards my bathroom. I was trying real hard to keep the complete giddy elation from my face—but Rex was here. In my room, on my bed, looking more kissable than ever. "You were supposed to be gone for a few more days."

       "So?" His voice didn't sound all that happy and when I glanced over that hand of his was running through his hair in its usual way.

       "So, I guess it just didn't cross my mind."

       "I want to be with you when you have stuff like this, Rose. Or, I at least want to know about it." He grumbled and all but flopped back crankily against the pillows.

       "I'm sorry." Though I couldn't keep the smile from my face as I walked into the bathroom. "I promise to tell you next time."

       "I would say there won't be a 'next time', but knowing you..." Rex's voice trailed off, but I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know what he was implying. Trouble and I were twisted together like a pretzel.

       I closed the door on his disapproving groaning, and tried to shove down my smile. I might have upset him, but that didn't make the flutters in my stomach die down at all. I wouldn't mind waking up like that all the time. Especially if it involved all those kisses.

-&-

       I had planned on taking the bus to the hospital, or as far as it would take me then walk the rest of the way—which immediately put Rex in a bad mood.

       After buckling me into his car himself, like a child, he kept grumbling the whole drive into Boston about 'what has he told me about going places by myself?', and 'what are you thinking walking around Boston alone?'. There was even a 'and you weren't going to even try to tell me or the others? Really, Rosalyn?'.

       I just kept silent, except for a few sorry-s here or there, but I was honestly too happy that he was there to care. "I didn't want to bother anyone." I finally sighed a while later as we just barley skirted around the early morning Boston traffic.

       "Those words will be carved on your gravestone, Rosalyn Summers." His dark grumble sounded throughout the car as he pulled the keys from the ignition and stepped into the hospital's parking garage. I waited, like usual, until he walked around the front of the car and opened the door for me.

       "You worry too much." I beamed up at him, completely ignoring the accusing glare in his eyes.

       "You care too much." But he was gentle as he leaned down and brushed a lingering kiss to the top of my head before wrapping his hand around mind. "Bother the whole fucking group if you have to. I don't want you walking around the city alone."

       "You don't want me doing anything alone."

       "So?" He raised one dark eyebrow at me, his dark eyes challenging. I just shook my head and let the subject drop.

       Rex grew immediately silent as we walked into the hospital, that hard jaw clenching nearly as tight as his hand around mine. He really did not like hospitals. I could practically feel his discomfort grow every minute we sat in the patient room, waiting for the doctor. He kept tapping the armrest of his chair, his leg bouncing anxiously as his eyes stayed fixated at the clock hanging on the wall.

       He was the one that wanted to come. Just saying.

       "I want you to meet Jax." I blurted out after what felt like hours of waiting, though it had really only been ten minutes. Those dark eyes tore from the clock to flicker to mine, but the hard look there didn't ease.

       "I have met him. More than once."

       "Yeah, but that was foster kid, gym boy, Jax. Not my friend Jax."

       Rex let out a rugged sigh and ran that hand through his dark hair. "Rose—"

       "The others liked him! They all hung out with us yesterday! You'll like him too, I swear."

       His gaze softened until the chestnut color of his eyes made my insides all warm and fuzzy, and his lips pulled into a small smile at the corners. "I don't doubt that."

       "So you'll meet him? And be nice?" He rolled those beautiful eyes as I emphasized the word nice and leaned back heavily in his plastic waiting chair.

       "Yeah, I'll meet him, but Roza, I'm not even nice to my own friends. I'm not promising anything."

       "You're nice to me."

       Rex laughed and leaned forward until his forearms were resting against his thighs and shook his beautiful head. "I am now. But you're it. All the 'nice' I have I save for you."

       I know that shouldn't have made me feel all giddy inside, especially since he basically admitted he's never nice to anyone else, but it did. I had to drop my gaze and look down at the tiled ground so he wouldn't see the red staining my cheeks. Which was pointless since he seemed to notice every time I turned into 'tomato girl'.

       "Did you guys have a goodnight?" He asked softly a minute later, but I kept my eyes glued to my feet as I swung them against the hospital bed.

       I shrugged. "Yeah, after a while. Which was nice 'cause I really want everyone to get along."

       "You said that they did."

       I nodded and forced my feet to stop swinging. "Yeah, they did, but I was there and I think the others try to be really nice around me."

       "I'll hurt them if they aren't."

       I sighed at that lovely little statement and brought my eyes to his with all intents on scolding him, but the smile pulling at his oh-so-tempting lips had the words dying away. He was joking. Rex was making a joke.

       The doctor came in a few minutes later, briefly checked my wrist and, after a strict warning about being careful around stairs, said I was good to go. I flexed my fingers and rolled my wrist happily as Rex escorted me—quickly—out of the hospital and back into his car.

       "See!" I exclaimed happily and held my wrist up to him. "All better. Nothing to worry about." He rolled those eyes, grabbed my wrist as I went to pull it away, and kissed the inside of it. Electricity shot from the touch, up my arm and throughout the rest of my entire body. I forced down the flutters as his fingers threaded through mine.

       "Anything else you have to do today?" He asked as we drove out of the parking garage and through the crowded streets of Boston.

       "No, not really."

       "Good. So, nap time."

       I tried not to laugh as he maneuvered the sleek convertible onto the Mass Pike. "You don't want to see what the others are up to?"

       "Not really." Rex's voice turned into a dark grumble, and his eyes stayed glued to the road.

       "I'm sure they want to see you."

       "Don't care."

       "Rex—"

       "They're grown ass adults, Rose. They can handle a few days without me. I'm sure they're probably enjoying themselves." His words made me frown and I resisted the urge to flex my fingers that were entwined with his. Then he sighed and the tension slipped from his shoulders. "But we can see what they're up to if you want."

       I shrugged and let my free hand trace the back of his softy as Boston disappeared behind us. "Nap time is good too, whatever you want."

       He grumbled something under his breath that I didn't catch, but didn't bother asking him to repeat. I'm sure it involved a word or two I didn't want to hear. I was fully expecting him to drive to his apartment, or even my house, for his beloved 'nap time', but I was surprised when he pulled to a stop in front of Trey's driveway when we finally entered Briar Oaks.

       "What happened to nap time?" I asked with a raised eyebrow as Rex cut the engine and leaned back heavily.

       "You wanted to hang out with them." He grunted and threw that large arm across the back of my seat, but made no move to leave the car.

       "I asked if you wanted to."

       "Doesn't matter to me." Though the tone in his voice suggested otherwise.

       Trey was doing something under the hood of his SUV until Rex cut the engine and those bright green eyes lifted curiously towards us. He smiled and I waved as he lifted what looked like a wrench in greeting.

       "Hey..."

       I turned my gaze back to Rex as his hand left my seat to wrap gently around the back of my neck. "Yeah?" The sudden look in his dark eyes as they rested heavily on mine had my breath hitching in my lungs. It was that same look from before, when he first kissed me in his apartment. The one that made heat race through my veins.

       His free hand, the one that wasn't wrapped loosely around the back of my neck, reached over to rub softly along my jaw, then grip my chin. "I really don't like being away from you."

       Ditto.

       My heart practically imploded at his words, and that heat beneath my skin turned to flames. But I couldn't say anything. Words refused to leave my tongue, and with the way he was looking at me, I had a feeling they wouldn't for a while. It also didn't help that he leaned forward and brushed those agonizingly soft lips of his against my own.

       My eyes closed in bliss and I would have been mortified that I leaned hungrily into him if his grip hadn't tightened and pulled me closer. Rex deepened that barely-there kiss, and turned that soft touch to something much more—demanding. I wanted to part my lips, to invite him even closer like every thing inside of me was begging to do, even though I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but he pulled away before I could convince myself it was a good idea.

       I tried not to pout as his lips disappeared. I didn't want him to know how badly I wanted him to keep going. Rex's breathing was heavy and the look in that chestnut gaze made my insides feel more than funny. "You really are trouble." He murmured against my lips. His voice low—nearly hoarse—despite the fact the car was silent.

       "I-I'm sorry." Though the look on his face suggested his words meant something entirely different than what they usually did.

       "Don't be." Rex brushed those lips against mine one more time before pulling away and stepping hastily from the car. I was left sitting in his convertible, my heart beating a thousand miles a minute and my eyes wide as dinner plates.

       Well, that was... different.

       I didn't miss the raised eyebrow Trey shot Rex after he opened the door for me and we walked up the driveway. I had a sick feeling he knew one hundred percent what we had just done, and that fact made my entire neck and face flame red. I couldn't meet those bright green eyes, but Rex—being Rex—just ignored him.

       "You're back early." Trey's voice sounded more amused than anything, and I wanted to glance up at him, but didn't dare risk them seeing 'tomato girl'.

       "Got homesick." Rex's large arm reached over to rest heavily around my shoulders then curl me tightly into his side.

       "Hm." Trey murmured but let the subject die. I was glad Rex didn't tell him he came back because of me. Because I made a big deal about being alone and all but guilted him into coming home.

       "How's the wrist, Princess?"

       I dared a glance at Trey, but his eyes weren't accusing as that soft smile pulled at his handsome features. "Good." I shot him a beaming smile and held my no-longer-splinted wrist up for him to see. "All better."

       "You didn't say anything about an appointment today."

       "Yeah, join the fucking club." Rex grumbled beside me and tightened that arm around my shoulders. "Go ahead and ask her how she was planning on getting there, because she sure as hell wasn't going to ask any of us."

       I suddenly felt the spotlight turn on me like I was on trial, and the heavy weight of their gazes made me shift uneasily. "I've taken the bus by myself before, Rex. Everything was fine."

       "Yeah, well, that was before me."

       I tried not to roll my eyes and

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net