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‘Fights are part of the package Rose. Sometimes I’m an asshole and sometimes you’re unbearable. I’m still pissed at you and I’m guessing the feeling is mutual but that doesn’t mean I just walk away; you can‘t get rid of me that easily, whether we like each other right now or not. You don’t give up at the first hurdle!’ His voice was still harsh, but the sarcasm gone, the slight tone of warmth in there somewhere.
Rose bit on her lip to stop the sudden surge of tears flowing from complete relief, closing the box again and pulling it into her lap possessively, she felt another tear escape, this time it was shame. He was keeping his distance, watching her with that unreadable coldness. ‘You didn’t call.’ She brushed the moisture away. ‘Didn’t text.’ Another fell just as quickly. ‘I figured you were done.’ She hated how feeble and quiet she sounded, her heart aching with the effort. She heard him sigh before he moved closer, pulling her chair round slowly as he leant over her, his face softening as he lifted her chin up to meet his eyes. Shaking his head, gently he brushed away a tear with his thumb, drawing her closer so they could lock eyes.
‘I was being a man. It’s what we do when we’re pissed and trying to balance a lot of shit at once. We clam up...I’m used to dealing with things alone...We had a fight, Rose, that’s all it was. I didn’t want to talk to you until I calmed down, I knew I would say things I didn’t mean and hurt you.’ He slid down onto his knees, taking the box from her lap and retrieving her ring from inside before throwing the box back on the table carelessly, he lifted her hand sliding it back on her finger slowly; stopping to kiss the bruises from her overeager removal days before. That tiny tender act making her heart ache freshly as she gazed at him with wide eyes and a fluttering heartbeat.
‘Thought you said once it came off it stayed off?’ She was watching him now, her emotions calming slowly, his beautiful face, smooth and devoid of anger giving her peace. His eyes pale and soft as the storms moved away, while her manic emotions were being brought back under control, warmth began returning to his features completely.
‘I lied.’ He looked up, still holding her hand in his, a look on his face she couldn’t read. He sighed again, shaking his head gently at her, a small smile breaking across his face. ‘What am I going to do with you, Penny?’
She shrugged, still feeling fragile, looking up at him coquettishly and longing for him to touch her properly. To wipe away this excruciating tension between them and smooth over the last torn parts of her heart, convince her they really were okay. He gazed at her for a long moment.
‘If you want a kiss you’re going to need to come closer.’ He smiled softly as though reading her mind; that familiar twinkle appearing in his eye once more and revealing the Rob she had been aching to see. She didn’t need to be told twice, obediently she moved forward towards him.
He didn’t hesitate, moving purposely at her, brushing noses gently, dragging out the agony and finding her lips in a slow confident movement, parting them easily. He sunk his mouth against hers. Softly at first, enjoying the touch of her against him once more, savouring the feeling of her breath against him after a weekend of hell and just breathing her in. Losing himself in the one place he had been longing to be. It was a kiss to wipe away the pain and anger, slow and tender, feelings of relief washing over both of them.
He didn’t need to say anything more, the kiss said it all. As though they had been holding their breath, waiting to exhale, the surge of emotion and longing, forgiveness and relief all wrapped up in the tender moment; his hands finding her face to pull her closer. His mouth deepening the kiss, making it clear he was no longer mad at her, she was no longer mad at him and they were doing what they did best to fix all the hurt.
Sitting back on his haunches and gently smoothing back her hair in that familiar affectionate way, he smiled, bringing her eyes to meet his.
‘Promise me baby... Promise me that no matter what we fight about, no matter how bad or how big it feels...That you will never doubt how much I love you or that I’m in this for the long haul... For the forever.’ He kissed her gently on the forehead. ‘I will always come back for you...Even if I need a few days to cool off from that infamous Munro temper... I’m sorry about the way I behaved...The things I said, I was being a dickhead.’
‘I promise.’ She reached out, kissing him again gently and was met with no rejection. Her heart filling with joy at the ability to just do this once more, to feel secure that they were still together and engaged. ‘I’m sorry I threw your ring back at you... I‘m sorry I acted like a crazy bitch.’ She rested her forehead against his jaw, breathing in the smell of him as her nose grazed his throat, enjoying his arms around her and feeling like this is all she ever needed in the world to feel content.
‘I deserved it.’ He mumbled huskily.
‘I know.’ She smiled weakly at him, now eye level again as he frowned in mild mock outrage and scooped her out of the chair in an easy swipe, sending the items on his desk flying and the chair spinning uncontrollably. Rose squealed at the suddenness of it, caught up in a bundle high in his arms.
‘I know how to make it up to you, though.’ He kissed her firmly again on the mouth, moving her back to the desk and sliding her butt onto the smooth surface. Swiping the rest of the stuff from behind her off the edge with one arm, straight to the floor in a clattering mess. He didn’t break free until he had pushed her down to lay across the smooth wooden expanse. ‘I have thought of nothing else for days.’
‘Really? Even while hating me?’ Her voice was heavy with anticipation, breathless at his passionate kiss.
‘There’s nothing in the world like make up sex, all that pent-up anger and frustration. Even pissed I would never hate you baby, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.’ That dirty twinkle in his eye, all return of that boyish grin and relaxed face. ‘Knowing just how fiery and passionate you are... I know you won’t disappoint.’
He didn’t give her a chance to reply, leaning down to capture her mouth, igniting that burning desire quickly, their hands clawing at each other’s clothes in a frenzy that overtook almost instantaneously.
With her legs hanging off the desk freely so that the only place she had to put them was around his waist, he was all over her, kissing and nibbling and pulling her free of any garments covering her skin as she followed suit, yanking his t-shirt over his head and raking her nails over that expanse of chiselled torso and muscular shoulders.
It was with the same feverish urgency and wild passion of their reunion in Abby’s bathroom. That surge of insane need to be joined with one another, naked and writhing, only this was more intense, more frenzied and full on. They weren’t drunk this time, they were fueled by days of anger and heartache and the craving need was overwhelming.
Rose was not normally one to move above a moaning and writhing when she climaxed, but he had her calling out, groaning and panting in ecstasy. Unable to control her cries as the tidal wave of orgasmic ripples crashed over her. His own muffled moans lost in her neck in unison as they came crashing down, sated, on top of the desk after only minutes of hot, hard sex. It was definitely a keeper for the memory bank, not the longest session in which he had devoured her body but definitely the most primal and passionate to date.
Heavy breathing, with sweat droplets spritzed over their naked skin as they began to untangle limbs, still Rose lying flat on the hard desktop. Rob gave a satisfied groan as he moved to get off her, bracing on his palms by her head and leaning in to give her a slow long and gentle kiss, his tongue brushing hers, yet not fueling more lust, this was a ‘thank you for making my day’ kind of kiss.
He moved back, straightening his arms to let her up, her legs still around his waist as he suddenly froze. She felt him stiffen over her, the change of atmosphere and the small noise which escaped his throat had Rose lift her head and look up at him. Still leaning over her, she realised he was looking at the door and followed his gaze.
Her blood instantly running cold, her heart stopping and her legs losing all capability at staying around his waist, she inhaled sharply at the sight before her. Morag stood in the doorway, wild-eyed, mouth open, chest heaving. Like a woman on the verge of a massive breakdown, she was holding some folders in her hands and as they slid to the floor she made an incomprehensible cry.
Rob turned back to Rose, a frown of regret instantly across his face and a murmured curse as he quickly released her, pulling her up to sit on the desk and pulling his clothes up quickly with one hand, the urgency of their need for each other meaning his jeans and boxers had stayed pretty much close to where they were meant to sit.
He pulled Rose up off the surface fully, helping her to her feet and standing in front of her so he was shielding her modesty and handing her, her clothes. His t-shirt was laying on the chair by Morag’s side so was left alone for the time being as he proceeded to right himself. Rose hurriedly covered up, standing behind him facing away and pulling her dress over her nakedness, hastily kicking her lace panties under the desk. Her face was burning with the heat of complete mortification of the situation they had suddenly found themselves in.
Fuck, fuck, fuck
‘Morag, come to the kitchen with me and we can talk.’ Rob was speaking soothingly, but she was shaking her head, the tears falling freely.
‘It was her?’ Pointing past him as Rose turned towards them, pulling her shoes from under the desk and trying to calm her elevated pulse and shaking limbs. She couldn’t look the red head in the eye.
‘Her? All along? Your kid sister’s mate? What is she even twenty yet?’ Morag spat, her voice high pitched and cracking, the obvious extreme distress all over her.
Rob seemed lost for words for a moment, sighing and trying hard to think fast and make this less traumatic. Trying to manoeuvre her into the next room, trying to make her follow but her gaze was intent on Rose, standing openly looking at every inch of her. Hating her.
‘Rose is twenty-seven, Morag. You knew there was someone, it’s not like I haven’t kept trying to tell you. Yes, it’s been her all along.’ He had given up trying to turn her and instead pulled the seat forward from the door frame, lifting his top and sliding her down on the chair with little resistance. Morag was too focused on open mouthed staring at Rose.
‘I’m sorry that you saw that, that you walked in on us...’ He pulled it on, covering his tanned torso; the spattering of hair across his body glistening a little with the exertion of what they had just done still.
Rose had nowhere to go. Trapped in the room with her only close exit being closed in by Morag sobbing in the chair he had pulled in front of it. Morag looked at him with accusation
