Silence stretched until Ethan finally said, Oh.
Yes, oh. Inside the bathroom, Rosie stripped off the housecoat and his shirt. Why dont you throw them in the washer while I shower?
Sure thing.
She could hear him whistling as he walked away, secure in the knowledge that nothing of a sexual nature had occurred between them.
But he didnt know that for sure, and no way would she tell him. Let him stew. Let him wonder.
And maybe, just maybe, hed think about it enough that hed start to like the idea.
Rosie grinned as she stepped into the shower. She had a plan, and oh, boy, it was going to be fun.
CHAPTER TWO
SHE WALKED INTO the kitchen with his toothbrush sticking out of her mouth.
In the process of shaking out a large plastic garbage bag, Ethan froze. Rosies hair was still wet, pushed straight back from her forehead and hanging in long twisted ropes down her back. Over his housecoat.
Which was now the only thing she wore.
Ethan knew that because she leaned into the laundry room and pitched his shirt onto the pile of dirty clothes, then turned and stuck her folded panties into her purse, which was on the counter. With foamy toothpaste dripping down her chin, she headed back for the bathroom.
It took Ethan a moment to get his eyelids to work so he could blink. When he did, he couldnt help but notice that her behind, without benefit of underwear, jiggled just a little more beneath the terry-cloth robe. He jerked around, grumbling and too warm and feeling somewhat hunted. Damn irritant. He shoved an old pizza box into the garbage bag.
Five minutes later Rosie emerged again. She gave him a big toothy smile and said, I used your toothbrush.
Yeah, I noticed. He would not keep staring at her.
You dont mind, do you?
He started to say, Of course not; after all, theyd been friends a long time, shared drinks, once even an ice-cream cone. He wasnt worried about her germs.
But she didnt give him a chance. I figured after last night, it wouldnt be any big deal.
Ethan went rigid. Nothing happened last night.
Did you put my stuff in the wash? Apparently unconcerned with his emotional turmoil, Rosie pushed in a kitchen chair, closed a cabinet.
Shaking his head to clear it, Ethan said, Yeah, they should be ready for the dryer in about ten more minutes. He continued to stuff empty food containers and soup cans, plastic cups, newspapers and junk mail into the bag. He shouldnt have felt so awkward with Rosie. He never had beforebut then, hed never slept with her before, either.
He glared when he realized that she intended to help him clean. Not only that, but shed accomplished more in two minutes than he had in ten. Women, he decided, just had a knack for being efficient with housework.
Leave that stuff. Ill get it. He glanced around at the remaining mess and for some stupid reason, felt compelled to explain. Ive been on a night shift all week. Had two nasty calls, one right before the banquet. Had to use the Jaws of Life on a guy who got caught in his car. Damn thing was on fire At her look of horror, his voice trailed off. He shook his head. I got behind on stuff, but I planned to clean today anyway, since I have the next four days off.
Youre okay?
Damn it, she didnt have to sound so anxious. She was a friend, not his keeper, not his sibling, not his wife. Im fine.
For a long moment she didnt look convinced, then she shrugged. I dont mind helping. She wrung out a dishrag and wiped off the stove. Ive got nothing else to do until my clothes are done, then I have to head into the office. I have a house to show today.
As a real estate agent, her hours varied.
I dont want you to help.
She blinked up at him with fresh-faced provocation. Why?
Damn, she looked cute straight from the shower. Rosie had never, in his opinion, needed much makeup. Her skin was fair, framed by silky brown hair that didnt contain a single hint of red. Her brows were dark, finely arched, her lashes long. Though her eyes were blue, they werent an ordinary blue. They looked softer than ordinary blue, sort of smoky and smoldering, and when she got annoyed or excited, they turned stormy gray.
Would they turn gray when she was sexually aroused?
Ethans scowl intensified. Women always think they have certain rights after cleaning a guys place.
Wow, no kidding? Her brows rose higher. Thats likereally profound. Your grasp on womankind is nothing short of astounding.
She was baiting him, maybe even poking fun at him. My grasp is astute enough to know you cant be trusted, that you wait for a reason to screw a guy over or to confuse him so that he screws himself over or
Rosie stuck her fingers in her ears and said, La, la, la, lalalal
Stop that!
She struck an arrogant, annoyed pose, her hands on her hips. Then stop spouting nonsense.
Ethan shook his head at the gesture, until he realized that her stance made the robe gap just a little above and below the belt. It showed a length of her legswhich hed seen a gazillion times, for crying out loudand her cleavage, which he knew she had but he hadnt seen much before now.
Everything male within him went on alert, and he mumbled, It is not nonsense.
Are you talking to me or my boobs?
Flabbergasted, Ethan jerked his gaze up to her face, saw her smile and wanted to shout with frustration. Ruthlessly he beat his male instincts into submission. You.
Huh. And here I was certain my ears were on my head, not my chest.
In a ridiculous show of temper, he threw the garbage bag down on the floor. Damn it, Rosie, what is wrong with you? What are you up to?
She shrugged, then groaned dramatically. I need some aspirin.
Dismissing him, she turned to the cabinet and began riffling around until Ethan said, Here, I keep them over the stove. He shook out two white pills and handed them to her. A new thought occurred to him. You hungover, too?
She lifted the aspirin off his palm, tossed them into her mouth and bent her head into the sink to grab a drink of water straight from the tap. When shed finished, she shook her head. No, of course not.
He hadnt thought so. Rosie was never much of a drinker. Come to that, he wasnt, either, and he was thoroughly disgusted with himself for overindulging last night. If youre not suffering from too much drink, then whats your problem?
I just have a headache from lack of sleep, actually. She sent him a calculated look. We didnt get to bed till late.
His chest constricted. Why hadnt she gotten enough sleep? Shed been dead-out when hed awakened.
The washer buzzed and Rosie stepped into the small laundry room off the kitchen to put her clothes in the dryer, giving Ethan a moment to think.
There had to be any number of reasons why shed been in his bed, other than the most distressing one. Why she didnt want to tell him, he couldnt say. Sometimes Rosie could be difficult for no apparent reason.
But hed get the truth out of her, one way or another.
Hey, Ethan?
He stayed in the kitchen, unwilling to test his resolve by getting near her again. Yeah?
Did you mean that I couldnt be trusted, or women in general?
Oh, hell, he didnt want to have this discussion with her. He jammed a carton of sour milk into the bag with more force than was necessary. Just getting the garbage off the countertops and off the floor made his place look much cleaner. Normally it didnt get so bad, but on top of the lousy week, hed really been dreading the party last night. For days, cleaning had been the last thing on his mind.
Is this a tough question, Ethan?
Knowing she wouldnt let it go, he gave her the truth. I meant all women.
Really? The silence was telling. Including me? She strolled back in, her eyes a flat graynot a good sign.
Rosie, lets drop this, okay? Ethan could already tell she was up for an argument. He wasnt. He needed to know that he hadnttouched her. And then he needed more sleep.
No, its not okay. She crossed her arms under her breasts. Youve insulted me.
He stared at the ceiling so he wouldnt be tempted to look at her breasts again. How about if I just apologize?
Not if you arent sincere. She sighed, sounding a little defeated. You know, I fully intended to tell you everything.
Everything? He gave up his study of the ceiling and met her gaze. What the hell does that mean?
You know. She flapped a hand. Why Im here, what I want, stuff like that.
What she wanted? Ethan tied the bag shut and set it aside. If she kept this up, his head would explode. Okay, lets get this over with. What do you want?
Her mischievous smile came slowly, accompanied by a twinkle in her eyes. Oh, youd like to rush me through this, wouldnt you? But why? You werent in a rush last night.
He reached for her and she ducked away, laughing. I still cant believe you forgot everything from last night.
Two deep breaths didnt help Ethan to contain his temper. There wasnt much to forget, now was there?
There was enough.
His jaw ached from clenching his teeth. If thats true, then you took advantage of my drunken statewhich proves what I said. Women cant be trusted.
Some women, maybe.
Like a woman who sleeps with a guy she knows is drunk?
She winced, pretending to be wounded, but her grin told the real story. Okay, lets back up. When you spout all that baloney about women not being trustworthy, you make yourself look really pathetic.
Is that right?
Yep. It shows that Michelle really did a number on you and that you let her.
Oh, no, no way. He didnt want to talk about Michelle. He didnt even want to hear Michelles name. Not now, not ever. Be smart, Rosie, and keep her out of this.
Of course she didnt listen to him. She wouldnt be Rosie if she did. Why? Thats what this is really all about, isnt it? You got jilted and youve been playing the wounded swain ever since.
Its none of your business. Youre a friend, not my mother, not my confessor.
Damn right Im your friend.
She put her hands on her hips again, but this time Ethan was too annoyed to admire her cleavage. Rosies anger struck him in waves and left him a little awed. Hed only witnessed her fierce temper a handful of times.
Ive had enough of you dragging around with your tail between your legs.
I dont.
Dont growl at me, Ethan Winters. What would you call it? You date every single girl within a three-hundred-mile radiusbut only once. You make cracks about women all the timeand in case youve failed to notice, Im a woman.
I noticed.
That shut her up, even left her bemused, but only for a moment. Her chin lifted. Yeah, well, when you belittle half of humanity
The female half. And I dont belittle them, I just look at them realistically. I see them for how they are.
She rolled her eyes. You make yourself look defensive. Her expression softened. You make yourself lookwell, lovesick.
The humiliation of being jilted in front of half the town and all his friends and family would be burned on his brain for the rest of his life. It wasnt the sort of thing that a man just got over.
It wasnt the sort of thing that Ethan would ever forget.
Rosie took a step closer to him. Getting drunk and picking up strange women is certainly not the behavior of a hero, a role model for the community.
Because he didnt like the way she looked at him, and he especially didnt like the topic, Ethan backed up. Screw that. I never asked to be called a hero.
In fact, part of the reason hed started drinking last night was the ceremony honoring him. It had been every bit as bad as hed imagined. Hed felt ridiculous, the center of attention for the first time since the wedding. And hed felt undeserving.
Ethan. Rosies tone chastised as she continued to advance, nearly backing him into the pantry. Youre a firefighter and thats heroic enough. But you risked your life to save those people.
He sidestepped away from the pantry and found himself in a corner, next to the stove. I did what any guy would have done, especially a firefighter. I did my job. Thats all there is to it.
In near-zero visibility? Knowing that the house could have collapsed at any moment?
Ethan dropped his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. Three weeks ago when hed entered the flaming residence, he hadnt had heroism on his mind. Through the crackle of burning wood and shattering glass, hed heard people calling, pleading for help. Their voices had been raw from the thick smoke, desperate. Weak. Ethan had simply reacted.
Hed done what he was trained to do.
It hadnt been easy to carry the man out while dragging the teenage son. Everything was ablaze, the smoke so dense he couldnt see his hand in front of his face. Hed made his way through, inch by inch, but hed managed, and theyd all lived. He was grateful for thatand embarrassed that so much hoopla had been made about it. He didnt ever again want to find himself as the focus of a crowd; it always reminded him of that awful wedding day when hed been left standing alone at the altar.
Yet there hed been last night, at the damn ceremony, being applauded by the very people whod looked at him with pity the night his bride had failed to show. Hed been dressed up then, too, and hed felt just as numb.
The memories assailed him, churning through his blood, ringing in his ears. He breathed hard, nearly panting, but it didnt help.
God, he was going to puke again.
Rosie touched his chest, gently stroking his right pectoral muscle. Her fingertips grazed his nipple.
It so startled him, the awful memories faded beneath a new emotion. He felt his body stir with sexual awareness.
I was so proud of you, Ethan, when they gave you the Fire Commissions Valor Award. But then Im always proud of you. You risk your life all the time without a second thought. You do what most men wont doto help others. Youre always so tall and commanding and direct. And last night you looked so incredibly handsome in your dress uniform.
Trying to ignore his unwanted arousal, Ethan focused on her soothing voice and eventually on the familiar features of her face. Rosie smiled at him and rested her palm over his heart.