Third Time's a Charm (Holland Springs #3)(77)

Her hands grasped his cock, stroking him. Rolling to the side, he kissed her deeply, his tongue mimicking his fingers.

She gasped his name into his mouth as she came. As he moaned hers, his own orgasm shaking him to his very core. Jesus Christ. He couldn’t leave her. Not now. Not ever. There had to be a way for them to be together.

She smiled at him, tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me.” He smoothed a stray curl from her face. “Go back to sleep, love.” She nodded and closed her eyes.

After cleaning himself off, he shot from the bed and headed to the bathroom. He made use of the facilities and dressed in record time.

Pressing a soft kiss to Rose’s cheek, he left the room and jogged down the stairs, surprised to see the owner, Haven Crawford, lugging in a large box through the front entrance.

“Need some help?”

Haven shot him a grateful smile and handed it over. “Didn’t take you for an early riser.”

“Rose’s still sleeping, and I couldn’t.” Sasha followed her to the back and set the box down on the floor in Haven’s private quarters. “All of Rose’s clothes were burned in the fire, and—”

Haven gestured to the box. “Already taken care of.”

“For Rose?” He knelt in the floor, prying the flaps apart. He pulled out jeans and sweaters. Skirts and shoes. Everything from the mentionable to unmentionables filled the box. All were clean, most still had tags, but it didn’t matter because someone or someones cared enough about Rose to help her out. Before she had to ask.

Hell, knowing Rose, she wouldn’t have asked for help.

“Gabriel Edwards dropped it off,” Haven said.

Sasha dropped a rather nice-looking pair of pumps. “Who is he—Superman?”

Haven lifted her brows. “It came from the clothes closet at Grace Church. Most likely, his momma and sister picked them out before sending it over.”

“I’ll take all this up to her.” He started to heft the box in his arms, but a quick shake of Haven’s head made him stop.

“I want to hang it all up, iron anything that needs it and generally make everything look nice for Rose. I have some luggage she can borrow, too.” Haven began taking out the clothes, laying them across the sofa and lining up shoes along the bottom. “There’s more coming, Gabriel said, and Jemma Leigh’s organizing a drive for Rose or something like that.”

He could only imagine the ‘something like that’ Jemma Leigh would have in mind, but it would be from the heart. It seemed like there was nothing for him to do now.

Standing, he dusted off his trousers. “Why are you doing this?”

“Rose sends her couples to me.”

“Her couples?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

Haven glanced up at him “The ones that take her advice to look for the spring. Almost always, there’s an engagement. And almost always, they have their wedding here. Or a reception if they want to do the church thing.” Haven bent back over the box, pink hair with purple tips sliding to the side. “She sent me my first customer two years ago, when I first opened for business. This is the least I can do for her.”

“You believe in the legend of the spring?”

Haven snorted. “’Course not. But I believe in Rose and so do a lot of other people.” Haven gathered some clothes and handed them to Sasha. She selected a pair of flats and the heavy winter coat from the bottom of the box, adding them to his pile. “Take these to her.”

Sasha dashed off to his room, throwing open the door. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Rose sat up. “Morning.”

He dropped the clothes on the bed. “Guess what I’ve got for you. Well, not me exactly. There’s loads more…Rose?”

Rose didn’t answer him. She sat with the covers pulled to her chest and her gaze on the comforter.

“Haven sent these to you. They’re from Edwards’ church.” He hated even mentioning the man’s name, but credit had to be given where it was due. “Apparently, that’s the tip of the iceberg. If you’d like some help putting outfits together, I’ll volunteer—as long as you promise to model the lingerie for me.”

She lifted the flats and turned them over, then dropped them on the floor. “Are those supposed to make up for my house burning down?”

This was so not his Rose, but allowances had to be made. She’d just lost everything. Running a palm over his jaw, he took a shaky breath. “I know it’s not cheesecake, but new clothes always worked for me. Sex, too. I am a man, after all.” When she didn’t look up from the bed, he sat down beside her. “Help me out here.”

“I’ll thank Haven and Gabriel when I see them.” She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them.

He stroked her hair, watching as the curls came loose from her braid. “Come away with me. We’ll go any place you want—although I do have some recommendations. There’s this little island off of Spain you’d like.” This he could do for her. He could make her forget for a while. Hell, if he could convince her, he would keep her with him. Until he was free and then they’d really be free—together. Go anywhere, do anything without anyone giving a damn.

“And do what?” she finally asked.