The Welcoming

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽

What? I must have heard wrong.

"Move in with me Rose." He said again, but this time with so much emotions.

I pulled away from the hug and walked away from him to the window.

"I think it's time for you to leave now." I whispered.

"Why do you have to be so difficult about everything? You and I both know you're not safe here, and I'm the only person with enough influence to protect you from anyone. So what's your problem?"

"No! You're not mixing yourself up in my mess. I already put River in danger and I'm not putting you too. I'll figure something out, you just leave."

I turned my back to him in a bid to hide my tears, I felt completely helpless. I know deep down that he was right, he's the only person willing to help me even with our differences, even after witnessing all that. But do i really want to bring harm to him? No.

"3 months." I turned around to face him after he spoke.

"What?"

"You can stay with me for 3 months until you have this issue sorted out. I promise I won't get in your way, I won't be a pain in your pretty ass, I won't meddle in your affairs. It's just for your safety."

"Why are you willing to go this length for someone like me?"

"I don't know, I guess I have a thing for weird females." He half smiled, and I blushed.

He slowly walked up to me and I felt those amber jewels situated on my lips, and then my face. He then slowly closed the distance between us and I took one step back. Trying to create as much space as I possibly could.

Noticing my reluctance in his approach, he stopped moving closer to me and moved his hand to put a strand of my hair behind my ear and then ran his fingers up and down my cheek.

I got sucked in his eyes, and couldn't tear my eyes off of his. My lips parted slightly as I sucked in invincible air, his eyes followed the movement of my lips and I did same. My eyes roamed every feature of his face, taking in his eyes, lips, chin, nose, ears, just everything.

With him being inches away from my face now, staring me down like he was waiting for a go ahead from me, I tried everything possible to push him away but my inner-self had me all tied up. I couldn't even move, and so I did the most foolish thing I could think of.

I closed my eyes in expectancy. And just as I expected, he closed the distance between us with his lips. I shivered in pure delight and let my mouth move gently against his. I couldn't think of anything at that moment but the way his lips moved against mine with so much expertise. Of course he'd be so good at this, the man's literally a man-whore.

He bit my bottom lip gently which earned a gasp from me, he then shoved his tongue in my mouth as he savored every part of my mouth. I felt like I was walking on cloud 9.

I snaked my hands in his hair and pulled gently, earning a low groan from him. Smiling in-between the kiss, I felt his hand move down my lower back to my buttocks. Cupping my left cheek in his strong hand, I knew it was time for me to break this kiss not unless I was ready for him to take me right then and there.

I pulled away from the kiss while trying to catch my breath, and my cheeks flushed red immediately. I never imagined my first kiss to be like this but boy I couldn't have wished for it to be any better. I dropped my head in a bid to avoid his eyes but he gently raised my chin up and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Move in with me kitten, that's the only way I can be rest assured you'll be safe. Please?" He breathed the last word. And I smiled.

"Okay." And just like that, I folded.

"But first I have to inform River about the sudden change of plans and to know if she'll like to join me cause she's not safe here either. Is that okay?"

"That won't be necessary Rosie, I wouldn't want to spoil this little romance you both have going on."

My best friend stood at the door with a small smile playing on her lips. My cheeks immediately flushed crimson red and I screamed at my friend.

"River!!! Oh my gosh!" I covered my face in embarrassment. And she laughed out loud.

"You can't be blushing this hard now when you were all up in that man's throat, sucking away his soul." She smirked even harder now.

I ran to her and hit her arm playfully.

"Stop it Vera. But how come you're here?" I asked in a more serious tone.

"I saw everything through the ring camera, I rushed here cause I was scared you could be in danger, but I can see you are busy right now." She wiggled her eyes and I smiled shyly.

"Let me introduce you both, Um Xavier this is my best friend Rivera, and Vera this is my um….boss Xavier Woods." I smiled shyly at them both.

"I remember you, you're the jerk from the coffee shop. Well it's not nice meeting you, not in any kind of way." She grunted and I giggled. She was cute.

"I suppose the feeling is mutual." He spoke in a baritone voice and I wished he never stopped talking. "So will you like to move in with Rose, obviously you're not safe over here anymore."

"Nah…I'll move upstate, I have a pent house that my parents bought in my name, I've never had a reason to move in there but now I do. It has a very strict security so I'll be fine, you don't have to worry about me. You can visit anytime and I'll also visit during weekends and we can hangout."

I felt tears build up in my eyes, after so many days of staying together, we're finally getting separated in the most ridiculous way. I'll miss waking up to my best friend chants, I know she's doing this to give Xavier and i time to figure out our feelings but I couldn't stop feeling sad and so I cried.

"Come here." I immediately hugged my best friend. And after a while she helped me pack and then I helped her pack too and we loaded up our luggage in the trunk. I hugged her one last time before getting in the car with Xavier and she getting in her car. We waited for her to drive off first before we also drove off to Xavier's house.