Chapter 21

Ezra couldn't tell if he was entranced by this woman, or if he was so angered over Roses rejection that any attention from a woman was a win in his eyes.

Shaking off the feeling, he gets in his car and drives to a pub close by to the hotel. He parks his car and goes inside to sit at the bar. He orders another whiskey and as he starts to self wallow again, someone sits next to him. The lady in the red dress.

He looks at her, to find her already looking at him and gives her a quizzical look. "Are you following me, it's mighty strange to bump into you twice." She rolls her eyes, "I was here earlier and left my drivers license, so I decided to stay and eat. I should ask if you followed me?" He laughs out loud, "Well how could that be possible when I was here first?"

She smiles at him, and orders food from the bartender. Ezra says, "Well I should properly introduce myself. I'm Ezra. You are?" She looks at him a moment too long before finally saying, "Isla." He sees something flash through her eyes, deceit? Probably nervous to be sitting here with him. "Well Isla, would you like to move to a booth to eat more comfortably?" She agrees and they sit down together on opposite sides. "I have to run to the ladies room, I'll be right back."

She stands and walks to the bathroom in the back of the bar, as soon as Ezra turns back around from watching her walk away, he sees Rose. Standing in the doorway to the bar.

She looks like she's fighting through some emotions. And trying to control herself as she stares at him. Ezra stays sitting, he doesn't want to frighten her away. Finally Rose moves.

But instead of running out the door and hiding again, she stomps over to his table. Ezra is shocked and doesn't know what to say so he just stares at her, brows knitted together in confusion. Quickly trying to think of a reason why he's there, for when she asks.

When she gets to his table, she crosses her arms over her chest, her face is red in anger. Instead of asking why he's there, she asks, "Who the hell was that?!" And points her finger in the direction of the bathrooms.

Ezra is completely stunned. Why would she choose that question to ask? His face shows confusion and he doesn't answer, Rose says, "I asked you who that was." Ezra stands up so he isn't looking up to her and holds her shoulders in both of his hands, "Just someone I ran into here, and we were alone so we decided to have drinks together. That's all." He says timidly, completely and utterly shell shocked at her reaction.

He watches a tear slip from her eyes and his heart explodes, he reaches up to swipe it away and she smacks his hand so he can't touch her. "Don't even think about it." She stomps her feet and whirls around to walk out of the bar.

She reaches the door quickly and he runs after her, grabbing her hand he pulls her around to the side of the building where no one is around. He pushes her up against the wall, his hands on either side of her but not touching her, he has her locked in. He wants to press his body against hers and take her right here but he restrains himself.

He hears her catch her breath, her eyes are closed and she's trying to show him that he doesn't effect her, when she's clearly very effected. He smirks to himself and lifts her chin up, she opens her eyes and almost inaudibly gasps when their eyes meet each other. She felt like she was shocked with electricity.

She looks around them to see who else is around, to find no one. At this point it's dark outside, she sees fireflies lighting up the woods around them, and glances up at the stars. There's a million of them shining tonight. She's struck with the memory of her dream where the mystery man lit up the sky with stars for her because it was too dark. The sky looked identical to that right now.

Finally she looks back at Ezra and just observes his facial features. His strong jaw line, his beautiful eye lashes, those luscious lips. She doesn't realize she's doing it, but she reaches up and strokes his jaw with one finger. Tracing the sharp angles of his face. Rose looks back into his eyes now and sees nothing but pure love, joy and affection. At this moment she feels completely safe, but vulnerable with him at the same time. She bites her lip and looks down at his again.

She hears him groan and he pushes his body against hers. Still with his hands on either side of her. But he pushes his hips against hers, very lightly. As though he's asking for permission. "Rose..." he whispers breathily. She smiles back at him and he takes it as an invitation to kiss her.

He puts one hand on the back of her head and one on her lower waist to pull her to him tightly and he lowers his face to hers as he slowly goes in for a kiss. He starts slow, he kisses her cheek, and she leans into him, then her nose, he feels her smiling, then the corner of her mouth and then she grabs him by his collar and pulls him in for a kiss. Tired of waiting, she takes what she wants and kisses him with so much passion.

He finds himself lost in her warmth and flicks his tongue over her lips, asking to be let in. She denies him, but continues kissing him letting his hands wander over her back and she keeps pressing into him.

Rose tries to reason with herself and stop right here because she knows she won't be able to in a moment. But then he nips her lip and she gasps, he takes that opportunity to slide his tongue in, taking control and she knew she was lost.