Whiskey Rose (Fallen) Read Online Free Page A

himself a bed on the sofa in Rose’s room. He had slept on worse but still he couldn’t sleep. He hadn’t been able to sleep much since he’d gotten the wire from Jack. He had left the lamp burning for Rose so he saw her when she came in. He didn’t move and alert her that he was awake but he didn’t pretend to sleep.  She didn’t even look his way. She locked the door and stood there for a moment and he wondered if she had forgotten he was there. Then she took off the wig, suddenly he was interested. Much more so then he would have thought he would be. She placed the wig on a wig stand next to the other two. Then took off the hair net that held her real hair hidden under the wig. She put her hands in her hair and shook like crazy. Her hair tumbled free into unruly chestnut curls. They kinked and curved in random directions and created such a riot of hair that he was amazed that she had even been able to fit it under the wig. He wondered why she even bothered with the wig. The curls were more appealing. Even as he watched, his fingers itched to touch them. To see if they were as soft as they looked.  He lay there quietly watching her as she turned down her bed and took off her shoes. She stepped behind a dressing screen to change her clothes and he found himself watching her bare toes beneath the screen. When she stepped out wearing a Victorian nightgown that buttoned all the way up to her chin he nearly groaned aloud. For some reason the sight of her in that nightgown turned him on more than any number of scantily clad women he had seen.  For the first time he felt a pang of regret for her mandate that he wouldn’t share her bed. He watched her take something out of her night table drawer and hold it in her hands for a few moments before returning it to the drawer. She blew out the lamp and he heard her slide between her sheets. She hadn’t said a single word or even looked his way.
     
    Rose’s eyes popped open at the foreign sound. She held very still until her sleep fogged mind processed what the sound was and the events of the previous day came rushing back. Matt was snoring. She rolled over and looked at him. He looked almost comical. He was much too big for the tiny sofa, too long especially. His shirt was off and the blanket had slipped down to his waist. He was very appealing.  His chest was covered in dark curls a shade darker than his hair. She had known his looks were going to be a problem from the start. Those eyes especially. They were pale blue and utterly mesmerizing. She had seen every one of the girls respond to him in a way they rarely did. Secretly she found it very satisfying to be able to claim he was her husband even if it wasn’t true.  They never envied her anything, they were all so beautiful and she was plain and ordinary. They spent their lives with men hanging on their every word and she was just the bar maid. They were all sweet for the most part but there wasn’t one that wasn’t conceited beyond the bounds of reason. She collected all of her things and slipped out of the room as quietly as she could so she wouldn’t wake him.
     
    Matt found Rose in the kitchen. He followed the scent of coffee straight to her. She was sitting at the table reading the paper. She was blond again. He remembered clearly seeing her with dark curls but it seemed unreal now. As if he was remembering a dream.
    “ Good morning. How did you sleep ? ” she asked in that soft drawl.
    “ Not bad . ” He sat down across from her. She arched a brow at him.
    “ Did n’ t look comfortable . ” He had to smile at that, it really was n’ t very comfortable. She stood up and retrieved a cup filling it with coffee for him. 
    “ Thank you . ” He took the cup. He did n’ t mention that he had n’ t asked for coffee and she had n’ t asked him if he wanted it .“ Yo u’ re up early, what did you get about four hours of sleep? Five maybe ? ”
    “ I have things to do. Besides I like the morning. I