Love Is Patient, Kind and Above All True
Chapter Thirty Three
Rosco couldn't help smiling as he watched her pick at her eggs. He knew she had heard. He made sure she heard. Rosco got off the cell phone, pretended to whisper something in Dale's ear and then got back to finishing the last of his toast.
"Are you up for a tour of the house?" he asked.
"Why are you going to give me a tour of the house?" she asked suspiciously.
"Because then you'll know where everything is while you stay here."
She seemed to ponder a moment before asking her next question. "What makes you think that I won't escape after you give me a tour?"
He laughed. "Because I have guards all over the property. You wouldn't be able to get out of here if you tried."
"How do I know you're not just saying that? You could as easily just have the three guards that I've seen so far."
She was smart. He did only have the three guards, not including the maid, housekeeper and one driver.
"Trust me. I'm not lying," he lied.
"Whatever gives you the idea that I'll EVER trust you?"
He thought about his answer. Rosco tried not to sound too cocky. "Because I saved you."
Her face flushed at his answer. "You did not save me. You fulfilled your responsibility to me as a captor to keep me out of harms way," she replied.
Rosco kept his amusement hidden. She had quite the skill to spin things the way she wanted them to be.
"Fine. I did my duty. Now can we go on the tour?"
"Fine."
~~
Rosco led her around the house. He showed her the gym, the pool, the library, the kitchen. Rosco led her to the final destination. It was the reason for the tour. He led her to the outside garden. Rosco had never been out there per se, but the guards made sure it was enclosed and there were no escape paths.
"This is the garden."
"Wow!" Jaime exclaimed.
They walked down the stone path, which was enclosed by overhanging boughs. The trees were in bloom. The delicate blossoms decorated the luscious green branches. As they neared the end of the long winding path, Rosco was surprised at the destination and if the gasp emanating from Jaime's lips was any indication, so was she.
Their eyes fell upon a wall of roses, roses of all sorts. The roses seemed to draw them closer and closer until Jaime was touching each rose with her fingertips. Her eyes were filled with delight. "Did you know that this was here?" she asked.
"No," he replied honestly. "I never knew these wall of roses were even in this garden." He was still in awe of the vibrant colors of red, pink, yellow, white and a variety of different shades of the colors.
"Do you think the owners of this 'confiscated' house would mind if I took one?"
Rosco watched Jaime finger one single dusty pink rose. He searched his jeans for the Swiss Army Knife he always carried around. He found it in his left back pocket.
Rosco walked over to the rose Jaime fingered and inched her over so that he could grasp its stem. His knife sliced through the thorny green stem. He cut the thorns off so that she wouldn't prick her fingers. Rosco then put the knife away in his pocket.
"For you," he whispered offering the flower to Jaime.
Jaime looked up into his eyes. She didn't know what to make of this.
Is he trying to manipulate me in someway?
"Thank you," she said awkwardly, taking the flower from his hand.
Jaime suddenly realized how close he was to her. He was no more than a couple inches away from her. Rosco's hand reached down to caress her cheek and trail down her neck. It sent a shiver down her spine.
She turned away from him. What was happening? How did they get from loathing each other to…to…this?
"Jaime…" he said huskily.
Jaime felt his hands rest on her shoulders. She stiffened her body. "I think we should get back, don't you?" she dismissed.
She felt his hands fall off her shoulders. "Yeah. You're right. I've got things to do, " he coughed.
As Jaime turned to walk back down the path with him, but all she could see was his back strolling towards the house.
I don't know what's happening, God.
Jaime sat down in the soft grass underneath her. She unconsciously began to caress her cheek with the rose, smelling it's wonderful scent.
Jaime never dated. She thought it as amazing as when others found out she'd never dated. Jaime travelled so much that she never stayed in a school long enough to meet a guy she liked. In some ways she was happy not to have jumped from boy to boy, but in a situation like this, how was she supposed to handle it?
Jaime always believed in a true love. When she became a Christian she learned that God had planned a perfect person with whom she'd spend her entire life. So Jaime never thought anything about it.
Well, maybe except the time when she met Jason. He had given her pause, but it wasn't meant to be.
Rosco surely didn't believe in God, not the business he was in. But part of her seemed drawn to him.
God help me! I don't know what it is Rosco is planning, but I need you to protect me. I don't want to get hurt.
***
Rosco walked back to the house unnerved. He had done that because of his plan, right? He didn't know anymore.
Rosco felt himself being drawn in by her. When he was looking into her eyes, it was like he was drowning in big brown pools of chocolate. Rosco felt himself slip whenever he was with her. His steel will always cut through the emotions of everything and got to the point. It was why he could be so good at his job. But in the last couple of days, Rosco felt his steel will buckle from under him.
As the day wore on, Rosco realized that Jaime had still not come in from the garden. When he changed out of his jeans and t-shirt, he glanced out from his bedroom window. He never realized that it overlooked the garden. Rosco never had time to look out a window.
He could see a small figure lying in the grass. Rosco's heart seemed to beat a little faster.
What was happening to him?
Rosco sat down for a moment on the window's ledge. He gave himself a reality check. He only wanted Jaime because she was his meal ticket to Lee, whether for revenge or a way into the family money. Rosco had checked out Jaime's financial situation and found out a trust fund would be issued to her on her 25 birthday. She was now 23. Two years, Rosco thought to himself, he could live with a beautiful woman like that for two years.
~~
It was getting dark so Rosco called Dale to retrieve Jaime from the garden. He didn't think she'd resist as much as she did in the beginning. Stage one of his plan had been completed. Jaime was having second thoughts about what kind of person Rosco Dule was. Now stage two needed to be implemented.
Rosco walked down into the living room, which just happened to be adjoined to the foyer. He left the sliding doors open. Jaime would be able to see him there. Rosco grabbed a vase and sat down on the couch. He had set the scene and hopefully Jaime would be maternal enough to care what was wrong.
He heard the murmur of voices in the hallway and then the foyer. "What do you mean it's a talent? Pushing people around is a talent?"
"Damn it!" Rosco threw the vase.
Rosco heard the commotion in the foyer stop. He heard footsteps, which entered the room. "Boss? Are you all right?"
Get lost you idiot!
Rosco gritted his teeth to keep from biting his head off. "Get lost."
"What's wrong?" Jaime asked.
Good. She cares.
"Nothing. Dale take her to her room. I'll let you know when supper is ready," he commanded.
"I don't think so Dale!" she exclaimed. Jaime walked into the room and plopped down beside Rosco on the couch. "Dale, leave and close the doors behind you."
Dale looked over to Rosco to see if he agreed. Rosco nodded his head. After Dale left, Rosco got up and went over to the large window, which looked over the estate.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing. I told you. You know you're very nosy."
Jaime sat up indignant. "I am not! I'm just inquisitive."
Their eyes met and then there was a burst of laughter. He couldn't believe he laughed at a time like this.
"Seriously, what's the matter?" she asked again.
"Look," he said, taking a deep breath. "You know that you're being held hostage right?" Rosco had to immerse himself in the lies or he wouldn't be able to make her believe him.
"Yeah." She nodded her head.
"Well, they want to take you to a different place. They want you to leave." Rosco waited for that to sink in.
"You mean, they're going to let me go?" Jaime looked up hopefully.
"No. He wants you in different hands." Rosco fidgeted with his hands, hoping she'd believe that it was worry or concern.
"Who's the 'he' you're talking about?" she pushed, getting up from the couch and walking over to him.
His heart beat faster as she approached him. He had to make this believable. Sell it Rosco!
"I can't tell you. But let me just say that you don't want to know him."
She was right in front of him now. Her eyes bearing down on him. "Why not? I'm going to meet him anyway right?"
"Not if I can help it."
Now Jaime was staring at him, a couple inches away. "What do you mean, 'not if you can help it'?"
Her eyes seemed to bore a hole into him. "I don't want you to go," he stated matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean you don't want me to go? I'd be out of your hair…" her sentence trailed off.
Rosco found his hands cupping her face and pulling her in close. Her lips were inches away from his. "I don't want you out of my hair," he whispered.
Rosco watched her eyes close as he drew nearer, ready to kiss her. He stopped.
I can't do it!
Rosco let his hands slip from her face. Jaime opened her eyes confused.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…done that," he apologized.
She seemed to gather what remained of her composure. "Sorry for what? You didn't do anything."
"But I was about to," he said truthfully.
Rosco stared out the window. He seemed to lose control whenever he was near her.
Maybe this wasn't the greatest plan?