Testing Waters

The first thing Rose did when she woke up was to wriggle her lower body. She had gone to bed the previous night wondering if her new husband would want to consummate their marriage.

It was hard to deny that a part of her was disappointed when she realized he hadn’t laid a finger on her. How then was she to confirm he was the lover she knew him to be?

There was no eagerness on her part to get up from the bed. The uncertain life that laid ahead of her was both scary and exciting. She hadn’t seen anyone when they arrived at his mansion, but she was sure he had dozens of maid to take care of the big house.

Sitting up on the bed she drew her legs up to her chest. How was she to cope without Mary by her side?

Yes, she hadn’t experienced a mother’s love but it came close to what she shared with Mary who has been her nanny the moment she was born. Mary had taken a one way flight to the US with nothing but an empty purse.

The story wasn’t clear but Rose was damn glad Mary had bumped into her father at the hospital and offered to take care of her when she learned of what happened.

Instead of the emptiness that had blossomed in her home after her tragic birth, Mary had filled it with the warmth that came from the fire she used to make her native dishes for the Carmen family.

The absence of her mother was hardly felt by Rose, not when Mary’s soft bosom cushioned her head every night as she sang her to sleep. Her thick arms had been perfect for holding her during the storms and for rocking her whenever they walked through the garden.

Now in a household that probably didn’t welcome her, Rose suddenly felt alone for the first time in her life. Mary had offered to follow her but Rose declined, Papa needed her more.

She spread her palm on the empty space behind her, wondering where Wade had gone that early morning.

Deciding to face the day ahead of her, she swung her legs over the bed. Something fell on the floor the same time her feet touched it. She picked it up, it was their marriage certificate.

Bryson Wade Wu. Something about saying his name out loud made the situation more real. What was she to be addressed as now? Mrs. Wu? It would be hard to adjust.

Putting the paper back on the table she stood up with the intention of looking for him. They had lots of stuff to discuss, like what they both wanted out of the marriage.

If he was looking for a wife to cook, clean and take of his home, he picked the wrongest of them all. Everyone did not exaggerate when they thought her a spoilt brat. And she would make sure to put her leg down and have him understand she wasn’t going to be a mere ornament on his arm.

All her life Rose had longed to prove that she too could do something, but she never got the chance. This was the perfect opportunity for her, Papa wasn’t there anymore to tell her what not to do. She only now had to hope that her husband would let her do what as she wished. Lord knows she had so much she wanted to achieve.

They had arrived late in the night so she hadn’t been able to explore the three-storey mansion. All she knew was there room was on the top floor. She decided to freshen up before going to find Wade.

A gasp fell from her lips when she walked into the bathroom. Her childhood home had been big but it couldn’t be compared to this monster of a house. The bathroom alone was the size of her bedroom back at home, if not bigger.

Plain white walls made the entire place glister. The mirror alone was six feet tall and ran from one end of the wall to the other. You could definitely fit a dance class inside the big space.

There was a shelf on the opposite wall that housed a wide rage of skincare products. Rose almost squealed in excitement. There were lots pf products to choose from, and she had no doubt they were all luxury brands.

Not sure where to start she decided to run a bath first. Reaching for the first bath bomb in her line of sight she put in the water and watched its glorious colors come to life, almost moaning when the sweet scent kissed her nose.

Sighing with bliss she got in, letting the warm water embrace her completely. Married life wouldn’t be so bad if she spent all her mornings like this.

Without Mary there to help her wash her hair, she let the tangled curls stay out of the water. Mary had spoiled her so much she didn’t know how to wash her own hair, but it was also because the curls were long and she couldn’t manage it all on her own.

Maybe she could make an arrangement, Papa would surely agree to Mary visiting on the weekends for her washday. She’d have to set a reminder to call Papa.

Rose stayed in the water until it got cold, thoughts of what her marriage would entail running through her mind. She made it a mission to find out the real reason he got married to her, for one it wasn’t out of his goodwill.

Little drops of water trailed after when she got out of the bathtub. She grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped herself with it before padding bare-feet to the room. She didn’t get the chance to unpack yet so she grabbed a singlet and short from the top of her box.

Unsure of what to do with her hair she put it in a messy bun and hoped it wouldn’t be a tangled mess by the time Ms. Mary came around.

Satisfied with herself she set out to look for Wade. Crossing the hallway she knocked lightly, holding her breath as she waited for his response. When there was nothing from his end, she pushed the door, surprised to find it open.

“Wade?” she called softly, walking into the room and shutting the door after her. “Wade?” When there was no answer again she assumed that he was out.

They say a person’s room show who they are on a deep level, it’s their sanctuary after all, a place where they could seek safety from the world.

Wade’s room was anything but that. The plainness of the room hurt Rose’s eyes. She was used to having decorations all around her. Papa always said colors swallowed the emptiness of a place, because personal items breathed life in it and made it a home.

He must not have been taught that. The only evidence that someone occupied the room was the glass of water on the side table and a towel on the bed. She went straight to his closet.

As expected it was all white and black suits, not even a single color in sight. She would have to change that, she thought as she let her fingers run briefly through the materials. Deciding that it was waste of her time, she turned to leave only to freeze when something at the bottom of the closet caught her eye.

It was a small red box with a light pink ribbon tied into a bow on the top. She would recognize that little box anywhere, because she had the exact same one when she a kid.

Hers had contained what remained of her mother’s diary. The most important thing had been the poem she had written specifically for Rose when she was still in the womb.

Papa had been devasted, so much that he had turn the diary into shreds. Rose was only able to save a good portion of it while watching her father break down in front of her like a child. It had been her birthday.

She stoked the top of the box and wondered if Wade a similar story to hers. At least he still had his while she had lost her most precious item years ago.

The memory of it had become blank but it didn’t matter. The box might be gone but the poem will forever be inside of her, and one day she will share it with the world.

With a sniff she placed the box back in position and closed the door. It was rare that she thought of her mother because whenever she did, it only resulted in tears.

“What are you doing in here?”

Rose squealed at the deep voice that bounced off the walls from behind her. She mentally face palmed. It was one thing to snoop around, it was another to get caught.

“I believe your room is right across the hallway,” he spoke again.

Already regretting her actions Rose turned to answer him, only to be met by a strong chest. The words were swallowed in awe as she looked at his glistening hard chest.

She forget what she was about to say and instead let her eyes do all the talking as she took in the very masculine sight in front of her. She hadn’t espected him to be so close to her and even worse, without clothing.

“Words Rose,” he said, his voice a husky growl. “We have them for a reason.”

She blinked severally, willing herself to concentrate. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered, “I knocked but you didn’t answer the door-”

“Then you decided to invite yourself in. Not to disappoint you but there’s not muc to see.” He gestured around the room, his eyes still trained on her.

“It won’t happen again. You must have been in the shower,” when her eyes betrayed her and went back to his wet chest. Because the moment her brain processed it, the image of him in the shower filtered into her thoughts and ultimately made her hot. It made her grateful that he cheeks couldn’t turn pink and betray her not so clean thoughts.

“Did you get a chance to search the closet yet?” he asked in a bored tone, when in reality his heart was beating hard in his chest.

He didn’t want anyone touching what belonged to her, not when it was the only memory she left behind. That was why he had kept the little box since he was a kid and hidden it away from the world.

Rose knew how it felt for someone to mess around with something that was precious to them. She also didn’t want him to feel like she had invaded his privacy so she lied. “No.”

It was hard to believe her. Not when her eyes darted around and stared at anything but him. He too a step closer, the scent of their bodies mixing into one.

“Are you sure?” he asked again.

Rose nodded. “It might not seem like it but I’m big on respecting other people’s privacy.”

It was hard for Wade to concentrate, not when he could see the plain desire in her eyes. The sun certainly didn’t help his case.

Little rays of light snuck past the window blinds and bounced off her skin, reminding him of why he had been attracted to her at first sight.

His hand reached for arm, running his knuckles along the smooth skin, marveled at how they glittered under his touch. She reminded him of hot chocolate and he had to have a taste.

“Do you love me?” he asked out of the blue which startled her.

Blinking rapidly in confusion she answered, “Not really.”

“Good.” He gripped her arm tighter.

“Why do you ask?”

“Don’t,” he replied firmly, his eyes searching hers fro any trace of feelings she might be developing for him.

She scoffed. “I’ve not known you more than a day, so I think you’re being a bit delusional for thinking I might have feelings for you.

Wade didn’t know why but her response made his heart twitch, and not in a good way. “You mistook me for a guy you met in the past, I’m only making sure.”

Rose bent her head so he wouldn’t see the embarrassment spread across her face. “You already made it clear that you’re not the one.”

“I did but you don’t believe me.”

Her head snapped up. She truly didn’t. in fact she had made it a mission to prove he was the one. But it was better to attack when the enemy was defenseless.

“Look, I get it. You’re not the guy, there’s no need for the dramatics.”

His eyes narrowed at her as he took a step closer. He didn’t want her to know he was the one but he also hated the idea that she was simply dismissing him like he was nothing short of a one night stand she would have to move on from.

Giving into the urge to touch her, he grabbed the back of her neck, tilting her head up so he was all she could see.

No warning was ushered as he bent down and claimed her lips for his. What was supposed to be a slow kiss to test out waters turned into a heated one where he couldn’t get enough of her.

The thing with chocolate was, it was highly addictive. A little taste would not be enough for him. He bent down, put his hands on the back of her thighs and hoisted her up to him. His cool skin straight out of the shower met her hot one.

Pressing her against his chest, his hands roamed, spreading across the softness of her ass and to her back. Deciding her lips were not enough, he buried his face in the crevice of her neck, sucking gently at the soft flesh.

She tasted so good it would be torture to pull away. And for a split second he thought marrying her might be the best decision he ever made to date.

He found himself moaning in pleasure, “You smell so nice,” he commented, burying his face in her curls. He pushed his fingers into them in an attempt to run them when they suddenly got stuck.

Nothing could have prepared Rose for this level of embarrassment. With a sheepish smile she spoke. “I wasn’t able to detangle them this morning. Ms. Mary is not here and I don’t know how to do it myself.” She avoided his eyes at all cost, filled with shame that she couldn’t fix her own hair.

Not wanting to make her feel worse he placed a kiss on her head before helping her to her feet. “It’s alright, I’m pretty sure it’s hard for one person to handle this huge mass of curls.”

She managed a nod.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between, each not knowing what to say after their make out session came to an abrupt end.

“I-” the started to say at the same time, but were both cut off when her stomach growled.

“Right, you’ve not had breakfast.” He moved away and picked out a shirt. “Go down to the kitchen, I’ll join you in a couple minutes.”

Not wanting to risk another protest from her stomach, she bolted from the room and went downstairs.

Everywhere was dead silent on her way to the kitchen which was why she squealed when someone tapped her on the shoulder the second she sat at the table.

“OMG you scared me,” she said with a hand on her chest

There’s a scowl instead of an apologetic expression on the woman’s face who was now standing in front of her.

“That is master’s seat, I suggest you move down.” With a dismissive click of her tongue she turned and walked to the stove.

Rose had not expected to be welcomed with open arms, but this level of hostility was much more that she bargained.

“Sorry,” she muttered under her breath.

The lady turned briefly to her. “There’s no need to be.”

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat Rose prayed that Wade would come down soon. It wouldn’t be in her favour to be in bad terms with the members of his house so she tried again.

“My name is Rose-”

“I know who you are,” she was cut off. “Everyone knows you’re the woman who married master in order to save your family. The story arrived long before you did.”

All Rose could say was, “Right.”

Sounds of pots and utensils filled the air and drowned out their awkward conversation. With the strands of white silk straight head on her head, Rose imagined she would be around Ms. Mary’s age.

Though slender, the signs of age were already etched on her slightly wrinkled face. She had to be the boss around here.

“Are there any others I should meet?” Rose asked, “I didn’t get a chance to see everyone when I arrived yesterday.”

“It’s best you don’t, everything around here is perfect without you.”

“I-”

Wade chose that moment to enter, making Rose sigh in relief. It was baffling how someone could despise her so much even though they were meeting for the first time.

“Miss Pearson,” he said in greeting as he took the seat at the head of the table.

Rose has never someone’s expression transform so fast she doubted if it was real.

“Good morning master,” the old lady beamed as she hurried over to the table. “I believe you had a good night rest, everyone was worried about you.”

“I don’t pay you to worry about me,” Wade replied coolly, much to Rose’s amusement. “Breakfast please, my wife is starving.”

The earth stopping spinning for a moment. Rose’s mouth hung open which mirrored the exact expression on Miss. Pearson’s face.

“Did you just call me your wife?” Rose asked in disbelief. Her index finger slowly pointing at herself. “Me?”

“Who else will I be referring to? Certain not Miss Pearson.”

She blinked in response. She didn’t think he would acknowledge her as his wife, or even treat her as one.

“Have the others come down,” Wade instructed. “It’s rude to not introduce themselves to the woman of the house.” He had overhead the way Miss Pearson talked to her earlier and it irked him.

Their marriage might not be for the most conventional reasons but he would not have anyone disrespect her, not while she belonged to him.

“Yes master.” The poor woman scurried out of the kitchen under his heated gaze.

Now that he looked at her, he could see the nervousness she felt. From the way she picked at her finger tips to the way she avoided his gaze.

It was hard to take his eyes off her now that the decided she was the best view life had to offer. Her full brows laid in the perfect arc, giving room for her light brown eyes and little button nose.

Then there was those lips that he couldn’t have enough of. He needed to stop thinking about her but it was impossible, not since the night be bumped into her at the club. He wondered if it had to do with the fact she looked like her.

Footsteps coming into the kitchen was enough to distract him from his thoughts. He put his focus on his entire staff and started to address them.

“I see you’re all here,” he stood up. He gestured to Rose, “I’d like you all to meet my wife.” He put a hand on her waist and drew her close, more for his benefit.

“This is Miss Pearson, you met her earlier. She’s the cook.”

The old lady bent down in greeting before Wade continued. “Next is Clara, her daughter. She keeps the entire house clean.”

Rose eyed the slender blonde, something about her made Rose deeply uncomfortable. Especially the way she looked at Wade, like nothing else around her mattered.

“Mr. Pierce,” he finished. “The gardener.”

They all muttered their hellos as Rose waved awkwardly to them.

“Alright, get back to it,” he motioned for the all to leave. “Miss Pearson, please bring in the food now before my wife starves to death,” he said at the same time Rose’s stomach growled again.