When Red Roses Die

Chapter 40

Scarlett

The wood creaked beneath me as I tip-toed down the hallway, away from the library. Where I had been reading for the past several hours, completely losing track of the outside world.

Above the oven, the hood light hummed as it illuminated the dark kitchen to the best of its ability. The pitch-black outdoors did nothing to help the light.

Wood floors changed to tile as I entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. Once I filled it with cold water, I slowly drank it, enjoying the peace surrounding me and the outside world. 

For the first time in a week and a half, I truly felt relaxed. No responsibilities, no cramps, and no more girly problems. Just peace and quiet.

Once finished with the glass, I rinsed it and set it in the sink, leaving it for tomorrow me to wash and put in the dishwasher, before I made my trek up the carpeted staircase. The long hallway was serene like the downstairs, but it carried a fullness that the rest of the house lacked late at night. My men filled the rooms in this hallway, sleeping soundly. At least most of them did, Kjell, Erik, and Oakley were out on business. I felt a stupid smile cross my face as I walked past their rooms and entered mine.

There was no one in my room, but I had a feeling that would change as soon as I entered the en suite bathroom. After brushing and pulling my hair up, I brushed my teeth and entered my walk-in closet. I grabbed and changed into a pair of shorts and an old sweatshirt, before reentering into my room.

Sure enough, a catlike stare watched me.

"Do you know what time it is Grimm?" Aspen's voice filled the room as I walked around and tidied up.

"Past 2?" I phrased it like a question, even though I knew the answer.

"It's 3:51 am, and you are just now sneaking back into your room. Care to explain?" Aspen watched my every move without moving a muscle. His hands remained behind his head, and legs outstretched in a leisure-like pose.

"Yeah, sorry, there were these other hot vampire twins that were occupying my mind," I said, even though it was a lie. I had, in fact, been reading a Shakespearean Tragedy. That in my opinion, was far from a romance, but it's unlikely that Aspen will fact-check me by reading my mind, mostly because I was shutting him out.

I felt his glare intensify and a sick satisfaction split my face.

"I should take your reading privileges away." Aspen threatened.

The mere thought of not having my library saddened me, so I decided to hit him right back where it hurts. His emotions.

I quickly finished tidying up the room and turned to him. He still was watching me and my every move. I approached the bed, and before I could second guess myself, got on the bed and positioned my legs so I was straddling him.

"This isn't going to work on me. I don't like you reading smut, and this isn't going to change it." Aspen said in an even tone.

"So bossy," I said while placing a soft kiss on his neck. "So bossy and jealous," I chuckled and placed another kiss on the opposite side of his neck. 

"I'm not jealous," Aspen scoffed, his whole body tensing beneath me.

"Mhm hmm and I'm not a reader." The look on my face made Aspen roll his eyes, an action he did a lot when he was upset.

While straddling him I started to slowly rotate my hips, minuscule movements at first.

"Grimm..." Aspen said. I could've sworn there was a slight catch in his voice.

"Aspen..." I grinned down at him and set my forearms on his shoulder with the hands folded behind his neck.

"What are you doing?" He asked, a definite catch in his voice.

"Absolutely nothing," I said, my voice the perfect mask of innocence. My hips switched from rotating to grinding- slowly but surely. "Why are you jealous," I asked him and placed a kiss on his jaw.

"I'm not fuc-" Aspen started but I cut him off.

"We just went over this." I stared at him, watching his jaw clench and teeth grind.

"I don't like you reading smut."

"Why?" I pushed, glad to finally get a response from him.

"There's no need for it. You have six guys at your beck and call that will happily help you with any problem you have," Aspen spoke hurriedly, breathlessly.

I grinned at the fact that I had an obvious effect on him, not to mention that he included himself in the total of my men.

"Six?" I asked with a curved brow.

His purple eyes glared daggers in me as his hands clenched at my sides.  "Don't be stupid," he said shortly.

"You have such a beautiful way with words," I pressed another kiss on the opposite side of his jaw. All the while, my hips continued their slow torture.

"Norse Gods, you drive me crazy woman!" Aspen exclaimed, his hands unclenched and snaked around my wrists, pinning them to my sides as he deftly flipped our positions.

I found myself to be breathless at the sudden change.

Aspen's beautifully horrible face hovered above mine. Suddenly, it was his turn to drive his hips into mine. My effect on him was very evident, and I caught myself grinning again.

"You feel that?" His lips curled into a horrible smirk. "Don't you dare think I don't have feelings for you. And I swear if I find out that you've been reading smut I will do everything in that book and worse. Might even pull Oakley into the mix. You ever heard of a twin sandwich?" Aspen's minty breath and spiced, aged wine smell surrounded me causing my head to fog up.

One thought reminded in my head. Was that supposed to be a threat?..... Or incentive?

"You dirty girl," Aspen smiled against my neck as he spoke, right as I felt him in my head.

Shit, I let my mental guards down.

"Ope- sorry!" Erik's voice pulled Aspen and me from our stare down, which honestly would have only ended one way. Us. Both. Naked.

"Don't be," Aspen said in an out-of-character happy voice. "I was just leaving."

Aspen pulled away from on top of me and stood next to the bed, all in a fluid motion. I watched him as he left, leaving the door open behind him before disappearing into his and Oakley's room.

"He's in a strangely good mood," Erik noted as he slid his shoes off. "You mind?" He asked as he pointed to the empty space next to me.

I rolled my eyes at his instinct to ask. Such a gentleman.

"Be my guest " I patted the bed and watched as he did that sexy grab-shirt-thing where he took it off in one fluid motion.

I tucked myself under the covers and waited for Erik to do the same. Then I immediately scooted over to him and curled around his side. 

"Goodnight Red," Erik kiss the top of my head and at the same time at the lights in the room turned off.

"Goodnight Erik," I mumbled against his chest as warm sleep took me.

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👋Hi..... 😊. I can't tell you how great it felt to write this! I've missed writing so much over my "little" "break". I apologize so much for being gone for some long, it's taken a while for me to feel even an ounce of creativity. I can't necessarily say that I'm back, but I'm definitely hoping to write some more chapters.

That all being said, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 40! Comments and feedback make me so happy! Thank you so much for reading this update even though I abandoned y'all like yesterday's leftovers. I hope y'all have a fantastic week.

~Until Next Chapter