When the Music Ends (The Winter Rose Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF Page B

tight. Then they got into the car.
                As
they drove, a mean, selfish thought occurred to Erin. She wondered if this
traumatic event meant that the delicious little beginning she and Sean had
shared was over, if this really would be a single night instead of a
relationship after all. She didn’t want that. She wanted him for herself,
but that was no way to be thinking when your friend was lying, wounded and violated,
in the hospital. She tried to ignore the desperate longing for Sean, but she
couldn’t. Finally, the words burst from her.
                "Are
you still going to be with me?"
                "What
do you mean?" Lost in dark sad thoughts about his sister, Sean had a hard
time processing the question.
                "I
mean we sort of said we were going to be a couple. Is that still the case? I
know how terrible it sounds to ask this right now, but I have to know. Are we
through?"
    "No, baby. We’re not through," he assured her with
sweet intensity, "I don’t know how we’re going to do this
without upsetting people, but I would never have taken your virginity if I
didn’t intend to stand by you. Don’t think for a minute that
I’m doing this out of duty either. I still want you as much as ever. This
is really hard, this situation with Danny, and..." His voice broke and he
swallowed a couple of times. "We’re all going to need all the
support we can get. You’re part of it too. So, for tonight, we’re
going to stay close. Tomorrow, we can decide what’s next, but I swear
that dumping you isn’t part of my plans. Do you think that it would be
possible to keep this…private, at least for a while? I hate being sneaky,
but I don’t really see any other way."
                "You’re
right, and that’s fine. I wasn’t planning to broadcast it anyway,
especially not under these circumstances."
                They
were at the house by that time, and went back inside. Erin’s mouth tasted
terrible, so she went into the hallway bathroom to brush her teeth in the
scalloped, cream-colored pedestal sink. Sean followed and she found him a
toothbrush still in the package in the cabinet. While he brushed, she washed
the last of the makeup off her lips and eyes before leading Sean back into the
bedroom and pulling him to her again. They kissed endlessly, deeply, their
burgeoning passion for each other exacerbated by their terrible grief.
                Sean
was a little concerned about making love to Erin again so soon after her first
time. He knew she was sore, but really, it didn’t matter, not when she
was undressing him, running her hands over his body. She wanted and needed to
be as close to him as possible, and he needed her just as badly. And when the
moment came, he pressed inside her so gently, so slowly, that she only felt the
slightest twinge. The second time was just as sweet as the first, especially as
Erin now knew that Sean intended to be with her. Falling asleep in his arms
was one of the sweetest things she had ever experienced. If only it
didn’t have to be coupled with such tragedy.
    ******
                In
the morning, Erin called the Murphy house. Sean was still sleeping in her bed,
but of course no one knew that. Roger picked up.
                "Hello
Mr. Murphy. This is Erin. I’m just calling to see if you guys are home. I’m
not going to ask if you’re okay. Do you think it would be all right if I
came over later?"
                "Yes,
Erin, please come over," Roger said. His voice sounded very strained.
"Sheridan is sleeping now, but I think maybe this afternoon, it would be
good for her to have you here."
                "I’ll
be there after lunch. Hang in there, Mr. Murphy."
                The
voice on the phone sounded weary, but appreciative. "You too.
Goodbye."
                Warm
arms wrapped around Erin from behind and she snuggled against Sean. He