Page 50 of Love's Home Run

The next morning, Melissa awoke and lay in bed next to Ross. She was grateful to him for alleviating any awkwardness between them, making their lovemaking one joyful discovery after another.

She turned to find Ross smiling at her. “Come here,” he said gruffly, and she went into his arms, eager to demonstrate how much she’d learned from him.

Sometime later, Melissa got up and hurried to her room to get ready for the day. They planned to drive to Charleston to spend the night. She’d always wanted to see Charleston and was pleased when Ross easily agreed.

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The drive to Charleston seemed to pass in no time while Melissa and Ross talked more about their childhood and their dreams and hopes for the future. The more they talked, the more Melissa was convinced, as Ross’s father had suggested, that she and Ross were made for one another.

Melissa looked up information on Charleston. Her excitement grew after reading about the cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and pastel antebellum houses in the French Quarter and Battery districts. She couldn’t wait to walk the streets and taste the food.

“Look up hotels. Let’s get one where the action is,” said Ross. “Then I won’t have to walk so far.”

Her heart pounded. “One room or two?” She waited for his answer, needing him to affirm that their time together was right.

He glanced at her from behind the wheel. “I say one. How about you?”

“For sure,” she said happily, smiling at him.

He grinned and reached for her hand.

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A few hours later, they made their way through the streets of Charleston to a four-star hotel between the waterfront and French Quarter. Called an Art Hotel, The Vendue advertised over 200 pieces of art throughout the hotel. That, the food, and the rooftop bar had made it an easy choice.

A bellman led them to their room, where sparkling white walls brightened the dark wooden floor. Red accents inside the room complemented the red on the guest room door. Melissa stared at the king-size bed and felt heat rise to her cheeks, remembering the lovemaking she’d shared with Ross.

Ross caught her attention and winked at her as if knowing what she was thinking.

She forced herself to listen to what the bellman said about amenities and was more than ready for him to leave.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to rest a bit before going out,” said Ross. “My leg is hurting.”

“Of course, I don’t mind. They have an old-fashioned tub. Do you want to soak your leg?”

“Only if you join me,” he said and laughed at her surprised expression. “I’ll just lie here on the bed for a bit, and then we can look around.”

“There’s enough to see in this hotel to have us exploring for hours,” said Melissa. “While you rest, I’ll read up on Charleston.”

He gave her a sexy look, waved her over, and laughed when she said, “Or maybe not.”

They lay together atop the bed, cuddled close. Ross closed his eyes, and as Melissa kept an eye on him, his breathing slowed until he was sound asleep. It was sometimes easy for her to forget that not long ago, he’d had major surgery.

Quietly, to avoid disturbing him, she got up and decided to look around the hotel by herself.

Melissa was captivated by the artwork as she went from space to space. She loved the bright, bold colors of many of the works. But she especially loved paintings done by FRED. She inquired about them at the front desk and was handed a pamphlet on him and his work.

She eagerly read: “Born in Southern Belgium and a world traveler most of his life, he took Charleston’s art scene by storm. His Charleston cityscapes are not seen with a traditional eye. The sky is generally dark, the trees assembled color masses.”

The more she read, the more convinced she became that she wanted one of his paintings for her house. A painting of his would add to the décor and give her a loving memory of the time she spent with Ross.

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When she returned to the room, Ross looked up at her and grinned. “Do some exploring?”

“Yes, wait until I show you what I want to buy for my house. It’s unique.”

He stood and pulled her to him. “You’re pretty unique yourself.”

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