Free In Full Bloom: Sequel to 'The Crying Rose': The Trilogy of the Rose (Volume 2) by B. A. Beers

worked hard on Ollie’s coat for about ten minutes until it too shone in the light. Getting up, he cleaned out the mat of hair from the brush and tossed the hair away. He walked back into the house with both dogs following him.
     
    As he headed to the bedroom that Grandma Jo had assigned him, Mark picked up the suitcase he had dropped earlier. Turning off lights as he went down the hall, he stopped at the first bedroom door across from the bathroom. Reaching into the bathroom, he turned on the light. The bedroom door was open, and he could see Sami lying on her side facing away from him. Lowering the suitcase to the floor, he walked farther into the bedroom. As he approached the bed, he could hear her soft, deep breathing indicating that she was fast asleep. Reaching over to the chair near the bed, he removed an extra blanket. Spreading it out on the floor, next to the bed, he signaled to Molly to enter the room.
     
    Molly approached him cautiously. She sniffed the air and whined softly a few times when she realized that her mistress was on the bed. Molly turned back to Mark. He patted the blanket, and the dog moved to it and proceeded to lie down. Good girl , Mark thought, patting her head. He backed out of the room, and moved to the bathroom. Moments later, he took a few steps further down the hall and turned into the last bedroom on the right, with Ollie right beside him.
     
    ***

 
     
     
    SIX
     
     
    M ark was awakened by sounds coming from down the hall. He sat up and grabbed the sweat bottoms that he had left next to the bed. Donning them quickly, he stood up. The early morning sunlight was bleeding around the window blinds, aiding him to avoid Ollie who had taken an aggressive position at the door. Mark spun past him and stood at the end of the hall. Taking a deep breath to calm his alert body, he waited for the noise to repeat. When he heard the sound again, he realized Sami’s bedroom was the source. Her door, which had been wide open last night, was now only open a few inches. Stepping forward a few feet, he could now hear her voice.
     
    “Molly, you little angel,” Mark heard her say softly. She spoke again, but Mark couldn’t make out her words. Tapping lightly on the door, he heard her quietly call out. “Yes?”
     
    “Sami?” Mark said softly, as he pushed the door open farther and poked his head around it. Seeing her bare legs, he pulled his head back quickly, not wanting to embarrass either himself or her.
     
    “It’s okay,” she called out to him with merriment in her voice. “Come in.”
     
    Before he could act on her request, Ollie poked the door wide open and entered, going directly to Sami. “Ollie!” Mark cried out softly, as he passed. Ollie turned in his direction, but stayed where he was, next to Sami.
     
    Sami reached out and patted Ollie’s side. “Good morning, Ollie,” she said directly to the dog. He turned as she spoke his name and gave her a big lick. Sami took the offered gift in stride and giggled like a teenager.
     
    Mark swallowed back his embarrassment, and had to admit he was beginning to like this side of her. He walked into the room. “Sorry about that,” he said looking at her, “but you are at his level, and consequently you are fair game to him.”
     
    Sami gazed at Mark. “I know,” she confessed, “we’re already good friends. We have even been outside this morning.” Not taking her eyes off Mark as she spoke, she continued to stroke the animal.
     
    Mark became aware that Sami’s eyes were taking stock of him as he stood there. He repressed the urge to suck in his belly that was exposed to her view, deciding it was too late anyway. The intensity of her stare made his body begin to warm. Uncomfortable under her stare, he decided to end it quickly. He turned, asking if she wanted coffee. Her affirmative answer reached him as he turned up the hall. Heading for the kitchen, the aroma of fresh brewed coffee filled the air around him.
     
    He saw