Roman slid his phone into his jeans pocket and sipped his coffee. Standing on the deck of the yacht, he took in the gorgeous view of the water. Nice sight. He had to admit that for the last week he’d been appreciating another gorgeous view—Victoria. He was convinced there was more going on between them than either expected, or possibly even wanted or was ready for.
Last night he’d told her that the next two weeks would tell the story. What if the story was one neither of them wanted to read? He shook his head knowing he would want to read any story involving Victoria. How could he not when he was so taken with her?
And he was taken with her. Roman rubbed his hand down his face. Damn, who was he fooling? He was more than quite taken with Victoria Madaris. He had fallen in love with her. He didn’t need another two weeks to figure that out. What he had to figure out was how to convince her that her future should be with him and not that Jamison guy.
Another obstacle he faced was her dislike of politicians and the paparazzi. One was who he was, and the other he had no control over, especially if they thought there was a story to broadcast. He needed to take things one at a time. Over the last week, she had gotten to know him, Roman Malone Jr., the man and not the politician. He had to make sure she continued to do so over the next two weeks.
It would be up to him to make sure she did.
* * *
“WILL YOU DANCE with me, Victoria?”
They’d dined at the Cove Side, a popular restaurant known for its food and live music. Now that dinner was over, the band was starting up. They still had plenty of time to spare before the fireworks started at nine.
She glanced at him. “Yes, I’ll dance with you, Roman.”
He stood to offer her his hand and the moment they touched, he was aware of her in every single pore in his body. And from the look in her eyes, she was aware of him, as well. When they reached the dance floor, he pulled her into his arms. With his arms around her waist, he drew her closer, making him aware of her pressed against his length.
“Did you get everything done that you needed to do?”
She looked up at him. “What things?”
He met her gaze. “Whatever those household chores that needed your immediate attention earlier today.”
It was obvious from the look in her eyes that she hadn’t expected his question. “Oh, yes, I finished everything.”
“Good.”
The band was playing a slow number and he appreciated it because he needed this. He needed her hands resting on his shoulders, her nearness and the scent of her. He wished that right now, he could lean more in to her, whisper into her ear that she was making him feel emotions that he hadn’t ever felt before. And then tell her why. Specifically, that he had fallen in love with her.
There was something about her that had gotten beneath his skin, deep down to his very nerve endings, from the first. More than anything he wanted what they’d started here in Catalina Cove to continue when he returned to DC. But knowing how she felt about politicians and potentially being thrust into the limelight, would she agree to it?
Now would be a good time to start an open dialogue with her about the obstacles that could keep them apart. “Did anyone ever tell you why my father turned down the chance to run for governor?”
If she found his question odd, she didn’t say so. “No, I never heard anyone say.”
“It wasn’t that he didn’t think he could do the job or didn’t have the support. Mom would have backed whatever decision he made.” He paused a moment and then continued, “Dad had known that being a senator in the state of Texas had its own demands and knew just what being governor meant. He refused to subject his family to any more scrutiny and lack of privacy.”
“Oh, I see,” she said. “But you don’t have a problem with the scrutiny or lack or privacy?”
“I think anyone would, Victoria. But my desire to be a public servant outweighs all of that.” He was who he was. He did what he did. Certain things came with the territory he’d decided to be in. More than anything, he wanted her to one day share his life. That meant he needed her in that territory with him.
And that was his plan. He loved Victoria and was claiming her here and now, regardless of her belief that she was to one day belong to someone else. All was fair in love and war and he would declare war if he had to.
The music came to an end and he reluctantly released her. “Thanks for dancing with me.”
“Don’t thank me. I enjoyed our dance, Roman. I think we move well together.”
He smiled as he led her back to the table. “I think so, too.”
* * *
WE DO MOVE well together, Victoria thought again hours later as she stood beside Roman on the top deck of his yacht waiting for the fireworks to start. Tonight’s color was red, which happened to be her favorite color. She wondered if the sky would appear like it was on fire or something. She couldn’t wait to find out. Anything to take her mind off the man standing close to her.
“Would you have breakfast with me tomorrow?”
She was surprised he was asking since she had backed out on him today. And now she regretted doing so. She enjoyed spending time with him, yet for a moment, emotions she hadn’t been used to feeling had made her run scared. She’d done more than taken a pause. She’d taken a seat and the unknown had nearly made her too afraid to stand up again.
All it had taken was to have a serious talk with herself and remember what she’d decided. She did not have a ring on her finger. She had not promised herself to Tanner and he had certainly not promised himself to her. He was going on with his life as if she didn’t exist. And there was no reason for her not to do the same. When the time came, there was no doubt in her mind that whatever was meant to be between her and Tanner would be. Until then...
She figured because of her skittishness after their last kiss, Roman would leave it up to her to make the first move, and she had no reason not to make it. Not when she’d made up her mind about a few things. The main one that headed the list was that she wanted Roman Malone.
At that moment she intentionally leaned her body closer to his side. The moment she did, it seemed as if a jolt of pure energy passed between them. The connection made her acutely aware of his strength and male power. She’d never, ever indulged in an affair with a man. For her it had been only Karl, and after he’d shown his true colors, she hadn’t wanted to risk her heart again. She wasn’t risking it now. With Roman she didn’t have to worry about him taking advantage of her for his benefit, or using her for any sort of financial gain. He was his own man, successful in his own right, and she liked that about him.
Without saying anything, he placed his arm around her and drew her closer to him. They stood that way for a minute while drinking their wine. When he noticed she’d finished hers, he then offered her some of his. Looking into his eyes, she took a sip from the same place on the glass where his mouth had been.
“Thanks,” she whispered, barely able to get the word past her throat.
Instead of replying, he took the glass from her hand and set aside both glasses. Then he turned her in his arms as he lowered his mouth to hers.
Victoria hadn’t expected this—a kiss that was more electrifying than the ones they’d shared last night. And more passionate, as bone-melting fire began spreading through her veins. She welcomed the greedy demand of his mouth. His tongue seemed to have a mind of its own and was staking a claim with toe-curling determination.
She began moving her tongue in response to his. His low growl of approval seemed to vibrate right into her. Although she’d never slept with any man other than Karl, she had shared kisses on dates. She could definitely say that no man had ever kissed her with this much tongue-stroking abandonment.
When he finally broke off the kiss, she moaned beneath his breath, resenting he’d ended the kiss and wishing it could have gone on for a while lon
ger. Evidently, he was wishing the same thing, because he gently kissed her forehead before his mouth traveled downward to the tip of her nose and then to her lips. That’s where he paused, drew in a ragged breath and asked, “Do you want to continue this below?”
She knew why he’d asked. They had an audience. Although they were standing on his boat, there were a number of other boats docked at the pier waiting for the fireworks to start. She would like to think that none of them were paying any attention to an amorous couple. But then there were always those who preferred tending to someone else’s business.
Victoria also knew if they went below, one kiss would lead to another and then another, and pretty soon, kissing wouldn’t be enough. Was she ready for what was beyond kissing? She moaned again when he began nibbling at her mouth, then proceeded to place soft, wet bites along her neck.
“Roman...” She could barely get his name past her lips.
“Hmm?”
Deciding that she was ready, she said, “Yes. Let’s go below.”
He kissed her again, then asked in a breathy voice, “Are you sure, Victoria?”
Unable to speak, to tell him she hadn’t been surer of anything in her life, she simply nodded.
That form of communication was enough for him. He took her hand and led her down the stairs.
* * *
THE MOMENT THEY were down below and away from prying eyes, Roman drew Victoria into his arms to kiss her again. He thought he would never tire of kissing her and had no problem with it going on and on. It would be up to her how long it lasted and how far they would take it. He would make sure whatever they did from now on was her choice.
But he had no problem with using a little persuasion.
Shivers were rushing through her body—he could actually feel them. His arms around her waist tightened to hold her steady while he deepened the kiss. He loved the way she was kissing him back and loved hearing her moans of pleasure even more. He had been hungry for more of the taste of her since their first kiss. The ones that followed had only increased his appetite. Now he intended to get his fill. Without saying a word, he was letting her know just what he wanted and how he wanted it, and that he intended to make sure she wanted it just as much.
Suddenly, she broke off the kiss, dropped her head to his chest and let out several ragged breaths. He stroked the center of her back while trying to get his own breathing under control. Victoria was doing things to him. Making him want things he hadn’t before.
She finally lifted her head to stare into his eyes at the same time she slid her hands beneath his T-shirt to gently caress his chest. “Roman...”
“Yes, sweetheart?” he responded, pressing his lips between the curve of her neck and shoulder.
“I—I... I...”
He lifted his head to stare at her again. “What do you want? Tell me and I will give it to you.”
She leaned close and breathed the words against his lips. “You, Roman. I want you.”
Her words made him crush his mouth to hers and sweep her into his arms to carry her to the bed. He was taking possession of her mouth the same way he intended to take possession of her body. After tonight she would belong to him and there was nothing anyone would be able to do about it because he intended to keep her. She had his heart. She was his heart. And tonight was the start of their forever.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
VICTORIA COULDN’T HELP but surrender to the sensations Roman’s kiss was making her feel. It seemed every inch of her was being sparked to life, and the moment he placed her on the bed, her body began throbbing in areas she’d never known a body could throb.
Her chest rose and fell as she tried controlling her breathing. When he backed away from the bed, his gaze locked on her. Her body warmed under his regard. There was just something about the way he was standing there, looking at her, that sent sensual shivers all through her. His eyes darkened and his nostrils flared as he continued to stare at her. Her body was reacting to his bold perusal on many levels. She was still wearing clothes. How would he react if he was to see her naked? Would she be able to handle the intensity of the heat?
“Time to remove clothes, don’t you think?” he asked in his rich baritone.
“Yes, I think so” was all she could say while thinking how attuned she was to Roman and how comfortable he’d made her feel with him...even with seeing the huge, swollen bulge at his crotch. If there had ever been any doubt of his desire for her before, there certainly wasn’t any now. At this moment, a longing unlike anything she’d ever felt or imagined, consumed her, and she knew that tonight, no matter what she and Roman did, no matter what they shared, it was right.
“Let’s undress each other,” he suggested, returning to the bed with a confident swagger she’d come to admire.
When he reached the bed, she lifted up her arms and he tugged her blouse over her head, the cool air causing goose bumps to form on her skin. “I need to hurry and cover you,” he said when he had removed all her clothing except her bra and panties.
She always liked sexy underthings even when there hadn’t been a man in her life to appreciate them. But from the look in his eyes when his gaze roamed all over her, he let her know that he liked her matching bra-and-panties set of blush pink. “You look so damn beautiful, Victoria,” he said in a voice that sounded raw with desire.
“Thank you.”
She then leaned up to tug his shirt over his head and loved the broad expanse of chest she exposed. Because of her cousins and brothers, she’d seen plenty of male chests in her day; however, she was convinced that Roman’s chest was a work of art. It was muscular, solid, hair-roughened and well-defined.
She just had to touch it, so she reached out and did just that, loving the way her fingers felt trickling through the hair on his chest. Then, wanting to get closer, she snuggled against his chest, burying her face in it. She licked her tongue across and around one rock-hard masculine nipple to the other and felt a tingling sensation on her tongue.
“Victoria...”
She leaned back to look up at him while gliding her hands up his sexy, sculpted chest. “Yes?”
“I need you.”
Hearing him say those words caused a distinct warmth to flood the area between her legs. “Your jeans,” she said, deciding to let him remove them as she watched.
“What about your underthings?” he asked, taking a step back from the bed to remove his jeans.
“I’ll save that for last.”
He held her gaze as he lowered his jeans and slid out of them. When he stood completely naked before her, she roamed her gaze over every inch of him, fully appreciating and desiring everything she saw. What a man. What a mighty big man.
“Now I want to enjoy my view of you,” he said as he moved back to the bed. Reaching out, he unsnapped her bra and moaned when her breasts were set free, spilling out for him to see. He cupped them in his hands and began gently massaging and kneading them in a way that made heat stir between her legs. No man had ever paid homage to her breasts like he was doing.
He lowered his hand to her waist, then in one smooth tug, he was easing her panties down her legs. When they were completely removed and he’d tossed them aside, he glanced back at her and smiled and said in a deep, husky voice, “I’m about to give you a night you will never forget, Victoria.”
Then he bent his head and captured her mouth like he was about to devour her.
* * *
ROMAN WASN’T SURE how long he could last kissing her. Intense heat was firing his insides, making it hard for him to stay in control. Other women had garnered his interest before, but none had made him fall in love with them. This was the woman he was convinced was his perfect other half. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The woman he knew he loved.
He broke off the kiss and drew in a ragged breath, trying to slow down a little. Easing himself
down, he lay beside her. Facing each other, the sexual chemistry between them was the strongest it had ever been. Needing to taste her, he decided he would start at the top and work his way down south. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman.
Leaning in, he began licking along her jaw, then moved lower to trail openmouthed kisses along the curve of her neck. He loved the feel of her hands skimming across his shoulders, and speaking of shoulders, his mouth moved to one of hers. The skin there felt like satin beneath his lips.
He leaned back a little to take a look at her chest, and thought her breasts were perfect, and was convinced her nipples were made for his mouth. To prove his point, he leaned in and eased one stiff bud between his lips, then began sucking hard.
“Roman...”
He was too busy feasting off her to answer. He’d never considered himself a breast man, until now. He couldn’t seem to get enough, so he moved his mouth to the other nipple and began sucking, and then massaging, the nipple with his tongue.
Her hands had moved from his shoulders to the sides of his cheeks, as if she wanted to pull his mouth free of her. Instead, she was holding his mouth in place while he greedily devoured her breasts. Each time he sucked on a nipple, even more desire clawed at him.
Knowing it was time to move on, he released the plump pebble to shift downward to her flat stomach, and he began trailing wet kisses all around her navel. He loved the feel of his tongue gliding across her smooth skin. Simultaneously, his hand kneaded her hip bone... He loved touching her there.
Moments later, he moved his mouth lower to the area between her legs, ready to delve into her womanly core. He began kissing the warm folds between a pair of luscious thighs before inserting his tongue inside of her.
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