Sweet Rome

by Tillie Cole

  “God, Mol, I thought I’d lost you… Fuck, baby, I’ve been freaking the hell out…” His words were strained and I stroked along his stubble to relax him.

  “I’m fine, babe. We’re all fine. It was just a C-section. We knew it was probable. They happen thousands of times a day. I was in safe hands.”

  He nodded once, then, looking slightly “fish out of water,” glanced down at our baby wrapped in a yellow blanket, the colour no indication to their gender.

  “Romeo…” I whispered in awe, seeing a tiny hand reaching north, my hand reaching out too in reaction, but my stomach tightened at the movement and I flinched and hissed at the sharp stab of pain.

  Rome noticed, a worried expression set on his face, and he stood slowly, bending down to my level. “How about I bring our little princess to you?” And a huge proud smile lit up his face.

  Princess… I exhaled slowly, closed my eyes, and smiled. We’d had a little girl. We had a daughter.

  A happy whimper escaped my mouth and relieved hot tears began streaming down my cheeks. I’d managed to carry full term despite my health problems, and I was a mommy and my Rome was a daddy.

  I immediately held out my arms and Romeo gently placed our daughter against my chest, taking any weight away from my injured stomach, the bare warmth of her skin against mine. The movement disturbed our sleeping little girl, and when she squirmed, her eyes opened and straight away met mine.

  Sucking in a sharp breath, I stared down at my child. Dark brown eyes… just like her daddy, chubby little rosy cheeks, and pouting pink lips with a perfect cupid’s bow. I’d read her eyes could be blue, but just like her daddy, his brown-eyed genes were apparently beyond dominant.

  Time suspended. It was as though the world had fallen away and just the two of us remained. We stayed staring at each other for what felt like days; it was like she already knew who I was. Her mammy.

  Lifting my left hand, my right still clutching her close, I ran a fingertip down her soft, pink cheek and cooed, “Hey, my baby girl. I’m your mammy and I love you so, so much.” I heard a contented sigh from beside me—Romeo—but I couldn’t seem to look away from my daughter to pay him any attention.

  With a long yawn, our baby girl’s eyes fought the heavy pull of sleep but eventually dropped to a close, her breath evening out, and she fell asleep, the sound of her rhythmic breathing soothing me.

  Water hazed my vision and two thumbs rubbed at my cheeks, wiping away the tears. As I glanced up, Romeo had sat next to us both, his arm protectively over my outstretched body, careful not to touch my C-section incision.

  “She’s beautiful,” I said quietly, and Rome stroked a finger over her tiny forehead. My heart skipped a beat as I watched him show so much affection to our little girl, causing me to add, “Just like you.”

  “Baby… yeah,” he said in return, his eyes briefly flitting to mine.

  At his choked reaction, I looked up at him and gripped his hand. “Are you okay?”

  Huffing out a controlled breath, he smiled wryly and rubbed at his eyes. “Yeah, I’m just so overwhelmed by everything. The idea of being a parent and the reality of it… I… I can’t wrap my head around it.” His bright-brown stare fixed on our sleeping daughter on my chest, clearly expressing utter shock and disbelief.

  “You did good, baby, looking after her while I was unable to. She’s so perfect,” I gushed, and fresh tears fell from Rome’s eyes, but there were no sobs, just free-falling happy droplets.

  Rubbing a shaky hand over his face, he confided, “I thought I’d lost you both for a while there. I found you unconscious in bed. You were so still and pale and there was blood. I felt like everything was just falling apart again.” He took a long breath. “Then when our princess—”

  “Princess?”

  Romeo smiled shyly. “We had no name decided, did we? You wanted to see her first, see what name felt right, and I refused to name her without you, and princess was the first thing I thought of. ‘Baby Prince’ just didn’t seem right.” Pressing a kiss to our daughter’s head, he added, “She is my princess, and I’ll forever treat her as one. You’re both my everything.”

  Lifting his hand to my lips, I brushed a kiss to his palm and whispered, “Thank you.”

  He returned the kiss, and stroking back my messy hair, he continued. “When our princess was born and healthy, the nurses put her in my arms. It was all so surreal. I looked down at you in amazement, just wanting to share the moment with you, but you were out cold, tape over your eyes, a tube in your throat, and I couldn’t see you from the waist down, some boxy contraption in the way. The OR got crazy with getting you fixed up. Machines were blaring, people were rushing around, you were just lying there still, but the two of us—me and our little girl—were just stood there watching it all happen. Helpless. For a moment, I panicked at the thought that it could just be me and her forever if something went wrong, no more you. I just couldn’t help thinking of the worst. You know I can’t live without you, baby. Not now… not ever.”

  “Hey now, I’m not going anywhere.” I squeezed his hand again, catching his long, relieved exhale, and I inched in to cuddle in to my daughter. I couldn’t help but smile as I inhaled.

  “Crazy, ain’t it?” My attention snapped to Rome, who seemed to be marginally happier from seconds before.

  “What’s crazy?”

  “How good she smells. Like all newborn, different. Nice. You know?” He shook his head and blushed. “It’s crazy. I’ve been tucking my nose into her neck the whole time you were in here. Her scent calmed me. Stopped me from losing it. The only other person who can do that for me… is you.”

  I sighed as he tried to put the impossible into words and held out our daughter for him to take. Rome took her willingly and brought her in for another kiss, his face completely bewildered and full of awe as he watched her every tiny move.

  I never thought it was possible to love Romeo Prince more than I did, but seeing him with our child just brought things to a whole other level. The way he looked at her with complete adoration proved me right from all those years ago.

  Rome had always worried he’d be a bad daddy like his father was, due to genetics. But seeing him now, how gently and protective he was with our daughter, showed me in an instant how good of a father he would be… Already is.

  “I love you,” I said quietly, completely in love with my soul mate and the living embodiment of that love sleeping softly in his arms. Something fundamental had changed within me.

  Turning to smile down at me, Rome said, “I love you too, so much. You’re amazing to me.” The biggest smile set on his face and he edged in and kissed me softly, pulling back to say, “We’re finally parents, baby. We’ve wanted this for so long.”

  Weeping in happiness, I tucked my head in the crook between Romeo’s shoulder and neck as he joined me on the bed, our tiny gift from God soundly content in his arms.

  The two of us sat in that hospital room for hours, just staring at our little girl and kissing one another in complete bliss. I was instantly in love. And I couldn’t imagine anything changing this special feeling.

  According to C. S. Lewis, The greatest form of love is unconditional love. It is argued that this love is the strongest one can express toward another person and it survives no matter any life change or circumstance. It is pure and untainted and will never be shaken or taken away.

  Looking down at our baby girl in my husband’s strong hold, I knew Lewis was right, at least to me. I’d carried our baby for nine months, nurturing and protecting her. She was conceived in absolute love, and as Rome and I watched her sleep in silence, I knew it was all true.

  I had captured the greatest form of love, right here, right now, with my little perfect family, adoring them both so much it almost felt too much to contain—completely, whole-heartedly…

  Unconditionally.

  See More of Romeo and Molly’s story in the upcoming Sweet Home Series novels:

  Sweet Fall: The story of
Lexi and Austin

  Sweet Hope: Ally’s story

  Both coming 2014!

  Playlist

  Imagine dragons — Demons

  Zac Brown Band — Goodbye In Her Eyes

  POD — Here Comes the Boom!

  Sting — Fields of Gold

  Blake Shelton — Kiss My Country Ass

  Fall Out Boy — My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark

  The Kooks — Got No Love

  The Killers — Romeo & Juliet

  Kings of Leon — Back Down South

  Biffy Clyro — Mountains

  The Fears — Heart of Trouble

  John Mayer — Heart of Life

  AWOLNATION — Sail

  Coldplay — Fix You

  Lynyrd Skynyrd — Sweet Home Alabama

  Luke Bryan — Crash My party

  The Script feat. Wil.i.Am — Hall Of Fame

  To listen to this playlist, please follow the link: http://tilliecole.com/sweet-rome/

  Other Works

  Sweet Home

  At age twenty, Molly Shakespeare knows a lot.

  She knows Descartes and Kant.

  She knows academia and Oxford.

  She knows that the people who love you leave you.

  She knows how to be alone.

  But when Molly leaves England’s grey skies behind to start a new life at the University of Alabama, she finds that she has a lot to learn — she didn’t know a summer could be so hot, she didn’t know students could be so intimidating, and she certainly didn’t know just how much the folks of Alabama love their football.

  When a chance encounter with notorious star quarterback, Romeo Prince, leaves her unable to think of anything but his chocolate-brown eyes, dirty-blond hair and perfect physique, Molly soon realises that her quiet, solitary life is about to dramatically change forever…

  Mature New Adult novel — contains adult content, highly sexual situations and mature topics. Suited for ages 18 and up*

  It Ain’t Me, Babe

  A fortuitous encounter.

  A meeting that should never have happened.

  Many years ago, two children from completely different worlds forged a connection, a fateful connection, an unbreakable bond that would change their lives forever…

  Salome Blake knows only one way to live—under Messiah David’s rule. In the commune she calls home, Salome knows nothing of life beyond her strict faith, nor of life beyond the Fence—the fence that cages her, keeps her trapped in an endless cycle of misery. A life she believes she is destined to always lead, until a horrific event sets her free.

  Fleeing the absolute safety of all she has ever known, Salome is thrust into the world outside, a frightening world full of uncertainty and sin; into the protective arms of a person she believed she would never see again.

  River ‘Styx’ Nash knows one thing for certain in life—he was born and bred to wear a cut. Raised in a turbulent world of sex, Harleys, and drugs, Styx, unexpectedly has the heavy burden of the Hades Hangmen gavel thrust upon him, and all at the ripe old age of twenty-six—much to his rivals’ delight.

  Haunted by a crushing speech impediment, Styx quickly learns to deal with his haters. Powerful fists, an iron jaw and the skillful use of his treasured German blade has earned him a fearsome reputation as a man not to be messed with in the shadowy world of outlaw MC’s. A reputation that successfully keeps most people far, far away.

  Styx has one rule in life—never let anyone get too close; not a chick, not even a fellow brother. It’s a plan that he has stuck to for years, that is, until a young woman is found injured on his lot… a woman who looks uncannily familiar, a woman who clearly does not belong in his world, yet a woman he feels reluctant to let go…

  New Adult Novel. Contains highly sexual situations, violence and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up*

  Released: April 2014

  Acknowledgements

  As always, I have lots of people to thank.

  Mam, Dad, thank you so much for all your support. Dad, for your constant belief and positivity and Mam for reading every draft, oh, and for laughing at my mistakes—It’s true, babies do smell of shit! (personal joke, please don’t take offence!)

  Stephen, my hubby. Even through the toughest year of your life, you stood by me and encouraged me all the way with my writing. I’m so happy I have you with me on this new adventure and I pray for wonderful things to come your way in the future.

  Sam, what can I say? Thanks for popping out kid after kid and enlightening me on what it’s like to be a parent! All those early morning stampedes have helped me create a wonderful family for Rome and Mol—nutter kids and all!

  To my lovely Niece, Taylor, and my crazy, adorable nephews, Isaac, Archie and Elias. Thank you for making me the proudest, most doting Auntie ever, and, of course, for letting me use your names! You are forever immortalised in print!

  Kia, as always you whipped this novel into shape and, I particularly enjoy your bluntness and comments that manage to scold, but are always so polite in doing so! You have been with me through every novel. I can’t wait for the next one!

  Rach, even though you were MIA for this novel, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you! As for the rest of the Teesside Massive, your life-long friendship always helps me shape my secondary characters. You’ve taught me what it is to have true friends and even though we are separated by an ocean, you’re always close. Love ya’s!

  Cassie, my wonderful ‘Bama’ editor. Thank you for squeezing me in. You are wonderful to work with as always, and even though it pained me, I’m glad Auburn did so well for you this year! (

  Kelly, thank you for the cover reveals and blog tours. You are an amazing blogger and friend. You have led me through the world of blogging with a steady hand and I appreciate everything you do for us authors!

  Lysa! My absolutely favourite web designer ever! You have been unbelievable with your advice this year. When Sweet Home hit the best sellers lists, and I was completely lost, you pulled me from the unknown and guided me through—my personal Virgil! You are one of the funniest peeps ever and I can’t wait to someday meet you face to face. I’m desperate to hear that Boston twang—wicked!

  There are a few bloggers that I owe particular thanks. Jenny and Gitte at Totallybooked, you were the first blog to really give me a shot and I am forever grateful! Tessa, I think you’re just bloody fabulous and I’m super excited for the next novel when you begin your role as ‘Beta reader’— we’re gonna kick biker ass! Smiten’s book blog, again, one of my first supporters. Thank you so much for giving this small town gal a chance. Lesley-Lynn, although a new relationship, your love for Mol and Rome has been astounding. You rock, and I am pretty damn confident that your blog will hit the stratosphere!

  And finally, to my readers. The success of Sweet Home will be something I’ll never forget. I wrote the book as I just couldn’t get the story from my head. Never in a million years did I think I would make the USA Today Bestsellers List, or top the Amazon and iBooks charts. It was all down to you. I hope you all enjoy Rome’s story as much. Love you, guys!

  About the Author

  Amazon and USA Today Bestselling Author, Tillie Cole, hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

  After graduating from Newcastle University, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies for seven years.

  Tillie has now settled in Calgary, Canada, where she is finally able to sit down, write (without the threat of her husband being transferred), throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

  Tillie writes both Romantic comedy and New Adult novels and happily shares her love of alpha-male leading men (
mostly with muscles and tattoos) and strong female characters with her readers.

  When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than strutting her sparkly stuff on a dance floor (preferably to Lady Gaga), watching films (preferably anything with Tom Hardy or Will Ferrell—for very different reasons!), listening to music or spending time with friends and family.

  Follow Tillie At:

  https://www.facebook.com/tilliecoleauthor

  https://twitter.com/tillie_cole

  Or drop me an email at: authortilliecole@gmail.com

  Or check out my website:

  www.tilliecole.com

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  Epilogue

  Bonus Chapter

  Playlist

  Other Works