by L. L. Ash
“I got my shop up and running in a year,” I told her. “From conception to execution. For you it can be even less as long as we find a place with a kitchen and ovens. Dreams are dreams, whether they’re new or old. And you have help with all the complicated shit. If this is really what you want to do, then why are you waiting? If it’s not, then you should go take the bar exam.”
She pouted and moved into my lap, her back covered in my t-shirt pressed against my bare chest.
We sat there for a little bit, hugging with only her shirt and my underwear between us.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said finally, her voice gentle and sweet.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” I murmured back, stripping open my heart a little more.
She looked back at me and smiled, and in that smile was everything.
My heart thumped faster as I realized that not another day would ever go by that I didn’t want to see that Goddamn beautiful face, or crave that perfect smile. My chest felt like the sun was rising inside of it, and hope blossomed through my body, sizzling on my fingertips.
“Me either,” she whispered back.
Unable to control myself any more than a raging, rabid animal, my head dipped down and I kissed her again. I kissed the woman who I considered mine. The woman who I wanted to wake up to and go to sleep next to every morning and evening. The woman I realized with a flash that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
Gulping down the startling realization, I lost myself in the kiss, savoring the touch of the woman I loved.
Chapter Twelve
Fae
“Are you guys a couple yet?” Josie asked, sighing at the romance of it all.
I was just catching the girls up on what had happened with Roman on our date, though leaving out the more...intimate moments.
Cambria was still tight-lipped about Freddie, but I knew something was going on, and had confirmed my suspicions when Roman mentioned he’d have to sanitize his entire shop after leaving it in their hands the night he’d come to my house.
My phone dinged and I grinned, pulling it out of my pocket as I shook my head at Josie.
“Nothing official.”
My smile melted as I looked at the text that was definitely not from Roman like I’d hoped.
Justin: You ready to get your feelings unhurt?
What the hell kind of question is that?
Me: What the hell? Don’t text me. I don’t want to talk to you.
Hoping that’d fix it, I turn to Josie again.
“I’m hoping maybe...I don’t know. I really like him, and he’s like, a friggin’ god in bed. And he’s smart, and he’s sweet and thoughtful, and he’s deep. I’ve never been with a guy like that before.”
Josie’s typical grin faded into a soft smile.
“You’ve only been on three dates and you’re already falling in love, girl,” she warned happily.
“Falling in love? No. This was supposed to be a fling while I’m figuring stuff out...It’s not his problem that I’m getting too attached.”
“Did he ever say it was just a fling?”
“No… but he didn’t ask to be my boyfriend, either.”
“Just a matter of time.” Josie shrugged, sipping some more wine, tapping a pen against the pad of paper in front of her.
She was helping me go through my menu as we caught up.
My phone buzzed again and it was still Justin.
Justin: You sure hold a grudge. It’s one of your least flattering features. That and your lack of ambition. But I’m willing to look past that.
Me: Oh, how nice of you. Go to hell.
Justin: You can’t keep running away from this. You were mad, fine. I get it. But we’re engaged, Fae. Get over it. Our wedding is in a couple months.
Fuming, I stabbed the screen of my phone as I replied.
Me: There is no wedding. In case you forgot, I took off your ring and threw it at your head. And I hope it hurt.
Justin: No wedding? Better tell our parents that. They’re still planning it.
Me: They can plan it but I’m not marrying an asshole like you. Go cheat on some other girl.
Justin: Oh my God. Fucking let it go already.
Me: I’m dating someone else anyway, and you could never compare to him. Go to hell.
Three more texts came in but I refused to look at them. He didn’t deserve any more of my time
Deleting them without reading them, I turned off my phone and dug into a caramel turtle brownie, eating away my feelings like a good girl does.
I bribed him with treats again.
Roman was knocking on the door as I was pulling cookies out of the oven.
Running to meet him, I opened the door and watched him as he did a long, slow intake of me.
I’d gone shopping and gotten a few things that I knew he’d appreciate, and they weren’t just lingerie.
Today I had on tight spandex yoga pants, a sheer white crop top and a black lace bralette underneath. It didn’t look trashy while at the same time, it showed off the amazing art he’d put on my body.
Whistling, he shook his head.
“If you’re trying to seduce me, it’s working,” he told me before meeting my eyes and smiling, leaning in to give me a short kiss.
“I was, but maybe after the game starts and I get bored.”
He laughed, coming in and setting his helmet onto an island stool, with his leather jacket laid carefully underneath.
Empty handed now, he slipped his palms over the bare skin of my stomach and sides, taking my lips in a long, intimate kiss.
“And you smell like heaven,” he breathed against my lips, nipping them just a little.
“You mean I smell like sugar and vanilla and chocolate.” I chuckled.
“The best Goddamn things on earth.” He grinned, dipping his head and licking up my neck.
I shrieked at the weird, wet feeling his tongue left, but it sent warmth fueling through my veins.
“I have the beer. You bring those cookies, and let’s get to that game so you can start seducing me.” He winked at me, putting the six pack of beer he’d brought on the counter, popping open two.
Beer. I rarely imbibed since it wasn’t a ‘lady’s’ drink, but around Roman I went a little crazy, and I liked it.
Him and his man bun plopped down on the couch, turning on the TV, and it occurred to me just how easy this was.
We hadn’t been dating long, but this, just being together, watching a football game and drinking…it felt like home. He felt like home.
Settling down next to him with a big plate of cookies, I disregarded the game and just relaxed against him. I could feel the touch of his fingers curled around my side, down to my very core.
Every little touch or word or look hit me so deep, and I was pretty sure that Josie might have been onto something with that falling in love crap.
Maybe it was a thing. Maybe I could have that. And if I was really, really lucky, I might get that with Roman.
Our plate of cookies was empty, and we were sitting back with bloated bellies, starting to fool around after our third beer each when there was a knock on the door.
Neither of the girls had warned me that they were coming over, but it wasn’t unusual for them to invite themselves over unannounced, either.
“It’s probably Cam or Josie,” I told him, extracting myself from his arms with effort.
“Let ‘em rot out there,” he mumbled against the skin of my neck, trying to keep me next to him.
“I’ll get rid of them.” I laughed. “But you have to let me go.”
He groaned in protest, but let go, watching me go to the door with hunger in his eyes.
I loved seeing that hunger in his deep blues.
Grinning, I opened the door.
“Hey Fae,” came the one voice I’d hoped that maybe I’d never have to hear again.
Justin stood in front of me, hands in his pockets, a blazer over his narrow shoulders and
tie wrapped around his neck.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, my hand gripping the door so tight my knuckles turned white.
“I’m at my fiancée’s house ‘cause she won’t fucking talk to me on the phone. This is your fucking fault.” He didn’t look stoked to be there, damp on my stoop. “You going to let me in out of this Goddamn rain?” he asked, slicing his fingers through his dark hair, letting out a gut-weary sigh.
I heard movement from the living room.
“You need to go,” I told Justin, not entirely sure how it would go if Roman knew this was the asshole who’d cheated on me.
Heat pressed up against my back and Roman was right there, looming behind me.
“There a problem?” he asked, staring Justin down with a distasteful look on his face that Justin quickly returned.
“Is this the fucker you were talking about?” Justin wrinkled his nose. “This is what you’re fucking?”
I opened my mouth to respond but Justin’s disgust morphed into a jovial laugh.
“Ok, ok I get it. I might deserve it, but you don’t honestly expect me to believe that you’re dating this for real. He’s some money hound, Fae. Trash.”
Roman’s hands on my waist got tighter at the words.
“You need to go,” I told him again, pressing my palm against one of Roman’s hands, hoping to calm him.
Honestly, I didn’t know how volatile his temper was. I’d never once seen him angry, and I hoped that he wasn’t the physical sort of guy.
Damn, that’s probably something I should know about the guy I was falling for.
“I need to talk to you,” Justin sighed again, tucking his hands into his jacket to warm them. “My parents are on my ass about the fucking engagement. We have to get this all sorted out so our folks will stop bugging me. Aren’t they bugging you too?”
Yes.
“That’s none of your business,” I reminded him in a low voice. “You lost the right to inquire about anything regarding me when you cheated on me. And Roman is twice the man you could ever hope to be. Leave before I call the police.”
Justin rolled his eyes and they landed on Roman again.
“Enjoy her while you have her, dude. Probably the best pussy you’ll ever get. But when she comes to her senses and realizes that she has to do the smart thing, she’ll come back to me. The lawyer. Not the bartender or whatever the fuck you are. Her future lies with me.”
With that his eyes landed on me again, dropping down to my belly.
“You got a tattoo? What the hell is wrong with you, Fae? Rebelling?” Justin questioned before he took a step back and pointed his body toward the stairs. “At least it’s not somewhere obvious. I guess I’ll try and look forward to getting acquainted with it once you stop acting like a child.”
“She asked you to leave,” Roman boomed from behind me. His voice low and thick with restrained anger.
“Next time I call or text, Fae… you better fucking answer.”
Justin flew down the stairs, probably scared Roman would tear his head off for the threat he left hovering over me.
“Motherfucking son of a bitch...” I heard Roman breath as he watched Justin move through the parking lot to his Audi. A gift from his parents after he passed the bar exam.
It was quite the upgrade from his BMW…
Not.
He hadn’t driven anything worth less than fifty grand in his life.
“That is your ex?” Roman asked, his expression of murder dissolved into humor.
“Unfortunately.” I frowned, closing the door and turning in his arms.
“He’s an asshole.”
“Yeah, that’s not news to me.” I chuckled, lifting onto my toes to kiss him quickly.
“I feel stupid now for being jealous of such a dickwad.”
I burst into laughter and he grinned, stealing another kiss from my smiling lips.
“Yeah, that’s something to feel stupid over.” I giggled some more, pressing my fingers into his wild hair.
No man bun for him today.
“Especially since I’m evidently dating you for your money.” He lifted an eyebrow.
“The funny thing about that is I don’t actually have money. My parents do.”
“I’m glad you broke up with the asshole,” he told me, leading me back to the couch.
He fell back on it and pulled me into his lap until I was straddling his thighs.
“What he doesn't know is, I’m the one dating you for your metal penis.”
“My what?” Roman laughed at me between soft kisses planted around my face.
“What? It’s like the bionic man’s dick.” I shrugged. “You can’t blame a girl for falling in love with that thing. It’s magic.”
“You’re adorable.” He gently kissed my lips then lapped at them softly with his tongue. “And I love it.”
My mouth opened in a faint gasp at the feeling of his tongue, inviting the soft wet stroke of it inside.
“He was right about one thing, though,” he huffed into my mouth between kisses.
“What’s that?” I breathed back.
“You’ve got the most magical pussy I’ve ever tasted. The absolute best.”
“Yeah?” I asked, biting his lower lip and grinding my hips into his lap.
With a groan, he held me closer and bit my neck, probably leaving marks I’d have to hide later.
“I think I need a little reminder,” he moaned into my ear before moving off the couch, stumbling a little, then heading for my bedroom.
My phone ringing from my nightstand woke me up after I passed out following another round of amazing and...energetic, sex.
Roman was sleeping face down on a pillow, just the way I realized he usually did after the few times he stayed over.
It was adorable and I loved following the lines of his back and tight butt with my eyes, then looking over the amazing details of the intricate tattoo on his back that made me feel sad for what made him get such an anguished tattoo.
I crawled out of Roman’s arm that were draped over my stomach and let him faceplant into the pillow a little more as I reached over for my phone.
“Hello?” I answered, seeing Dad’s number on the screen.
Something that almost never happened.
“Fae Elizabeth Weston. What the hell is wrong with you?” he answered back instead of a returned peasantry.
Oh shit...he was mad.
“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice quivering and I hated it.
I hated my weakness.
“I just got a call from Justin. He tells me you’re involved in an affair with another man.”
What?
“No, I’m not. Affair implies there’s another man. There’s only one man in my life.”
“You mean other than your fiancé?”
“I keep telling you daddy! He’s not my fiancé! We broke it off months ago!”
“That is unacceptable, Fae. Your mother is still planning your wedding. Invitations have been sent… You will marry Justin!”
“I don’t love him, Daddy!” I breathed, feeling my chest compress against my lungs so I couldn’t even take in a full breath.
“Love… Marrying for love is idiotic.”
“But that’s what I want, Daddy. Roman is a good man...a successful man. He comes from a good family too, and he’s so much more a man than Justin is. Please, just give him a chance...”
Dad sighed deeply into the phone and paused.
“I'm a fair man, Fae. And because of that I’ll give him a chance, whoever this mystery man is. Bring him to Sunday dinner this weekend and we’ll discuss this again.”
My heart stopped suddenly, then was pumping even faster.
“Really? Thank you!” I yipped. “Sunday. I’ll ask him.”
“If he’s what you say he is, he’ll make time.”
Like that, my father hung up the phone and I stood there staring at the bright screen in the dark.
“Everything ok,
pix?” Roman asked behind me.
I turned and saw him on his side, arm propped under his head as he looked at me with understanding eyes.
“My dad called,” I told him, plugging my phone in on my night table.
“I got that much. But is everything ok?”
His arms accepted me fully when I crawled back under the sheets, my skin pressed to his, making everything other than pleasant warmth flood out of my system.
“They want to meet you, my parents. Can you come with me to my family dinner on Sunday?”
“Sunday?” he asked, wincing.
Oh damn...he was going to say no.
“I...” He blew out a breath than nodded. “I’ll move it around. I’ll be there. We can go together.”
My face broke out into a grin as I pressed into his chest, breathing in the scent of warm leather and fresh air.
“Thank you, Rome.”
“Anything for my pixie.” He squeezed me then held me in silence.
Roman
“Hey Cam, why don’t you take a break for a bit. We’re slower than the dead right now,” I told Cambria on Saturday at the shop.
It was late at night and with Steve finishing up a tattoo and nobody else having stepped foot in the shop, I wanted to give her a break.
“Thanks Rome.” She grinned and moved like lightning to Freddie’s station.
Twenty minutes later Steve was escorting his client out before cleaning up his station.
I was sketching on paper an idea I’d been working on for a few days, putting a little color on it before calling over Freddie.
“Sup?” he asked, Cambria right at his side.
“Got a favor to ask you,” I told him.
“Ok. Spit it. Want me to work late again?”
I grinned and shook my head.
“No. I want this.”
I handed over the paper to him and he looked at it with sparkling eyes.
“You seriously want this?” he asked me in surprise
“Tonight, if you don’t mind staying a little late. We can close early so it’s just the three of us.”
Closing early was probably a bad idea, especially since I’d been late to work that morning...again.
Fae and I had breakfast together, and of course, I didn’t leave her place until we had a quickie on the counter, her ass planted between the sink and a plate, half-full of crispy bacon while we burned the second batch on the stove.