Eternal Flame (Eternal Flame #1)

by Sofia Giselle

  Kristen stopped a few floors down from his and opened the door off the stairs. She quickly located the elevator in the hallway and pushed the button. To her relief, it opened right away. She raced inside and pushed the button for the downstairs lobby. She continued crying as she watched the numbers go down.

  All she wanted to do was be with him. Enjoy him. Get to know him. Have fun with him. But he was making that all but impossible. His moods shifted from one emotion to the next. One minute he was talking and joking with her; the next he was scowling at her and pushing her away, fumbling with excuses on why she needed to stay away from him and why he didn’t need to be around her. She was sick of it. Enough was enough!

  Kristen cried out with relief when she reached the bottom floor of the building. Breathing heavily, she stalked over to the side door that led to outside. Opening the door, she stopped and stared in shock at the torrential downpour that was coming down. When the hell had it started raining?

  She swore and shut the door back, hitting her fist. What the fuck was she going to do now? Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Roman getting off the elevator. He looked around the lobby for a moment, his face twisted with concern as he tried to locate her. Finally, he looked in her direction and his eyes lit up with relief when he saw her standing there. But it only lasted a second. That scowl quickly fell back into place.

  His face was set and his stride was purposeful as he made his way over to her. Kristen did an about face and ran in the opposite direction, trying to create as much distance between them as she could.

  She raced out the front door of the lobby, almost bumping into the stocky doorman standing out front under the awning. Not stopping to offer an apology or an excuse me, she helplessly looked up and down the street, trying to decide which way she should run.

  “Kristen!”

  Kristen saw Roman coming out of the rotating door and took off running again. She ran as fast as she could but he soon caught up with her. He grabbed her by the arm and all but yanked her around to face him.

  “Stop it!” he yelled over the thunder and pouring rain. “Would you stop it? What are you doing?”

  “Roman, I don’t know what’s going on with you and I don’t care. But whatever it is, it has nothing to do with me! Nothing!”

  Roman looked contrite. His hair clung to his forward as he looked down at the ground, the rain falling down in droves over his handsome face. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “Fuck your I’m sorrys. I don’t care. Feel like you want. But I can’t keep doing this with you. I mean, what is it that you want? Why do you keep coming around me if you don’t like me?”

  His eyes were desperate as he looked at her. “That’s not true. I do like you.”

  “That’s not what you just said.”

  “I told you I didn’t mean any of that.”

  “I can’t tell.” She painfully stared at him. “You hurt me.”

  His eyes regretfully closed. “I know. I didn’t mean to. I’m just… I just… Look, let me take you back to the hotel.”

  Kristen turned her nose up at him and turned to walk away. “Don’t bother.”

  Roman fell into step beside her. “It’s bad out here. You don’t need to walk around in this weather. I’ll take you home.”

  “I’ll be fine. Just leave me alone.”

  “Kristen, come on. Get in the car. I’ll take you home.”

  “No!”

  Kristen took off running again and Roman immediately chased after her, grabbing her arm again. “Got-damnit, you’re a pain in the ass! I barely know you and you’re driving me fucking crazy!”

  “That fuckin’ makes two of us!”

  She started off again and he blocked her. “Stop running!”

  “Roman, I know you tried, and I know you want to do the honorable thing so you don’t look bad to your fans but you can stop with the phony caring routine. I know you don’t give a fuck and its fine. I won’t say a word to Idol magazine or your family or even Joy okay? Your shitty attitude is safe with me. I’ll keep your dirty little secret. So stop pretending that you care about me. It’s insulting. And it’s tired.”

  His eyes softened as he stared at her. “I’m not pretending.”

  Kristen was momentarily distracted by the smoldering look in his dark, bedroom eyes then shook her head at him and crossed her arms, turning away from him again. “Nice try. I’m still leaving.”

  “Kristen!” he called after her as she started speed-walking away. “Kristen!” Kristen took off at a full sprint and Roman threw his hands up in agitation. “Got-damnit!”

  He caught up with her again, grabbed her by her shoulders, and turned her around to face him. “Stop running away from me!”

  Kristen shivered uncontrollably in the falling rain. She vulnerably looked up into his eyes and hugged her arms to her chest. “Leave me alone,” she whimpered, trying desperately not to cry.

  Roman stared deeply into her eyes, his hands still gripping her shoulders, his warm breath intermingling with hers as he stood close to her. “No,” he quietly said.

  Kristen struggled to breath. He was standing so close to her and it was driving her insane. His hands on her tingling flesh was like torture. She wanted to reach up and run her fingers through his thick wet hair but she didn’t dare for fear that he would flip on her again and hurt her feelings.

  She gasped as he threw his arm around her, huddled close to her, and ran with her to the bottom garage of his apartment building. Kristen’s body shivered in her wet clothes and he pulled her close to him. “I’m sorry I made you cry,” he said as he hugged her head to his wet chest. “I’m sorry.”

  Kristen tried to ignore the wild sensations the hypnotic scent of him stirred inside her body. She couldn’t give in to him again. He was crazy. She needed to leave him alone. Her words were a struggle as they came out. “Leave me alone Roman.”

  He paused and pulled back to look down into her eyes. “If only you knew how much I wish I could leave you alone,” he huskily replied as he reached up to brush his fingers against her face. “But for some reason, I can’t. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I met you. And it’s making me crazy.”

  They stared emotionally into one another’s eyes for what felt like minutes. Kristen didn’t know whether to run or be still. After what he’d just confessed to her she felt her resolve weaken. She wanted to stay with him. His magnetic pull over her common sense was frightening. She wanted him so bad it hurt. From what he’d just said, he wanted her too.

  Kristen’s heart leapt in her throat as his gaze fell to her full, red lips. What was happening? What the fuck was happening? Was he going to kiss her?

  Her mouth fell open in a silent “O” as Roman’s head haltingly leaned down to hers. Within seconds, his mouth was on hers. Tentative, soft, and gentle. His lips felt like heaven against hers. He tasted like red wine and special sauce; it was so sweet on her lips. His hands gripped her shoulders tighter as he flicked his tongue against her lips. Kristen’s eyelids fluttered and closed. She whimpered a silent plea and opened her mouth to his.

  Roman’s arms circled around her, practically squeezing the life out of her, as he passionately kissed her. His tongue explored hers with confidence, boldness, and expertise. Kristen couldn’t stop whimpering and shaking against him. Her breasts were smashed against his wide, firm chest. Her nipples were so hard they hurt; they felt like missiles against the thin fabric of her dress. Her fingers sensuously raked through his hair, following the rhythm of their heads and lips. His bearded cheeks scratched her chin as his mouth opened and closed over hers. He groaned from somewhere deep inside him and the sound nearly drove her mad.

  The smell of him, the taste of him, the way his chest felt beneath her eager, exploring fingers… This was more than living up to her wildest dreams. They stood there in the opening of the garage, kissing madly, their hands groping, traveling, and squeezing one another; the erotic sounds of thunder and falling rain surrounding them. Roman was gr
ipping and holding her so tight; his fingers were practically digging into her heated skin. It was painful but it was a pleasurable pain. Kristen’s head was spinning. Those sweet kisses she’d shared with Carlos had been nothing compared to the way Roman was kissing her now. She’d never been kissed passionately before in her life. He was definitely showing her what it was like to be kissed by a man. And she fucking loved it.

  The kiss became wilder; faster. She didn’t know when it happened or how they got there but before she knew it, they were pressed up against the driver’s side of his Hummer. Her hands were beside her head as his hands held them in place. He took complete control of the kiss, biting her lips, licking her lips, flicking his tongue in and out of her mouth. Kristen was completely helpless to the power of his seduction and gave herself over to him with complete surrender.

  “Oh!” she cried out, as he put his arm between her legs, slightly lifted her dress, and pulled her panties to the side.

  Kristen panted hysterically and softly cried out as Roman kissed her on her neck and in between the valley of her breasts. His fingers worked magic between her legs, stroking her slippery wet flesh, squeezing her clit between his thumb and forefinger. That shit felt amazing. Was there anything this man couldn’t do to bring her to knees? She was getting ready to go to her knees in a minute but she feared someone might be watching them on the security cameras. Fuck, weren’t they seeing them now if that was the case? She hoped someone was. She got off on someone seeing the amazing things he was doing to her body; how incredible he was making her feel.

  “Tell me you’re not going to kiss him again,” he ground out against her lips. His fingers stilled between her legs. “Tell me.”

  She instinctively knew he was talking about Diego. “I’m not,” she whimpered against his mouth.

  He put his finger beneath her chin and pushed it up, his eyes piercing into hers. “I want to hear you say it.”

  His sudden, unapologetic possessiveness towards her turned her on. “I won’t let him kiss me again.”

  Still staring into her eyes, Roman expertly began stroking her pussy again. Kristen mewled and collapsed against him. While still exploring her pussy, Roman opened the driver’s side door with his free hand and pressed Kristen against the driver’s seat. His mouth hovered over hers and he began madly kissing her again. He removed his hand from between her legs, grabbed her left leg, and lifted it into the crook of his left arm. Immediately, his free fingers went back to the valley between her legs. He stroked her through her panties, then pushed them to the side and stuck two of his fingers inside of her.

  “Roman,” Kristen moaned, grabbing him by the back of the head with one hand and holding her panties to the side with the other. Her eyes tightened and widened as his fingers worked her, stretching her. It was painful and uncomfortable at first but the more he moved his fingers, the wetter she got, and the better it felt. He increased the rhythm of his fingers and her eyes drifted to the back of her head. “Oh my Goooooooood. Romannnnnnn…”

  “You feel so fuckin’ good,” he whispered against her lips.

  “I want you so much,” Kristen breathed in his ear.

  He began kissing her again with such force it left her breathless. Kristen wildly moved her body against his, creating friction between his body and hers while he vigorously fingered her. The sound of her soft cries filled the empty garage. Roman’s breath was erratic and choppy as he inhaled and exhaled her lips. Kristen grabbed his hips with her hand pressed him harder against her. She could feel his generous erection stretching and pulsating against her hip bone and released her panties, moving her hand to it. My God, it was long. And thick. And big as hell.

  ‘Hallelujah,’ her mind screamed.

  Going completely off impulse, Kristen firmly stroked him through his pants.

  “Fuck!” he rasped against her lips, moving his fingers faster. Her affirmation was a strained cry.

  This man was dry humping and finger-fucking her in a garage with probably a thousand security cameras and neither one of them gave a flying fuck.

  Just when it was becoming almost unbearable and she felt she would explode, Roman suddenly stopped. He yanked away from her, his eyes wide and wild as he stared at her. Kristen stood there trembling, feeling cold from the betrayal of his abrupt absence from her body. She moved to go to him. She was desperate to feel the warmth of his body again but he stopped her with a rough shake of his head.

  “No,” he ground out in a hoarse voice. It sounded different from before. It was filled with agony instead of lust.

  Kristen looked at him in confusion, her breathing hard, her body on fire and begging for his return.

  He averted his eyes away from hers and backed away from her. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I can’t do this.” He painfully looked at her. “I’m sorry,” he heavily repeated.

  He turned and ran out of the garage, leaving her standing by the open door of his Hummer with her dress halfway up to her ass, staring after him in a daze. What the fuck had just happened?

  Chapter 14

  Kristen sat inside the Hummer for minutes after Roman’s sudden, weird departure. She didn’t know what to do. After he’d run off she just climbed up inside the Hummer and shut the door, thankful it was open so she had somewhere to hide. The irony was once she was tucked inside the jeep, cars seemed to come out of nowhere, exiting and entering the garage every few minutes. She was relieved no one was around while she was practically fucking Roman out in the open but she’d been so wrapped up into him and the addictive things he was doing to her body, she was sure neither of them would’ve noticed if someone had gone by. For a split second she thought about finding the security booth and asking them if they’d seen anything but she talked herself out of it. That would’ve been too embarrassing and she didn’t want to put Roman in a compromising position. As if they hadn’t been in one already. Besides, she was almost certain Roman would hear about it later, either in a disciplinary way or with an enviable congratulations and a good-ol-boy wink.

  Kristen struggled. She was too embarrassed to call Joy and calling Ms. Austin was definitely out of the question so she called the only person she could think of: Diego. She knew it was a bad choice but she didn’t know what else to do or how she was going to get back to her hotel. She didn’t want to be alone and she didn’t want to be there if and when Roman came back.

  Diego answered her call on the first ring and after hearing what she had to say, he said he’d be right over. He got there in there in less than fifteen minutes. She didn’t know how far away from Roman he stayed but she was thankful he got her out of there before the Incredible Hulk came back. The drama that might’ve erupted had Roman seen her riding off with Diego was so not worth the trouble.

  At the hotel she walked back and forth in the living-area of her and Joy’s suite, spilling her guts to Diego, feeling like a fool with each word that fell from her lips. It had been almost two hours since he’d picked her up and she still couldn’t stop talking. She refrained from giving him too much detail. She didn’t tell him that she’d kissed Roman or that he’d practically fucked her in the basement garage of his apartment complex; just that she was confused about how hot and cold he was. Considering she had broken his heart earlier, she knew calling him had been selfish and confiding in him about his romantic rival was even worse but he was so engaging and patient and he listened to her without judgment. She needed that. She needed him.

  “I’m sorry about this Diego,” she repeated for the tenth time since he’d picked her up. “Six hours ago I tell you I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see one another anymore; now here I am whining to you over some drama between me and him. I’m sorry. I realize how this looks but I just needed to talk to someone.”

  Diego dismissively waved his hand at her from the couch. “It’s okay.”

  Kristen stopped pacing and seriously looked him. “For what it’s worth, thank you.”

  He simply nodded. “You think you should call hi
m?”

  Kristen tightly crossed her arms and stubbornly shook her head. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

  “Well, maybe he’ll call you.”

  Her face fell. “It’s been two hours. He won’t.”

  “I know you don’t want to give me too much information and I respect that, but was it so bad that you don’t want to talk to him again?”

  Kristen knowingly smirked at him. “Is that hope I hear in your voice?”

  “You can always change your mind.” Diego plaintively watched her for a moment; then slowly lowered his eyes to the floor. “But you and I both know you won’t.”

  Kristen’s heart went out to him. “I wouldn’t know what to say to him if I did. I mean, it wasn’t horrible it’s just… I don’t know what the fuck is going on with him; I really don’t. He keeps pulling me close to him just to push me away again. And I don’t get it.”

  “You said you guys had a good time tonight, right?”

  “It was wonderful,” she said, emphatically nodding. “We laughed; got to know one another a little better. Then, when it seemed like we were turning a corner, he just went dark on me, talking about how young and inexperienced and naïve I am and how he didn’t know why I was with him and why he was with me...” She stopped and woefully sighed, remembering their awful fight.

  She closed her eyes and pitifully groaned. “We’ve been doing this crazy back and forth dance since yesterday and I can’t stand it,” she wearily continued. “I just wish he’d make up his mind about what he wants. I’m only here two more days. I don’t want them to be like this.”

  “I told you I didn’t think it was a good idea Kristen. Roman didn’t just get his heart broken; that bitch destroyed him. You’re a beautiful girl and you’re very special but a man is not just going to come back from a tragedy like that overnight. I don’t care how great a girl he meets is. He’s spent the past year angry, withdrawn, and full of rage. He hasn’t talked to any of us about it and he refuses to talk to a professional. I know he’s a spiritual man but he was pissed off at God for a long time so I’m almost certain he’s not talking to Him. There’s nothing you can do or not do that’s going to make him forget everything that happened to him. It’s just not going to happen.”