I smile, smacking him in his chest as he walks me to the passenger side door and helps me into his car. Getting in himself, he takes off, his wheels spinning in the snow. The ride home is quiet. As much as I know he’s not mad at me, I still feel the tension.
“Will you tell me what’s bothering you at work?” Stupid me. I ask the one question I can tell he doesn’t want to answer. His hands grab the steering wheel tighter, and I notice the small twitch in his jaw.
“Dani, I told you it was nothing. Just let it go,” he snaps. But then his tone softens. “Please.” He turns back to the road, leaving us in silence for the rest of the drive to his place. He just called me Dani. My heart hurts at the way he just spoke to me.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” He pulls over on the side of the road. I’m uneasy, knowing it’s not safe with the weather, and cars sliding from the snowy conditions.
“Ram, just keep driving. It’s not safe.”
“Yeah, well I can’t knowing that you’re pissed at me.” I can tell he’s frustrated, but right now, so am I.
“Well, maybe if you weren’t being so secretive, I wouldn’t be worried you were lying to me. Daryl lied—”
He slams his fists onto the steering wheel startling me. “Do not compare me to Daryl. I am nothing like him.”
“If you’re lying to me,” I tell him in a wobbly voice, “then you are.”
He doesn’t say anything more. A short time of silence passes before he turns, bringing us back onto the road. We make it safely back to his place with no more conversation. He parks and helps me out of the car so I don’t slip. Instead of grabbing my hand and walking me to his apartment door, he holds me. I want to stand my ground and push him away, but his touch is comforting and I can’t say no to him.
“Listen. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll explain everything, okay? Just let me get you inside and get you warm and something to eat. Then we can talk, all right?”
I nod, knowing that he’s trying. He presses a soft kiss to my lips, and then takes my hand to escort me inside.
Once the door shuts and we’re inside his apartment, we both brush off the snow that picked up quickly from our short walk. “Here, let me take your coat—”
Just then, the door opens behind me and Roman hurries inside.
“Oh, shit. Um, hey. I didn’t think anyone would be here,” he rambles.
“Why? I live here, asshole,” Ram says to his brother. “Why are you here?”
Roman grunts. “I had to pick up some things.”
Ram is looking at his brother peculiarly. “Dude, is your shirt ripped? Is that a hickey?” We both lean in and Roman bounces back.
“No, why would I have a hickey?” Guilt drips from his comment. “Enough about me, why are you here? Don’t you have interviews?”
Ram stiffens beside me, staring hard at Roman.
“What, did something go wrong with the Inigo job? Shit, I thought you locked that one in.”
“Shut up, Roman.”
“What? It’s okay if it fell through. More jobs will come along.”
“Roman, just drop it—”
I look to Ram, then back at Roman.
“Wait, what job? I thought you worked for some big firm as a marketing executive or manager or something?”
“You mean I work for Tucker Advertising. That’s my job,” Roman clarifies.
I stare at Roman, confused. I look back and forth between Roman who looks clueless and Ram who looks about ready to murder his brother.
Then it hits me.
He has been lying to me.
Turning to Ram, I huff. “You don’t work for a company, do you?”
Roman swears under his breath, putting his shoes back on and mumbling something about needing to run an errand he forgot about. As the door shuts, Ram slowly brings his eyes to mine. I don’t want to show emotion, but it’s too hard. It’s built in me.
“You lied to me,” I say softly. Feeling the hurt deep inside. Ram takes a step toward me, but I put my hand up to stop him.
“What else have you been lying to me about?” I ask. I stare him down, demanding the truth. I won’t take any more lies. From anyone.
“Only my job.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want you to think I was a loser. How was I supposed to know we would end up here?”
“Where? In a safe place with one another? A place where I trusted you? I told you everything about me.”
I can tell he’s back on the defensive. “You weren’t honest with me at first either. Carrie? Bartender? At least I told you my real name.”
What a low blow. “Yeah, because I didn’t know you. I was protecting myself.”
He comes at me this time, ignoring my plea to stay away. He brings his arms around me pulling our bodies together.
“I would never hurt you, Buttercup. I promise you. I lied, yes. But it was because I was fucking embarrassed. What if you didn’t like me because I was jobless?”
I look into his eyes that are begging for me to understand. And I do understand. I would have never changed how I felt, or how my feelings grew like wildfire for him over the past month, job or not.
I raise my hands cupping his cheeks. “Ram, I would have never judged you for not having a job. Haven’t I shown you that that’s not what’s important to me?”
“You have, baby, and I’m sorry I lied. Don’t fucking leave me. Please.” His words gut me. The pain of even thinking to leave him hurts almost as much as actually walking out that door. I bring his mouth to mine, pressing my lips to his.
“I’m not. But don’t lie to me, Ram. Please. It will be a deal breaker for me. Okay?”
“Deal. I never will.” He kisses me back until we’re both winded.
“I have to ask,” I murmur as I pull away. “So you don’t work for a corporate company and dress in a suit all day?”
“I used to. I lied about working there but, truth is, I did at one point. Not anymore.”
I take in his statement. “Okay, so what did Roman mean about a client calling you back?”
“I’m trying to go solo. Build up my own client base. I build websites and do branding for companies. If I can get a solid list of clients, then I can build the groundwork for a pretty badass marketing business.”
I don’t know why he doesn’t see how wonderful he truly is. I kiss him again, and this time he lifts me, kicking off my wet boots and then he carries me over to the couch. He sits down with me straddling his lap.
“I want to play a game with you, okay?”
I nod, because I love his games. They always end up with me in some crazy position, begging for more of him.
“It’s called two truths and a lie. Have you heard of it?”
I giggle because I have. Andie and I used to play it in elementary school.
He kisses my lips quickly, making sure our eyes are locked. “One lie. My job. I may not have one now, but I’m working on it and hopefully I’ll be doing something that makes you proud of me.”
I bring my hands up cupping his face. “Ram, I am proud of you.”
Another quick peck. “Now for one truth. Ever since I met you, I’ve never felt so alive. So eager to make something of myself. To be better. To be somebody you want to keep in your life for a very long time.” His confession hits me like a tidal wave, my heart cracking open letting him in. Fully in.
“Oh Ram, I feel the same way,” I murmur as I lean in to kiss him. Our silent vows confessing through our lips, our connection. He eventually pulls away, both our eyes glazed with emotion.
“Babe, there’s one more truth.”
“Okay,” I say with a nod, needing him to spit it out so he can carry me to his room and make me his.
“I love you.”
Your Mom Is so Dumb.
I TOLD HER I LOVED her. Yesterday, after our first official “fight” as a couple, I professed my love. And what did she say back?
Thank you.
I was so stunned by her not ret
urning the sentiment that I had to distract myself with kissing her so that I wouldn’t sit there staring stupidly at her. Our kiss led to petting. Petting led to tearing off clothes. Tearing off clothes led to hot sex for the rest of the day. Neither she nor I brought it up again.
Now, here it is over twenty-four hours later, and I’m still fucked in the head over her words.
Thank you.
God, I feel like such an idiot.
“If you don’t stir that sauce, it’s going to burn,” Roman chides from behind me.
I snap out of my daze and stir the spaghetti sauce, but not before giving him an annoyed grunt.
He walks over to me and leans his hip on the counter beside me. His massive arms are crossed over his chest as he scrutinizes me. “What’s got you so distracted, man?”
I turn the sauce on low heat and cover it with a lid before answering him. “It’s Dani.”
“I thought you two made up. Aren’t her and her psycho friend coming over for dinner soon?” he questions, his dark brows furled together in question.
“Yeah,” I say with a huff. “It’s just that I told her I loved her and she didn’t say it back.”
I feel like a pussy even saying the words.
Roman lets out a chuckle. “She loves you.”
Snapping my head to look at him, I scowl. “But how do you know this?”
He shrugs his shoulders and tugs at the top button of his crisp white dress shirt. After coming home from work, he shed his jacket and tie but is still the ever-perfect Roman. “I know this, little brother,” he says with a grin, “because of the way she looks at you. Every time she sees you, her eyes light up. Every time you give her the D, her moans wake me up. She laughs at all of your stupid jokes and always seems to need to be touching you in some way. Her smile is always on whenever you’re around. She loves you, man. Trust me.”
My heart tightens at his words. “So why didn’t she say it back?”
His expression becomes thoughtful. “I don’t know. Maybe she was mad at you for lying. Or perhaps she was just scared. Give the poor girl some time. You’re kind of overbearing at times. Most women would call you a stalker. Apparently Dani likes your stalker ass.” Then he chuckles. “Excuse me…loves. Just give her time to admit that.”
I let out a rush of breath. “Thanks. I thought you had a date, anyway. Don’t you need to get out of here? You don’t have to entertain Andie. I know you guys hate each other.”
His easygoing expression hardens. Fire flickers in his eyes and his jaw clenches. Touchy subject?
“The date fell through. And this is my loft, too. I’m not leaving. I’ve had a helluva day today and am just hungry, for fuck’s sake. Are you trying to get rid of me?” he snaps.
I playfully punch his brooding ass in the shoulder. “Lighten up, asshole. There’s plenty of food, and you’re always cool to eat whatever I make. I was just trying to save you from Andie. Why was your day bad? Those fuckers at Tucker giving you a hard time?”
He swallows and his throat bobs. “You could say that. Just biding my time.”
His response makes me curious, but then the doorbell rings. Roman tears out of the kitchen to answer it. Soon, Dani and Andie come waltzing into the kitchen. Dani bounces over to me and throws her arms around my middle, kissing my back as I cook. I pat her hand and flash Andie a smile. But Andie isn’t smiling back. She’s glaring at Roman with narrowed eyes and pursed lips.
“I missed you,” Dani tells me, the palms of her hands roaming my hardened abs through my T-shirt.
Chuckling, I turn my head so I can steal a kiss. “I missed you too, babe.”
She pulls away and starts rummaging around the cabinets for plates. Andie and Roman are still involved in a silent standoff. I notice Andie is dressed oddly similar to Roman. She wears a white silky button-up blouse tucked into a light grey skirt that flares out. Her black heels make her almost as tall as him. Both Roman and Andie have their arms crossed over their chests.
Awkward.
I don’t know why he doesn’t just leave now that she’s here.
“Everything’s ready,” I tell them as I turn off the stove. My eyes roam over to Dani who looks sexy as hell tonight wearing another signature outfit of hers. Warm black sweater. Pale pink leggings. Black fuzzy boots. “Time to eat up, Buttercup,” I tell her with a wink. Her cheeks blaze crimson and Andie groans from beside her.
“Let’s eat before I lose my appetite,” Andie mutters.
“Your mom is so dumb. She thinks menopause is a button on the DVD player,” Andie tells Roman, her eyes narrowed.
I pour Dani another glass of wine. It’s just getting good with Roman and Andie. Once they’ve drank a little, they’re quite entertaining with their insults.
Roman scoffs and pushes his empty plate of spaghetti away. “Well, your mom is so dumb, that when the doctor asked her if she’s sexually active, she said, ‘no, I just lay there.’”
Andie rolls her eyes. “Is that all you got? Your mom is so dumb, she thought a runny nose was an exercise.”
Roman laughs. “Your mom is so dumb, she thought Starbucks was a bank.”
She turns her chair to face him and leans forward, leveling a hard gaze at him. “Well, your mom is so dumb, first time she used a vibrator, she broke her two front teeth.”
Roman pretends to gag. “Your mom is so dumb, she got fired from a blow job.”
Dani sniggers and flashes me an amused look.
“Your mom is so dumb,” Andie tells him, a wicked smile on her lips, “that she shoved cat food down her pants to feed her pussy.”
Another faux gag from Roman. “Your mom is so dumb, she thought Taco Bell was a Mexican phone company.”
Andie flips Roman off. “Your mom is so dumb, the smartest thing to come out of her mouth was a penis.”
“Gross,” he groans. “Your mom is so dumb, she thought asphalt was a butt disorder.”
Andie lets out a giggle, which makes Roman beam in return. If they didn’t hate each other so much, I’d say there was something sparking between those two.
“Your mom is so dumb,” she tells him, “she thought The Exorcist was a workout video!”
Dani snorts wine through her nose and Andie high-fives her. I’m chuckling, and the worrying over Dani not telling me she loves me seems to be a thing of the past. Roman was right. She does love me. I can feel it by the way she grabs my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. Or the private smiles she sends me that promise so much once we close the bedroom door. I don’t need the words right now because I have her.
“Come on,” Dani says, “let’s go start the movie while these two knuckleheads continue their lame debate as they clean the kitchen.”
Roman groans and stands collecting plates when I grab Dani’s ass on the way to the living room. Dani starts some Christmas movie she’s been dying to watch and we settle on the sofa together. I can hear the insults in the kitchen continue as plates clang. Then, Roman must say something really harsh because Andie shrieks.
“MY MOM IS DEAD YOU ASSHOLE!”
Dani and I both freeze.
“Oh shit,” Dani says with a wince. “I worried this would happen when they started in on the mom jokes.”
“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?” Roman roars back. And then… “YOU BITCH!”
A series of grunts and splatters ensue before Dani and I can scramble off the sofa. We’re just coming around the corner when a handful of spaghetti sauce splatters on Roman’s no longer perfect white shirt. His face is red with fury and his chest heaves. He has another spot on his slacks. Meat and sauce decorate him and the floor. Andie has noodles hanging from her hair.
“You guys!” Dani chides in a shrill tone.
Andie glares at her over her shoulder. “He started it!” Then, she chucks another handful of sauce at him.
Roman lets out a growl and comes after her. He slips in the sauce, which causes him to tackle her to the floor. They both crash with a groan. And there is spaghetti shit ever
ywhere.
“Oh. My. God,” Dani murmurs.
We’re both too stunned to move. Roman and Andie wrestle in the middle of the mess until he pins her wrists to the floor.
“I’m sorry, goddammit,” he bites out.
Tears are quickly filling Andie’s eyes. I start for the kitchen to get my brother off of her, but Dani grabs my arm and gives me a slight shake of her head.
“Well,” Andie tearfully accuses. “You should be sorry. It’s all your fault.”
I give Dani a confused look and she simply shrugs.
“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Roman says lowly, his intense gaze on her.
“Then you should have called!”
Called? I’m totally missing something here.
Another growl from Roman. More confusion from me and Dani.
“You told me not to,” he snarls, but then releases her wrist to gently pluck a noodle from her hair.
“Come on,” I tell Dani. “I think they can sort this out on their own.”
I grab her wrist and drag her down the hall to my bedroom. Once the door is closed, she sits on the bed, a frown on her face. I’m about to speak when I hear Andie shouting.
“PUT ME DOWN, YOU BIG OAF!”
“STOP SQUIRMING, GODDAMMIT. YOU’RE GOING TO GET SAUCE ALL OVER THE WALLS.”
“I WANT TO GO HOME!”
“NOT UNTIL I CLEAN YOUR ASS!”
Dani’s eyes widen when we hear the door to my brother’s room slam shut. Then, I can hear the shower turn on. Andie screeches.
“IT’S FUCKING FREEZING, YOU DAMN LUNATIC!”
My brother growls something too low for us to hear. Then, we hear banging around and something shatter. Dani rises to her feet and I quickly pull her in for a hug.
“He won’t hurt her,” I assure her. “I think they like to fight.”
She relaxes in my arms. Andie continues to cuss him out. Then we hear…
“OH NO, BUDDY! PUT THAT THING AWAY! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DISTRACT ME WITH THAT!”
Dani starts giggling and I shake my head. “Come on,” I tell her. “Let’s go clean the kitchen and then watch the movie. Maybe they’ll have better attitudes once they’ve cleaned up.”
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