“You’ll be right to get upstairs?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
I pulled away from him and stumbled a little. With an exasperated sigh that was half a laugh, he picked me up and carried me to my back door.
“Keys?”
I shuffled in my pocket and pulled my keys out. Roman took them from me and opened the door. I giggled as he closed and locked the door behind us and he shushed me.
“Your parents will kill me if they find me in here, Barlow. Shut up!” he hissed.
I put my finger to my lips and nodded solemnly. He carried me upstairs and then swung me down at the landing. I guffawed a little and he cringed. I took a couple of steps towards my bedroom and heard a throat clear behind me.
Dad was standing behind us, an expectant look on his face.
“This is not what it looks like,” Roman said quickly and I snorted. He threw me a glare and Dad looked at me in interest.
“It’s fine, Dad–”
“Piper, go to your room, please…”
All hilarity I found in the moment was gone and I nodded as I walked to my bedroom. But, I wasn’t quite so freaked out that I didn’t press my ear against the door after I’d closed it behind me.
“So, Roman?” I heard Dad say.
“I just wanted to see her in safely, Matt.”
“I appreciate that.”
There was silence for a few moments.
“I’m not stupid enough to disrespect you in your own house,” Roman said slowly.
Maybe not while they were home, I sniggered to myself.
“Bree said you’d been spending time together.”
“We’re friends.”
“You’re sober, aren’t you, son?”
“I was driving Piper home.”
Dad made a noise of agreement. “And, I believe you. You care about her.”
“Like I said, we’re friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yeah, friends.”
Dad chuckled. “In my day, men sacked up a little more, son.”
“I’d like to say I don’t know what you’re talking about. But, Piper and I are just friends. No one’s kidding themselves that I’m the sort of guy who can give her what she needs, let alone what she deserves…”
My heart hitched weirdly. I totally wasn’t kidding myself that he was that guy, but I hated that he didn’t think he was good enough for me. I really didn’t think there was anything so great about me to warrant that.
I also didn’t know why I saw Dad nodding thoughtfully in my mind’s eye. “At least you’re man enough to admit it.”
“Why do I feel like that might not be a compliment, Matt?”
“Well, Roman, that may be because it might not have been.”
“Other people’s expectations are what get us into problems,” Roman said slowly. “Piper and I are on the same page here. She knows me better than all you lot who’ve written me off.” Because you haven’t written yourself off, I thought, sarcastically. “She knows better than to expect anything more from me but she doesn’t care. She doesn’t need me to change.”
“And, when she does?”
Roman sighed. “Your daughter is far too intelligent for that.”
“You sound disappointed.”
Roman paused. “I’m not disappointed. She’s a wonderful young woman and I’m privileged to have her in my life. She’s safe with me.”
“I want to believe you, Roman–”
“I don’t know what else I can say.”
Dad huffed. “Problem is, son, you don’t have to. You’re a father’s worst nightmare. You’re the guy every father dreads the very thought of being anywhere near their daughter. And then, son… Well, then Piper’s smiling again and you bring her home completely responsibly. I mean, I remember the night you were taken to the police station for being drunk and now…?”
“I’m a degenerate – not an idiot – and I said I’d look out for her.”
“I’d normally expect more respect from a teenager. But, there’s something oddly pleasant about your honesty.”
I could visualise Roman shrugging, perhaps raking his hair out of his face. “Piper and I are honest. It’s why it works. I can be me, she can be her, and we can be friends. That doesn’t work without complete honesty.”
“You’re really not as stupid as you look, are you?”
“That’s what Piper tells me.”
Dad gave a rough noise of approval. “Go on in and say goodnight, son. She’ll yell at us both once the headache’s gone if I don’t let you.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Just keep in mind that I’m right down the hall and I’m a light sleeper.”
Roman huffed a laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”
“You’re a good man, Roman.”
“I don’t know about that.”
I heard Dad chuckle, then the door was opening. I stumbled away from it and smiled at Roman.
“So in good news, I get to keep my nads tonight.”
I giggled and he directed me towards the bed.
“Hang on, wait…”
He pulled me back to him and got me out of my jacket. I looked up at him and knew I had that stupid grin you wear when you’re drunk. And – as was unexpectedly expected of Roman Lombardi – he grinned back at me, his eyes warm with humour.
“You right?” he asked, that smirk I somehow now knew so well playing at his lips.
I nodded. “Maybe.”
He snorted. “Excellent. Stop wriggling.”
“I’m not wriggling.”
“You are.”
Okay, seems I was. I was good and stood still.
His hands fell to my jeans button and I looked at him with interest.
“No funny business, Barlow,” he said as he unbuttoned me.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Lombardi,” I snickered.
“Yeah, well. I will be,” he muttered. “Now, jeans off and get into bed. Where’s your water bottle?”
I pointed to my desk as I clambered into bed and dropped under the covers.
Roman climbed onto the bed beside me and I snuggled up to him as best I could with him on top of the blankets and me under. He sat against my headboard and I put my head on his stomach.
“Ugh, I drank too much.”
Roman chuckled and brushed hair off my face. “How do you figure?”
“The world only spins like this when I’m drunk,” I grumbled into his shirt.
“You’ll be fine.” He leant down and kissed my temple. I felt him shift. “Look, I’d better go.”
“No!” I scrunched a handful of his top in my fist. “Stay until the world stops spinning? Please!”
He huffed a soft laugh. “My world will keep spinning as long as you’re in it, Barlow. So, I hope it never stops.”
I smiled and felt all warm inside. “Lombardi?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you hold my hair back if I puke?”
“Hm... Do I get to tease you?”
I snorted. “I’d expect nothing less.”
“Then, of course I will.”
“Thanks.”
I felt myself drifting off to sleep, then thought of something.
“Lombardi?”
“Barlow?”
“Thanks for being you.”
“Likewise. Now, go to sleep.”
I sniggered. “Okay, Mister Bossy.”
“Night, Piper.”
I snuggled further into him and his arm tightened around me.
“Night, Roman.”
h
I woke up and my mouth felt fuzzy, much like my memory of how I’d got home the night before and what I assumed was a fair amount before that. Last thing I remembered was...dancing with Hadley next to the bonfire?
There was this stellar ache in my head and my stomach felt terrible.
And, there was a super annoying noise
.
It was coming from my phone and I realised it was an alarm. Like loud screeching in my tired ears.
I groaned and picked up my phone, wondering why the hell an alarm I would never have set was going off. My eyes took a moment to adjust, but I saw writing on the screen. I blinked a few more times and couldn’t help smiling when I finally registered what it said;
Because every good hangover starts with a rude awakening :P
I swiped the alarm off and saw there was a new message from Roman and his hilarious yet somehow still flattering picture.
Roman: See you in the morning, you adorable drunk. And, don’t think about deleting it! I have the original.
I clicked on the picture to enlarge it and groaned. It was a selfie of the two of us presumably from the night before. I had my head on his chest and I was either passed out or asleep – probably passed out, even though I looked fairly respectable. Roman was smiling. But, it wasn’t one of those sweet smiles you usually see on people in those sorts of pictures; he was totally paying me out.
So, I sent him a reply to his text with a bunch of stupid cat GIFs. That would learn him for A, taking a terribly incriminating picture, and B, being a dick by setting that annoying alarm.
I got a reply while I was still lying in bed and wondering if I’d have to visit the bathroom to no doubt gag up the incredible amount of nothing I felt like I had in my stomach.
Roman: So, you’re alive.
Me: I’m alive. I think.
I added a couple more annoying GIFs for good measure.
Roman: I liked that one with the flamingo, though.
Me: That’s what you get for being a dick.
Roman: Annoyed by you incessantly?
Me: You love it.
Roman: I do. Wouldn’t have you any other way.
Me: What happened last night? Did you bring me home?
Roman: I did. I was a perfect gentleman.
I snorted.
Me: Why don’t I believe that?
Roman: I’m hurt, Barlow! I was very respectable. You, on the other hand…
Me: What’s that supposed to mean!
Roman: You got a little handsy and giggly and you almost lost me my nads.
Me: How did I manage that?
Roman: You were noisy as fuck and woke your dad up.
Me: Oh, shit…
Roman: Eh, you’ll be fine. We had some words, but it’s fine.
I sunk back into the pillows and groaned. The last thing I needed was Dad knowing Roman was in my room last night. I was about to reply when there was a knock on my door. I looked up and saw Dad poke his head around the door. I was fairly sure I was already incredibly pale; was it possible to get paler?
“Morning,” he said, coming in. “How are you feeling?”
“Uh, fuzzy and gross…”
Dad sat on the end of my bed and looked at me intently.
“Sorry I got drunk…” I started, wondering how much trouble I was going to get in.
Dad shrugged. “You’re almost eighteen, these things happen. And, you got home safe and not too late. Just don’t make a habit of it.”
I nodded slowly. “Uh, yeah… About–”
“It seems, maybe, there’s more to Roman than meets the eyes, Pipe…” he mused.
I swallowed. “Um… We’re just friends…”
Dad nodded. “I know.”
“You don’t have to worry. We’re not… I mean, we just…”
God, I seriously hoped Roman and I hadn’t had sex just after we’d woken my dad up. I felt my cheeks heat and hoped he didn’t notice.
Dad looked at me with interest. “You know, darl, a few months ago I would have been more pleased by that than I am now.” He stood, kissed my hair and started to leave. “Have a shower and I’ll get some coffee on, yeah?”
I nodded dumbly and watched him leave.
What in the hell is the world coming to when my dad has anything positive to say about Roman Lombardi?
Chapter Eighteen
So, Yeah. I’m Friends with Roman.
On the way out to Recess, I walked past a classroom and stopped when I noticed Roman and Rio huddled around the teacher’s computer. I paused, knowing I didn’t really want to know what they were up to.
Just as I’d decided to move on without drawing attention to myself, Rio looked up.
“Oi, oi,” he said with a salute and a sarcastic smirk.
Roman looked at him, then followed his gaze. When he saw me, the look of defiant contempt left his face and he almost smiled.
“Barlow.” He nodded, then went back to whatever he was doing.
I swayed towards the door, but really didn’t want to get involved. “Boys. Causing trouble, I assume?”
“Oh, you know us,” Rio answered, smirking at me with something hard in his eyes. “On a mission to do the impossible. Mission Impossible Seven!” He grinned.
“And, what might that be?” I knew I’d regret asking.
“Getting Lombardi expelled, of course.”
“Of course.” I looked around the hallway, but there was no one heading in our direction. I leant on the doorframe and watched them. “And, what’s your plan this time?”
“Lombardi’s hacking the System Admin for back door access–” The boys both sniggered and fist-bumped. “And leaving a couple of sweet little Trojans behind as he goes.”
I frowned. “And, that will do what?”
Rio shrugged. “Be a fucking nuisance.”
“Oh, good. Because why be useful?”
Roman looked up at me and I saw a flicker of hesitation cross his face, then he was back to his nonchalant self. “Go on, Barlow. If we get caught, I don’t want you involved.”
“You soft for her, mate?” Rio teased, but he looked at me like he knew something I didn’t.
“Soft isn’t the word I’d use,” Roman muttered as he threw me a wink.
If by some miracle Rio hadn’t understood him, the way my cheeks flushed would have told him exactly what Roman meant. I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“I’m going to leave you two to it…”
Roman’s fingers played across the keyboard, then he pushed away from the desk and strode over to me rather purposefully. He was all cool and assertive and had that commanding aura around him.
“What?” I asked him, my heart thumping.
A smirk played at his lips, but he had that lazily indifferent look in his eyes. He stopped in front of me, wound his arm around my waist and pulled me to him.
“Roman?” I warned him, sliding a look around the hallway.
“What? Bloke needs a good luck kiss before he goes on the lamb,” he said, his voice low and sultry.
I swallowed and was seriously glad I didn’t see this Roman often. This Roman wasn’t the one I was used to in close proximity, though I’d seen it plenty from afar. This Roman, especially knowing the other one, was damned hard to resist.
I had one more look around the hallway, then reached up and kissed him. It might not have been long, but it was enough to send a thrill through me and made me wish we weren’t at school. When I pulled away, he let me slip out of his arms. I looked at Rio and saw he was watching me carefully.
“Rio.” I nodded to him and he gave me another salute as his eyes were hard. I looked to Roman as I started walking backwards. “Roman.”
“Piper,” he said slowly as he leant against the doorframe casually and crossed his arms.
He watched me walk away, exuding a heat I wanted to run to, and I had to turn or I thought I might combust. I hurried out of the building and made for my friends, trying to cool my cheeks.
“I missed you, Saturday,” Mason said with a smile when he caught up to me just before I got to everyone else.
I nodded and told my heart to stop beating so fast. “Yeah, sorry. I…uh…” I chuckled awkwardly.
“Tucker might have mentioned something about it.” Mason’s smile
grew more rueful.
I felt my cheeks warm just after I’d managed to get some control over them. I looked at the grass as I tucked my hair behind my ear.
“Uh, yeah,” I laughed. “Not my finest moment. No tactical chunders required, though. That I know of…”
“Roman got you home okay?”
All right. What sort of question was that?
Was he just asking, or was he digging for information? Would Hadley bat her eyes and tell him she’d have preferred it to be him? Was this one of those flirting opportunities, or was I just meant to answer a question? Why did I need to make my way through five-thousand options and still not know what to do?
I swallowed and nodded again.
“Yep, all good. He saw me into the house then went off to do whatever it is he does on a Saturday night.” I shrugged.
I didn’t know how long Roman had been there or what he’d done after. I didn’t even remember if we’d talked.
“Well, we certainly didn’t see him again.”
I was trying to get a read on Mason. He looked as calm and confident as usual, his face open and honest and just so damn charming. But, we were hovering next to weird territory here and I wasn’t sure how to sidle the other way.
“Maybe he met up with Rio?”
Oh, I should not have said that like I knew Rio or anything about Roman’s movements. From the look on Mason’s face, he might have been thinking something along the same lines. Or, he might not.
“So, you’re uh friends with him now, huh?” Mason scratched the back of his head. “Roman. I mean, he drives you to school, he drove you and Hads, and I’ve seen you two talking.”
I licked my lip nervously. “I guess you could call us friends…?”
“But I mean, you hang out and stuff?”
I felt like this was going somewhere and I had no idea where. But, we were certainly not sidling in the preferable direction.
We spend hours together and sometimes it leads to sex, does that count? “Well, we chat a bit in the car I guess. And, we find ourselves in the same vicinity now and then. So, we talk…and hang a little… Sort of…”
Mason nodded.
Not sure what he might be thinking, I blurted, “I mean, what Hadley did last week…” I huffed another awkward laugh. “That was just her being a dick. She’s got this theory that Roman…” Too much information! “Anyway, he doesn’t. I can guarantee that. He didn’t even want to ask me out, he was just teasing Hads. Personally, I think…” I didn’t know what I thought or where my brain had been planning to lead me with that opener, so I crashed to a halt.
Accidentally Perfect Page 19