Page 32 of Deceit & Desire

Hot tears welled in my eyes as I pushed up out of my chair and rushed over to Roman, throwing my arms around his neck and squeezing him tight. “That was so sweet and thoughtful, Rome. Thank you.”

Roman wrapped his arms around my waist and held me even tighter, squeezing back as if we could somehow hold each other and our lives together with this embrace alone.

I snuggled deeper into Roman’s arms and sighed. “Do you think it’s too late for me to make all those calls I need to make to Miami right now?”

Roman pressed a kiss against the hollow just beneath my ear. “Yeah, I do. It’s dinnertime here, and it’s later than that on the East Coast. The calls can wait until after we handle the important things tomorrow… like getting married.”

“I know you’re right.” I sucked in a deep breath and pulled back before pressing a firm kiss against his lips. “What can I do to help? Can I butter some bread or fix some drinks or anything?”

Rome jerked his chin at the refrigerator. “There’s some frozen Texas Toast garlic bread in the freezer. If you want to get that out and put it on a baking sheet, then pop it in the oven to go with the chicken gnocchi soup, that’d be good.”

I nodded and got to work, finding it strangely easy to fall into this domestic rhythm with Roman despite the fact that it was wildly different from my life back in Miami. Just three days ago, I wouldn’t have been able to picture myself doing something like this if you’d asked me to.

Smiling to myself, I shook my head as I pulled the bread out of the freezer, opened the box, and laid it out on the baking sheet.

Strange how quickly life can change.

The oven beeped to signal that it had reached the temperature Roman had set it to pre-heat to, and I opened it, sliding the pan of frozen garlic bread onto the top rack. The second I got the oven door closed, something clattered and thudded on the front porch.

I jumped and clutched my chest, my heart hammering against my ribcage. “What the hell was that?”

An engine revved and tires spun on gravel as someone roared down the driveway, away from the house.

Roman and I froze for just a moment, staring at each other. His mouth pressed into a grim line and he shook his head, even as I bolted to the front door and jerked it open, glaring out into the night at a retreating pair of tail lights.

Finally, my gaze fell to a brick lying on the mat in front of the door with a piece of paper tied around it. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

“Rome, looks like we had a visitor who sent us some air mail.”

Roman nudged me aside and picked up the brick, un-tying the twine from around it to retrieve the message, growling like a junkyard dog as he read it.

I raised an eyebrow at him in question. “What’s it say?”

His expression dark and sour, Roman passed the piece of paper over to me, and I read it.

You should have stayed in Miami where you belong, bitch. Best believe you’ll regret ever coming home.

Chapter12

My Vows to You

PLAYLIST: “FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN” BY RANDY TRAVIS

ROMAN

My heart gallopedin my chest like a runaway horse as I drove around Blackwell’s courthouse square the next morning, looking for a parking spot.

I drummed my fingers against the steering wheel, my gaze scanning for any signs of someone getting ready to back out of one of the parking spots.

Without saying a word, Zoe reached over and laid her hand on my thigh, the caress warm and reassuring.

Every muscle in my body relaxed at her touch and I breathed a little easier as the tension in my neck and shoulders released.

“You nervous?” Zoe’s voice was quiet, contemplative, and maybe a little bit guarded.

I took one hand off the steering wheel and reached down to take her hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Not nervous, really… I just want everything to go right, you know what I mean? I know it’s only a courthouse wedding and less than what you deserve, but today’s a big day for us, and I don’t want anything screwing it up or going wrong.”

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