Page 27 of Sparks Will Fly

The slight curve up of his lips sent a chill down my spine. Nigga was fine, and he knew it.

I turned to Drey and handed her the flask. “I’ll be right back.”

She laughed while accepting it. “Oh, girl, I know. I would’ve folded too.”

I ignored her as I walked around the wooden table in the middle of the room to join him. My heart was beating so fast as I followed him outside to the garden. When we got out there and my Granny was missing, I realized her and Drey both had to be in on this impromptu visit. I’d have to privately thank them later.

“I didn’t think I’d hear from you again,” I admitted once we were alone.

He was about six feet away from me leaning against the railing of the shed. His eyes were planted on me though. He shamelessly eyed me from head to toe, and I kinda wished I put more effort into my appearance today.

“You almost didn’t.”

His words sent a pang through my heart, but I pushed through discomfort.

“Well, what changed your mind?” I tucked one hand underneath my armpits and the other one went to my face as I began chewing on my thumbnail.

“Come here.”

My feet moved like they had a mind of their own. Before I could stop it, I was wrapped in his arms, and he pulled me deeper into his chest. One inhale of his cologne made everything right in the world.

“This is what changed my mind.” He grabbed two handfuls of my ass and squeezed. “What sane man would want to live without this ass for a pillow?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t lie and say I didn’t love the praise.

“So, if you missed me so much, why I haven’t I heard from you in a week?”

I began playing with the collar of his shirt to distract myself. When he wasn’t quick to reply I glanced up and landed right on a battlefield. I saw the same look he had after that phone call in the truck that had him on edge.

“You wanna pick some bud with me?” I asked, changing the subject.

It took a few seconds, but he snapped out of the trance he was in.

“Like for a blunt?”

I nodded with a grin. “Yeah, don’t tell anyone, but Granny grows her own.”

I unraveled myself but still yearned for his touch, so I opted for grabbing his hand. The way he applied pressure to our joined hands made me feel like he needed it too. I pulled him along to the little tent where Granny grew her marijuana.

“Oh, shit. I knew it was a reason I loved your grandmother the first time I met her. She’s trouble just like you.”

I rolled my eyes but stayed glued to his side as he began to explore through the different strands. There were three growing here—a hybrid, sativa and indica flower. He bent down to smell each one. I could tell by the spark in his eye that he was enjoying this.

“Let’s see what this Frosted Freak is talkin’ about.”

I giggled at how silly the name was, but Granny’s plug was legit. And honestly, if Romani kept looking at me with such intensity, I was going to be his frosted freak for the night.

We got busy popping off buds we could use. After a minute or two of silence, Romani started to open up to me in a new way. I knew he had scars, and today, he was finally ready to expose them.

“The woman who birthed me is a drug addict that’s currently locked up and won’t stop fucking harassing me. No matter how many times I tell her I don’t want anything to do with her, she doesn’t listen.”

My heart ached for him only being able to imagine a fraction of what I was sure he actually experienced. I kept quiet to give him the space to fully release whatever was on his heart.

“I go into a dark place whenever she’s in my life, so that’s why it took me a week to get back to you. It’s not because it’s not where I want to be.”

He turned to face me with an expression that nearly made me weak in the knees. I’d never seen him so vulnerable and raw. My stomach twisted in knots at the reality he trusted me with the dark waters raging inside of him.

“I’ve never experienced any connection like the one I have with you. From the first day I met you, you’ve been nothing but trouble, yet it’s what I admire most. The world needs more passionate, caring, and genuine people like you advocating for them.Icould’ve used someone like you.”

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