Page 55 of Forever Cursed

My feet meet the ground, and I do everything to avoid his gaze. “You know why. I have to go.”

I turn to leave, but Rome wraps his hand around my wrist. “No, wait,” he begs.

“We can’t do this, Rome, and you know that.” I turn to face him, happy that the rain is hiding the tears that begin to fill my eyes. “Zack would?—”

“I talked to Zack,” he interrupts, leaving me desperate for answers.

“You . . . what?” I manage to stutter out.

“Yesterday, I talked to Zack. Right before I texted you,” Rome says while reaching for me again. “I didn’t believe it either. I was ready for him to lash out and lecture me to the day’s end. But when he said ‘This is perfect! I don’t have to worry anymore!’ I was speechless.”

“Zack approves? Of us? Are you messing with me?”

The water starts to weigh down my hair, making it a sloppy mess. Rome doesn’t pay attention to the wreck I’m becoming. Instead, he holds my gaze with unwavering attention.

“I wouldn’t mess around about this,” he whispers before brushing a curl behind my ear. “I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what we could have together?—”

“What we could have together?” I repeat, sounding out of breath.

Rome traces my jawline with his fingertips, not caring that we’re both wet and red.

“Yes, what we could have together.” He tilts my chin upward, and I look at him. “A spark has been brewing between us, trying to ignite and catch. We’ve been denying it for too long. I want to discover that fire with you. I can’t avoid these feelings anymore, and I don’t think you can either.”

“I can’t,” I say without thinking first.

What does Rome have to gain by lying to me about Zack? If this was anyone else, I would worry he was aiming to get me intohis bed. Men are like that. They’ll lie to you just to get what they want, and once they get it, they’ll toss you aside.

Rome Carter has never given me that vibe. His intentions are honest. He wouldn’t lie about something like this because he cares about his friendship with Zack as much as I do. If he’s lying to me, I would worry that someone brainwashed him. Besides, I’ve caught him in a lie before. His eyes darted around, avoiding contact. His breathing quickened, and his brow crinkled. Now, his voice is steady, his gaze is locked on mine, and while his breathing is quick, it’s not erratic.

“You talked to Zack on your own,” I say, mainly to convince myself.

“I did.”

“And he’s okay with this,” I repeat.

“He is.”

Raindrops cloud my vision, and a gust of wind makes me shiver. I lean into Rome’s palm, and he inches his fingers into my curls.

“And you want us to be together?”

Rome nods and offers me a warm smile.

“Then what are we waiting for?”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Rome

With Chrissy in my arms, we barrel inside my apartment. I barely manage to kick the door closed, and we’re a mess of hands and heated kisses. The rain has soaked us. Her shirt is sticking to her skin, highlighting the curve of her breasts. We’re keeping one another as warm as we can, but when we enter my room and the temperature drops from the air-conditioning, goose bumps cover our arms.

“I think we should get you out of this,” I whisper while playing with the hem of her shirt.

“We should,” she agrees while reaching under my shirt. “But only if I can get you out of yours.”

“We can definitely do that,” I say before taking her lips against mine again.

Balling her lilac shirt in my fists, I yank it over her head and toss it across the room. I’m trying to catch my breath while unclasping her bra. A lump forms in my throat, and her hands travel up my chest, taking my tee with her. She stands on the edge of her toes, and I help her get me out of my shirt. It drops to the floor, and her eyes linger down my body.

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