Page 35 of Against the Clock

“Do you want another bottle of water?I also have milk, and I think I might have a few beers.”

“Water is good, thank you.”

He shuffled around in the kitchen as he threw away our plates, then joined me on the couch again.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed me the cold bottle of water.

“Thank you.”

I debated rubbing it across my body to try to take some of the heat away, then realized that it would be even more sexual than my near-death by wiener a few minutes ago.

“Do you want to watch a movie?”Roman offered, clearing the awkward silence between us.

“Sure.”I smiled and felt some of the tension start to dissipate when he smiled back at me.

He scrolled through the channels, trying to find something, but neither of us was that motivated to pick something.Finally, he gave up and left it onDie Hard.

I tried to focus on the movie, but my mind was constantly distracted, wondering how Rosie was doing and whether she was having fun.When I wasn’t obsessing over her, I was thinking about my apartment and the seat belt that was left on my bed.Someone was trying to send me a message—that much was clear.I just wish I knew who it was and what they wanted.

I was so lost in thought that I hadn’t heard Roman speak.My legs were extended in front of me, taking up the space on the cushion that was supposed to be separating us.Instead, my toes were pressed firmly against his thick thigh, and his hand rested on my ankle.

“I’m sorry, what?”I asked, feeling bad for missing what he said.

“I asked if you wanted another bottle of water,” he said softly.

I looked down at the one in my hand, now empty after slowly chugging it without paying attention.

“I’m good, thank you.Soon I’ll be swimming around here with all of the water I’ve drunk.”

“I have plenty,” he laughed.

I felt my lips curl up into a grin.

“What’s on your mind?”he asked as he gently squeezed my foot.

“Everything,” I laughed, though it wasn’t a lie.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really,” I shook my head.“For once, I just want a break where I don’t have to think about anything or worry about anyone but myself.I know that’s selfish, but I can’t remember when the last time was that I was able to just be me.Not a wife.Not a mother.Not an agent.Just me.”

I leaned back further into the couch and sighed heavily.

“It’s not selfish,” he replied quietly, pulling my foot up onto his lap as he massaged it.“It’s okay to take time for yourself, and it’s also okay to let someone else take care of you.”

I eyed him suspiciously, waiting for there to be some sort ofbutadded to it.Moms don’t get breaks; that’s the job you signed up for.Wives need to learn how to balance work and family life; it’s up to them to make those ends meet without anyone noticing their struggle.Women don’t ask for help; we make do with what we have.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts that I had allowed my brain to ingrain into my memory over the years.Justin was a good man, but even he had flaws—and those flaws were with how he viewed women and their role in the marriage.

“I honestly wouldn’t have any idea what that’s like.I moved out the day after I turned eighteen, and I’ve been on my own since then.”

“It’s never too late to start.”

He kept working my tired, sore feet, rotating between them as his strong hands massaged every inch.Now that Rosie was getting older, I had started taking her for mommy and daughter dates to get pedicures, but even those massages were nothing compared to what Roman was doing.

“How are you still single?”I blurted out, watching him carefully.

He smiled but didn’t look up.His fingers pressed against the pad of my foot, putting enough pressure to release some of the tension that had built up.

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