Page 24 of Shadow & Stars
“Stop.”
“And you’re my Roman.” My hearts raced, a rush of anticipation flooding my insides with happy tingles. His very existence made my purpose for drawing breath so crystal clear.
“Yours?” he said.
“If you want to be.”
He smiled, resting his head on my shoulder. It sent giddy heat to my core, spreading toward my groin.
“I want to be,” he added. “When we were having our dinner date before this shit hit the fan, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be more than friends.” He sat up, his cheeks showing off his bashfulness. “Why do I feel so…” He lowered his head. “I’mso embarrassed. We’ve fucked twice now but asking you this question makes me want to hide under this manky duvet. Wild, right?”
I adjusted myself to face him, taking his lovely face in my hands. “I’m shaking on the inside.”
His smile shamed all the stars. “Cute.”
“I know.”
He groaned. “If you say so.”
“You’re saying I’m not cute?”
The glitter on his skin shimmered, his amber eyes delicious fires. He parted his lips, releasing a nervous breath. “Of course you’re cute.”
If I kissed him now, I might never stop.
His eyelashes beat like the wings of a butterfly—the nice variety of the insect. “I don’t want to go back out there,” he said. “I like it here.”
I traced the pads of my thumbs under his eyes. “I could never hate you, Roman. I just don’t know how to help you right now. This new power of yours is beyond me.”
“Xavier…”
It was my turn to sigh. “I want you so much. To wrap you in my silk and carry you off into the sunset. And then we can watch many more sunsets together. Sunsets, sunrises, whatever you like.”
He licked his lips, his eyes hypnotic, ready to claim every part of me. “Xavier… I…”
“But I can’t do that with that thing in your chest,” I continued. “I can’t be the man you deserve until that wanker out there fixes you.” I couldn’t hold back the responding growl rumbling out of my chest.
“I love it when you say wanker.”
I smiled. “Well, he is.”
Roman cupped my face with one hand. His skin was slightly rougher than mine, his touch exquisite. I gasped, remembering every single second of our intimate moments, longing for more.
“I can’t be the man you deserve, either,” he said. “But I will be. I won’t let this ruin what’s happening between us. I want to…” He paused to swallow, his throat bobbing. “I want to be with you.”
With those six words, the stars aligned. He was my destiny, my hope. I pulled him into a hug, holding him as tightly as I could.
“You’ve turned my universe inside out, Roman Gold.”
“Is that a good thing?” he responded, his tone a wistful breeze in my ear.
“More than good. Spectacular.”
He lifted his head, the tip of his nose brushing mine.
So close. So wonderfully close.
“Can I kiss you?” he breathed.
