Page 28 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
She shrugged and hid her smile. “You know… I don’t actually know what it means.”
“You’re ridiculous.” He slid her cards across the table. “Now, I know you’re probably a little rusty, so I’ll take it easy on you.”
“Ha.” She threw her head back. “Don’t forget how much I know you, Roman Sullivan. You wouldn’t go easy on someone to save your life.”
“She thinks she knows me.” He looked to the ceiling. “We’ll see.”
They played through the hands, and by the time they reached the last one, they were within ten points of each other.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed as she studied her opponent. Go for the kill, her mother would say. Yeah, her mother was ruthless. But she couldn’t let Roman win the game.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had fun other than losing herself in her books. Cade still called to her from her Kindle, but the pull wasn’t as strong as it had been before.
In the first part of her life—the before—Roman made her feel wild and dangerous. They were two peas in a pod with Jesse trying to keep them out of trouble. But that wasn’t what she needed from him in this second part—the after. She no longer wanted to be out of control. Instead, all she needed was someone to make her feel safe.
He couldn’t do the work for her, he couldn’t rid her of her anxiety, but he showed her it was possible, and maybe worth the effort.
Biting her lip, she studied her cards. One side of her mouth curved up as she laid them down with a flourish before discarding her final card. “I’m out.” She tapped her chin. “I think that’s game.”
“No way.” He threw his cards down and jumped to his feet in protest. “Cassandra Carrigan, are you cheating again?” She was well-known for hiding extra cards, a trick her mother found hilarious. Roman, however, never had.
He rounded the table and looked down at her. “Get up.”
With a shrug, she stood, her chest brushing his.
“Sleeves up.” He reached for her sleeves.
She smiled at the fact he remembered all her moves.
When he didn’t find any cards, he bent and threw her over his shoulder. “All right, bedtime. No more beating me.”
“Roman.” She pounded on his back. “Put me down.”
He swung her around, and her foot hit a lamp, knocking it to the ground. “Look what you did, Cass.” He clucked his tongue. “Fine, I’ll put you down.”
He set her feet on the ground and turned back to grab his bottle of water. With his back to her, she considered her next move, channeling some of the before-Cassie. It was a move she’d have done two years ago—in fact, she had. Many times.
Without another thought, she jumped, latching onto his back and wrapping her legs around him.
Roman cursed in surprise before it turned to laughter. “Two years ago, I’d have seen that coming.”
He gripped her legs and hiked her higher as she covered his eyes.
He stumbled forward, landing on the couch. She rolled off him, ready for his next move. Roman lurched toward her, pinning her back against the couch, his chest heaving as he hovered above her.
For a moment, they just stared at each other. When they’d wrestled before, it was nothing more than two friends having fun. Now, charged air hung around them. Light flickered over his face, giving it an ethereal glow.
For a moment, she wanted him to a kiss her.
For just a moment, she wondered if he wanted it too.
Maybe this was why her brain melted down around him and refused to form words. Maybe she knew if she hadn’t pushed him away, she’d risk losing him too.
For a girl who’d lost so much with the speed of a bullet, she sure let go of everything else quickly.
Because that was easier, much easier than admitting how much she’d needed them. She’d rather just need herself.
As if coming to his senses, Roman sat back on his heels, letting her up. A crack of thunder reminded them why they were there together. Not because they chose it.
Cassie went through her breathing exercises, trying to calm herself. She looked to the stairs, knowing she should escape to her room now and go to bed, but she couldn’t move.
Roman glanced at the window, taking in the storm still battering their town, before returning his gaze to Cassie. “We can sleep down here… if you want.”
She did want that. So much. It beat spending a night curled in her bed shaking. Instead of voicing her thanks, all she could do was nod.
Roman went upstairs to get pillows and blankets. As Cassie watched him leave, she couldn’t help but wonder why a guy like him—one of the best guys she’d ever known—would want to be friends with someone like her.
In two short years, she’d gone from fearless to afraid, outgoing to… not. The girl he remembered, the one always getting him in and out of trouble… did she even exist anymore?
