Page 31 of Rebound
“The ride share driver is also a strange person,” he counters.
“I like to live life on the edge.”
Roman raises an eyebrow, which tells me he knows I definitely don’t like to live life on the edge. I like to live it prettyfucking far from the edge, so far, I don’t even know where the edge is. The only time I was on the edge was when I was playing hockey.
We walk two blocks in silence before Roman turns to me. “Are you going out with him?”
“Oh my god, Roman! Hold my bags, I’m going to text him right now and schedule something,” I say.
Roman holds up both hands in surrender. “Fine, I won’t say anything. Just that I laid myself bare for you and you ignored it completely.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s what you call laying yourself bare? You want me. Boo-fucking-hoo. I figured that out on my wedding day when you asked to kiss me.”
“So, this is punishment,” he whispers.
“Yes, Roman, I spend my days thinking about ways to punish you.”
I stop walking, arching my foot to alleviate the pain. If I knew I was going to end up walking, I would have worn more comfortable heels. These are digging into the heel of my foot, and my toes are squished. I’m going to have blisters tomorrow for sure.
Before I know what’s happening, I’m swept off my feet and into Roman’s arms. I cry out, grabbing his shoulders as he bridal carries me.
“What are you doing?” I demand, my voice sounding close to a screech.
“Your feet hurt and if you insist on not getting a ride share, then I’ll carry you home,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
He looks down at me, one corner of his mouth lifting up into the most devastating smile, and I know he thinks he knocked it out the park with this move. He’s incredibly proud of himself. Itwist my mouth, wrinkling my nose as I try not to smile at this ridiculous maneuver.
“You’re unhinged!”
“That may be, but at least your feet won’t ache tomorrow. I’m thinking about your feet.”
“I should have guessed you have a foot fetish,” I grumble.
His shoulders are solid under me, and I’m not a stranger to athletes or strong shoulders, but this display of strength still makes my insides gooey. I hold strong though, not letting him see how he's affecting me. People give us strange looks as we walk past them.
“I have a you fetish,” Roman says.
I must be crazy because I almost find that charming.
“Are you going to carry me all the way home? All four blocks?”
“I can carry you anywhere you want to go for as long as you need me to carry you.”
My toes practically curl in my shoes.
“People are looking at us,” I remind him.
He grins at me. “We make a hot couple, Blossom. People are going to look regardless.”
“You should have told me you were this humble before,” I quip. “I wouldn’t have given you such a hard time.”
In response, he pulls me in harder against him, his fingers digging deeper into my skin. Roman carries me all the way, not even breaking a sweat. By the time we get to my building, I’ve gotten used to being carried around.
“You can put me down now,” I say.
Frank, the doorman, opens the door for us and I’m pretty sure I see his lips twitch under his mustache.
“Good evening, Ms. Callahan,” he says.
