Page 32 of Rebound
“This isn’t what it looks like,” I call back to him as Roman carries me to the elevators. “Seriously, you can put me down now.”
The elevator opens and Roman steps in, finally lowering me to my feet. He keeps an arm wrapped around me to keep me steady as blood flows back into my legs. His body is hard against mine, but he yields for me as I lean into him.
“Thank you for bringing me home,” I say, my voice low.
“You don’t have to thank me, Lavinia,” he says. “You only have to admit that you know I’m right.”
“I can’t admit what I don’t know.”
I lean back and press the button for my floor. Roman keeps his arm around me and there’s this little smile on his face that I can’t quite figure out.
“Why are you smiling at me like that?” I ask.
“Talking to you is always the best part of my day.”
Ugh, I hate him for doing this to me. It’s really not fair that he can show up and be perfect. Okay, so he’s not perfect, but he’s pretty darn close to it and that bugs me because I want peace and there can be no peace with a man like him.
“Don’t try to flatter me, I’m not going to change my mind.”
I exit the elevator when it stops on my floor and before I can even reach for my key, Jules is already opening the door, her head poking out. She’s already in pyjamas, pink with ice cream cones all over them, and her hair is piled high on her head. She looks me over before her eyes move to Roman, who’s followed me off the elevator.
“I was worried,” Jules says.
“About Plaque Guy? I don’t blame you,” Roman says.
“I have a stalker now,” I tell her.
Jules’s blue eyes look Roman up and down, her mouth twisting to the side as she carefully analyzes him. “He can be taller, but otherwise he’s not bad. Mazel tov.”
“I’m 6’4”,” Roman protests.
Jules and I laugh. “Unless you’re tall enough to qualify for the NBA, it doesn’t count.”
Roman looks at us like we’re crazy. “I am tall enough to qualify for the NBA. The fact that I can’t play basketball is another matter.”
Jules holds up a finger. “But you’ll be on the shorter end of NBA players and even I know that. So, technically, you can be taller.”
The look on his face is priceless. Like he’s not really sure what’s happening and maybe he doesn’t want to know because it’s going to scare him.
“I better go,” he says. He surprises me by leaning forward and placing a kiss on my cheek. His lips are soft, putting the barest hint of pressure. I inhale, my lungs filling with the warm, woodsy scent of his cologne. “Talk to you later, Blossom.”
Jules reaches for my arm as we watch Roman walk towards the elevator. When he turns back to look at me, Jules squeezes my arm, making a quiet noise in the back of her throat. He smirks knowingly before disappearing into the elevator.
NINE
LAVINIA
The door slams shut behind us, and Jules and I squeal.
“Oh my god, tell me everything!” Jules says.
I haven’t felt this level of excitement in a long time. I can’t even remember if I was this excited after my first date with Josh.
“Well, we were texting, and I told him I'm on a date. Next thing I know, he’s there.”
I walk to the kitchen and remove the pastries from the bag, setting them on the counter. Then, I sit on the chair and remove my high heels, massaging the balls of my feet. Cutlery jingles and I look up to see Jules taking out two forks from the utensil’s drawer.
“Keep talking.”
