Page 43 of Along Came Amor
Ava:I will.
Damaris:Then meet me for brunch afterward because I want DETAILS.
Ava chuckled, glad she had at least one person to discuss Roman with. Damaris had also sneakily maneuvered plans on Valentine’s Day, probably so Ava wouldn’t be alone, which was sweet of her.
Ava:I’ll make a reservation. Isla Bonita Cafe?
Damaris:You know it. Best deal on bottomless mimosas in the entire borough!
Another text appeared. This one was from the fancy car service Roman used, containing the info for her pick up. While Ava still felt a little guilty about Roman paying for things like food, transportation, and the hotel, she couldn’t deny it was a turn on. For someone who’d spent her whole life counting pennies, and who was the “responsible one” when it came to organizing any sort of outing, it was nice to have someone else handle all the details.
One of Hector’s stated reasons for leaving her was that he wanted to get out of the Bronx and travel the world. Considering he had never once purchased a plane ticket on his own, Ava couldn’t imagine how he was managing that goal. But Hector and his inability to navigate an airline’s website weren’t her problem anymore.
Right now, her biggest problem was deciding which of her sexy new lingerie to wear for her assignation with Roman.
Opting for the black and red lace demi bra with matching thong, she covered it up with a thick purple sweater, black slacks, and gray ankle boots with a low heel. After packing her overnight bag, she went downstairs to the car.
Roman was waiting for her in the lobby when she arrived.
There was something veryPretty Womanabout the whole scenario. On one level, Ava didn’t like how it felt to arrive at a hotel when every single employee probably knew she was there to have sex with theirboss. But at the same time, stepping into the luxurious and modern lobby and being greeted by a handsome and successful hotel magnate... it definitely gave her a thrill. She couldn’t reconcile the two conflicting feelings.
But then wasn’t that her whole life? Feeling one thing while doing another? At least this time she was doing whatshewanted instead of what others wanted of her.
Besides, she was hardly the first person to show up at a hotel for sex. Probably not even the first woman to show up atthishotel to have sex withRoman. She could be a reasonable adult and stop worrying that everyone was judging her.
Maybe she could even stop judgingherself.
With Roman, at least, she had an easier time doing that.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek when she approached him. The soft press of his lips and the inviting scent of his cologne sent a thrill racing down her spine and right into her panties.
How are you real?she thought, but all she said was, “Hi.”
“I was glad to hear from you,” he murmured. His smile was polite, but barely banked fire flickered in his eyes. “Come on.”
They entered the elevator with a man and woman who were clearly a couple. The man had his arm wrapped tight around the woman’s waist and was whispering in her ear while she giggled. By contrast, Ava stood with her back pressed to the elevator wall, her hands clasped in front of her. Roman was next to her with about two feet of space between them, his hands in the pockets of his designer suit pants, his stance casual.
The couple got off without even sparing Ava or Roman a glance. The doors shut behind them and Ava finally spoke.
“I appreciate you taking the time to—”
“Ava. Please.” His brow creased into the pained expression he got whenever she offered to pay for something. Bridging the distance, he took her hand and gave her fingers a squeeze. “Spending time with you is a gift. Stop overthinking.”
Her shoulders relaxed a fraction. “All right.”
The elevator doors opened and he led her into the suite with a hand on the small of her back. Not possessive, but notnotpossessive either. She kinda liked it.
The penthouse at the Dulce Flor Hotel was the epitome of luxury. This was Ava’s second time here, and as before, she was drawn to the view of the quiet, twinkling city through the floor to ceiling glass windows. Despite the Times Square location, none of the noise from below permeated the rarefied air this high up. It was an oasis in the middle of chaos, a sparkling tower rising far above the crowds below.
Ava swallowed hard as she gazed out. Once again, the feeling thatshe didn’t belong herewashed over her.
“What’s going on in there?” Roman asked. She could seehis reflection behind her, a sophisticated and charming phantom with his dark suit and his hair tamed with gel. She knew it would loosen into curls when she ran her fingers through it, and that beneath those designer suits his body was solid and warm, with a scar on his knee from climbing over a chain-link fence when he was a kid.
She turned to look at him, just a flesh and blood man, and yet, at times like these, she felt like they were worlds apart. “In where?”
He tapped his temple.
“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed. Her first impulse was to brush it off, but he never ridiculed her questions. “Do you ever feel... guilty?”
