Page 48 of Along Came Amor
She was in over her head, and if she didn’t reinforce the boundaries, this was going to get messy. Forher.
“Please don’t buy me anything, Roman. That’s not what we have going on here.”
At her serious tone, he looked up. His sharp gaze traveledover her face, and he nodded once. “Fine. But I want to be able to text you.”
Her pulse fluttered. “Why?”
He shrugged and looked back at his tablet. “We’re negotiating, aren’t we? You don’t want me to get you a phone, so in exchange, I can text you whenever I want.”
“That... that doesn’t make any sense!”
The corner of his mouth ticked. “Those are my terms.”
“I—” She snapped her mouth shut before she gave in to the urge to argue. Something told her that if she didn’t stay firm, he’d end up wresting some other kind of agreement from her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He cast an assessing gaze her way, but whatever he saw in her expression seemed to convince him. He gave a short nod and said, “All right.”
She worried she’d upset him, but after Roman interrupted her shower to give her not one, but two toe-curling climaxes, Ava was pretty sure they were okay. Still, she was surprised when he came up behind her while she was getting dressed and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Stay,” he said in her ear. “I’ll have someone drive you home early tomorrow morning so you’re not late for school.”
She smiled at his reflection in the mirror and cupped his arms, holding him to her. “I’d love to, but I’m having brunch with a friend this afternoon.”
“Ah.” He kissed the side of her neck and gave her a little squeeze before releasing her. “Next time, plan on a whole weekend.”
“Sure,” she murmured. This, she understood, was his negotiation. He’d let her win this time—no phone—but he wanted more.
She didn’t say,There might not be a next time. What they had was a spur of the moment, no-strings fling. It didn’t matter that she’d bought a slew of new underwear and that she had regular waxing appointments scheduled because Roman seemed to love going down on her. The beauty of this arrangement was in the boundaries, and she had to keep them strong.
Maybe someday she’d be ready to take a crack at a relationship again. But not now. And not with Roman.
But as she sat in the backseat of the car he’d arranged to drive her back to the Bronx, what replayed through her mind wasn’t the sex or the penthouse view or any of the delicious things they’d eaten for dinner.
It was the way he’d held her close while asking about her past.
He never hurt me. Just my heart.
That’s not nothing.
She squeezed her eyes shut and let her head fall back against the exquisitely cushioned leather seat.
God, she was in so much trouble.
Chapter 14
March
Following the GPS instructions, Roman pulled his rental car into the driveway of the Spanish style bungalow in West Hollywood where Ashton was staying while he and Jasmine were filming a movie in Los Angeles. A slew of texts had come through while Roman was driving, so he took a moment to reply before he climbed out of the car and strode up the path to the front door. After a day full of meetings, it was a blessed relief to leave his suit jacket and tie in the car.
The one-story house, with its signature white walls and red tiled roof, was charming, and the small front yard featured a profusion of desert plants. What might have once been a lawn had been replaced by gravel. It was a sunny spring day, not a cloud in the sky, but the cooling breeze marked the evening hour.
Roman had tried to invite them all out for dinner at a restaurant owned by another of Nigella’s clients—someone Roman wanted to talk to about stocking Casa Donato rum—but Ashton had said Jasmine and Yadiel needed a quiet night in.
Roman suspected it was Ashton who actually wanted to stay home, but he didn’t call his friend out on it. Besides, it would be nice to have a meal that wasn’t alsowork.
After ringing the bell, he heard the pounding of running feet before the door swung open, revealing Yadiel’s grinning face.
“Tío!” the boy yelled, launching himself into Roman’s arms.
