Chapter 21
Roman shook Ava’s hand, bafflement swirling with elation as her words sank in. I’m Ava, Jasmine’s cousin . Well, that certainly explained why she was here, but he still had a million other questions.
“Nice to meet you too,” he mumbled. But before he could do anything else—like pull her in for a searing kiss or ask why she
was pretending not to know him—a shorter woman with long dark hair stuck her hand at him as well.
“Michelle,” the newcomer said. “Also Jasmine’s cousin. And that over there is Jillian, Jasmine’s sister.”
As Roman looked between Ava and Michelle, something dawned on him. Ashton had often talked about “Jasmine’s cousin” without
mentioning a name. But now he had the sneaking suspicion that every time Ashton had said “su prima,” he was talking about
two different people .
Ava wore a slightly panicked expression as she turned away to greet Ashton’s father, and Roman stuffed his hands in his pockets,
puzzling it out. Ava clearly didn’t want anyone to find out they knew each other, but why should it matter? Did it have something
to do with her family? He began to mentally file through everything she’d ever said about them.
Ashton clapped him on the back, making Roman jolt to awareness.
“You just made it,” Ashton said with a grin. “I thought I was going to have to drag you onto the stage.”
“Yeah, sorry, I...” Roman trailed off, watching Ava lean down to give Yadiel a big hug.
Ashton followed his gaze. “That’s Ava. Jasmine’s cousin.”
“We’ve met,” Roman murmured, then quickly added, “she just introduced herself.”
“The three of them are close.” Ashton gestured at Ava, Jasmine, and Michelle. “They call themselves the Primas of Power.”
“Cute.” Roman wondered if they knew about him. Probably not, if Ava’s reaction was anything to go by. He knew there was someone
she texted whenever she stayed with him, but who was it, if not her cousins?
It stung a little to realize she was hiding his existence like some dirty little secret, when all of the most important people
in his life—his mother, sister, Camille, and Ashton—all knew about Ava, even if they didn’t have all the details.
The dance floor was filling up and the entrees would be brought out soon, so everyone trooped off the stage to mingle. Roman
was talking to Ashton’s father when Ava caught his eye. He excused himself from the older man and stepped aside. Barely a
minute passed before Ava sidled up to him.
“We need to talk,” she said under her breath, her serious tone at odds with her cheery smile. “Now.”
Roman smiled too and waved to the head of catering, who was heading back to the kitchen. “Meet me by the bathrooms in five,”
he said out of the corner of his mouth.
With a barely perceptible nod, Ava disappeared into the crowd.
A few minutes later, Roman loitered in the hallway outside the entrance to the restrooms. Soon, Ava appeared. Her smile was gone, and her expression was pinched. It reminded him of the way she’d looked when she arrived at his apartment the last time he’d seen her, after a nerve-racking event had shaken her to the core.
“Is there somewhere private we can go?” she asked the second she’d reached him. “I’m assuming you own this hotel too.”
He didn’t respond to that because it was true. “There’s an office nearby.”
He wanted to take her hand, but something told him she wouldn’t go for it. Instead, he led her through an employees-only hallway
and used his master keycard to unlock an office door. He happened to know this one was out of use, since the hotel was undergoing
major changes in the lead-up to being remodeled as a Dulce Moderno soon.
The moment the door closed behind them, Ava rounded on him.
“You didn’t know?” Her tone was accusatory.
Roman shook his head. “How would I? Did you?”
She began to pace, fiddling with her necklace. “Jasmine only referred to you as ‘Ashton’s best friend.’ I figured you were
some famous actor, and maybe your name was supposed to be a secret.”
He stuffed his hands into his pockets because all he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her. “Ashton and I starred in a telenovela
together almost twenty years ago, but I would hardly call myself a famous actor .”
Ava pressed her fingers to her temples. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“That what’s happening?”
“That you’re in my cousin’s wedding!”
“Why does it matter?”
She dropped her hands and gaped at him. “Why does it matter that the random guy I met at a bar is in my cousin’s wedding party?
This practically makes you family.”
He winced. “Not really. Also, ouch. Random guy? Is that all I am?”
Her eyes skittered away from his. He didn’t think she’d meant to sound so dismissive, but damn, it had hurt.
“Ava.” Roman approached her slowly, gratified when she didn’t back away. He took her hands, not sure how she’d react if he
tried to hold her right now. “Please talk to me. I don’t understand why you’re so freaked out by this.”
She pulled her hands from his and paced away. “We’re going to have to act like we just met and have no history. Can you do
that?”
“Why? What’s the big deal?”
Her expression was severe. “Why? Because my relatives are the absolute worst when it comes to relationships.”
“What do you—?”
“The gossip, the teasing, the judgment. And when it’s over, they never let you forget about it.” She slashed a hand through the air for emphasis.
Ah. He was starting to see what the problem was. They’d barely even begun, yet Ava had already raced down Worst Case Scenario
Boulevard to where they were broken up. He needed to bring her back to the present.
“Is that what this is about?” He kept his tone gentle. “You’re worried about the aftermath?”
“Of course I am! Do you know what happened after I told them Hector was leaving me?” She plowed on before he could say anything, continuing to pace back and forth in quick, angry strides. “My grandmother reacted like the apocalypse was coming. Like we all had to go into survival mode because I was both husbandless and childless. Hector’s mother called me every day crying about how sad she was, and my sister-in-law sent me no less than a dozen phone numbers for couples therapists. My great-aunt told me to apologize
for whatever I’d done so he’d take me back, while his aunt told me cheating is a normal part of marriage and I should stop making a fuss. Like the divorce was my idea.”
Roman’s hands balled into fists as he pictured what she described, but he tamped down his response.
“I hate that you went through that,” he said carefully. “And we’re going to come back to it later. But what does that have
to do with us ?”
“If they knew about you...” She shook her head, cutting the comment short. “No. I can’t go through that again. We’re done.”
She was so beautiful in her cheerful yellow dress, pacing the room like an anxious daffodil, that it took a moment for her
words to sink in. When they did, panic flared. “What do you mean, done ?”
“Whatever we were doing, it’s over. I can’t see you again. Not... not like this.”
His first internal gut reaction was No . No, they couldn’t be over.
But it was true they’d never made any commitments to each other. In fact, this whole thing had been founded on a lack of commitment.
No strings, no feelings . At the time, that had been an easy promise to make. Now?
He did have feelings. Feelings for her . And he knew he wasn’t the only one who’d gotten attached. She cared more than she was letting on, but fear was getting the
better of her, and now she was ready to toss it all away.
Ava turned to leave. “I need to get back to the party.”
So Roman played the only card he had left.
“Why did you text me?”
When she paused at the door, he went on.
“You said you wanted to see me. Something happened, didn’t it?”
Her shoulders tightened and she didn’t answer, but he already knew. Something must have triggered her need for her coping
mechanism. If that’s all he was to her, well, all relationships had to start somewhere.
“What do you need, Ava?” He lowered his voice to a seductive growl. “Do you need me ?”
Her back heaved like she was breathing hard, then she spun around to face him. “Yes, damn it. I do.”
The words were a fierce whisper, as if she were scared to say them out loud, but they were all Roman needed to hear.
Striding forward, he caught her in his arms. Her eyes were wild as she strained against him, fisting her hands in his lapels
and tugging him closer. Propelled by the thick tension surrounding them, he gave them both what they wanted and crushed his
mouth down on hers.
It was always passionate when they were together, always hot, but this level of desperation and intensity was new. They’d
never kissed like this, like she would consume the very essence of his soul if she could, like the world could end at any
moment.
He fucking loved it.
“I need you,” Ava panted between kisses. “Now, Roman. I need you now.”
“You have me,” he growled, spinning her to face the door. “Anytime, anywhere.”
He hiked up her dress, grabbing fistfuls of fabric in his haste. Her palms pressed to the door and she arched her hips toward
him. He was glad he’d started carrying condoms in his wallet.
Something told him to hurry, that if he took too long, she’d start second guessing the entire situation and run away. Better
to make sure her mind was otherwise occupied.
Crouching behind her, he tugged her panties down and helped her step out of them. After tucking them into his pocket, he skimmed
his hands up her legs, loving the look of them in her high red sandals. The heels made her a smidge taller than he was, which
was sexy as hell. He pressed kisses to the backs of her knees and thighs, and nipped at her ass cheek before parting her so
he could see her bare pussy.
“You need this?” he asked, brushing his thumb over her folds. “From me?”
“Yes,” she whined. “I need it. Need you .”
God, he loved to hear her say that.
He pushed her thighs farther apart, then buried his face in her sex. He loved the taste of her, the scent of her, the little
noises she made as she unraveled. Every time they were together, he paid close attention to exactly which touches made her
sigh, and which ones made her moan. Now, he brought all of that observation and practice to bear, in an effort to drive her
wild.
First, he slid his tongue through her slit with one long lick, reacquainting himself with her taste. The strangled groan she made was music to his ears, and he knew that, for now at least, she wasn’t thinking about anyone but him. With that victory in mind, he fastened his mouth to her clit and pleasured her like his life depended on it. Hard licks and soft nips, varied by unexpected suction followed by soothing strokes with his fingers. The angle was awkward but he didn’t fucking care, he didn’t care about anything except this woman, and showing her exactly what she meant to him in the only way she’d allow.
He’d meant to do this later, in his bed. But there was something more raw, more real, about pressing her against the beige
slab of a door in an unused office with décor that could best be described as utilitarian. There were no reminders of wealth
here. Nothing to distract from who they were.
Just Roman. Just Ava.
Not just sex. This was so much more.
By the time he rose to his feet, she was panting and writhing, begging him for release. He’d kept her on the edge, knowing
that if she came, her rational brain would kick in and she’d be back to saying they couldn’t be together.
He was determined to show her why they should be. Starting with this.
Opening his pants, he pulled his erection free and rolled a condom on. She was ready for him, wet and stretched by his mouth
and fingers. When he positioned himself at her entrance and pushed, he slid right inside. The way she clamped down on him
made him groan.
“Fuck, Ava.”
“Move in me.” She gasped out the words. “I need to feel you.”
How could he deny her? Roman grabbed her hips, those lush curves he loved so much, and pulled her back against him with each thrust.
Thanks to the heels, she was at the perfect height for them to go hard and fast. Roman gave it to her with a desperation borne
of his burgeoning feelings, and the fear from when she told him it was over. From the way she bucked against him and whined
yes, oh my god, yes , she was into it too.
He was getting close, so he licked his fingers and reached around to rub her clit. Already, he knew the pattern, rhythm, and
speed to make her shatter. Sure enough, the second he touched her, her cries rose in pitch.
“Roman, please...”
“Anything you want, Ava. Anything.”
They weren’t just idle words uttered in the midst of lovemaking. He meant them. Anything that was in his power to give, he
would give her. She only had to ask.
And he knew she never would.
Except for this. If worshiping her body with his was all she’d take from him, he’d make sure to give her exactly what she wanted.
She gripped his arm, as if to keep his hand between her legs. Her other hand fisted against the door. She was close.
“Come for me, mi cielo,” he whispered in her ear. His own climax was rapidly approaching, but he grit his teeth and held back.
She came first, always.
Ava chanted a litany of please please please and Roman bit his cheek to suppress a chuckle. Always so polite, even when he was buried to the hilt inside her. Then she
let out a soft cry, like the orgasm had caught her by surprise. Her inner muscles clamping down on his cock brought on a climax
that caught him by surprise. He thrust against her hard, her gorgeous ass cushioning his pelvis. With his face tucked into her sweetly scented
hair, he came with a guttural groan.
Ava’s eyes were closed, her cheek pressed to the flat metal door. Roman’s knees felt like they were going to give out, but
he marshaled his strength and eased back from her, taking one last reverent look at her butt before he lowered her dress.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice rough and breathless.
“Better, I think.” She blinked like a baby owl. Satisfaction rushed through him as he took in her dazed expression.
He found a new box of tissues in the desk drawer and wrapped the condom up before tucking himself back into his pants. “Are
you ready to talk about why you want to end this?”
Her dreamy expression hardened and she shook her head. “No. I meant it, Roman. My entire family knows who you are now. We
can’t—” She huffed out an angry sigh. “This was the last time. I can’t do this anymore.”
Then she glanced at the door he’d just fucked her against, and her next words were wistful. “But I wish we could.”
With that, she yanked open the door and bolted from the room.
He didn’t follow her.
After all this time, he knew her patterns. She’d shared something today, so she was going to pull away for a while.
That was okay. He’d give her space, and use it to prepare.
After leaving the office, Roman stopped by the bathroom to clean up. He took his time, figuring Ava would have a fit if he returned to the party right after she did. When he reached into his pocket to check his phone, he was surprised to find a scrap of fabric in there. A wicked grin spread over his face when he pulled out Ava’s white lace panties. Oh yeah, he was keeping these.
Before he could question the wisdom of teasing her, he shot her a text.
Roman: Missing something?
He attached a photo of the panties dangling from his finger.
While he didn’t expect her to reply, he wanted her to know this wasn’t over. He’d respect her wishes, of course, but he wasn’t
giving up hope. There was something real between them, something more than sex, and they owed it to themselves to see what
it was.
He had two months to figure it out.
Back at the party, Roman noted that the food had come out and most people were sitting down eating. He looked around nonchalantly,
trying to spot Ava.
“Where have you been?” Ashton hissed, appearing at Roman’s side.
“Had to take a call,” Roman replied absently.
Ah, there she was. Across the ballroom, Ava bent low to speak to an older woman who was seated at one of the family tables.
Ashton followed Roman’s gaze and sucked in a breath. “No lo creo.”
Roman shot him a look. “What?”
Ashton’s jaw dropped, and he gave Roman a once over. Roman quickly patted his hair, but he knew it was fine, because he’d
fixed it in the bathroom mirror. Maybe his pants were a little wrinkled, but—
“ What? ” he repeated, growing irritated.
“You’re shitting me.” Ashton’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You and Ava? ?En serio?”
Oh shit. This was exactly what Ava didn’t want. Roman’s heart pounded, and he tried to evade. “What are you talking about? I didn’t say anything.”
“You don’t have to.” Ashton’s brows drew together, and he looked angry. “What the hell? Sneaking off with the maid of honor
during the engagement party? Right after she finds out her ex is getting remarried? That’s a bit cliché, even for you.”
“No, we—what the fuck? What do you mean, even for me ?” Roman quietly noted the ex-getting-remarried part. So that was why Ava had texted him. The knowledge deflated him a bit.
But Ashton wasn’t done. “How many models have you dated, huh?”
“How many models have you dated?” Roman shot back, pissed off at this line of questioning.
Ashton gave him a dark look. “That was a long time ago.”
“Same for me. And what the hell do models have to do with anything?”
“They’re a metaphor. My point is, you date women who are convenient, who you can show off at an event and kiss goodbye at
the end of the night—or the next morning—without a care in the world.”
It was eerily similar to what Roman’s mother had said. “So?”
“So, your type isn’t emotionally vulnerable divorcées. I’m warning you, Ro. Ava’s not going to be your wedding party hookup.”
Roman scowled. “It’s not like that.”
“Then qué es eso? Besides, weren’t you dating a...” Ashton trailed off, and Roman could all but see the gears turning in the other man’s head. A second later, Ashton gave a gasp worthy of a telenovela matriarch. “ No me digas .”
Roman sighed. “Now what?”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” Ashton’s dark eyes went round and he dropped his voice to a whisper. “Ava is your mystery mujer. La
profe.”
Roman narrowed his eyes, somewhat alarmed at how easily his friend had put the pieces together. “Why do you think that?”
“Because her lipstick is gone, and when she saw you on stage, she looked like she’d seen a ghost. Also, she’s a teacher .”
It was actually a relief to have the cat out of the bag. “Yeah, it’s her.”
Ashton smacked his own forehead. “Puneta. How the hell did you two even meet?”
“Long story. And I don’t see why this is such a big deal.” Roman hunched his shoulders and stuck his hands in his pockets.
His fingers tangled with Ava’s lace panties.
“How did she react?”
“To what?”
“To finding out you’re in the wedding, obviously.”
Roman glared at him. “How do you think?”
Ashton let out a laugh that could only be described as a cackle and clapped a hand on Roman’s shoulder. “Ay muchacho. You
have no fucking idea what you’re in for.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Roman grumbled.
“You’ll find out.” With a smug expression, Ashton strolled toward the dance floor.
Roman mulled over their conversation, along with what Ava had revealed. She saw their situation as temporary, and her family’s
outsize reaction to her divorce made her fearful about the fallout from another possible breakup.
It was too soon to convince her he had something more permanent in mind, especially since he was just starting to figure out for himself what that might mean. If he told her now that he wanted more, she wouldn’t believe him. And worse, she’d probably think he was just trying to get in her pants again.
Being with her had brought him some clarity, and the strategic part of his brain kicked in. She’d said they couldn’t see each
other anymore “like this”—as in, for sex. But they were both part of Ashton and Jasmine’s wedding for the next two months.
There was plenty of time to develop and execute a plan for winning her over.
Roman slipped on his reading glasses and pulled out his phone.
It was time to make a spreadsheet.