Chapter 26 – Skylar #2
After it’s all over and Roman is declared the victor, we pull him off to an empty room save for a dirty table and a few folding chairs.
Braelyn and I, ever the nurses that we are, get Roman patched up.
We remove the bloody tape from his hands and clean up the cuts and abrasions on his fists and knuckles as well as a small laceration on his upper cheek.
“You kicked ass,” I tell him, dabbing some ointment on his cut that’s hardly even bleeding now.
“Thanks. It was a fun one, I guess.”
“Bored already?” I tease.
He shrugs. “It’s good exercise.”
I snort and roll my eyes at him.
“I’m glad you came. I know these aren’t your favorites.”
“They’re not,” I agree. “But I’m glad I came too. Even if I’m not sure my blood pressure can handle another. How do you not get arrested?”
“You obviously didn’t see the chief of police placing bets with the district attorney then, did you?”
I sigh, and he laughs.
“He’s Romeo,” Hayes states. “I don’t think you can arrest him.
His restaurants alone are too popular for that.
No one wants the prince to fall.” Roman is a Michelin-starred top chef with a very popular chain of restaurants in the city as well as in Vegas, Paris, and London.
With his Fritz name—and let’s face it, his good looks—networks have been trying to get him to do a TV series.
He’s refused. His boxing career is likely a reason for that.
He smirks and kisses my cheek. “Go home, Sky. You look beat.”
I snort. “Is that meant to be ironic?”
His lips bounce. “Yes. But you do look tired. Hayes and I will make sure Braelyn gets home safely.”
They each hug me, but Hayes walks me to my car. After all, we are at a warehouse at midnight. “Hey, I leave for Paris tomorrow night, but I’ll be back this weekend for your wedding party.”
I point at him. “You better be,” I warn. “What’s up in Paris? You haven’t had to go there in a while.” Hayes has been slowly taking over Monroe Fashions from his parents, who own the fashion empire. My cousin Serena works for them in Paris.
“Just some production and design stuff. I’ll say hi to your cousin for you.”
“Please do. Safe flight.” I reach up onto my tiptoes and kiss his cheek.
I say goodnight to him, more than a little exhausted, and climb into my car.
The drive isn’t all that long with the light traffic, but it’s all I can do to stay awake, my mind more than a little fuzzy, and when I pull into the driveway, I blow out a long, silent breath followed by a hell of a yawn. I unlock the door and go upstairs, finding my way through the darkness.
I open the door to my bedroom and immediately strip out of my clothes.
My shoes, jeans, and sweater hit the floor in a heap, my eyes already half-closed as I take off my bra.
My phone is in my purse, and I know I need to plug it in.
Hell, for that matter, I need to brush my teeth.
But I’m not sure I have either effort in me.
I pull back the blanket so I can climb under the sheets. A strange noise tickles my ears, but it doesn’t stop me from getting into bed and— “Ah! Oh my god!”
I hit a warm, hard wall that groans and moves against me. I pull back, taking the blanket and sheet with me so I can cover my boobs, and Aston flops onto his back, his hands on his face as he rubs his eyes.
“What are you doing in my room?” I squawk.
He emits a humorless chuckle and rolls onto his side to face me, his hair all over the place from sleep, and his body—well, I’m trying not to look at the strong lines of his shoulder muscles and chest, but yeah, sort of impossible to miss.
My eyes, those traitors, keep dropping and scrolling on their own charge.
He looks like hot sex and dirty promises, and my vagina remembers him all too well.
“This is my bed now, remember? We switched rooms a few weeks ago.”
Shit. We did. I was so freaking tired I didn’t think about it. The number of times I’ve walked in here over the last couple of weeks, only to remember at the last minute and go down the hall, is sad.
“Crap. I’m sorry.”
“Do you always sleep like that?” he asks, eyeing how I have the blanket up against me.
“None of your business!”
“Except you’re in my bed wearing nothing. So now it is my business.”
“Suddenly you want to talk to me?” I throw back at him, and I don’t even know where that came from.
A slow, sexy smile curls up his lips, making my stomach flutter. “Oh, my sweet little swan, have you missed me?”
Ugh. I forgot how cocky he can be. I glare at him. “Not even a little. Close your eyes.”
“Why would I do that when I like everything I see?”
I puff out an annoyed breath. “So I can get out of bed without flashing you my tits and ass.”
“I could do that.” His arm bands around my waist, and he tugs me until I slip down the bed and I’m supine.
With one smooth motion, he climbs over me, pressing his hands into the mattress on either side of my head so he can hover above me.
It makes my heart race. “Or you could stay and let me play with your tits and ass.”