Chapter 9
That was amazing,” I say, taking a sip of my beer and looking across the table at Roman. My heart wanted to accept his dinner invitation, but my mind was telling me I was making a mistake, even after our hot first date.
“I’m glad you approve.” Roman’s voice is teasing as he clears the plates. “Why don’t you have a seat on the couch, and I’ll be over in a sec.”
Smiling, I get up and make my way to the couch. Now that I’ve had a chance to look at more than his bedroom, I’m impressed with the home he has with Tessa. Everything is clean and tidy, which is certainly influenced by Roman’s time in the Army. Pictures of Tessa hang around the living room, along with a large picture of Roman and several other smiling men in Army uniforms. I’m guessing it was taken shortly after he graduated from basic training because the buttons on his uniform jacket are shiny, and everyone in the picture looks jazzed and energetic.
“Is this your... I”m afraid I don”t remember the right word. Troop?”
“Squad,” Roman calls out. I look at him as he wipes his hands on a dishtowel, and my heart beats faster. “And yes, those are the guys I deployed with. We look like grinning idiots, don”t we?”
Roman comes over to me and drapes his arm over my shoulder. I instinctively lean into him. Everything about him feels so right that it takes my breath away.
“You know,” I say, pulling away slightly so I can look into his eyes. “I love that you cooked for me tonight. Thank you.”
Roman turns to face me, his hazel eyes intense as they meet mine. “You’re welcome, Marsha. It’s my pleasure.”
“A girl could get used to this.” My tone is teasing, but there’s so much truth to this that my heart aches for it to be true.
“Let’s sit.” Roman leads me to the couch and sits in the recliner across from where I’m sitting. “About us.”
“Yes?” I ask, my stomach tensing. My heart tells me I haven’t misread things with Roman, but my logical mind is butting in again and telling me this is all a mistake. “Is this about last week?”
“In part, yes. Marsha,” he says, leaning toward me and reaching for my hands. “You’re a remarkable woman. I want you in my life.”
“Really?”
“I mean,” he grins, “I know I’m not some fashion model, and my stomach is a little soft these days, but there’s more than physical attraction between us. That’s how it feels to me.”
I exhale and nod, my heart thumping. “That’s how it feels to me, too. I just wasn’t sure that I could trust how my heart felt.”
Roman smiles and moves so that he’s sitting next to me. “How has your heart felt?”
“It feels like rushing headlong into something both terrifying and wonderful. It scares me a little how instantly I was attracted to you and how I’m more attracted to you every time I see you. And not,” I smile at him, “just because you have a hot dad bod, but because I’m falling for the person you are, too.”
“I like the sound of this,” Roman says, gently pushing my hair behind my ear. He lightly traces his fingers down the side of my throat and along my collarbone, making me shiver with desire. “I feel the same way about you too, Marsha. I”ve had this rule that I wouldn”t date anyone until Tessa was in college, but I can”t wait that long for you. I need you in my life now, in our life. Tessa likes you, and I know that you”ll be an excellent influence on her.”
“Even if I encourage her to pursue creative writing?” I tease.
Roman chuckles and nods, “Even if you do that, as long as you encourage her to study technical writing or one of those other professional writing niches we saw at the open house.”
“That”s a plan I can get behind,” I say, turning and looking into Roman”s eyes.
“I”m glad you feel that way, Marsha, because believe me when I tell you that I’m sure about you, and I’m sure about us. I want this to be the beginning of something that will last forever.”
“I like the sound of that,” I tell Roman, reaching out, putting my hand on his strong thigh, and smiling when he flexes it for me. “I had a rule, too, you know. I always said that I wouldn”t date a single father, but then I saw you at the parent-teacher conference, even before Tessa introduced us, and you just took my breath away. I knew then how attracted I was to you because I could see the kind of strong, good man you are, even without hearing you say a word. And having you cook for me is just the cherry on top.”
“If I can make you smile like that every night for the rest of our lives, then I will cook for you every night for the rest of our lives,” he says.
“Oh, Roman,” I say, my eyes feeling misty from joy. “You are more than I ever hoped to find in a man.”
“Come here, you gorgeous woman,” he whispers. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night.”
Roman lowers his mouth to mine, and my core aches with hot arousal as his tongue pushes past my lips and strokes mine passionately. I want Roman more than I thought it was possible to want another person.
Our kiss deepens, and I moan as his tongue teases me, making me yearn to be in bed with him. His hands make their way across my chest, and I shudder in delight.
“Let’s continue what we started last week.” Roman’s voice is thick with desire as he rises and holds my hand for me to stand, too. He kisses my lips lightly, then kisses my ear and my throat, and my knees go weak. “This time,” he says, his fingers reaching under my blouse and caressing my skin, “we have all night. No one is going to interrupt us.”
Roman leads me into his bedroom, and we race to undress and get into bed. We roll to face each other in bed, and a heady combination of lust and love fill me. I move on top so I’m straddling him and gasp when his hard cock bumps and pushes at my entrance, twitching as my slick core bears down on him.
Without a doubt, I know this is right. I know that being with Roman is right. We begin kissing again, with an intensity that shakes me to the bottom of my soul.
The power with which I want him inside me is a primal urge. Nothing could stop me from making love to Roman tonight. I know now that a life with Roman and Tessa is what I want. I want to build a life with them and become a family.
“I want you so much,” I moan. My fingers wrap around his length, and I shiver as he groans with delight. I trace my finger along the tip and feel it pulse beneath my touch as his desire grows even more intense.
“I want you too,” he growls into my ear, sending a wave of pleasure through my body.
Roman’s strong hands grip my waist, and a shiver of pleasure passes through me. I lower myself onto him, feeling my core clench at his thick length. Roman holds me tightly against his chest, and explosions of pleasure go off as he begins to fill me. Our bodies move together, each stroke of his cock sending shockwaves of pleasure through every cell in my body. This. This is what I’ve wanted and searched for so long to find.
A raw, relentless desire takes over as he moves within me, his thrusts pushing me further and further to the brink of ecstasy. His hot breath tickles my ear as he wraps his arms around me and holds me fiercely as we move together, gasping and groaning as our furious lovemaking reaches a fever pitch. Intensity builds inside me, and I know my orgasm is drawing near.
“I’m coming! Oh my God! I’m coming! Roman!” My breaths come out in shallow gasps as my orgasm opens and crashes through my body. He thrusts into me faster, creating an intense internal drum beat that intensifies my orgasm, and I cry out as my body bucks against his, taking his thick cock deep inside me.
“I can’t hold back any longer!” Roman’s voice is thick and uneven as he rolls me onto my back and thrusts deeply and wildly inside me.
I moan as his body shakes as he comes. Roman collapses next to me, wrapping one arm over my breasts possessively and threading one of his legs through mine. I hold onto him tightly, unable to let go.
“You are incredible, Marsha.” Roman kisses my neck, and I squirm from being tickled by his beard. His fingers find my nipples, and I moan and arch into his touch. His fingers gently pinch and pull at my nipples, and a new flame of desire is lit inside me.
“We’re not going to get any sleep tonight. You know that, right?” I look at Roman, my happiness at this moment so much stronger than I thought possible.
“I like the sound of that. I love you, Marsha.” Roman moves his body over mine, holding himself up with his strong arms.
“I love you, too, Roman. Now kiss me and make love to me again.”
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