38. No Surprises
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
no surprises
ROMAN
I don’t know what’s worse, seeing her in that little black dress or not being able to bend her over the bar and spank that perfect ass until she’s screaming my name.
I’ve had my fingers clenched around my whisky glass all night while Logan’s been parading Imogen around, introducing her to academics to have conversations she’s not even half-invested in.
“On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate this?” Abi asks with a smirk.
“I’m about… a solid six.” I take a sip of my drink. “What about you?”
“A three. Although if that was beer in Logan’s hand and not a glass of seltzer, I’d probably be at a nine.”
“He was that bad last night, huh?”
“He got up at least four times to throw up, kept waking me—” She catches herself, her cheeks red as she shakes her head. “I was afraid he’d aspirate or something. I just… I couldn’t sleep knowing he was alone in the next room.”
She stares at me, something like shame burning on her face.
“You’re a good friend.” I reach over and give her shoulder a squeeze. “He really does get a little rowdy sometimes, doesn’t he?”
“I just don’t want me taking care of him to be seen as something it’s not.” She looks down into her glass and sighs. “We really are just friends.”
“Well, if you need someone to talk to about it, I’m not the best at giving advice but I am good at listening. Especially when it’s one of my best pals.”
“You mean bff,” Abi corrects me.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Best friend forever.”
“I’m not saying that,” I grumble, finally spotting Imogen across the room.
“Language evolves, Roman.”
“Yeah, but I don’t.”
Imogen’s standing with a group of people, one of whom I recognize as a guy who asked some questions during her presentation. Instead of focusing on what she’s trying to say now, though, he’s not-so-subtly staring at her tits.
I can feel the grip on my glass tighten. It’s so hard to stay focused. I want to be here for Abi, but this guy’s so brazen it’s pissing me off.
I glance around, hoping Logan will be able to bail her out, only to find him on the other side of the room, wrapped up in another conversation. And then the guy puts his hand on her forearm and motions toward the door. My chest tightens as I choke down my quickly growing anger. Imogen’s obviously uncomfortable, shaking her head and forcing a smile while staying rooted in place.
Son of a bitch.
“Hey, um… this is kind of a weird question, but were you awake last night?” Abi asks.
My pulse skyrockets, my hands suddenly clammy as I take a generous sip of my drink. We were careful, and we were quiet.
Right?
“For a bit, yeah,” I reply, spewing out the first lie I can think of. “Ig– Imogen and I were cleaning up the game and… I gave her some pointers for her presentation– not that she needed it–” I cut myself off as Abi stares up at me. “Why do you ask?”
“That must have been what I heard,” she whispers, gnawing on her thumb nail. “The cabin’s just so quiet– I, uh… guess I’m not used to it. Anyway, I’m gonna go and see if I can pry Logan away from socializing for a bit.”
She knows. She has to know. She wouldn’t be asking this if she didn’t. We haven’t been careful enough. I want to say something to convince her otherwise, but I’m afraid if I open my mouth, the truth might come out.
Abi floats toward Logan while I drain my glass, keeping my eyes fixed on Imogen. Her shoulders drift up toward her ears, glancing around while he talks, still smiling politely so as not to upset him. I set my glass down on the table behind me, striding toward them. I hate men like this. The least he could do is be a fucking gentleman and stop staring at her like she’s a piece of meat.
“Miss Flynn.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “The concierge just called and said there’s an issue with your credit card.”
Her eyes are filled with relief, her lips parting just a little as she lets out an awkward laugh.
“Oh! I must have given them the wrong?—”
“I was hoping we could finish our discussion back in the lounge,” the man interjects, sliding his thumb back and forth along her forearm.
He’s not even looking at me, he’s just staring at her tits again. God, I hate his weasely face. Imogen clears her throat, gently pulling her arm away from his grip, flashing him a polite but forced smile.
“Sorry, another time, maybe.”
She slips past me and mouths a thank you before moving through the crowd toward the back exit. I plan to follow shortly after her, but then the guy mumbles something that locks me in place.
“What was that?”
I want to hear what this asshole has to say for himself.
“You’re a goddamn cockblock,” he growls.
My eyes dart around the room, trying to see what I can get away with. Logan and Abi are at the bar, engrossed in a conversation with a small group of people. No one else around is paying the two of us any mind.
I grab him by the arm as hard as I can, squeezing a painful hiss right out of him.
“I ever see you touch a woman like that without her permission again, I’ll snap this arm right off. ”
His eyes are wide with fear, but only for a split second before they narrow into slits.
“She came on to me ,” he snarls.
I give him a hard shove, making my way toward the exit where Imogen’s been waiting. Without saying a word I take her by the hand, leading her away from the party.
“Thanks for that back there,” she laughs as we walk down the long hallway. “He wasn’t very subtle, and he just kept asking me about domination and?—”
She stops mid-thought, glancing behind her.
“Where are we going?”
I don’t answer. I just need to get her alone.
“You know, you didn’t have to swoop in. I was just about to spill a drink on Dr. Wallace.” She giggles, leaning up against me as we continue. “Wait, are you taking me for a jealousy fuck?”
“You’re goddamn right I am.”
We shouldn’t, but I’m too busy seething, thinking about that asshole laying his hands on her. I never really thought of myself as the jealous type, but I guess I haven’t had that many opportunities to test that theory.
I shove the door open as we reach the bathroom, pulling her inside. It’s empty, good. We don’t even need much time.
“I like this new side to you, Dr. Burke,” she purrs.
I drag her into a stall, pushing her up against a wall as I come crashing down on her with a searing kiss. I groan, biting down on her bottom lip and sucking until she lets out a whimper. She tastes like expensive champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. My hands act on their own, pushing her skirt up while she works my zipper, adrenaline pouring through my body like cheap wine.
This whole thing is a very fucking bad idea. But I can’t stop. I can never stop when it comes to her, and the only thing I regret is that I took so goddamn long to figure that out and stop trying to avoid it.
I drop to my knees and kiss up her thighs, smirking when I see her bare, glistening pussy.
“Bad girl,” I breathe.
Imogen giggles, twirling her hair around her finger.
“I had this fantasy that you’d follow me to the bathroom, and I’d be bent over the counter, all ready for you to take me.”
She knows exactly what to say to get me going.
“How’s this for a compromise?”
I close my lips around her clit and suck, getting back a ragged moan in response.
“Compromise rarely feels this good,” she laughs.
This woman makes me feel completely out of control, and I just know I could spend the rest of the night on my knees for her.
I slide two fingers inside of her slowly, curling them as she gives my hair a hard tug, her hips bucking against me. She’s getting wetter, and I can feel her squeezing my fingers tight, her short little gasps telling me she’s already close.
“Roman! Fuck!”
She’s crushing her voice, trying to keep it as low as possible, but she can’t stop the high-pitched whines that spill from her throat. Part of me wants to deny her just to keep the game going, but those sinful sounds she’s making have me so goddamn hard, I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to. She snaps her hips one more time as she comes in my mouth.
There’s no way I’m letting her relax yet. I want her first orgasm to roll right into her second. The moment I get to my feet, Imogen is already freeing my cock, one leg hooked around my waist as she strokes me.
“You wanna show me who I belong to, Dr. Burke?”
I’m fucking starved for her.
“Do you want me to scream your name? You wanna fuck me so good, I don’t remember Simon ?”
“Fuck, was that his name?” I snarl.
“Uh-huh,” she grins.
“What a fucking asshole.”
I grab her by the waist, moving her into the perfect spot.
Nothing about this is sweet. I need to wreck her, to feel her come apart at the seams. I need fingernails digging into my skin and her hands around my throat.
But then…
“I’ll meet you outside, Abi! Oh, and have you seen Roman? No?”
We both freeze. Imogen puts her hand over her mouth. My dick softens in seconds. I hear the bathroom door open and curse myself for not looking for a lock.
Imogen squeezes her eyes shut. He’ll use the bathroom, then he’ll leave. It’ll be fine. My heart feels like it’s about to explode and I’m brimming with anxiety as I hear the tap run, then stop, his sneakers squeaking on the tile. He’s heading for the door. It’s fine.
Thank God.
And then my phone starts to chime from my pocket, barely loud enough to be noticed.
“Roman?” Logan asks.
But it is enough.
“Sorry, dude. We just couldn’t find you. I won’t make you talk if you’re taking a shit.”
I’m terrified, just letting my phone ring. I can’t reach it, or I’ll drop her.
“Roman, I know it’s you. I can see your shoes.”
Why is it that fear makes you feel like you’re falling even when you’re standing up? I’m shaking so badly that my hands are sweating, and one of her legs slips from my grip, her shoe tumbling off of her foot and landing on the floor.
“Oh,” Logan laughs. “ That’s why we couldn’t find you.”
This is it. It’s over. Even if he leaves the room, he’ll be waiting outside. Even if he goes back to the ballroom, he’d figure out that we were both gone at the same time. Imogen looks like she’s going to be sick and I feel like I want to pass out. There’s no way for us to get out of this unscathed, but she breaks first, scrambling out of my grip as she tugs down her dress.
“Logan, it’s me.”
I zip my pants up just as she pushes the door open, bringing us face to face with her brother, slack jawed and wide-eyed as he takes a big step backward.
“Roman, you...”
I can almost see the calculations as he tallies up the lies we’ve told him. The appetizers I chowed down on feel like they’re about to come right back up, and I almost gag.
“You’re fucking my sister?!”
It’s time for me to be a man and face the truth.
Even if it ruins everything.
“Let’s talk.”
“Yeah,” Logan hisses. “Please, I’d love to know what the fuck is going on here.”
I clear my throat, ready to make a case, but Imogen steps in front of me.
“Roman and I–”
“How long has this been going on?!”
She winces.
“Since… August.”
“August?!” He looks straight past her. “You’ve been fucking my sister since August and you didn’t think to mention it?!”
“And what would you have said?” Imogen snaps. “You’d have flipped out, just like you’re doing right now!”
“I’d be a lot less pissed than I am right now, that’s for sure! So, what, Iggy? You made up this fake boyfriend to cover up for the fact that you’re fucking Roman? What else did you lie to me about?”
She stares down at the floor.
“I was afraid of–”
“We didn’t know how you would take it,” I cut in. “Lying to you was my idea, I want to be clear. I didn’t want to ruin your relationship with your sister.”
He turns away, running his hand through his hair.
“I can’t fucking believe this. You’re both idiots for risking Imogen’s place at the school, not to mention your fucking job , Roman– but you know what I’m really pissed about?” He turns back to us, his gaze vicious. “Do you know what really gets under my skin?”
Imogen takes a step back and I wrap an arm around her shoulder, holding her close.
“You both lied to me for months. And you didn’t even think twice about it.”
We all stand in silence for a while, awkwardly shifting as we stare at each other, struggling to think of the right thing to say. The tension in the room is so thick I’m afraid whatever I might come up with would only make things worse.
“I guess I’ll see you at the cabin,” Logan mutters, turning on his foot and storming back out into the hall.
Imogen lets out a sob, burying her face in my chest.
I’ve never felt like a bigger asshole in my life.