Chapter Eighteen
Oakley
Iblinked myself awake, confused for half a second.
Where was I?
And why the hell was my pillow so hard?
I blinked again, then sucked in a breath when my pillow moved.
Closing my eyes, I took a moment to gather myself.
I was lying on my couch, on top of Roman. Not just snuggled into his side or something, but actually. On. Top. Of. Him.
Like my entire body was lying on top of his like he was some kind of mattress. I was face down on his chest, and the only parts of my body that wasn’t on top of him were the bottom of my legs, but only because they were tangled up with his.
How had this even happened?
How had I gone from snuggling into his side to lying full out on him?
“Good morning, sunshine.”
I groaned. No chance of sneaking away before he woke up then. Shit.
He chuckled. “Comfy?”
I groaned again. “How did… what is even happening right now?”
He laughed again. “Well, about an hour after you initially fell asleep, you woke up and wanted some water, so you grabbed your glass from the coffee table and drank the entire thing, then went to the bathroom—do you remember that?”
“Uh… no.” I must’ve drunk a lot more dwarf beer than I thought.
“Well, when you came back, you told me to lay down on the couch, and since you were being cute and you were all drunk—and arguing with a drunk person is futile and frustrating—I did. Next thing I knew, you climbed on top of me and passed out.”
I groaned again and turned my face into his chest. “Oh my Scales. I’m so sorry.” Then I cringed when I realized I was still on top of him. “Shit. Sorry.”
I started to pull away, but Roman held onto me. “Don’t be. I like it.”
I… didn’t know how to take that, but since I felt like shit and Roman was nice and warm and kinda comfy, despite the hard chest, I decided to stay. “Um… okay.” My voice came out soft. Quiet.
Roman ran his hand up and down my back, making me shiver as I closed my eyes and decided to let myself doze.
I hadn’t had a hangover in months, and I was so not looking forward to getting up to start the day.
Plus, we didn’t actually have anywhere to be today considering my dad was making us take a few weeks off.
“Hey, Oak?”
“Hm?”
“There’s a hangover potion on the coffee table. Take it before you fall asleep again.”
“Holy shit, you’re amazing. Thank you.” I reached out blindly, found the vial, uncorked it, swallowed the whole thing in one go, dropped it on the floor, and snuggled back in.
The last thing I remember is hearing Roman’s quiet chuckle and a few whispered words that sounded like, “I’ll be right here when you wake up, sweetheart,” but that could’ve been a dream.
***
The next time I woke, I could tell Roman was already awake because he had his arms around me and his phone in his hands, either texting or playing a game right over the top of my head.
“You could’ve woken me so you could get up.”
He immediately put his phone down on my back and hugged me. “I didn’t want to.”
I… had no idea what that meant. He seriously liked cuddling like this? Why? And he’d said it the last time I’d woken up too, hadn’t he?
Since I had no idea how to respond, I ignored it and asked, “Are you hungry?”
He snorted. “Yeah, I could eat.”
“Great. Let me use the bathroom and brush my teeth, and then I can make us something.”
“Uh, do you not remember that I know you? You’re not cooking.”
I sighed. “This time, I really wasn’t trying to trick you into cooking. I was thinking about making us bagels in the toaster. Surely, you know I’m capable of that?”
“Hm… I think it’s totally plausible that you could start a fire with the toaster.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that came out, and I leaned up, punching his shoulder lightly. “Asshat.”
He laughed. “Don’t beat me up just because you can’t handle the truth.”
“Oh my Scales, you’re really asking for it.” I punched his shoulder again, and the next thing I knew, I was flipped around.
I landed on my back with an oomph and Roman hovering over me, my wrists caught in his. “You forget that I know how to fight too.”
Even though I knew he was joking around and a part of me even liked it, my heart rate spiked when I tried to move my arms and they wouldn’t budge.
“Got you,” he whispered, and it sounded playful, but when I tried to move my arms again, I couldn’t.
I couldn’t move at all.
Oh fuck. I was pinned down, and I couldn’t move my arms, and I was trapped, completely, totally trapped with no hope of escape, and I—
Before the panic could fully take over, Roman released me, backed away to the end of the couch, and held his hands out, saying, “You’re okay, Oak. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. You’re safe, honey. You’re safe. You’re home. You’re not trapped. Fuck. I’m so sorry.”
Closing my eyes, I ignored the stinging behind them. I wanted to cry. Not because I was scared or upset with Roman, but because I was frustrated with myself. I knew Rome would never, ever hurt me. I trusted him with my life; I trusted him more than anyone in the whole world.
But my body had reacted before I could stop it.
Memories of men holding me down, of manacles around my wrists and ankles, assaulted me, and I couldn’t stop my intake of air or the quiver of my chin as I covered my face with my hands.
“Fuck,” I heard Roman say under his breath. “I’m so sorry, Oakley. I… fuck. What do you need from me? Do you want me to leave?”
I shook my head. No, I didn’t want him to leave. I never wanted him to leave. I wanted him to stay here with me forever.
I sucked in a breath and sat up, shaking my head. “N-no. Don’t go.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Can I… can I have a hug?”
“Of course.”
Slowly, he slid closer, watching me like I was a frightened animal—I supposed I was. When he was right beside me, he opened his arms and let me move into him.
It was sweet, even if it broke my heart a little to see him being so careful with me. I hated that he felt that way. I wasn’t made of glass, and I hated that I needed his gentleness right now.
His arms came around me, holding me firmly against him, but in a way that didn’t make me feel trapped. I sniffled, trying to hold back the tears and all the stupid emotions that wanted to come after that… freakout or whatever it was.
We stayed that way for a long time, and I slowly relaxed, melting into him until he was holding me up, and I was just a lump halfway on top of him.
He kissed the top of my head, whispering, “You can have a hug anytime you want.”
I wanted to cry again, but I didn’t even know why. “The same goes for you, Rome.”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Yeah? You better be careful what you’re offering there because I want to hug you all the time.”
I couldn’t help but snort. “So are you going to just attach yourself to me so I have to, like, carry you around everywhere I go?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
I snorted again, and even though I still felt a little shaky, I was okay. I’d be okay.
“Although I’m not sure you’ll be able to carry me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m strong enough to carry you.”
He snorted this time. “I think I’d squish you like a bug.”
“Wanna bet?”
Before he could respond, I pulled out of his arms to stand up. I looked at his surprised face for a second before I bent down, tucked one arm under his legs and the other behind his back, bent my knees, and picked the heavy-ass dragon up.
Okay, he really was heavy, but I was a fucking dragon too.
He yelled out in surprise, laughing as his arms wrapped around my neck, his smiling face looking up at me.
“Well, I stand corrected, Your Highness.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t call me that.” I turned in a circle, trying to figure out where to put him.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t know.”
He laughed.
“So… what do I get for winning our bet?”
“We didn’t bet anything.”
I rolled my eyes. “I should still get a prize for carrying around your heavy ass.”
He stared at me, and I met his gaze, my breath leaving when I saw the look on his face. He looked… hungry. Or something. I wasn’t sure, but it was intense, and it was aimed right at me.
His eyes flicked down to my lips, and I gasped.
Holy crapola on a stick. Was he… did he… was he going to kiss me?
Oh my Scales, Roman, my crush, wanted to kiss me?
Why? How? What was he—
He whispered, “What if I give you a k—”
He was cut off by my phone ringing, making us both jump. I turned around again, still with Roman in my arms—even though my arms were getting tired—looking for my phone.
Where the hell had I put the damn thing in my drunk state?
“I plugged it in in the kitchen,” Roman said quietly.
“Mm. Thanks.” I carried him into the kitchen, having to squeeze through the door sideways so I didn’t knock him out by smacking his head against the doorframe.
He laughed again. “You’re gonna have to put me down to answer the phone.”
Damn. He was right.
With a sigh, I bent over to put his feet on the ground, then straightened as I let him go. Roman was right there, staring at me with that same look again. He surprised me by running his knuckles over my cheek before he leaned in and placed a kiss there.
On my cheek.
Not exactly the type of kiss I’d been hoping for, but it still made my belly swoop and my heart melt.
He was so damn sweet with me.
Everyone else saw this stoic asshole of a king’s guard, but with me, Roman was just… Roman. Kind, sweet, gentle, tender, cute, protective, and about a million other things I couldn’t even think of right now.
And he’d kissed my cheek.
How fucking cute was that?
When he stepped back, I just stood there, staring at him.
He smiled. “You should get that, babe.”
I blinked, heard the ringing phone, and turned toward it. When I flipped the phone over and saw it was my dad calling, I huffed and sent it straight to voicemail.
“I’m not talking to him.”
“Your dad?”
I nodded. “Yeah.” I turned back to Rome, but the damn phone started ringing again.
“Could be an emergency.”
Shit. He was right. With a sigh, I answered with, “Is there an emergency?”
There was a short pause. “No, but I wanted to talk—”
“Then nope. Sorry, not talking to you.”
I went to hang up, but Dad yelled, “Wait! Please, let me just—”
“Are you giving Rome and me back the case?”
Another pause. “No.”
“Then I have nothing to say to you.” I hung up.
It immediately started ringing again, so I sent it to voicemail. My dad, the stubborn, old-ass dragon, called back two more times, and two more times, I sent it to voicemail. He’d get the hint eventually.
I wasn’t the least bit surprised when he stopped calling me and Roman’s phone rang. He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed and went back to the living room for his phone.
He answered, saying, “Hello, Your Majesty.”
I snorted because he only called my dad by an official title when he was pissed and actually meant you royal asshole dickbag.
Even though I was now across the room, I could still hear my dad’s voice. “Really, Roman?”
“What did you expect, Your Highness?”
My dad sighed. “Can I please talk to you about—”
“Do you have an official assignment for me?”
“What?”
“Are you speaking to me as my king right now?”
“What? Rome, what the hell are you talking about? You’re my best friend, you’re family, I never talk to you as—”
“In that case, you can go fuck yourself… respectfully, My King.”
My dad sighed again. “Look, I know you’re mad, but—”
“You took me and Oak off a case that we’ve been working on for months. Do you really think I have anything to say to you right now?”
“I—”
Roman hung up on my dad, and I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“Wow. You actually told him to go fuck himself. I… didn’t think I’d ever hear you say that to my dad—your king.”
Roman sighed and turned back to me with a shrug. “We’ve said worse to each other over the years.”
“I believe it. You guys are both like a million years old.”
For some reason, that comment made him wince. “Uh, yeah… I guess we are.” He cleared his throat. “Why don’t I start on breakfast?”
I stared at him for a moment, unsure of how to read him right now.
He looked upset or maybe uncertain? I had no idea what was going through his head.
“Um, sure. I’ll go hop in the shower, and then you can take your turn.
I have clean clothes you can wear, and there should be some new toothbrushes under the sink. ” I shrugged.
But now his expression was amused instead of… upset or whatever that’d been. “You know we’re like two floors away from my condo, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but I wanna hang out today, and do you really want to leave?”
He stared at me for a long moment. “No… no, I don’t.” Then he walked into the kitchen and started banging pots and pans around.
Hm. No idea what that was about.