Chapter 41 Roman
FORTY-ONE
ROMAN
Nearly a month and a half after Sasha’s accident, I was able to touch her the way I wanted. She’d been begging me to fuck her, but I kept refusing, opting to kiss her instead and tell her how much I loved her and wanted her to heal fully.
She was tough to resist, though.
I knew that while it had been two months since her accident, she was still recovering. I’d noticed her pauses and her struggles as she walked up stairs or when she’d just space out.
Dr. Scott and Dr. Winkle mentioned that having a traumatic brain injury could cause her to blank sometimes, struggle with her memory as I’d noticed recently, and her personality might be a little different.
It was simple things, like forgetting why she walked into a room or stopping mid-sentence to look at me in confusion. I’d gently redirect her to the conversation, reminding her what she was saying, and she’d give me a sheepish look, apologize, and continue.
And sometimes she didn’t. She wouldn’t remember what she was saying and shake her head, her cheeks red.
I knew it was part of the healing process, and reminded her of it. It seemed to help because she’d kiss me gently and thank me for not giving up on her.
I would never give up on her.
She and Sophia were my entire world now.
I’d let Sophia go to her grandparents’ for the weekend. Kathy had picked her up today, and to say they were both ecstatic was an understatement. All Sophia had been talking about was Nana Kat and Papa J.
I needed this weekend alone with Sasha.
It was time to say what I really needed to tell her.
“It smells so good in here,” she said, coming into the kitchen as I worked on a lasagna.
“I’m making dinner.” I grinned at her, making her chuckle.
“Fine dining in our pajamas?”
“You know it, baby,” I said, taking in the pretty pink nightie she wore.
“Am I the only one who is going to wear them?” she pressed as she took a seat at the kitchen island.
I looked down at my suit.
“You’re right.” Immediately, I took off my suit right in the middle of the kitchen, leaving me in my boxers. She laughed at me, warming my heart.
I loved hearing her laughter.
“Go rest on the couch,” I said, leaning in and brushing my lips against hers. “I got this.”
“Are you sure? I can help—”
“Baby, go.” I raised my brows at her. She gave me a sheepish look before going to relax on the couch.
I smiled as her favorite sitcom played in the background while she snuggled beneath a throw blanket.
I worked my ass off on finishing dinner, complete with tiramisu I’d made from scratch. I set the table before I went to her. Carefully, I scooped her into my arms and walked her to the kitchen table.
“Mm, I can walk, you know.”
“Or I can carry you,” I replied.
She chuckled at that as I sat her in her spot. I filled her plate with the lasagna and a breadstick before giving her a glass of wine. Taking my spot, I stared at her while she ate, unable to believe she was officially mine.
I was so happy that it took me a long time to recognize the emotion within me. I’d been going to therapy for the last few weeks, and my therapist had helped me to see that it was OK to move on. That moving on didn’t mean forgetting. It meant living, and I deserved it.
I sipped at my wine, having given up my late-night binging months ago now. I felt better. Everything was incredible now that I let a little sunshine into my life.
I smiled as Sasha wiggled in her seat while chewing.
“Like it?” I called out.
“It’s so good. This is incredible, Roman. I may have lost my job to you.”
I laughed at that. She was back to being in the house with Sophia, but now she slept in my bed, and I put her name on a joint account for us. She could take as much or as little as she wanted, and she knew it.
She wasn’t my employee. She was my girl, plain and simple, and we were becoming a family with Sophia.
I was doing everything I could to prove to her that I was here for the long haul.
I’d even had dinner with her and her friends, which wasn’t as horrible as I thought it would be.
In fact, I got along with the guys pretty well and was going to hire Lance into my finance department after he graduated in a few weeks.
The guy was good with numbers and had his shit together.
I could see a long, happy future with him behind the helm.
Sasha said he’d started dating a girl, which only made me happier for him.
We chatted for a bit as we ate, everything so seamless and free-flowing.
Conversations with her never ceased to amaze me.
She always had the most incredible things to talk about.
Especially art. She loved art, and while I didn’t know shit about any of it, I could listen to her go on and on for hours about it.
Which was leading me to my next event for the evening.
I lifted her plate after she finished and took it to the dishwasher with mine.
“So then I said…” her voice trailed off, and a faraway look came over her face.
I returned to her and kneeled at her side. Gently, I placed my fingertips along her delicate jaw and brought her attention back to me.
“I forget.” She winced, her cheeks darkening.
“You were talking about Addison and Parker. A party they were planning for spring break.”
She breathed out and smiled at me. “Right. I said they’re nuts if they think I’m going to Florida for break and dealing with their drunken shenanigans for a week.”
“You should go,” I said softly. “It’ll be fun.”
She widened her eyes at me. “You want me to go?”
“I think you’ll have a blast. You will graduate soon. It’ll be one last college adventure.”
She chewed her bottom lip for a moment. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
I smiled at her before lifting her into my arms. She let out a little laugh and rested her head against my shoulder as I walked us upstairs.
When we bypassed our bedroom, she finally spoke.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” I murmured, going to an empty room at the end of the hall. I reached out with one hand, still holding her in my other arm, and opened the door.
I stepped inside and placed her on her feet.
Her eyes widened, and she stepped forward into the art studio I’d made for her. I’d done all the work while she slept, and when she went out with Monica and Sophia for impromptu shopping trips or while she was in classes.
Her hands flew to her cheeks as she gaped at the easels, paints, sheets, canvases, and so much more.
I went to my knee and pulled a ring from my sweatpants, which I’d rushed off to put on before I cleared the dinner table and scooped her into my arms.
“Roman, this is incredible,” she choked out. “Oh my god. I love it so much. You didn’t have to do all this—” She turned to find me on bended knee, holding the large diamond ring out for her.
Her mouth opened in surprise, her green eyes wide.
“I know I didn’t. I wanted to, though, because I love you,” I said thickly. “And you don’t have to say yes to me, but I’d really fucking love it if you did.”
She stepped forward, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Sasha,” I said softly. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She nodded wordlessly, her tears doubling as I pushed the ring onto her finger before getting to my feet.
She threw her arms around me, her lips meeting mine in a deep kiss that screamed so many things, but only one mattered.
Forever.