Chapter 18 #2
“What are you talking about?” I could only imagine how I must’ve sounded. I was in utter shock. I couldn’t believe he’d want to make such a big move so fast. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks.”
“So.” He shrugged. “My brothers only knew their ol’ ladies a couple of months, and they moved in together. Hell, they were all engaged and married in less than six months.”
“And what does that have to do with us?”
“I want to be with you, Frankie.”
“And I want to be with you, but there’s no reason to rush into anything.” I slipped my arms around his neck as I told him, “I think we’ve got a good thing here, and I don’t want to mess it up by doing something neither of us is ready for.”
He didn’t respond which made me worry that I’d said the wrong thing.
Hoping to explain myself a little better, I told him, “I just think we should take things slow and really get to know each other before we do something like move in together. It will give the boys a chance to get to know you better, too.”
“I’m good with slow. I just want to be able to spend as much time as I can with you.”
“Well, that’s good, because I want to spend as much time as I can with you, too. I’m not going anywhere.” I brought my hand to his face as I whispered, “I love you, Roman.”
Emotion filled his eyes as he crashed his mouth down on mine.
His rough hands slid across my skin with a reverence and possessiveness that ignited an ache deep inside me—an ache that was all for him.
I felt his passion pouring into me as his fingertips twisted tightly in my hair, pulling me firmly to his lips.
He slowed for a moment as he kissed me long and deep, taking my bottom lip between his teeth as he seduced me with his skillful mouth.
The mixture of pleasure and pain that ran through me as his teeth bit into my lip shot straight to my core.
I was lost in a delicious haze of hormones and lust when I heard a car door slam shut.
I forced myself to break his embrace and took a step back as I told him, “The boys are home.”
“You go get them settled, and I’ll get the grill started.”
“Okay.”
I started towards the door, but I stopped and turned back around when Roman called out to me, “Frankie?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you, too.”
My heart swelled as I stood there staring back at the man I loved—the man who made me feel whole again.
I couldn’t imagine feeling more content than I did at that moment.
Unfortunately, the spell was broken when the boys came barreling through the back door.
They each dropped their backpacks in the hall before dragging themselves into the kitchen. “Hey guys. How was it at your dad’s?”
“It sucked like always.” Corry opened the fridge and took out a Coke. “Where’s Widow?”
“He’s outside starting up the grill.”
“Cool.”
Without another word, he walked past me and out to the back yard to find Roman. When Sean started to follow him, I asked, “What about you? Did you have a good weekend?”
“Not really. Dad was in one of his moods, but it’s over now, and we don’t have to deal with him for a while.”
“True. Still hate you had a crummy weekend.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Sean peered out the window as he asked, “What’s Widow cooking for dinner?”
“Burgers. That okay with you?”
He smiled as he teased, “Yeah, as long as he’s the one cooking ‘em.”
When my mouth dropped open, he laughed and said, “I’m just messing with you, Mom.”
He was still laughing as he slipped out the back door and went to join Roman and Corry.
I walked over to the window and watched as my boys talked with Roman.
It was easy to imagine our lives together when they all looked so happy out there messing with the grill, but I wasn’t naive enough to think things would always be like this.
I knew there would be hard times ahead, and even though I wasn’t sure how they would play out, I really did love Roman and I wanted to try.
The next morning, I got to the coffee shop early and was surprised to find Sydney waiting for me at the front door. Usually she was a good thirty to forty-five minutes late, so I asked, “Is your clock broken?”
“No, smartass. My clock is not broken.” She waited for me to unlock the door, then followed me inside. “I have to leave a little early today, so I decided to come on in and help you out with the morning rush.”
“Okay.” I took my purse and keys to the office, then asked, “Why do you have to head out early?”
“I’ve got a date.”
“Anyone I know?”
“No, and I don’t want to talk about it.” She started prepping the coffee machines as she explained, “I don’t want to jinx anything.”
“Oh, so you really like this guy, huh?”
“I already told you. I don’t want to talk about it, Frankie.”
“Okay. Fine. Have it your way.”
The morning rush came and went, but nothing more was said about the date.
I figured if I gave her some time, she’d finally open up, but she avoided the conversation at all costs.
She even wiped down all the tables and swept the floors—something she rarely ever did.
Even though she’d never pay me the same respect, I gave my little sister her space, but I had every intention of calling her later to get the full scoop on what happened.
When things finally started to slow, Sydney came over and sat down at the counter in front of me. “So, how are things with you and Row-man?”
She always made a point to draw out his name, and I always made a point to ignore her when she did it. “Things are really good, actually. I think the boys really like him.”
“And what about you? Do you really like him, too?”
“I really, really do.”
“So, you think there’s a future with this guy?”
“You never know, but I hope so.” I looked over at her as I said, “I’ve never really felt like this with anyone before. Not with Marc. Not with anyone.”
“See! Aren’t you glad I pushed you to go out with him?”
“Actually, you told me I should ‘get me some of that’.”
“And you did and look what happened!” She threw her hands up in the air. “You’re in love with the bad boy biker! How cool is that!”
“You’re such a mess.”
“Yeah, I can’t help myself.” She reached over and placed her hand on mine. “I’m really happy for you, sis.”
“Thanks, Syd.”
“Be sure and tell him that I’ll cut his balls off if he hurts you.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure and do that.”
After the lunch rush, Sydney headed home to get ready for her big date, leaving me to close the shop alone.
It wasn’t a big deal. I’d done it a hundred times before, but tonight I was in a hurry.
Roman and I were taking the boys out for pizza and bowling, and I didn’t want to be late.
I rushed through our normal routine of cleaning the coffee pots and wiping down all the counters, then closed out the register.
I went back to the office to turn off the lights and had just flipped the switch when I heard the front door chime.
Damn. I’d forgotten to lock the door. I was still in the office when I shouted, “I’m sorry. We’re closed.”
No one responded, so I went out to see if anyone was there.
That’s when I saw him. Marc was standing in the middle of my coffee shop.
I knew the second I saw that menacing look in his eyes he’d come to make good on his threat—a threat he’d made many times over the past few years.
He was going to kill me, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop him.