Chapter 25 #2
“Proper kissing is just a matter of research,” I breathe as I lean back.
I duck my head and skim my lips over her jaw.
“To find how you react when I kiss you here”—I press a kiss to the spot beneath her ear—“or here”—a kiss to her neck—“or here.” I nip her earlobe, and she inhales sharply.
I smile, tucking this knowledge away for future use.
“Know-it-all,” she murmurs as her hands splay over my chest, and her voice is hoarse in a way that makes me shiver.
“That’s the goal.”
The moon is still bright overhead, casting a silver-blue glow over us as we look at each other. I wrap my arms around her, holding her as close as I can.
“I need to tell you something,” she whispers, her words puffing against my lips.
I nod and resist the urge to kiss her again.
A little smile tugs over her lips. “I think my sisters are spying on us.”
My brows jump in surprise, and I crane my neck around, but I don’t see anyone. Then I look back at her. “Are they?”
She nods now, and my answering smile matches hers as laughter rises in my chest.
Aurora leans sideways in my arms, sticking her head out to glance past me. “Go away!” she calls, and from around the corner of the stage issues a little giggle, followed by an oomph and an ow!
“That hurt—”
“Shh!”
Another giggle, and then the faint sound of shuffling feet, and then there’s silence once more.
Aurora lets her forehead drop against my chest, but I just laugh.
AURORA
“Hmm,” I say, my eyes narrowed as I look around the living room. “This is not what I had planned.”
What I really wanted was to break to my sisters the news that our new landlord is also my new boyfriend. The three of us having a discussion with Roman—that’s what was supposed to happen.
I didn’t expect both India and Juliet to have brought their boyfriends over, too.
“It’s so they can all meet properly!” Juliet says when I send her a look. “Don’t you think they should all meet?” She gives Luca’s leg a little pat, and he leans further toward her on the couch—I’m not sure he even realizes he’s doing it.
“I’m not sorry,” India says, inspecting her fingernails. “The jury is still out.”
“Hey,” Roman says from where he stands next to me. He looks at India with a wounded expression. “I thought we bonded. Remember I mentioned I’d be willing to threaten someone who tried to bid on Aurora?”
“Oh,” India says, blinking. “I do remember that, actually. That was promising.”
I pull Roman over to stand in front of the TV so he can better address everyone. “Go on,” I say, nudging him. “Tell them what you did. The guys would find out anyway.”
He looks petulantly at me. “This feels a little harsh.”
“Tell them,” I repeat.
Roman sighs and straightens up, and the room falls silent, all eyes turning to him.
Then he clears his throat. “I bought this house,” he says, the words matter-of-fact.
“If you must know. So that it can remain securely available if the time comes when Aurora wants to buy it. If not, I’ll still have an investment property as another source of income, considering I’m otherwise unemployed. ”
Juliet’s eyes pop wide, and India’s jaw drops.
But Luca just nods, his glasses glinting in the light. “Smart,” he says briskly.
“Nice,” Felix agrees, and he looks at me. “You bagged a rich one, Aurora. Way to go.”
“What?” India and I say together.
“It’s not nice,” India goes on, her red ponytail swishing as turns to stare at Felix. “It’s invasive!”
Meanwhile, Juliet’s wide eyes soften into something gooey. “That’s so romantic,” she says with a dreamy sigh. Then she looks over at Luca. “Would you buy me a house?”
He grunts, a sound that must mean yes, because Jules beams at him.
“Tell us more about yourself,” Felix says now, waving his hand at Roman—next to him, India boos loudly.
“My name is Roman Drake,” Roman says into the cacophony of chaos, and I watch with astonishment as he begins an honest-to-goodness introductory speech. “I’m twenty-five—”
“That’s younger than Jules,” India cuts in, ceasing her booing and looking at me.
I sigh helplessly as I blush. “I don’t have an explanation.”
“Ladies,” Roman says as he glances disapprovingly between India and me. “No interruptions, please.”
“Very rude,” Felix adds with a nod. “Please, good sir—continue.”
Roman gives a little bow, and I can already tell these two are going to be trouble.
“I come from a long line of philanderers,” he goes on, “but I’m breaking the cycle, so never fear.”
“No philandering in this family!” Juliet says quickly, and India nods.
“Philanderers will be castrated,” she adds.
All the men in the room pale ever so slightly.
Then Felix leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and addressing Roman. “Here’s the thing,” he says. “You should just know this, okay? Aurora”—he gestures to me—“will cut you. All right? She will fly off the handle and set you on fire.”
“Hey,” I say, but Roman nods, like he already knew this.
“India, meanwhile”—Felix gestures to his own girlfriend, who’s now looking at him with skepticism—“will not fly off the handle. She will plan quietly and calmly and then set you on fire.”
“Rude,” India mutters as Roman again bobs his head. At this point he looks like he’s taking mental notes.
“Jules,” Felix goes on, “will sob at your funeral after you’ve been set on fire by her older sisters.”
“I could set someone on fire if I wanted,” Juliet says, sticking her lower lip out. She looks at India and me for support. “Couldn’t I? I totally could. I egged Barf’s car.”
“Of course you could,” Indy and I say automatically, but our faces are skeptical.
“I really think I could,” Jules says with a little shrug. She settles back against the couch cushion and burrows into Luca’s arm wrapped around her. “In the right circumstances.”
“In the unlikely event that anyone needs to be set on fire,” Luca says, lifting one brow, “I’ll do it, all right?”
Probably smart.
Roman looks expectantly at me, his hands on his hips. “Anything else?” he says. “Any more misdeeds I need to own up to?”
I sniff. “No. You’re done. Thank you.” I pause and step closer to him, gesturing around the living room at my sisters and their boyfriends, all of whom are now talking and laughing amongst themselves.
“Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?” I say, and although there’s joking and fondness in my tone, I can feel the weight of the question on my chest.
And I think Roman can hear my fears too, because he wraps his arms around my waist. “Probably not,” he admits softly. “But…” He takes a deep breath. “I’m really, really excited to find out.”