Page 15 of Teaching Roman

“I’m really sorry,” I said again.

“Stop apologizing or I’m going to have to punish you,” he said.

My breath hitched in my throat. I was sure I wasn’t imagining the suggestive tone of his voice. I pushed it aside and laughed. “Okay, but at least let me get you a drink.”

“Are you asking me to have a drink with you?”

I felt his gaze on me, and I wanted to melt in the heat of his eyes. Was I?

“Yes, I am,” I said, mustering as much confidence as I could. A weight lifted off my shoulders and immediately dropped into my stomach. I’d done it. I’d made a move and I only wanted to throw up a little. This was progress.

“We’d better get her into bed first. Then I’d love to have a drink with you,” he said, hoisting Cassie up a little higher. She’d fallen asleep, her face pressed against his shoulder. I was insanely jealous of her in that moment. I wanted to press my face against that shoulder. “Is this it?”

His question called me back to reality. We were standing in front of the hotel. I waved for him to follow me past the main entrance and toward the beach. “We’re back here.”

The row of villas was relatively quiet and the beach was deserted now that it was dark. I unlocked the front door, and pointed to her room. I let Roman carry Cassie to her bed while I shoved the stuff we bought into the fridge. Circling the living area, I checked to make sure we didn’t have anything incriminating left out. It would be just like Cassie to leave her vibrator out as a practical joke.

When I felt fairly confident that I was in the clear, I headed into her room. “Give me a sec with her.”

“I’ll be on the patio.”

It was a cautious move, and I appreciated the effort. So I’d asked him for a drink, but that didn’t mean I’d handed him an all-access pass. Waiting outside was what a gentleman would do, which only made him hotter.

When he left, I tucked Cassie’s covers around her and turned her on to her side in case she got sick. I’d need to check on her later to make sure she was okay. It was hardly the first time I’d been on alcohol poisoning duty. Everyone always expects the pre-med student to handle that. She hadn't drank enough to be in real danger, but her stomach was empty. Booze and no food was always a bad combination.

Tomorrow Cassie was getting a lecture. She couldn’t let Trevor affect her this deeply. Then again, maybe this was how you were supposed to react to a break up. She was in love with him. Seeing her like this now made me realize that I was taking my own way too well. If I’d loved Brett, shouldn’t I be hurting as much as she was? I sat next to her for a moment, brushing her hair back from her face. I’d give her a lecture but not a harsh one.

When I couldn’t avoid it any longer, I gathered my courage to head outside. Somehow I knew that once I did, nothing would ever be the same again.