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Chapter 13
Roger had no intention of listening to what Caydan had to say. Marriage might be good for some, but for him, he wasn’t sure. He had so much baggage he’d been avoiding. How was it fair to bring that into a relationship? It wasn’t just the loss of the other agents that haunted him, but he never talked to anyone, professional or not, about losing his parents so young.
Roger had the ability, even at a young age, to hide his pain from the world. He didn’t want that with Gia. If he wasn’t willing to be open and honest with her, how could he expect it from her?
He drove around the block for the third time. It was pathetic. He was acting like some teenage boy who was about to tell a girl he liked her. Roger knew he was making this more awkward than it needed to be. So he pulled over to the first available spot and walked a block to her apartment.
Roger hadn’t called Gia to see if she was home. For all he knew, she was out with one of the Henderson ladies, or back home checking on Andrew. Stop trying to come up with excuses. Just go and fucking knock.
As he opened the main entrance door he heard her voice calling from behind him. “Looking for me?”
He spun around to be greeted by her bright smile. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by and say hello.”
“Hello,” she said, standing there.
This is where you invite me up.“How’s your father doing?”
“He’s good.”
“Great.” What was wrong with him? They’d spoken plenty of times; hell, they’d had amazing mind blowing sex, and now he couldn’t think of what to say?
“Roger is everything okay?” Gia asked.
“Yes, why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you’re holding a bouquet of flowers, but not giving them to me. Unless they’re for some other woman,” she teased.
Fuck!This wasn’t going as smoothly as he’d thought. He handed her the multi colored roses. It was crazy, but the woman at the florist shop had been telling him what each color meant. When he thought of Gia, she filled each one, so he did a bouquet filled with all the colors. After he purchased them, all he could think was when did that mushy romantic guy show up?
“They’re beautiful. Thank you. Would you like to come up?
He nodded and followed her upstairs. When the door closed behind them, he watched as she put the roses in a vase. It gave him time to gather his thoughts. He was there to tell her he loved her. But he couldn’t just blurt that out. She deserved something so fucking romantic that she’d never forget it. The flowers had felt like enough. Had. Not so much now.
Roger should take her out for a nice dinner. Hire someone to come and play the violin to set the mood. And afterward, he could profess his undying love.
None of that was him. She either wanted the real Roger Patrick or she didn’t. He’d learned a long time ago, you couldn’t change a person. Thankfully he loved her just the way she was. Of course, in his eyes, she was perfect.
“Are you going to stand there all afternoon or would you like to sit?” Gia asked.
“Sorry. I have a lot on my mind,” he said as he took a seat on the couch.
“So I noticed.” He cocked a brow and she continued. “You drove past my apartment building three times. I was about to call and ask if you forgot which one was mine.”
“You saw me?” She nodded as she joined him on the couch.
Well that’s embarrassing.“I wasn’t sure you were home.”
“A phone call usually gets that answer quickly. Would you care to tell me what’s really going on?”
“I wanted to see you. We haven’t had a lot of alone time lately.”
She smiled. “You’re right. I’m working like crazy with your friends on the reunion. Which, by the way, I’ve been told to tell you, you’re going one way or another. I think they mean it too.”
He was serious when he said, “I’m not going unless it’s with you.”
“Roger Patrick, are you officially asking me out?”
Grinning he replied, “I guess I’ve done things backward, but yes, I’m asking you out.”
