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Her eyes dim with desire. “Pretty sure that’s not a problem.”
“It is when we have to be at your boss’s house.”
Her lids fly open. “Ohmigod, you’re right. We need to get moving.”
I roll off her, stand and pull her to her feet. Our bodies mesh, and she smiles up at me. “Thanks for saying that about my body being mine. I’m glad you see it that way and can finally understand why I get so frustrated with Cason.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s not going to kill me, though.”
She frowns and glances at my chest, her finger rolling around my nipple. “Yeah, I know he will. Are you regretting this, Roman? Are you sorry I seduced you?”
“Hell no,” I blurt out, and it brings a smile to her face. “I was fighting a losing battle with you, and I want to be honest. I tried to tell myself that coming here with you was all for Cason. That was a lie.”
“It was?” she asks, a small hitch in her voice.
“I wanted to be around you. I didn’t plan for anything to happen between us, but I just wanted to be around you.” A garbled laugh catches in my throat. “I must be some kind of masochist, huh?” She smiles and I put my hands on her shoulders to display just how serious I am when I glance down at her and continue with, “I also really wanted to help you, Peyton. What you want, well, if it’s important to you, then it’s important to me, too.” She’s important to me. She always has been.
Sometimes I think I didn’t stop the engagement, went through with the wedding prep, because this girl could never be mine, and it was a way to make that clear—to myself. Even though the engagement failed, Peyton and I still can’t have a real relationship. We want different things and her brother would disown both of us. She needs her brother more than life itself. I need him, too. The most important thing, though, is for nothing to ruin what they have. I’d never forgive myself if I came between brother and sister.
I swallow. Hard. “I don’t want any kind of trouble with Cason, Peyton.”
She goes
up on her toes and gives me a soft kiss. “You won’t. He never needs to know about this. It’s not his business, anyway.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, but that doesn’t help with the guilt spreading through me. I give her a nudge, setting her in motion toward the stairs. As I gather our clothes, I realize there’s something she needs to know. “You said you were only with one guy in college, but it’s not because guys weren’t attracted to you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Well, one, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever set eyes on, and two, your brother was well-known on campus. The guys all sort of knew not to mess with you.”
Stark naked, her hand goes to her hip and her mouth drops open. Could she be any more adorable? “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Nope, sorry.” I give her a sheepish look. “Your brother would have killed anyone who got too close.”
Her green eyes flare with anger. “I’m going to kill him.”
I drag her to me. “Hey, you can’t tell him I told you.”
“How can I keep that in?”
“Please.”
“Fine, Roman. I’ll keep the secret.” She rolls her eyes at me and I smile. I like having secrets with Peyton. “Let’s go get ready.”
Forty-five minutes later, Elias is dropping us off at Andrew’s house. “See, we needed a car after all,” I tell her.
“You don’t always have to be right about everything, you know,” she says, and playfully elbows me in the gut. We walk up the cobblestoned walkway, and she wraps her arms around herself and shivers as the night air falls over us. I put my arm around her to warm her and as we approach the door, it swings wide open and a very attractive lady with short dark hair and dark eyes greets us.
“You must be Peyton and Roman. Right on time.” Her smile is warm and inviting as she takes our hands and gives a welcoming squeeze. “I’m Sofia, Andrew’s wife. We’re so glad you could join us tonight. Richard and Paula are already here.” Her lips thin and her light laugh wraps around me. “I didn’t have time to do my hair,” she says, and even though she’s still smiling, I sense the tension beneath. “Please excuse the mess of it.”
“Your hair looks fine,” Peyton says, and points to her own. “Look what the humidity is doing to mine.”
Sofia laughs, steps back and waves her arms. “Come in, please.”
She leads us through her gorgeous home and Peyton glances at the pictures on the wall. “Are these your children?” she asks.
A look of longing comes over Sofia’s face. “Yes, twins. They’re both studying in England.”
