AllFreeNovel
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“Are you serious?” Maybe I’m still in bed, lost in fever and having a bad dream.
But the thoughts of being with Roman, coming home to him every night, the two of us sharing hopes, goals, the good and bad, is not a bad dream at all. It’s a fairy tale and I don’t believe in them. I need to keep myself grounded in reality. It’s the only way I won’t get hurt.
“You still there?” he asks, his gaze roaming my face. “You went somewhere else for a second.” He frowns. “I’m not so sure you’re over this flu just yet.”
“I am. I’m fine. You just took me by surprise.”
“I can tell.” He laughs, pulls me to him and after all the kids file back inside, he presses a kiss to my forehead. “You can stop looking at me like I just grew another head, Peyton.”
“I’m not going to ask you to go through with a ceremony, Roman. You’ve done enough already, and I know how you feel about marriage.”
“You’re one to talk,” he says, his voice low and intimate. His eyes narrow, like he’s waiting for a counterargument. But I have none.
“When you’re right, you’re right. Not denying that I’m a bachelorette for life, but you’ve already gone above and beyond for me.” I glance over my shoulder. “I’d better get inside. The second bell just sounded. I can take over now.”
“Nice way to change the subject,” he says with a snicker. “We’ll talk about it tonight, then.” He inches back. “And I’m finishing the day off with the kids. You go home and rest.”
“Home is boring.”
Without you.
“Go for a swim, and if you really are feeling better, why don’t you do a search on restaurants, and we’ll go out to eat tonight and do some sightseeing.”
“I’d love that.”
He kisses my forehead, takes a fast glance around and gives my backside a little whack. “Go.”
I yelp. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’m actually having fun teaching these kids how to code. They really seem to enjoy it.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll head back and find a nice place to eat tonight.”
We walk back to the school, our bodies close, our knuckles brushing, and it’s insane how much I miss his touch, his closeness, when he disappears inside. My phone pings and I welcome the distraction.
I smile when I see the call is coming from Carly. I quickly slide my finger across the screen. “Hey, Carly, I’ve been meaning to call you.”
“Uh-huh. You get married and forget all about your best friend,” she teases, her voice light and full of laughter.
“Very funny. I’ve been crazy busy.”
“Doing what? Playing house with New York High Society’s Most Eligible Italian? The man is unbelievably hot. The pictures in the paper don’t do him justice.”
“I don’t think of him that way.” Her laugh of disbelief nearly deafens me. “Okay fine, he’s hot.”
“Oh my God,” she says.
“What?” I ask.
“You slept with him.”
I glance over my shoulder. I’m not sure why. Maybe I expect Richard to be leaning in to hear the call. I lower my voice and say, “So what if I did?”
“Peyton,” she screeches. “That is awesome.”
“Yeah, it kind of was, or is...because we’re still doing it.”
“Tell me everything.”
