Eternal Flame (Mature 18+)

Chapter 34

"Patience Ro. All it requires is a little bit of patience. I'll get in them draws. Trust me."

Roman doubtfully looked at him and raised his eyebrow. "If you say so." He slapped Alex's hand and gave him another hug.

Alex pulled away and worriedly looked at him. "Seriously Ro. If you need to talk some more, I'm here. My door is always open."

"Thanks Alex."

"Like I said, just take it for what it is and don't force it. Have fun. After tomorrow, your life will be back to normal."

Roman's face and voice were somber as he answered Alex. "I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

*******

Kristen sat stiffly in the middle of Roman's bed, staring up at the skylight. It had been over twelve hours since she'd seen him and she was worried. She wondered if he was ever coming back. If he regretted everything that had gone down between them.

Her flight was for three' o clock the next afternoon and she was dreading it. She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to leave him. Go back to her life. How could things go back to normal after all she'd endured over the past two days? How could she move on?

It would be easy for Joy. Joy may've had feelings for Damien and inappropriately Beau, but she would get over it in a matter of days. Joy never stayed attached to anyone for too long and the Foster boys would be no exception. Before she knew it, she'd be screwing and blowing someone else who was equally as handsome, fun, and intense. If only it could be that easy for Kristen.

Her heart stampeded as she thought of Roman. She hadn't stopped thinking about him all day. Even in the midst of going with Joy and Ms. Austin to the airport. Even while having lunch with Joy at Wahlburgers. Even while listening to Joy lament and moan and groan over her Foster brothers obsession on the Uber drive back to the hotel, on the elevator and for two hours more at the hotel. The only time she shut up was when Beau called to tell her he was coming by to see her. Kristen stifled laughter while Joy fumbled an excuse as to why she'd have to see him later. She lied and told him and Kristen were going shopping. The truth was Damien was already on his way over. Kristen had no idea how Joy was going to get herself out of the immoral, improper situation she'd put herself in but she had her own problems to worry about. Like how she was going to remain cool for the rest of the day when all she wanted to do was tell Roman she loved him and beg him to let her stay.

But that was stupid. The truth was, no matter how she felt about him or how much chemistry they had in bed and out, the two of them really didn't know each-other. They didn't know if they were even compatible. Yes, they could talk but she'd met other guys she could talk with before and she was sure he'd been close to other women in that way too. But deep down she couldn't help feeling like it was different. Like she was different. No other woman had managed to get close to Roman in two years. She had done that. That had to mean something.

But if it did, where was he? Why hadn't she heard from him all day? Why was he avoiding her?

Reaching over to the night-stand beside her, Kristen picked up her phone and held it in her hand, studying it. She scrolled through her contacts until she got to Roman's name and just sat there, staring at his name and running her finger over it. She needed to call him. She needed to know what was going on. What he was thinking. They needed to talk.

Just as soon as she put her finger to the call button, she heard the front door chime.

She gasped and let the phone drop through her fingers. It was him. It was Roman! Roman was home!

She shifted back and forth on the bed, trying to decide if she should run and meet him at the door or sit there in the middle of the bed and wait on him. She fiddled with her hair and tugged at her dress, pulling it past her knees, then smoothing it back down before pulling it back up to her ass. She was wearing barely-there panties. She'd gone toyed with the idea of not wearing any but talked herself out of it. She was wearing another tube dress, this one pink, and no bra. That was enough. Her hair was still damp from the shower she'd taken when she returned to Roman's and full of natural curls.

She glanced over at her suitcase that sat in front of his bathroom door and bit her lip. Was she too presumptuous in packing up all of her stuff and bringing it with her back to his place? Would he want her to stay the night again? What if he was coming back to tell her it was all over? What if he'd decided he didn't want her, that last night had been a mistake? What if...

Her thoughts trailed off as she heard the distinctive sound of his shoes making their way from the front of the apartment, to the back where she was. She hurriedly pulled her dress back down again and pulled her hair over her shoulder. She laid back on the bed and turned on her side, posing, then changed her mind and sat up again, drawing her knees to her chest. Most of her thighs were still exposed and she felt that was the best look to go with. She didn't want to look too desperate.

She didn't know she'd been holding her breath until she watched him round the corner and walk into his room. He stopped at the door and looked at her, leaning casually against it with his in his jeans pocket. His face bore no expression. Kristen audibly exhaled, hard. She began softly panting and she swallowed, hard. Fuck it to hell the man was beautiful. His effect on her was unlike anything she had ever felt and instinctively knew she would never feel again. He was wearing fitted blue jeans, a button down gray shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves and his hair was tousled and pulled back off his head. He looked good enough to eat. And his eyes... The way he was looking at her...

Kristen swallowed hard again and pushed her hair behind her ear as they gazed at one another. She could feel herself shaking and willed herself to stop. But she couldn't help it. His come fuck me eyes were immobilizing her, rendering her speechless. She wished he would say something. Move. Smile. Flip her off. Something!

Seeing he wasn't going to make a move, Kristen licked her lips and decided to break the ice. "I was talking to your doorman before I came back up here," she whispered, playing with the cool covers on the bed. "He said you spoke to him this morning. And that you smiled at him. He said he hadn't seen you smile in over a year. He figured I must've had something to do with that."

She shyly looked up at him. "I told him I haven't smiled this much in eighteen years."

She saw him slightly smile at that and her chest perked up in anticipation. "I waited for you this morning," she softly continued. "I mean, I got your note. I didn't know when you were coming back, so I..."

She paused when Roman pushed himself away from the doorway and walked over to her, stopping at the foot of the bed. He didn't say anything, just stared down at her with that look... That fucking look that made her panties wet with little to no effort.

"I went back to the hotel," she nervously babbled, "and hung with Joy for a little bit. We-We took Ms. Austin to the airport and then we went back but Damien was coming over so I left and I came back here and you still weren't here and I was worried you wouldn't come back because I hadn't seen or heard from you all day, and I was afraid I'd done something wrong or you regretted last night and what we did and so I-"

"There isn't anything in the world that would make me regret last night or spending it with you," he huskily replied. "And not a gotdamned thing is going to make me regret making love to you. I haven't stopped thinking about it all day."