Roman
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We strode briskly through the bustling street, and Millie's excitement was tangible as we headed toward the NFL game. The roar of the crowd could be heard from blocks away, and with each step closer to the stadium, I could sense her heart racing faster. I was thrilled she was here; even if Shane hadn't invited her, I would have asked her to come.
As we neared the entrance, we could see the massive throng of people streaming into the stadium, all adorned in the colors of their favorite teams. The smell of grilled hot dogs and sizzling burgers wafted through the air, intermingling with the sounds of vendors hollering and fans cheering. I reached out and took Millie's hand, our fingers entwining. It surprised her, causing her to turn her head and stare at me.
"So I don't lose you," I mouthed, aware that my words would be drowned out by the noise. She smiled and nodded before looking away, giving me the perfect chance to freak out. My eyes widened a little, and my chest began to pound like a mouse on a wheel. But fuck if I didn't feel a rush of adrenaline holding her hand, or the feeling of how soft and warm the texture of her skin was against mine, and I realised there was nothing wrong with holding her hand. I was merely ensuring we stayed together in the crowd, which was a sensible explanation that I liked.
We made our way through the crowd and ascended the stairs to our suite. I could feel the energy of the stadium pulsing around us, the electric atmosphere charging the air. Millie exchanged excited glances with me as we arrived at the door. It was her first game, so I was going to let her have the best experience ever.
The luxury suite was a sight to behold, with plush, comfortable seating and a breathtaking view of the field below. Flat-screen TVs adorned the walls and framed pictures of past games and the team's legendary moments added to the decor. A fully stocked bar offered a wide variety of drinks and snacks. The room was decorated with Shane's team's colors and logos, and the seats were made of soft leather, accented with the Cowboy's colors. One of the seats, however, was occupied by a slumbering Isaac, slumped against the chair.
"Is he sleeping?" Millie inquired with amusement as she approached him. "Did you know he was back?"
"Not really," I responded, accepting two drinks from a waiter. "He likely came straight from the airport."
"Poor guy," she remarked.
I chuckled and joined her, handing her one of the glasses. "Poor guy? He should have known better than to come to the game after a flight. No need to feel sorry for him."
We gazed down at Isaac, whose face was hidden beneath a cap. I removed the cap, revealing that he was indeed sound asleep. Perfect. I nudged his chair, causing him to jolt awake and stare at me in shock.
"You bastard," he grumbled, his voice groggy from sleep.
I chuckled. "This isn't the place to catch some sleep."
Isaac groaned, sitting upright in his chair. He rubbed his eyes and yawned before realizing Millie was standing there.
"Hi, Mills."
She gave a small wave of her hand. "Sorry, I didn't stop him from waking you up."
"Don't worry about it. I'm used to him being an ass." He shot me a withering glare.
I motioned for Millie to take a seat and asked, "When did you get back?" as I sat down next to Isaac, with her on my other side.
"About an hour ago," he replied. "I'm exhausted and all I want is to sleep in my own bed, but I couldn't miss Shane's game." He looked at Millie, explaining, "He holds grudges if you don't show up."
She looked puzzled. "But surely he would understand that you just got off a flight?"
Isaac and I couldn't help but laugh at her comment. He responded, "Shane isn't the understanding type. It's either you do what he wants, or he holds it against you forever."
I added, "I once forgot to wish him a happy birthday and he didn't speak to me for two months." I enjoyed the way her beautiful eyes widened and her heart-shaped mouth pursed together. It made me grin. "So, try not to let him down."
"When have I ever let anyone down?" She tilted her head to look at Isaac. "How's your mum?"
"She's fine. It wasn't that serious so she sent me back."
"His sister probably chased him away," I interjected.
Millie was curious. "You have a sister?"
Isaac nodded. "Oh, shit. I didn't tell you anything about me and we've hung out a few times. Yes, I have a sister, older—"
"Also reckless," I interrupted. "Scarier, meaner, aggressive, and terrible at everything. She used to bully us a lot when we were kids." I chuckled. "We called her boss lady because she would boss us around with our friends. Thinking about it now, she really behaved like a gang leader, didn't she, Isaac?"
She laughed. "Does she still boss you around?"
He shook his head. "No, thankfully. Kim mellowed out a lot since then. She's actually cool now."
I snorted. "Yeah, until she gets mad at you for something. Then she turns into Boss Lady again."
"She honestly sounds amazing."
I laughed. "Of course, you'd like her."
She shrugged as the football players walked out onto the field and Shane activated his game face, looking intimidating and focused. The crowd cheered as he waved and the camera followed his every move.
Isaac snorted, watching Shane's confident demeanor on screen. "He must think he's the king of the world with all that adoration. Imagine what that does to his ego."
I gave him a knowing look. "Jealous much?"
"Hell no," he replied. "If I wanted to be in a career where everything I did was scrutinized on the internet and people tore me apart for clicks, I would have pursued that path."
Millie chimed in, "Yeah, that kind of fame sucks. There's no privacy and people get to say whatever they want about you."
"I have to agree."
Fuck.
I gripped the armrests of my seat as Millie's attention shifted to Brent's voice. Her face lit up with excitement, and my own fell with disappointment. Isaac elbowed me, and I reluctantly released my grip, relaxing my fingers.
Isaac turned to Brent and greeted him. "Hey, you made it."
Brent replied, "Yes, I thought it would be nice to come and support."
I kept my expression neutral and muttered a greeting. "Hey, mate."
Brent nodded in acknowledgement. "Good to see you, Roman," he said with a smile, then turned his attention to Millie. "Hey, Millie."
I watched as he walked past us and took the empty seat next to Millie. She turned her entire body to face him, practically sitting halfway on the chair, leaving a large gap between us. Fucking Brent.
Isaac touched my arm and I looked away from them. He whispered so those two wouldn't hear. "I feel the entire room is burning right now, but there's no fire except the heat of your glare. Try and relax, mate."
"I am relaxed," I said without missing a beat, shuffling in my seat to show that I was comfortable and not stiff or uncomfortable.
He raised an eyebrow. "You look like Lex Luthor when he sees Superman but without the baldness and Brent has no superpowers except the fact that he can get Millie's entire attention."
"When you put it like that...."
"Well, tough shit, Roman." He patted my arm, his voice still low. "You're the one who said nothing is going on with you and Millie—"
"And there isn't," I interrupted with a glare.
"Then, great." He pointed to the screen. "Watch the game and see our friend play. You know damn well you're getting a survey later to prove that you were paying attention."
I tried to focus on the game, but Millie's laughter over what Brent had said was getting on my nerves. It taunted me, making me fidgety and unable to enjoy a single breath. I kept shifting positions, tilting my head to different angles, crossing and uncrossing my arms, and even leaning forward and backward, trying to ease the tension building inside me. Isaac was the only one who seemed to notice my restlessness. Millie was still engrossed in conversation with Brent, and damn, it had been more than twenty minutes already. How did they have so much to talk about?
Fuck this. Fuck Shane. Fuck these stupid seats that were so close to each other. Fuck Isaac. Fuck Brent. Fuck me. Fuck the universe for putting me in this fucking position. Fuck everything. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck—
"Roman!" Isaac hissed.
I was startled, turning my head to him. His brows were drawn together in annoyance. It was then I noticed the room had gone incredibly silent except the noises coming from the TV. I realized both Millie and Brent were staring at me with worried glances.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice incredibly soft and attentive.
Isaac cleared his throat. "He's just anxious about the game," he said, shooting me a look that was both warning and encouraging. "He's always been like this, that's why I don't like watching any sport with him."
I nodded, grateful for the cover-up. "Yeah, just really into the game," I added, turning back to the TV. But my mind was still reeling with frustration. How could Brent just come in and take over like that? And why did Millie seem so willing to let him? What the fuck was I even doing?
Millie nodded with a smile, satisfied with my answer. But what if I wasn't? What if I wanted her to stop talking to Brent and pay attention to me? What if she didn't just fucking turn away from me and went back to fawning over Brent?
I sighed and slumped against the chair.
Isaac slurped on his drink, watching the screen. "You know, entertainment doesn't only come from tv," he remarked. "Oh, wait, I forgot." He leaned towards me and whispered, "You prefer the thrill of sitting in awkward silence and watching your crush flirt with someone else. It's just as exciting as watching a football game, right?"
I rolled my eyes at him. "Shut up. I'm trying to watch the game."
"Sure, buddy." He chuckled. "Whatever you say."
I rolled my eyes, fishing a phone out of my pocket and throwing it into his lap. He looked down at it in confusion.
"I've been meaning to give you this."
"Did you get a new phone?" he asked as he picked it up.
"No, but I'm giving it to you. Feel free to pick up the calls."
"Whose calls?" he demanded, adding, "And where did you get it? This doesn't look like it's yours." He looked through it. "There's nothing here. It looks brand new."
"I don't know." I shrugged. "A woman gave the phone to me."
"Why?"
"Does it matter? I can't ignore the calls and I don't want to talk. Seems like a great opportunity for you, though."
Isaac snorted. "Sure, because I'm just dying to talk to a random woman calling a phone that doesn't even belong to me."
"Just think of it as a new adventure," I said, laughing.
"I can't tell if you're shitting me. So, you're saying if I pick up the call, it will be a woman on the phone? Am I correct?"
"Yup."
His brows furrowed deeply. "And if I say something nasty?"
I looked at him with a grin, shrugging. "If you can handle it."
Isaac looked at the phone in his hand, contemplating. "Fine, I'll take it," he said, finally. "I'm curious now, not because I want to talk, but because I want to see what you're cooking up."
He pocketed the phone and looked back at the screen just as Shane's team scored. He groaned in displeasure. "Now you made me miss seeing them score."
"Quit moaning. You can always watch the replay later."
Isaac grunted but didn't say anything else. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, wondering what he was thinking. He was always hard to read, especially when he was watching a game. It was like he became so absorbed in it that nothing else mattered.
He suddenly darted a glance at me with a thoughtful look on his face. "I wonder if we're going clubbing tonight." He looked over my shoulder at the other side and grinned. "I'm not sure those two would want to tag along, seeing as they haven't run out of things to talk about. I'm impressed by Brent's game." He met my glaring eyes, which caused him to burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, but this is just so funny."
Millie's voice cut him off. "What's funny?"
I turned my glare to her. "You'd know if you remembered there are people in the room beside you two," I said aggressively, surprising both myself and them. Her eyes widened, and I felt like an asshole. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. Isaac was asking if we're going clubbing tonight, but he thought you both might prefer something else."
Brent looked back at Millie, giving her the choice as I expected. "Whatever Millie wants to do," he murmured, grinning. "It's fine with me, but I won't be drinking. Just happy to be with you guys," he said to me.
I resisted the urge to raise my eyebrows, knowing the real reason why he wanted to tag along. But I couldn't stop him or be angry about it if he wanted to be here for Millie. However, it didn't mean I was pleased. Having Millie here with me and not having her attention was like a punch to the gut.
"I'll let you guys decide," she responded. "Or maybe wait for Shane? If they win, will his team throw a party?"
Isaac nodded. "It's always a party with them after a game. Win or lose, they know how to blow off steam. I'm sure Shane would want to hang out with us, so maybe we could go clubbing? Or have our own party?" He looked at me. "We haven't thrown a party since we got here, Roman."
"I'm not opening up my secure and private space to strangers to drink and hook up," I stated firmly.
He rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be the first time."
"That's because those times weren't in a place where I live and keep all my personal belongings, Isaac. It'll have to wait until I buy a new house, and then you can throw as many parties as you want."
Brent interjected, "I have a place."
"You do?" Isaac's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Yes, it's a place I recently leased. I haven't had the chance to move in or furnish it yet. It's been sitting there for months. You can use it for your party," he offered.
"Sweet!" Isaac exclaimed. "Then let's have a big party." He eagerly bounced in his seat. If there was one thing my best friend always got excited about, it was an excuse to party and sleep around. "I guess we can't have it tonight or tomorrow if it's going to be a big thing," he added after a moment's thought.
"Yeah," I said, relieved at the thought of not having a party in my own home. "But let's wait and see what Shane plans on doing tonight."
The game ended with the Cowboys taking the win. Isaac went to meet up with Shane first and Brent stepped out to do whatever the fuck he went out to do because I didn't care to listen. I was left alone with Millie. She scooted closer to me, and I felt her arm brush up against mine. Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see her looking at me.
"Are you feeling okay?" she asked, her face showing concern.
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"You just seem a bit different today."
I smiled. "It's nothing really, just a lot on my mind."
Her voice softened. "Do you want to talk about it?"
I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. "No, it's fine."
She observed me for a moment before speaking, "For a moment there, I thought you were jealous."
I chuckled, "Me? Jealous? I don't get jealous."
Millie didn't look convinced, smiling and nodding before speaking, "Okay, cool. I was thinking of making it up to you, but I'm glad you're not jealous." She glanced away.
"Wait, really?" I exclaimed, tugging at her sleeve to catch her attention. I smoothed back her hair and brought my hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at me. "What do you have in mind?" I grinned, excited about the prospect of her making it up to me. It was an instant mood change that took me by surprise.
"But you said you weren't jealous," she reminded me.
"I'm not," I denied, chuckling.
"Then there's nothing to make up for," she replied, gently patting my hand and returning her gaze to the screen.
But I couldn't let it go. For some reason, her offer had ignited something inside me that I couldn't ignore. "But I really like the idea of you making it up to me," I said, trying to hide my excitement. When she tried to ignore me and fight off a smile, I poked her in the arm. "Millie," I called out. When she still didn't respond, I poked her again. "Millie." I lowered my head and puckered my lips, playfully saying her name. "Millie."
She let out a laugh. "Stop it."
I playfully poked her again and she playfully glared at me, pushing my hand away. I moved closer until my lips were near her ear. "Make it up to me," I whispered with a grin. The tension between us was palpable, and I wondered if she could feel it.
She turned to face me, placing both palms on my chest to keep me at bay. I knew it was just an excuse to touch me, and butterflies danced in my heart. I dipped my nose down to the skin just below her ear and took a deep breath. "You have to make it up to me, or I'll lick your shoulder. A large, sloppy lick all over you."
She let out a chuckle that echoed through the room. "You're not a dog."
I leaned in closer, teasing her. "But you like dogs, don't you?" I felt her shiver, and I knew I had her.
Millie pushed me away lightly, smiling. "You're impossible."
I chuckled. "But you know I'm just as cute as one."
She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in them. "Now you're just lying."
I laughed at her response, feeling the tension between us ease. "But you know you'd like it."
She rolled her eyes again but couldn't hide her smile. "Roman, you're ridiculous." She stood up and faced me. "Come on, let's go meet Shane. I want to congratulate him." She took my hand, pulling me off my seat and leading me toward the door.
As we headed out of the door, she started to say something, but we almost collided with someone. I couldn't help but notice the woman in red heels blocking our path. My eyes followed her legs up to the burgundy dress that hugged her curves, the pearls that adorned her neck, and the dangly earrings that dangled from her ears, before finally resting upon her face, which wore a smug expression.
"Hello, Roman," she greeted with a sultry tone, her eyes fixed on me.
Millie watched us both, her expression a mix of curiosity. I held her gaze, silently conveying that everything was fine. Ellie Friedman's frown deepened as she looked back and forth between us, then cleared her throat.
"How about a meal? It's on me," she offered, glancing at Isaac and Brent as well.
Millie's curiosity grew more obvious by the second, and I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it didn't seem to have any effect. Ellie's offer caught us all off guard, and we exchanged hesitant glances. Before anyone could respond, Ellie had already linked her arm with mine and begun to lead me away.