Текст книги "Mutually Exclusive"
Автор книги: Charlotte Winston
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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 17 страниц)
16
He watched the shock overcome Alexandra’s face at his accusation. “No!” Alexandra bit out not rising to the bait. “It’s because I was so mad at you. I’d been at this stupid dinner all night when all I wanted to do was be with you. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but I didn’t want to be there after everything I'd heard about my father. I wanted to be here,” she ran her finger down the bed the way she did his car all those weeks before, “but I couldn’t be. I’d just won a case, and all I wanted to do was celebrate with you.”
Roman watched her, fascinated in the way she seemed to pull herself together while she got this out. He’d remembered, it was the one of the cases she said would help seal the deal for her partnership, and she’d texted him the afternoon of the banquet that she’d won.
“I remember,” he told her, needing to give her something.
“I didn’t think you did.” She shrugged. “You were the first person I told. I have a wonderful family and amazing friends, but the first person I chose to share that information with was you. And you didn’t even acknowledge my text.” He’d been with his cousin, the girl he’d always considered his sister, who was going through her own crisis, and then dealing with the banquet, figuring he could congratulate Alexandra later. Plus, he’d tried to keep his distance since they’d been on shaky ground since the revelation about her father. He’d figured texting her about her personal business was too much.
“I’m sorry if I neglected you. Where I was isn’t important. You deserved a response, but we were on the outs, and I figured you didn’t need it.”
She nodded, wiping her face. “Nice to know that now. I’m so jumbled up about you, I couldn’t think straight. My feelings for you are irrational, because we’ve had several weeks of stolen time, but I felt like I knew you. And I wanted us. But when you failed to return the text, I just figured I was making too much of our situation. Especially since we haven’t been connecting like we used to these past couple weeks.” He grabbed her arm when she paced in front of him, pulling her into his lap because he couldn’t stand the distance anymore. If she was going to continue her story, she was going to do it right there.
“You weren’t.” He kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger. “I thought the same thing but didn’t know how to tell you.” She laid her head on his shoulder, tracing small circles on his chest.
“So, I’m at this banquet, missing you, confused, and here comes my grandmother with her potential match for the evening. I wasn’t going to be rude, plus he was a nice guy, and I allowed myself to spend the evening with him. It was easier with everyone else matched up. I was so proud when they listed the sponsors and I saw your name on there, I wanted to stand up and clap.”
His lips found her forehead. He was still upset, she was still upset, but after being without her for the last few days, he needed to get his hands on her again. She sighed, and he rubbed her back gently in comfort.
“Do you know how much I missed this?” she whispered, her breath tickling his chin. His cock stirred, it’s been too long since he’d been inside her.
“If it’s half as much as me, I understand.”
“Yeah, well, let’s not do this again.”
“I’ll agree as soon as you finish your story.”
“So there I sat, proud of you, missing you, thinking I was crazy. All you saw was me saying goodnight to a guy I figured could be a good friend to me.”
“I saw you,” he admitted. It was hard to tell her, but he needed to get it out. She pulled back, looking at him in confusion. “When your grandfather gave his speech, they zoomed in with the spotlight on your table. You were laughing, leaning over him to whisper something in his ear, and I was jealous. I was embarrassed because there was the girl I’d been sleeping with. She was at an important family event with some other guy, when she’d filled most of my waking hours for the last five weeks. The only time you mentioned it was to make sure I wasn’t going, and I thought you were ashamed of me. You always said you only wanted sex, and you didn’t want to be linked as a member of the club, but before then I never assumed it was because you were ashamed. It pissed me off, and then I saw you kiss him on the cheek. I should have talked to you, but I couldn’t see straight.”
“It meant nothing, less than nothing.”
“I’m starting to get that, but it doesn’t excuse what happened in the hallway outside the bathroom.”
“I was a bitch. I wanted to hurt you the same way you’d just hurt me, and I knew the one way to do it was to pretend I didn’t know you.”
He scoffed; she sure as shit had him pegged. “Well, your bullseye was a direct hit.”
“I know.” She put her arms around his neck. “I wanted to take it back as soon as it happened. I told my grandfather after you left I did know you, and we’d been seeing each other for a while. It was easier than saying how I really knew you. Then I waited all the next day for you to text me, figuring I could explain and apologize, but you never called me.”
“Did you expect me to? Would you?”
“No,” she admitted. “And I was going to leave you alone, let you have your space, but I couldn’t do it. As each day passed, I found myself missing you more and more. I picked up my phone to text you several times a day but talked myself out of it. Today, after I got through snapping at my assistant for probably the hundredth time since that night, she sat me down and told me to fix whatever broke last week. And it’s you. I helped break us.”
“You weren’t alone.” He kissed her lips, unable to stop himself. She was there, they were talking, and they were going to work it out. “I had some part in what went down.” They sat there, basking in each other, and he felt complete for the first time in a while.
“What do we do now?” Her question broke the solemnity of the moment, and he held her tighter, not wanting to let her go.
“Whatever we want.” He moved his hand into her hair, pulling her head back so she was looking him in the eye.
She took a deep breath as though fortifying herself before she stated her wishes. His gut clenched, figuring this was it. This was the moment where she told him she only wanted to have sex with him and they should lay off anything more. “I would like to try to give this a shot.”
Hope was a fickle thing; once it took root, it refused to be dislodged unless there was no other answer. “What does that mean?”
“It means I like you, and I want to see what could happen if we saw each other outside the club as a couple, not just friends.”
“As a date?” he asked, just to make sure she was positive.
“Yes.” She smiled, the first genuine one since she’d come in here.
“Baby, you have no idea what you just did to me.” He grabbed the sides of her face, kissing her while she laughed at him, pulling her down to the bed and showing her how happy she made him.
This is everything, he thought with a smile when he kissed her. Alexandra was a balm to his soul, exactly what he was looking for when he didn’t even know he was searching. She deepened the kiss, her arms going around his neck, and he couldn’t believe his good fortune. He’d spent a week moping around like a child whose favorite toy was taken away until he couldn’t stand his own company, believing they couldn’t fix what happened. He’d missed her, having gone from seeing her several times a week to nothing, and the burn in his soul had been like a physical ache, as though he couldn’t breathe without her. Which probably made him the biggest pussy, but she was in his arms so he could care less.
“Missed you.” Her voice cracked as she ran her hands through his hair while he kissed her neck. He pulled back, his hauntingly green eyes staring into hers, the corners of his lips tipping up at the corners.
The intensity in her gaze burned through his very soul. “I’ll take care of you.” She turned her face, but Roman refused to allow her to run away, tipping her head back so he could stare into her beautiful brown eyes again. His tried to convey all the feelings he wanted to say but didn’t; the wanting, the longing, the determination shining bright, the lust, and even love breaking through his defenses. She was his, and he knew it. He believed love would be more jarring, a flash in the pants you recognized as soon as you felt it, but it was a slow merging of souls he sought to reaffirm through their lovemaking.
“I’ll take care of you,” he repeated. She nodded, feeling the emotions so close to the surface from their earlier conversation threatening to spill over. His lips met hers, sealing the promise he’d made seconds before. She moved her legs, creating a space for him so he could lie between them. He broke the kiss, trailing his lips down her neck, teasing her. This was different than before, when they’d come together with slapping thighs and quick orgasms. He was making love to her, saying with his body what he couldn’t with his lips.
He took her three times, and each one was better than the rest. The first time in the club because he couldn’t keep his hands off her. He’d talked to Quinn while she snoozed for a bit, apologizing for being an ass. Quinn took it in stride, joking they could name their firstborn after him. Roman wasn’t sure they were ready for all that, but he did escort her to his house when she awoke. The next day was Sunday, and he was angling to spend a day with his girl since neither had to work. She could never leave again, not after everything they’d gone through. If something else came up, they would weather it together. And when she turned to him that night, burrowing closer as though she couldn’t get enough, Roman thanked God she’d come into his life.
***
Alexandra turned right then left, studying the grey wrap dress she’d accented with peach accessories. It was perfect for dinner with her family. She’d called them ahead of time, alerting them she was bringing Roman to dinner and to be on their best behavior, but the hamsters running around in her stomach refused to get the message. Roman would be there any minute to escort her. She’d lied to her grandfather when they last saw each other. Her grandfather had been understanding, but she’d felt pained every time she remembered how much she’d hurt Roman.
Roman was an integral part of her life, and Alexandra wanted her family’s support. She grabbed her clutch when the bell rang, checking her reflection once more before she greeted him. Roman in a polo and jeans was hot, but Roman in a suit was killer. Her ovaries melted when he leaned in to kiss her, and complimenting her on her outfit.
They made their way to his SUV, not speaking. The silence should have been comfortable, but the tension was ratcheted up to an eight.
“Babe.” She stopped him from fidgeting with the radio with her hand on his. Roman looked at her sheepishly.
“Sorry. There aren’t any good songs tonight.”
“Of course.” She rubbed his arm, accepting the lie. “You know they’re going to love you.” Like I love you, she added silently, and would tell you if I wasn’t a coward. She couldn’t say when it happened, it was more like a notch locking into place, but she no longer denied it. Now if only she could tell him.
“If you say so,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.
“I know so. And you’re going to try and be on your best behavior. I understand your feelings toward my dad, but this is my family and they had nothing to do with what went on.”
“My feelings toward your dad will not color my attitude toward your family.”
“Are you sure?” He’d addressed her worst fear, although he hadn’t treated her differently.
“I’m an adult. I’m more concerned about their opinion of you dating someone who owns a sex club.”
“My family couldn’t care less what you do as long as it’s not illegal or immoral.”
“It’s perfectly legal. The immoral part is a gray line which gets ’em every time.”
“People are idiots. My family isn’t like that. They raised my father, who we both know skirted the line of morality. But if it makes you feel any better, when I told my grandparents about your club, my grandfather told me he’d heard you were a shrewd businessperson and if he was any younger, he’d find a way to do business with you.” When he told her, she almost threw up in her mouth. Who wants to picture their grandparents bumping uglies? But it helped assuage her nerves in bringing him.
“Did he really?” Shock tinged his voice as he pulled into the country club, as though he couldn’t imagine people accepting him. How isolating, to own a club everyone craved and wanted to be part of, but refused to acknowledge during the day. It probably wasn’t even the fact he owned a sex club. Roman knew all their secrets, and these men and women, who ruled the people around them, were beholden to a man because they gave into their base instincts. Roman refused to let it bother him, and had yet to let them affect him. One of the many reasons Alexandra respected him.
“Yes. Now, be your naturally charming self, and I’ll give you a treat later on.”
He grabbed her hand, a show of solidarity they both needed while they waded through the dining room where the rest of her family was seated. Introductions were made, with her grandfather and Anthony giving him the standard male greeting, with plenty of back-thumping and handshaking, while Parker, her mother, and her grandmother got a hug. Drinks were brought and the appetizers their grandparents ordered were placed on the table before the servers faded into the background.
“Tell me about yourself. Alexandra tells me you own Club Valentine.” Her grandfather was quick to start the inquisition. He’d never been one to beat around the bush.
“Yes, sir. I own the controlling share, but my siblings own stock in the company.”
“Aha.” Her grandfather slapped his hand on the table as though he’d just figured out a puzzle. “A man who knows family. I like that. Who else owns shares?”
“No one. Club Valentine is my pride and joy, and there’s no way I would let it fall into anyone else’s hands. Our clientele insists upon it, and my siblings both signed an agreement stating if they no longer wanted their shares, they’d sell them back to me.”
“Genius. I need to look into doing that with my company. I’ve been trying to find a way to give some of my family stock without losing control of my power,” Anthony said. He owned an architectural firm, and had been swamped with new clients, so was looking into expansion while ensuring they stayed true to their roots.
“It was the easiest choice. My family is important to me and wanted to be part of the process, and I couldn’t see myself completing this endeavor without them. I’d be more than happy to talk to you about it some other time, because I’m sure we don’t want to bore the girls talking about business.” Anthony agreed, promising to exchange numbers before they left.
“As long as I’ve been married to this man,” Gran pointed to Papa and waved him off, “if I hadn’t gotten used to talking about business, I’d have had to kill him to make him shut up.” Roman chuckled, and it felt as though the nerves and tension were gone. They had a lively conversation about who was going to win the pennant race, with her grandfather rooting for the underdogs while Roman and Anthony rooted for the team who was making a repeat performance from the year before. Alexandra, her mother, her grandmother, and Parker discussed wedding plans. Parker swore she’d found just the dress for Alexandra, which led to a conversation about what the other women would wear, because they were certain nothing in their closet would do for Parker’s big day.
They laughed, they joked, and enjoyed each other’s company long after dinner was served. No one mentioned her father, for which Alexandra was thankful. Every once in a while, she caught a shrewd gleam in her mother’s eye but never voiced whatever was on her mind. As the evening wound to a close, he pulled her close, kissing the side of her head as he always did, and Alexandra leaned her head on his shoulder. Roman just fit.
“Alexandra, is Roman coming to the cabin in a couple weeks?” Parker asked when there was a lull in conversation. She felt him tense beside her at the mention of the property. She put her hand on his thigh and squeezed, hoping he’d get the message they’d talk later.
“I don’t know. We hadn’t talked about it,” she hedged. It wasn’t that she hadn’t told him, she just didn’t want to acknowledge it given his aversion to it. They spent the weekend of her father’s death together in his cabin. It was tradition, and she’d clung to those when younger. The older she got, the less she wanted to, which was part of the reason she didn’t mind selling it. She’d rather remember him on a celebratory weekend, like their anniversary, but her grandmother was fixated on that weekend.
“My father,” she supplied when he looked confused. “We always spend the weekend of the crash at his favorite cabin. It’s coming up in at the end of the month.”
He raised his eyebrows before something flashed in his eyes. “Oh, babe, remember two weeks ago when you said you’d go to the conference with me?”
There was no conference, and she didn’t know his angle, but he looked apologetically at her family. “I’m sorry, I had no idea what the weekend meant to her when I booked everything.”
“It’s okay,” her mother rushed in. “You couldn’t have known. I would hate for you guys to miss a conference if it’s vital. I wouldn’t expect you to come to the cabin.” Her mother was normally the first one after her grandmother reminding people of their duty, so why the complete one-eighty about going this year? The shrewd gleam was back in her mother’s eyes, and Alexandra wondered if she knew exactly who was sitting at their dinner table. And who his birth mother was.
“Alexandra doesn’t have to come. Or we can always reschedule.” Her grandmother’s voice quivered on the last statement, and Alexandra felt like an ass. Her grandparents were amazing, and her new boyfriend was making up fake conferences to get her out of a weekend at the cabin because he hated her father. He didn’t have to come, but he shouldn’t make up excuses for her.
“I want to come. I’ll see what we can work out, but if all else fails, I can miss the conference.”
“You shouldn’t do that,” Parker argued, but she knew how Alexandra felt about the whole weekend. Even without Roman’s interference, she wasn’t a fan. “I was asking if you were bringing Roman because you guys are together, but please go to the conference. We’ll be fine.”
“We can figure it out later,” Alexandra said, stopping the conversation. She hadn’t wanted to put a damper on the evening by talking about her father, but there it was. Her grandmother nodded, and Anthony, bless him, changed the subject, but the damage was done. The previous good nature of the dinner was gone, but there was no one to blame. Shitty circumstances all around; Alexandra had been dealing with that since she was a child.
“What was that back there?” Roman asked when they were in the car on the way home.
“The weekend is important to my grandmother. She’s been doing it for years.”
“You hate going. And I can’t step foot in the cabin knowing what happened there. Why can’t you tell her what you want? You want to remember your father some other time, not the weekend when your world crashed in.”
“Roman.” She put her hand over his, a thrill shooting through her when he flipped his hand over so they were holding hands. “Thank you for looking out for me, and I’m thrilled that you and my family got along so well, but my grandmother is a force to be reckoned with. She’s done so much for my sister and me, and asks for very little. One of the things she asks for is a weekend at the cabin.”
“Which you hate. And from the way Parker jumped on the ‘change the date’ bandwagon, she hates it, too. She loves you, and that comes with no strings attached. Have you ever tried talking to her?”
“No,” she admitted.
“Look, I’m not saying don’t go. You want to go, I will help you load up the car. But only go if you want to, not because you’re doing it out of some weird notion of misplaced loyalty. She doesn’t want that, and neither would your father.” He had a point; she and Parker had never told their grandmother how they felt.
“Why are you always trying to change me?” she asked by way of acknowledging he had a valid point.
“Not changing.” He kissed the back of her hand. “You can’t change perfection. And before you argue, you are perfect to me and for me. But I will push your limits; I told you as much the first day I met you. I will challenge you, love you, and push you to be the best damn person you can be. If that means stepping on your family’s toes for your pecae of mind, so be it. Because you are now and always will be my priority.” Hope bloomed within her chest. It made her giddy, knowing they were days away from uttering ‘I love you.’ It was a natural progression, and the next step in a relationship she wanted to make permanent.
“Well, I pushed another limit tonight.” She grinned.
“What’s that?”
“I’m not wearing panties.”
He slammed on the brakes. “You mean, during the entire dinner…”
“Yep.” She nodded. “Now take me home and love me.”
