Roman’s arm tightens around me, but his breathing remains slow and steady. Sleep is what he needs now, what they all need now. The couch is large but not nearly large enough for both of us, leaving me partially lying on top of him. Under any other circumstances I wouldn’t mind, but having his family so close it makes me feel like I’m being just a wee bit inappropriate.
There it is again … that damn word. I promised myself I’d stop using it, but it just seems to creep in whenever I least expect it. Nonetheless, if Mrs. Moran were to walk in now and see me lying here on her son, I’m certain she’d have a thing or two to say about it.
He’s said virtually nothing since I walked up behind him on the dock, asking only about Emmy, who I assured him was being looked after by Jack. Since then he’s retreated into silence, staring off into space, diligently allowing me to lead him back inside the house to get some rest. Marco crashed in the recliner, and Cruz is in one of the rooms down the hall. Bella, I can only assume, is still in with her parents. The strength of this family is awe-inspiring and something I secretly envy.
Slowly easing my body away from his, I get to my feet and silently move into the kitchen. The clock on the wall tells me it’s just after three and even though I know I have to go into work in a few hours, I can’t bring myself to sleep. Call it nerves, call it fear, call it whatever you want, but it feels like every nerve ending in my entire body is wide awake and alert. Sure, I’m concerned for the health of the elder Moran, but my worry lies more with the beautiful brown-eyed man who is locked inside himself. It’s a side to Roman I’ve never seen before, one that speaks of his love and devotion for his family and to the deep, deep emotion he carries around inside of him. It makes me want to pull him into my arms and never let go, to make him promises I can only hope to keep.
After helping myself to a glass of water, I head down the hall to the bathroom, running into a sleepy-eyed Bella on my way out. She pulls me by the hand into the front room, a place that appears to be more for show than anything. “Thank you for being here,” she whispers.
“You don’t need to thank me. Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need me to sit with your dad so you can rest for a while?”
She gives me the oddest look then a wide, warm smile lights her face. “You really are the real deal aren’t you?”
Frowning, I reply, “What does that mean?”
Bella shrugs. “Roman has had a tendency to hang out with … let’s just say women with a lot on the outside and nothing going on in the inside.”
I grin at her. “No shocker there.”
She snickers quietly and squeezes my hand. “You are totally perfect for him, Sabrina. Gorgeous inside and out.”
I can feel my face heat under her compliment. “Thank you for saying that.”
“No thanks necessary. God honest truth. Now, to answer your question, no thank you. I just came out to take a break and grab a snack. Mama is awake and Papa is resting comfortably.” She glances toward the living room. “The boys sleeping?”
Nodding, I reply. “Yeah. They’re all worn out.”
She sends me one last grin. “They are all very protective. I assume you’ve figured that out already.”
“Oh yeah.”
Alone again, I pad back into the living room and curl up on the love seat, my eyes immediately landing on Roman’s sleeping form. Hearing his pain-filled voice on the phone earlier left me cold, which is why I couldn’t get here quick enough. I know deep inside my heart that this is more—much, much more—than some guy I’m going to date for a while. He is the type of guy who you make plans with, the type of man who owns you, body and soul. Even now, even with my emotions all over the place, I know without a doubt that he has the ability to break me completely. It may not yet be love, but it’s surely something close to that. I know we still have a lot about one another to learn, but we have made a lot of progress so far.
I wake to the sound of murmured voices coming from the other room. Instantly awake, though still rummy from lack of sleep, I sit upright and glance around. Shoes line the floor but their owners are nowhere to be found. Shoving my wayward, messy hair into some sort of order, I wander into the kitchen to find the three brothers propped up against the kitchen counter, drinking coffee.
Each one greets me with a muted good morning, but Roman sends me a sleepy, sexy smile and immediately pulls me against his chest. “Good morning, beautiful. Sleep okay?”
“Mmm hmm. And you?”
He shrugs. “It was fine. How come you moved?”
I can feel my face heat under the watchful eyes of his brothers. “Um …”
Marco snickers. “She was worried about Mama catching her lying on top of you.”
I throw Marco what I think is an evil glare and quickly change the subject. “How is your father this morning?”
Cruz answers while Roman refills his cup and hands it to me. “He’s better, thank you. We’re taking him into the doctor in a little while.”
Glancing at the clock, I cringe. “Oh my goodness, I’m late. I need to go.”
Cruz’s hand snakes out, catching mine as I attempt to walk away. “You’re fine. Stay. Mia’s talked to everyone at the office. Cynthia knows you’re available by phone if she needs anything.” I have no idea what he sees on my face but whatever it is makes him chuckle. “Apparently your relationship with my brother is not exactly a secret.”
“Really?” I’m rather shocked, considering I believe he and I have played things exceptionally cool at the office.
Marco chuckles. “Yeah, that’s what happens when you play grab-ass after hours.”
Roman shoots his brother a dark look, but I’m quick to intervene. “Okay, okay. How about I make us all something to eat?”
Cruz and Marco meander off into the other room, but Roman hovers around, showing me where everything is and occasionally lending a hand here and there. Our conversation is minimal, but it’s clear by the way he keeps looking at me that he’s grateful for my presence, grateful in an entirely different way for his father’s renewed health.
The men manage to coax Mrs. Moran out the bedroom for some food. The moment she lays her eyes on me, I’m pulled into a hearty embrace. “Oh, my dear, I’m so thankful that you are here.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Moran. I’m just happy to help in any way that I can.”
Her hands cup my face and she gazes up at me through tired eyes. “Well, we are very grateful.”
She insists that I sit next to her. Even though the meal is not as lively as the other meal I had with them, it’s still warmer and filled with more love than my own family meals ever were. The differences in this family and mine are suddenly so very clear to me. Although my parents were never cruel, they were always too fixated on money, or the lack thereof, and they seemed to miss out on the simple joys that came with having a family. I do think about what their life is like now, now that Emmy and I aren’t there to act as buffers. I have this vision of the two of them sitting in front of the television each night, eating rubber-like frozen meals and never saying a word to one another.
Once the breakfast dishes are done and Cruz and Bella are headed off to the doctor with their parents, Marco takes his leave. After pulling on our shoes and straightening the living room, Roman urges me into his arms. “You going into the office?”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty tired.”
His hands frame my face. “Come home with me.”
My heart skips a beat. I’d love nothing more, but I know exactly what that might mean for the two of us. “That’s a big step.”
He nods. “Yeah, it is. And I’ll understand if you say no. I’ll also understand if you say yes and when we get there all we do is crawl in my bed and sleep.” He drops a brief kiss on my lips. “Don’t get me wrong, I want nothing more than to be with you. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”
Overthinking is what I’ve done my entire life and frankly I’m tired of it. For once I want to go with the flow, take a chance and see what happens. If that means we end up sleeping together, so be it. If that means I chicken out, well … I’m sure it will be fun up until that point. Either way, leaving his side—today of all days—just feels wrong.
“Emmy is at Maya’s all day babysitting,” I remark with a smile.
He grabs his keys in one hand, my hand in the other. “Follow me.”
Ten minutes later we’re pulling into the parking garage of his swanky apartment building. I park in the visitor spot across from him, my heart pounding a nervous staccato as we take the elevator up to his floor. His grip on my hand is tight, like he’s almost fearful I’m going to bolt, and if I wasn’t so darn anxious I might find that humorous.
We step inside a small but classy apartment that’s a mixture of tile and dark hardwood floors. His kitchen is modern and filled with stainless-steel appliances, and I’m happy to notice that it’s clutter free. No dirty dishes in the sink for this hot guy.
“Nice place,” I comment, moving past the kitchen and into the living room. It’s decorated solely for the man who lives here: big screen television, soft leather couch, simple coffee table. Granted, everything in his place is far better quality than anything I own, but there’s nothing frivolous or unnecessary—no pictures, no plants, nothing personal except for the pair of sneakers perched in one corner.
He shrugs and tosses his keys down onto the granite counter. “I like it. It’s simple. You should see Cruz’s house. It’s a damn mansion.”
Snickering, I pull open the slider and step out onto the long, narrow balcony that runs the length of the entire apartment. “Yeah, I pictured him living in a house with about ten bedrooms.”
Roman moves up next to me. “Close. I think there are six.”
“What about Marco?”
“His place is cool. Ocean view, all glass and metal. A little cold for my liking.”
Funny how each home perfectly represents the man. “Someday I’m going to move to a bigger home. In a better area of town too.” Yawning, I turn to face him. “Show me the rest of your place.”
Weaving our fingers together, he pulls me back inside and down the hallway near the front door, pointing out the small extra bedroom and guest bath before shoving the master door wide and stepping into the room. Like the other parts of the house, it’s no-nonsense and very much like the owner. The king-sized bed is centered on the adjacent wall, flanked by nightstands on either side. All the furniture in the room, including the wood-slatted headboard, are in a deep, dark cherry wood, an almost exact match to the wood flooring. His comforter is simple, light gray and white stripes, and large overstuffed pillows in a darker shade of gray are propped up against the headboard.
Sheer drapes cover the sliding door, muting the lighting and offering a semblance of privacy. There’s a decent sized walk-in closet and a clean but rather utilitarian bathroom boasting a large shower stall and soaking tub. He’s added warmth to the space with plush gray rugs and thick white towels that hang on the two towel racks but other than that it’s as no-nonsense as the rest of the house.
I turn to him with a smile. “This place is so you.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. It just … suits you.”
He kicks off his shoes and I follow suit. When he peels back the comforter and flops down across the mattress, my stomach knots anxiously and I can only stand there staring at him, blinking profusely.
Instantly sensing my nervousness, he murmurs, “Hey, we’re just gonna rest okay?”
Nodding, I climb up next to him and snuggle into the crook of his arm, instantly relaxing into his embrace. A flurry of worries and questions muddy my overtired brain but now is not the time to be fixating on what might or might not happen. Go with the flow, I remind myself with a heavy sigh, closing my eyes and starting to drift off. Whatever happens next … happens.