She shook her head. “Oh, no. You first. Where did you disappear to, and better yet, why are you back?”
“Come sit next to me and I’ll tell you.”
“You’re inviting me to sit on my own bed with you, the uninvited guest. What’s wrong with this picture?”
He glanced around, his gaze settling on the large oval mirror across the room. The reflective glass gave him a perfect view of himself lying in her bed. He shrugged. “Not a thing, as far as I can see.”
With a groan, she stalked across the room and settled herself beside him, a melting bowl of ice cream her only physical barrier. “Now talk.”
“Only if you promise to feed me later.”
“Roman—”
“I’m not stalling. I’m serious, I haven’t eaten in hours. I flew in and came straight here to see you.” With a slight detour to the baseball game that they’d get to once she opened up to him about her new relationship with her father. “So if you like what you hear, you have to promise to feed me.”
“Next thing I know, you’ll be asking me to feed you by hand.”
“By mouth would work just as well,” he teased.
Her lips tugged upward in a hesitant smile.
At least he could still affect her, he thought. “I’ve been in Washington, D.C.”
“Fair enough,” she murmured and placed the bowl on the nightstand. “I promise to feed you.”
“Good. Remember I told you about a job offer in D.C.?” His next thought was interrupted by loud banging on Charlotte’s door. The steady ringing of her buzzer followed.
She jumped up from the bed. “It’s Rick. I asked him to come over so I could find out—” She stopped herself before she could finish.
“Find out what, Charlotte?” But he already knew. Just as he thought. She’d been looking for him.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” She blushed, but before he could respond, Rick pounded on the door once more. “I need to see Rick about something else, too. You’ll find it interesting, I promise.”
More interesting than them? Roman doubted it. “Okay, let the pain in the ass in.”
He rose from the comfortable bed and followed Charlotte into the living area, greeting his brother with a practiced glare.
“I didn’t know he was back.” Rick gestured to Roman. “Welcome home … oh, shit.”
“Not the greeting I was expecting.”
“You two aren’t going to believe this.” Rick shook his head. “Hell, I don’t believe this.”
“Well, before you launch into any story, I’ve got something to tell you,” Charlotte said.
Roman shook his head. “You’ve both got me curious.” Rick exhaled hard.
“Okay, then, ladies first.”
“Right.” She wrung her hands before her in a gesture so un-Charlotte-like, Roman grew concerned.
“No,” she said, changing her mind. “Wrong. You go first.”
Rick shrugged. “I got home planning to come straight here, but we got some calls at the station. Several in fact. It seems the panty thief struck again.”
“What?” Roman and Charlotte said at once.
“In reverse, actually. The panties were returned.”
Roman started to laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Nope. Every last one of them was left either inside the house or on the front porch. Even though we never officially considered Roman a suspect, I’d planned on telling Charlotte that the ladies around town were going to have to give up their notion of Roman as a panty thief.” Rick ran a hand through his hair.
“Why? Did you catch the guy?” Charlotte asked warily.
“No, dammit.”
Was it Roman’s imagination, or did she just heave a giant sigh of relief?
“But with Roman out of town, they’d have to give up their fantasies regarding my baby brother,” Rick continued.
“What’s the matter? Jealous they weren’t flashing their undies at you?” Roman grinned.
“Funny.” Rick shook his head. “But it’s just occurred to me here that with you back in town, looks like you’re going to have to live with the stigma.” He chuckled at the thought.
To Roman’s complete astonishment, Charlotte came up beside him and slipped her warm, soft hand in his. She stood by his side as she looked at Rick and said, “No, he won’t.”
“You know something about this, don’t you?” Roman asked.
“I might.” She squeezed his hand tighter. Although he didn’t need her looking out for him, he liked this protective side of her. Especially since they hadn’t come close to straightening things out between them, yet she was defending him anyway.
“Come on, Charlotte. You can’t withhold information from me,” Rick said.
“Oh, I don’t know, Rick. I never said I knew anything.” She glanced up at Roman, her eyes wide and imploring. “Did anyone see you tonight? Anyone know you’re back other than us?”
He shook his head. “Despite the small-town bit, I really don’t think anyone noticed me.” He’d kept to himself intentionally, though he didn’t think Rick would appreciate him pointing that out.
“Rick, if I did know something, I wouldn’t tell you unless you promised me two things. One is to never use the information I give you and the second is to never tell another soul Roman was back in town tonight.”
His brother’s face flushed a deep shade of red. “You can’t mean to bribe a police officer.”
She rolled her eyes. “In that case, I don’t know anything. It’s been nice seeing you, Rick. Good night.”
Roman hadn’t a clue what was going on, but he was putting an end to it now. “This is ridiculous. Charlotte, whatever you know, you have to talk. And Rick, you promise her anything she asks.”
Rick burst out laughing. “Yeah, right.”
“Samson’s responsible for the panty thefts and if you repeat that, arrest him, question him, or so much as lift an eyebrow his way, I’ll deny ever having said anything. I’ll pay for his lawyer and we’ll sue you for harassment. No hard feelings, by the way. I really do like you, Rick.” She treated Roman’s stunned brother to her sweetest smile.
That sugary grin would have Roman groveling at her feet. Unfortunately, Rick wasn’t Roman, and his cop brother was livid. He turned even redder. “You knew this and withheld the information? For how long?”
“What good would it have done to tell? He’s a harmless old man who was looking out for me. I’m nice to him, so he figured he’d drum up interest in my business. Roman being blamed was completely unplanned.”
“But beneficial.” Roman saw the humor in the situation even if Rick didn’t. His high school prank benefited Samson’s cause.
“What he did was illegal,” Rick pointed out. “Or did you lose sight of that?”
She jerked her hand out of Roman’s and placed her hands on her hips. “Tell me who got hurt. And then tell me who will benefit by hauling the poor man in for anything. It’s over now. I promise. He won’t do it again.”
Roman leaned close and whispered in her ear. “You probably shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep, sweetheart. You have no control over the man.” No more control than Roman had over his body now that he’d inhaled her delicious scent and those long strands of tousled hair had tickled his nose and cheek, arousing him.
It was time his brother made a quick exit, Roman thought. “She’s right and you know it, Rick. You aren’t doing anyone justice if you prosecute the guy.”
“He won’t do it again. Please?” Charlotte asked in a soft, pleading voice.
“Argh. Fine. Since I don’t have a witness, I’ll lay off Samson, but if this happens again—”
“It won’t,” Charlotte and Roman said at once. Roman assumed they’d be making a joint trip to visit the “duck man” and make sure he understood the break he’d been given.
“And since Samson went to the trouble of replacing the underwear in order to exonerate Roman during his absence, you never saw Roman in
town tonight, right?” She said in a determined voice. “The first time you’ll have seen him since he left over a week ago is—”
“Twenty-four hours from now, when I knock on your door,” Roman decided. “Until then, we’re incommunicado.” He put his palm on Rick’s back and shoved him toward the door. “If anyone asks, Charlotte’s got the flu.”
“I don’t believe this,” Rick muttered as he took a step into the outside hall.
“You’re a good man, Rick Chandler,” Charlotte called out to him.
Rick turned. “The things I do in the name of love,” he said, and disappeared down the steps, muttering to himself the entire way.
The next twenty-four hours. The words reverberated in Charlotte’s brain as she shut the door behind Rick and turned to face Roman. “Dare I ask where you plan on hiding out for the next day?”
Twenty-four hours, she thought once more. A long, long time for two people to remain incommunicado. Alone, together. Was that all the time they had left? Or did Roman have something different in mind?
“Your bed was pretty cozy. Of course, it would be more cozy if you were in there with me.”
Once again her heart picked up a frantic rhythm. “Tell me about Washington.”
He held out his hand, and next thing she knew, he led her back into the bedroom until they were comfortably settled on her frilly double bed. As comfortable as she could be with sexual awareness and anticipation humming between them and a soft mattress beckoning.
“Washington’s hot and humid already. It’s a great place to live. Fun, upbeat.”
“Are you planning on switching your home base? Leaving New York City for Washington, D.C.?”
“The job offer was for an editorial position, but then I wouldn’t have the freedom—”
“To travel?” she guessed, sensing by his tone he’d turned the well-known paper down.
“Yup. I want to be able to work from a laptop. Editorial is too much desk-sitting and I’d need to be available for the people working under me.”
She gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “I can see where being stuck in D.C. wouldn’t suit you. You being used to world travel and huge stories and all.”
“I’ve gotten used to you.” Taking her by surprise, he brushed one finger down her cheek. “I can’t very well be stuck behind a desk in D.C. if you’ve got a business to run here.”
She was confused and frustrated and hopeful at the same time. Most of all, she was sick of him talking in circles without making a point she could grab on to. In a move that shocked even her, she managed to take Roman down, pinning his shoulders onto the bed and straddling his waist. “Let’s try this again, and try English this time. Did you or did you not take the job?”
He stared at her wide-eyed, obviously amused and, from the feel of his erection between her thighs, very aroused. “I didn’t take the editorial job.”
She picked up on his subtle nuance. “Which job did you take?”
“The one for op-ed columnist. They were very impressed with a recent piece of writing I’d done while home, a slice-of-life that showed them I can cover every angle. I resigned from the AP and I can now work primarily from home, while commuting on occasion to D.C. And taking vacations to exotic parts of the world when we feel like it.”
“We.” She would have swallowed, but her mouth had grown dry. She could barely speak, but she managed. Some things were too important. “Where’s home, Roman?”
“Wherever you are, Charlotte.” Those incredible blue eyes stared into hers.
She blinked, unable to believe this world traveler had given up imparting world news to settle in D.C. and Yorkshire Falls. With her. She shook her head. “You can’t give up everything you love,” she told him.
“I can’t give up you. It was hell being a couple of hours away in D.C. I can’t imagine anything more long distance. I’d die of loneliness.” He grinned.
“Don’t get carried away.” She caressed his cheek and held his face in her palm. “But I want you happy. I never want you to resent me or the choices you made.”
“You said it, sweetheart. They’re choices I made.”
Before he’d even had Charlotte’s okay, she realized. He’d taken concrete steps toward changing his life. He’d already quit his AP job, already taken another. All without a firm commitment from her about their future. He’d made choices he wanted to make, she realized now. And though he hadn’t mentioned children or the coin toss, Charlotte knew Roman well enough to know he hadn’t made this decision because of a bet or out of family obligation. Instead he’d followed his heart.
Just like she’d been ready to follow hers, she thought, taking in her open suitcase. The silly bet had become a moot issue for her before he’d ever returned.
“Washington’s the best compromise I can come up with,” he said. “You’ll really like it during the time you’re there and Beth can run Charlotte’s Attic when you are. I found an apartment, but if you don’t like it, we can pick something else there and buy or build a house here. And the best thing is that there’s an easy flight into Albany that should work for us both. If you’re willing.”
“And if I’m not?” She had to ask. Had to know he’d be doing this anyway. Because if he planned to go back to his AP job if she turned him down, they didn’t stand a chance. Charlotte held her breath and waited.
“We have many awkward run-ins for the rest of our lives. I’ve made my choices, Charlotte. I want them to include you, but they’re final either—”
She cut him off with a sizzling kiss that had been too long in coming. His tongue met hers and he thrust deep inside her mouth, taking possession, letting her know she was his now and forever. She felt the words and the thoughts in every movement he made. And though she’d started as the aggressor, she soon found herself in the opposite position, flat on her back, clothes on the floor, and Roman devouring her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I realize we have details to work out.”
“They can wait.” Her breaths came in sudden pants.
He struggled to divest himself of his shirt while she unzipped his jeans and wrapped one hand around his thick, hard length.
“God.” The word came out a sharp exhale. “Give me a second or I’m going to explode.”
Charlotte laughed and let go, not wanting to ruin the fun before it began. Was this the lifetime she had to look forward to? she wondered as she watched the man she loved undress. Suddenly a commuter-type relationship didn’t seem half bad. Not when it involved Roman.
Just as suddenly, she was able to understand her mother a bit more. Why she’d held on to the man she loved despite the distance and her own inability to move with him. Perhaps she and Annie weren’t so different after all, and perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing, Charlotte thought.
Roman resettled himself on top of her, then reached for the bowl of ice cream. “Remember I said I was hungry?”
Charlotte tipped her head to one side, unrestrained desire in her green eyes. “I remember promising to feed you,” she said, a sassy note in her voice.
He dribbled the melted ice cream down her skin. The cool liquid had her belly quivering and she felt the need pulse low and deep between her legs. “Ah, yes.” She let out a low moan. “Rick was right, you know,” she said to Roman.
“About what?”
She met his molten gaze. “I do love you.”
“I love you too.” And he proceeded to show her how much, starting with the ice cream that had pooled on her belly. He took a warm lap with his tongue. The heated contrast to the cold ice cream caused her stomach to ripple and her legs to quiver, as need built inside her.
And as he bent his head to take care of that need, Charlotte thought that she could indeed handle Roman’s kind of life. For the rest of hers and beyond.
Epilogue
Charlotte lay naked on top of white sheets. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, but privacy wasn’t an issue. Their hotel room was on the fifteenth floor, with no other high buil
dings surrounding them. As Roman studied her, he was struck yet again by the beauty she possessed inside and out, as well as his complete and utter good fortune.
How had he almost tossed this gift aside, thinking he didn’t want long-term? How had he ever thought he could be apart from her as a way of life?
He leaned over and dangled a cluster of grapes enticingly. She plucked one into her mouth with her teeth, then grinned. “You’re spoiling me.”
“That’s the point.”
“How can a girl argue with that? What’s on today’s agenda?” she asked.
They’d seen castles in Scotland and the home of the Loch Ness Monster. “I was thinking we could call the travel agent and add a quick trip to California on the way home next week.” Roman held his breath for her answer because he’d already booked the trip. Wanting more time to gauge her reaction, he’d waited before springing it on her. He could always cancel and they’d fly straight home to Yorkshire Falls, check on her mother and his, as well as the shop, before starting their life in D.C. He hoped she’d want to see everything Hollywood had to offer, but he couldn’t be sure whether the memories would still be upsetting despite the reconciliation with her father.
“I thought you’d be anxious to get home to Raina by now,” Charlotte said.
“You know as well as I do, heartburn never killed anyone.”
“Then I’d love to see Hollywood with you. Maybe Russell can give us a tour.” Her green eyes glittered with pleasure.
That was the surprise plan, but Roman didn’t reveal all now. “Maybe.”
She fell back against the pillows and laughed. “I still can’t believe the lengths your mother went to in order to get you boys married off.” She was obviously thinking of Raina’s antics again.
“Thank God I figured it out. All that tea and Maalox were the first clue she was dealing with indigestion more than a heart ailment; so were the over-the-counter acid-killing medications. But she also exhibited the classic symptoms of a bad liar.” He shook his head, remembering, “She’d never look me in the eye when I questioned her about her health, and when she thought I wasn’t around, she took the stairs like a sprint runner.” He rolled his eyes at the memory.
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