by Rose Croft
He twirled his pen between his fingers, and I couldn’t help thinking how large his hands were. He could easily catch the football with one hand even with defenders trying to drag him down. Roman was a big guy with hard muscle but not overly bulky. He was hard around the edges but had always been gentle with me. Until recently.
“You keep looking at me like that and I’m going to lose my focus,” Roman said quietly in my ear with smugness. I rolled my eyes and gave my attention back to Dr. Smith.
When class ended, I stood up quickly stepping past him. I assumed he would grab me or block my way, but he didn’t. As I walked up the aisle, Nick and Axel stepped out with me. “Missed you today,” Nick said and tugged a strand of my hair.
“Here we go.” Axel threw a look behind him.
“Are you coming to the game tomorrow?” Nick asked, his finger lingering on my hair. After Roman’s little display of marking his territory, I should’ve been more concerned about another show, but there was a rebellious side in me that wouldn’t allow me to cower to his wishes. There was also skepticism too.
“Yes. Kenzie and I will be there.”
“Good. Text me and let me know where you’re sitting in the stands.” He winked and glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, hey, Roman.” I could see the gleam in Nick’s sky blue eyes as though this were some kind of game.
I chanced a glance at him too, and all I saw was a blackness that was about to set off if provoked. It was as though the whole teasing and his constant pushing of me was just a facade. Roman looked like he was ready to commit murder. A chill coursed down my spine and I had an overwhelming urge to take off running as far away from him as possible.
“All hail the mighty falcons…” Students and fans were swaying from side to side with arms interlinked over shoulders as they sang Hillside U’s alma mater. I didn’t know the words, but I moved alongside Kenzie as the crowd sang with the players who had gathered together in front of the student section of the stadium to sing the school song. The Falcons had won again, convincingly, and the stadium had been packed tonight. The ESPN camera crew had been on the field too, so I guess this game was an important one.
Kenzie and I were only three rows from the front. I peered among the players and found Roman easily. I’d watched him all night. His hair was wild and sweaty, with stray strands sticking up in chunky points. He had a lingering smile, but his eyes were hard. Then I realized he was watching me, too. I wondered what was going through his head. Did he still blame me for what happened in the past? Did he ever care for me?
As the singing ended and fans and players cheered, Roman and I were rooted in place without breaking eye contact. He tapped an index finger near his eye and pointed in my direction.
“Theo, come on.” Kenzie was pulling me with her while I saw Roman’s eyes follow me before he turned and walked off with other teammates to the stadium tunnel. “What was that?” she asked.
“What?”
“The intense stare going on between you and Roman Martinez. I thought you and Nick were getting close.”
Obviously, I hadn’t mentioned anything to Kenzie because I didn’t really know how to explain it without it sounding like an over-the-top soap opera.
“I’m not close with anyone.”
“Right, Theo. Staring at strangers like you two were is just a normal occurrence. And the way he watched you…” she rubbed her arm. “It was as though he wanted to devour you whole. I’ve heard he can be very intense.”
You didn’t know the half of it.
“We grew up together.”
She paused with her jaw dropped. “How come I’m finding this out now?”
I raised a shoulder. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
“Not a big deal?” She raised an eyebrow. “So tell me about this mysterious past of yours.”
“It’s not as interesting as you think,” I lied.
“I think you’re being evasive, and I also know he’s dated the same girl all through college. Everyone knows Taylor Shields is his girlfriend. So what’s going on between the two of you?”
Assuming Taylor was his girlfriend and flat out hearing that he’d dated her throughout college was like taking a sucker punch to the chest. Not only that, I was confused over Roman’s motives. I didn’t understand him at all. One minute he threatened me; the next minute he was charming me. Why?
“It’s nothing, Kenzie. Like you said, he’s just an intense person, and he was probably thinking back to our high school days when we were friends.”
She scoffed with a hand in the air. “Fine, Theo, be that way, but I would be careful if I were you. Being the other woman is not a good look.”
My eyes widened at her. “Are you serious? I’m not the other woman set out to ruin a relationship.” My fingers curled in my palms. He was mine before she came in the picture. He was the one pursuing me. I wanted to scream out. “I can’t believe you would say that.”
Kenzie stopped and grabbed one of my hands. “I’m sorry. It came out wrong. I don’t think you’re that kind of person. However, I’ve never seen two people as caught up in a moment as you and Roman were back there. Which screams out ‘more than just friends.’” She held her fingers up in air quotes.
“You’re right,” I added softly. “We were.”
She nodded in understanding. “I can tell. I just want you to be careful and not get hurt. Okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“If you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.”
“Thank you. I’ve never had—” A real girlfriend is what I wanted to say, but I thought it sounded kind of pathetic. “A friend as thoughtful as you,” I amended.
“You’re guarded, Theo, I know. But sometimes you have to put yourself out there, and you’d be surprised how many people would be happy to know you.”
“Thanks.” I felt like I could tell Kenzie anything, but that was for another day. If she could encourage me to attend games, parties, and actually live the college life when I thought I would basically go to class, study, and work, then the sky was the limit, right?
We reached the edge of the large gathering of people waiting until the players came out of the stadium. Some guys were laughing with red plastic cups in their hands, talking how Roman caught a one-handed pass between two defenders in the end zone. They were comparing him to Travis Kelce and already predicting him to forego his senior year and go high in the NFL draft after this season. Their loud voices carried over the stadium lit sky mingled in with other small groups talking animatedly. People were pumped and feeling good. Not to mention had been drinking since well before the game. Alcohol was not served at games, but walking through the parking lot earlier there were tents and grills set up all around the stadium grounds of people partying and tailgating. After the game, the party apparently continued. Especially after a win.
We threaded through the crowd and Kenzie must’ve had an internal Justin GPS because she quickly found him among some other players, Nick included. He spotted me and tilted his head with a sexy smile. “Hey you. Did you see that interception I caught?”
Nick had caught an errant pass from the opposing other team’s quarterback and ran it back eighty yards down the field to score a touchdown. Everyone saw it. It was one of the turning points of the game since it was tied at the time. I put a hand on my hip and pretended to think hard about what he did. “Hmm, I’m trying to recall.”
“You little brat.” He reached out and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me against him as he playfully rubbed my head. “You know you were impressed.”
I genuinely laughed because it was hard to resist his personality. “Okay. I think its coming back to me.”
“You think?” he asked incredulously. He held me tightly against him and leaned us over as he started tickling me.
“Stop,” I breathed out between giggles, which, of course, made him keep on ruthlessly. “Okay. Okay. I remember. It was the best play of the night!”
He relented and his l
ow voice rumbled against my cheek. “Damn right it was.” I noticed he was looking up at something. I did too. Not something, someone. Not just anyone. Roman. Nick’s gaze never wavered from his, and I suddenly felt like a pawn in a battle between two warriors.
Only the slight narrowing of his cold eyes and flare of nostrils indicated any sign he was annoyed as he stood a few feet away. Nick rose up gingerly sliding his arm off me and stepped to my side with a hand lingering on my hip. Roman’s lips thinned, and he stalked closer without hesitation diving at Nick taking them both to the ground. He slammed his fist into Nick’s face. One time. Two times. Three times. The crowd scrambled around us, but I remained rooted on the pavement with my heart clogging my esophagus. They were going to kill each other.
“What the fuck, Roman?” Axel shouted behind him, clamping a brawny arm around his neck trying to pull him off, but he wouldn’t budge. Nick swung and hit Roman in the jaw, popping his head back. Soon, Dmitri and Justin jumped in as well, finally separating them, while a crowd stood around in a circle with wide eyes.
Axel and Justin held Roman’s arms behind him, while he still struggled to get to Nick again. “I’m gonna mess you up, Jensen.”
“Fuck you, Roman.” Nick thrashed with Dmitri restraining him, blood trailed from his nose. He added, “And your psychotic ass.”
Roman fought one of his arms free, pointing menacingly at Nick. “Touch her again, and I swear to God it will be your last day on Earth.” His glare never wavered as he swiped his bloody lip.
Nick spat on the ground but said nothing. “Come on,” Dmitri coaxed behind him while Nick postured like an angry rooster. “Come on, man, let’s get out of here,” the Russian repeated with a steel-laced voice shooting Roman a look of disgust that also extended to me. “Let’s get a drink.”
Nick backed away with Dmitri dragging him along. Soon, Roman turned his attention to me. Axel and Justin had released him, trying to calm him down. I could see the look of disapproval in Axel’s eyes when he glanced at me too. Roman ignored them both and stalked toward me. He looked feral, icy with an unleashed fury that was about to resurface. My subconscious screamed for me to run as far away from him as possible, but I was frozen in place.
“Are you pleased with yourself?” He crowded over me, blocking out the rest of the world. A menacing warrior who wanted to conquer the world.
“I think that’s a question you need to ask yourself.”
His tongue rolled over his teeth, feeling no remorse. “I told you to stay away from him.”
“You can’t impose your will on me. I’m not a possession.”
“Is that what you think?” His dead-eye stare was intimidating and blood dripped from his lip. His once pristine white shirt was splotched in crimson and soil. “I can do anything with you I damn well please…now.”
“Go to Hell, Roman.” I took a step around him but he yanked me back my chest collided with his.
Being so close, I was able to see exactly how furious he was: the imperceptible bob in his throat, the thinning of his bloody lips, the tenseness in his muscles that flexed against me. He leaned in, hovering over my mouth and gripped my throat. “I’ve been to Hell, Corazón, and this time I’ll take you with me. But for now, taste the fruits of your labor.” He slammed his mouth on mine, crushing me, obliterating me. Roman pressed so hard his teeth were going to leave permanent indentions on my lips. He continued his ruthless exploration until my mouth throbbed as powerful as the strumming in my chest. Stars formed behind the lids of my eyes, and I could taste the acrid tanginess of his blood. His tongue plunged between my lips while his fingers dug into my neck.
I was losing the ability to breathe. I shoved my hands against his impenetrable chest, forcing my words to come out. “Stop. You’re hurting me.”
His hand eased around my throat, and he spoke huskily against my lips. “You hurt me, too.”
I jerked my head to the side, trying to breathe, grasp some sense of sanity. “I never meant to. I had no choice. You never let me explain.” I knew he’d been angry over what happened those three summers ago. However, he wasn’t too distraught, since he’d moved on easily enough.
“I don’t want to talk about the past, Theodora,” he rumbled with finality.
I heard the whispers of others not far from us, still mulling around. “People are watching.” I tried to pull away.
He clamped his hands around my hips. “I don’t fucking care. Let them.” Before I could say another word, his mouth was on mine, but this time it was worse. So much worse. Devastating even. This was like one of many kisses we shared years ago. The gentle kisses of better days that were forever engraved in my mind, in my heart, sharing all the passion and emotion I’d thought he’d felt when he swept me off my feet the first time. This time he could truly ruin me again with his bittersweet assault if I let him.
Before I knew it, I was lifted against his hard body as he wrapped my legs around him, while he continued to consume my mouth. I realized my fingers were curled over his shoulders and he was carrying me off away from the scene of people. I should stop this, my brain screamed. Just a little longer, I reasoned, and reveled in the silkiness of his lips and how our tongues twisted together in desperation. He eased up only to trail light kisses down my jaw.
My fingers laced around the back of his neck. It was as though three years had never passed between us. At least, in my addled mind. Or maybe I was naïve. Or in denial. “Where are we going?” It dawned on me to ask.
“Somewhere private.”
“Wait. Why?”
“Why? Because you felt uncomfortable, and there’s so much more I want to do with you.”
I shivered despite it being a warm night. Being the other woman is not a good look. This was wrong. This was all wrong. “Roman, we can’t do this.”
His black jeep came into view as he moved relentlessly without an indication of letting me go. He opened the passenger door and set me down with my legs hanging out the door. “We are doing this,” he confirmed in resolution, pushing between my legs and with the open door and tinted windows it would be impossible for someone to see me unless they crawled inside the SUV. That wasn’t the point though.
He traced my chin with his knuckles that were speckled with marks under the distant stadium lights. Probably cuts from the game and punches he’d thrown. He leaned in, his mouth zeroed in on mine, and I turned my head, feeling the rising guilt of kissing Roman when everyone knew he had a girlfriend. When I knew he had a girlfriend. “What’s with the change of attitude?”
“We can’t do this.”
He grasped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Why?”
“Because you have a girlfriend.” I raised my eyes to his. “I won’t be the other woman.”
“You’re not.”
“But Taylor is your girlfriend.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Whatever I think this is or isn’t doesn’t matter. This isn’t happening.”
His fingers were still holding my chin firmly, and he pulled me close. “Why are you denying the inevitable, Theodora?”
I couldn’t handle his intense gaze that always made me want to spill all my secrets to him. “I’m not.” I down shifted my eyes. “I don’t want you. You can’t force yourself back into my life.”
“You don’t want me?” he asked deceptively softly. He released my chin, and I thought he would yell at me or yank me out of the car and tell me to get the fuck out. Instead, his hand landed on the edge of my shirt. His fingers slipped under the fabric, touching my bare stomach.
“What are you doing?”
His fingers traveled up my skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps. “Calling your bluff.” Two fingers hooked over the band of my bra under my cleavage. “I’ll keep on until you admit you’re lying.” He watched me with that blazed challenge in his eyes.
Something inside me had the wild urge to test him. Why? I guess I was caught in a moment. I was obviously not right in the head, but he
definitely wasn’t either. My chin jutted out stubbornly. He yanked on my bra until the cups slipped beneath my nipples.
He leaned over me as his fingers caressed the swell of my inner breast. “Stop me.”
Don’t. The word lingered lodged in my throat like peanut butter. I should’ve slapped his hand away. Or shoved him off. Among many other things. However, I didn’t. I didn’t want to. I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him to do so much more, just like he’d said himself a few minutes ago. My skin tingled under his touch. He slid his fingers across my skin and exhaled erratically when he ran his thumb over my hardened nipple. “Stop me,” he repeated as he lowered his lips on mine, lulling me into his sweet seduction. He took my bottom lip between his teeth and bit while I gasped in shameful pleasure. “Stop me.” His other hand was at the button of my jeans, flicking it open. The sound of the zipper mixed in with our mingled breaths.
“You want this, Theodora.” His finger slid over the fabric of my panties, strumming my clit. I moaned, clenching his lower torso in response. Craving his touch. He stroked a few more times, and I lifted my hips up, needing more friction. Soon, his hand was gone, leaving me throbbing and slack-jawed. He rasped with smugness, “Don’t ever fucking lie to me about not wanting this. Wanting me. Lie about anything else, but not this.” He stepped back leaving me confused while shame crept up my neck hitting my cheeks.
“Theo?” I heard Kenzie’s voice not too far away, getting closer. “Theo, where are you?”
“She’s over here,” Roman called out casually as though he didn’t just have his hand down my pants, which I frantically zipped up and buttoned while he flashed a smirk.
“You’re an asshole,” I whispered, jumping out of the passenger seat and adjusting my bra and shirt.
“I’ve been called worse,” he replied, strumming my jaw. “But I still want to fuck you.”
Roman
“What you did tonight was not right, man.” Axel sat next to me on the edge of one of the loungers by the pool. We had another after game party, but tonight I wasn’t really feeling it, although we’d beat a tough opponent that had been ranked higher than us in the college football polls. Being a smaller school, you had to have a perfect season to cause any buzz in the polls when the bigger colleges always received all the attention. I should’ve been partying my ass off, but I couldn’t get a certain blond girl out of my head. Who the fuck was I kidding? She’d always been on my mind, more so ever since I set eyes on her again at that PIKE party.
