Romulus

by Tina Martin

  Then it happens – his lips touch mine. Interchange with mine. Feeds off of mine. I can’t believe this is happening. I gasp out of the sheer shock of it all. The feel of him. My mouth opens wider in surprise.

  He takes my opened mouth as an invitation to sink his tongue inside where he finds my tongue and bathes it with long, leisurely strokes. I hear myself moan as he continues kissing me. Tongue stroking mine, doing a heck of a job. Mouth dominate and strong.

  I moan more while shivers pass through me. I’ve never felt this level of passion – nothing close to it – but I feel it all with Romulus which to me confirms he’s the one. My one. Confirms my love for him.

  My moans grow louder. Need, more pressing. I know I’m not dreaming. This is really happening but my mind can’t fully ascertain the feeling of his tongue inside of my mouth, playing with the opening of my throat. I hear him groan as his kisses become more aggressive. I want him so bad I don’t care that he’s probably only kissing me right now because I’ve taken an interest in someone else. I just hang on and enjoy the ride.

  But I can hardly breathe.

  His kisses are so dominant, so potent that air is hard to come by. I nudge him a little hoping he’d get a clue or an urge for a little oxygen himself, but he doesn’t want to release my mouth just yet. He’s moaning deeper. His tongue is still doing most of the work.

  I nudge him again.

  This time he pulls his tongue out of my mouth and looks at me like he’s somewhat shocked by what’s going down.

  My heart is punching at my rib cage as I try to catch my breath. He’s breathing just as heavy as I am.

  For a moment, we don’t say anything – just stare at each other. I imagine he’s thinking the same things I am. That we just kissed. This has never happened between us before. I’m hoping it happens again. Hoping he doesn’t get in his head about us crossing the stupid, invisible line. I don’t care about the line. I care about him. I love him. I want him.

  “I think we—uh—I think we should call it a night,” he forces out.

  “Okay,” I say quickly, agreeing with him.

  “Um—” He eases off of me and stands next to the sofa, his shorts tented. “Do you mind if I spend the night?” he asks. “On the sofa, I mean,” he clarifies.

  I stand up, still panting. Still dizzy with desire. “That’s fine,” I answer. “Goodnight, Rom.”

  “Goodnight, Derra.”

  My head is so gone, I don’t remember how I made it to my bedroom. For all I know, I floated in here. Whatever the case, I’m here, panting, bent over clutching myself like I just survived a near-death experience.

  I turn off the bedside lamps, slide beneath the covers and touch my lips. I still can’t believe he actually kissed me. I feel warm and tingly all over as I relive the kiss. Relive his body on top of mine. Now I lay here in my own private torture. He’s just in the other room.

  I’m still reeling from kissing him but somehow I feel myself drifting off to sleep. I yawn, close my eyes. Around the same time, I hear the slight creaking sound of my bedroom door opening.

  My heart rate quickens. “Rom?” The way I say his name is more of a question of why he’s here. I lift my head to glance up and see the shadow of him framing my doorway. He walks in. Leaves the door open.

  He’s quiet. I can’t hear his footsteps coming across the carpet but I can feel him getting closer. Now, I see him standing next to my bed. He lifts the covers, exposing me in my camisole and panties. I doubt if he can see my body. It’s still fairly dark in my room.

  Then he does something that intensifies my want for him. The cover that was on me is down to my feet and he replaces it with his body on top of mine. I feel the hair on his face scrubbing against my skin – a feeling that has me hotter than the sun’s surface. He’s bathing in my scent. I can hear his deep inhales as his nose traces my neck, indulging in the raspberry lotion I put on after showering earlier.

  He’s no longer wearing the tank top he had on earlier. He’s all chest. Thank goodness he still has on his shorts, but it doesn’t much matter. I can feel his thickness pressed against my thigh. Like a brick against something soft, I imagine it’s leaving an indentation there.

  And still, he’s acquainting himself with me sort of like he’s stalling. His nose has grazed my neck. My ears. My hair. I know Rom. He’s thinking – trying to play this out in his head. What will happen if we end our friendship for this – whatever this is? Or maybe he’s testing – seeing how far he can go with me.

  He kisses me gently. Small presses of his lips against mine. He takes my bottom lip into his mouth. I feel the moment his breathing becomes heavier. Desire becomes thicker. Feel the moment fire engulfs us.

  I moan softly. My fingers quiver against the muscles of his back. His hands, both of them, are swimming in my hair.

  “Open your mouth,” he tells me.

  I don’t ask why he made the request. I just do it. I open my mouth and I feel his tongue – thick and long – slide inside, same as before when we were on the sofa. He’s not kissing me – he’s making love to my mouth. Relishing the taste of my tongue as he devours.

  I’m high off of endorphins. Drunk in love. I’m the way I’m supposed to feel because I know I’m with the man I love. The question is, does he feel the same for me?

  His head turns from side-to-side as he adjusts and looks for new angles at which he hasn’t kissed me yet. I squeeze the peaks of his shoulders. Low moans – his and mine – fills my bedroom.

  His voracity grows in strength. His moans, at times, becomes huffs and growls. His presence remains dominant. Tongue lost somewhere in my mouth. Mine swallowed down his throat. I’ve never been kissed like this. Never knew it was possible to kiss this way. Romulus has skills. Has dominance. Has everything that I want in a man.

  In the midst of this heat, I part my legs. My feet are flat on the mattress. Knees raised Seems like it happens involuntarily. He’s tucked between with his length teasing the throbbing part of me that has me hot. And still, we’re kissing until he suctions his mouth away from mine to nip at my chin before his teeth graze my neck. Moments later, I feel his tongue there, hot and thick as he sucks on my neck, choosing different spots.

  His breathing is more pronounced. His need grows. I can tell by the way he’s rolling his tongue on my neck now, bearing down on one spot in particular. Sucking harder when he hears my moans become louder.

  He’s at my lips again. Teasing. He tastes the top one, then bottom, before taking them both inside of his mouth. I feel his hand creep up my camisole. Feel him touch my breast and at the mere touch my body arcs up from the bed a little. I can’t move much. His weight won’t allow me.

  I gasp while he uses the pad of his index finger to roll around and explore, further inciting my desire for him. I breathe heavily. Mind blown and gone.

  “Rom,” I say through quivering lips. “Ah, Romulus.”

  He moves his hand from underneath my shirt and I feel his hand – his fingers – tightening around my neck. He kisses me harder while steadily squeezing and relaxing his hold on my neck, controlling my breaths. I was having a hard enough time breathing before he decided to take control of it – deciding when I can and can’t.

  He squeezes, kisses me softly.

  He releases, goes deep with his tongue.

  My chest is moving fast – in and out as I try to keep up. My heart is going into overdrive. I’m not sure what he’s going to do next. I just go with it.

  He squeezes. Deliver soft kisses.

  Releases. Takes my tongue.

  I pant, gasp and moan louder than I have during this session thus far and that prompts him to stop. To look at me. To think.

  My eyes are acclimated to him so I can see his expression. He looks troubled. Looks like he can’t believe what he’s doing. What we’re doing.

  “Siderra,” he whispers like he just realized it’s me beneath him. His lips quiver.

  “Romulus,” I say softly as he stares at me. His
hand is still locked around my neck. I struggle to get a breath. “Rom—”

  He loosens his hold on me. “I’m sorry, Derra. I—I can’t do this to you,” he says, sounding distraught.

  “Rom—”

  “I can’t do this to you,” he repeats, this time with more conviction. He gets off the bed. “I’m gonna sleep on the sofa. Okay.”

  “Okay,” I say, even though I don’t want him to leave.

  “When I walk out of here, I need you to lock your door,” he instructs.

  Out of a moment of desperation, I hear myself say, “Rom, don’t leave.”

  “I need to. I have to, Derra. I can’t do this to you—”

  “You can’t do what to me?”

  “This.” He moves away from me and walks out of my room.

  I’m still panting, left titillated and confused. But I lock the door just like he asked me to and get back in bed feeling high, left meditating about where we go from here.

  Chapter 8

  Romulus

  Romulus was up early the next morning after a long night of not being able to sleep. He hoped Siderra would be up, too, so they could talk briefly before he went to work. He showered, dressed in one of his power suits – a navy blue one – and waited.

  She never came out of the room. He imagined she was embarrassed or didn’t want to talk about it. He certainly didn’t but knew something needed to be said.

  He went on to work and sat at his desk, sipping coffee. After every sip, he’d bring his hands to a steeple and replay the night. He’d kissed Siderra – actually, it was more than that. He’d straight up made out with her last night, and he had enjoyed it. Every second of it. Loved the taste of her. Loved her reaction to him. Judging from the moans coming from her throat, she enjoyed it, too. And then it went farther than he could have ever imagined. He touched her breast. His hand quivered at the softness of her that he could still feel right now. Right at this moment. The night had definitely left an impact on him, one that he never felt with any other woman.

  That’s why Siderra was off limits. It was easy for him to dismiss the women he dated. Easy to sleep with them and move on to the next. He had no attachment to them. But Siderra was his best friend. He cared about her, another reason he fought his attraction to her. She deserved better. Better than a man who could sleep with her and walk away.

  So why had he kissed her? And why did the thought of doing it again excite him? Why did everything in him want her? Why was his desire to make love to her so strong?

  “What’s up with you?” Regal asked, peeping around the door to Romulus’ office, catching his brother in deep thought.

  Romulus came out of his reverie. “Not much. What are you working on?” He took a sip of coffee.

  Regal invited himself inside, taking a slow lap around the office with his hands in his pockets looking at the pictures on the wall. He saw Romulus’ framed Bachelor’s Degree. Pictures of the brothers. Pictures of him and Siderra.

  “I have back-to-back meetings today,” Regal said.

  “Is there any reason why you’re canvasing my office?”

  “I thought I’d drop by to make sure you were my real brother and not some lookalike imposter dressed like him.”

  “What are you talking about, Regal? I don’t have time for your antics this morning.”

  “I could’ve sworn I saw you smiling this morning, and well, Romulus St. Claire doesn’t smile, so—”

  “So maybe you’re mistaken,” Romulus said with a straight face.

  “Nope. I saw you smiling. Must be something major. Or someone major.”

  Romulus glanced up at his meddling brother. Regal didn’t look like him in his opinion. They had resemblances – you could tell they were related – but Regal looked more like Ramsey. As for their mannerisms, Regal was the brother who liked to joke and play around. He could be serious when times called for it, but most of the time, he was carefree about life. Romulus could be funny when he wanted, but most of the time, he was more serious than anything else. More reserved. One thing him and Regal had in common was, they both liked their freedom when it came to women. So, he wondered if Regal ever experienced anything like he had experienced last night with Siderra. An out-of-this-world kiss. He never knew the mere act of kissing a woman could actually make him feel like he’d made love to her.

  “Hey, while you’re in here pestering me, let me ask you a question,” Romulus said.

  “Sure. What’cha got?”

  “Have you ever dated anyone exclusively?”

  “Nah, bruh.”

  “Why not?”

  “That’s not my style. My life is set. I’ma tell you like I told Ramsey—I don’t need anybody messing that up.”

  Romulus nodded. He actually understood his brother’s viewpoint.

  “What if you meet an amazing woman—a woman so talented and extraordinary, you start to question whether or not you’re good enough for her?”

  Regal grinned. “I’ve never met a woman like that. Are you telling me you have?”

  “I’m speaking hypothetically,” Romulus said, although he knew it was a lie. Judging by the smirk on Regal’s face, he knew it was a lie, too.

  “Well, look—maybe you should talk to the expert. Ramsey knows all about this love stuff. You see how he is with Gianna, right? And don’t get me started on Royal and Gemma…ugh…”

  Romulus chuckled. “Yeah, maybe I’ll mention something to Ram,” he said, but would he follow through?

  Romulus’ phone beeped. He picked it up and saw a text from Derra.

  Siderra: Do u have a min?

  He glanced up at Regal.

  Without having to be told, Regal got up. “I know that look. I’m out. Holla at you later.”

  “Yep.” Romulus waited until Regal left the office then called Siderra instead of texting her back. While the phone rang, he thought about what he would say. What would she say? He quickly decided to play it safe and let her do all the talking.

  “Hey, Rom,” she answered.

  “Hey. I have a minute. What’s up?” he asked, like he didn’t know what was up. Like last night never happened.

  “Um, I wanted to talk about last night.”

  “What about it?”

  “What do you mean? We—”

  “We just kissed, Derra,” he said. So much for staying quiet and playing it safe. “It’s not a big deal. Let’s not read too much into it, okay?”

  “I just wanted to discuss it, Rom.”

  “There’s nothing to discuss. It happened. It was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

  “Uh…o—okay,” she said, sounding confused. Disappointed, even.

  “Now, that we’ve gotten that out of the way, what are you doing Friday night?” he asked.

  She didn’t respond. A silent pause took over instead.

  “Derra?”

  She cleared her throat. “Yeah?”

  “Do you have plans Friday night?”

  “Yeah…catching up on sleep.”

  Romulus grinned. “Come on, ol’ lady. Back in the day, you could stay up for days without sleep.”

  “That’s only because I was trying to keep up with your wild butt.”

  “Now, you’re all old and whatnot.”

  “Not old. Mature. When I hit thirty, my body adopted a new mantra—go somewhere and sit’cho tail down, girl.”

  He laughed. “It’s telling you to sit down and find a husband, huh?”

  “Yep and have some babies before my eggs dry up like that summer we had the drought in Charlotte.”

  A small grin touched his lips. “What are you doing this weekend?”

  “Saturday, I’m going out with the girls. Sunday, I have to finish an order for a customer.”

  “What order?”

  “This lady wants fifteen place mats embroidered with daisies for a baby shower she’s hosting. I’ve already finished five of them.”

  “You shouldn’t be working on weekends, Derra. That’s your time.
”

  “I know, I know, but when you own a business, you have to do what you have to do.”

  “I could help you.”

  Siderra laughed out loud.

  “What’s funny? You taught me how to crochet and all that other stuff.”

  “Yeah, a looong time ago I taught you that stuff, and I didn’t think you were paying attention.”

  “I was. All I need to know is the pattern and it’s a breeze.”

  “Rom, please. You haven’t done this in years and I’m not re-teaching you. But, thanks for the offer. I appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “Since you’re busy Saturday and Sunday—what about Friday? You wanna take in a movie? We haven’t done that in a while.”

  “I told you I was catching up on sleep Friday.”

  “Come on, D. One movie, and if you fall asleep while we’re there, I won’t hold it against you.”

  “Okay. We’ll do a movie. Your choice. I have to go. I have customers coming in.”

  “Okay. See you later.”

  He placed the phone back on his desk, then opened an email from Ramsey.

  To: Romulus St. Claire

  From: Ramsey St. Claire

  Subject: Available Land Along the Blue Line Extension

  Romulus,

  I need you to get on this ASAP. I hear the competition is looking at land along the light rail blue line extension. Ride the train from the University City Boulevard Station all the way to Uptown. Make notes of the land you see on both sides and get a list back to me for next Monday’s status meeting.

  Thanks,

  -

  RSC

  ___________

  Romulus glanced at the clock. Since he didn’t have much scheduled for the day, he decided to get Ramsey’s request taken care of this afternoon. At least he’d have something to keep his mind occupied and off of Siderra, her banging body and mouth-watering lips.