Page 26 of Falling for You (Balsam Cliffs #2)

I lift my ass off the bed, bringing myself up to him trying to get closer.

He picks up the pace, slamming into me harder and faster as the sound of our skin slapping, and his grunts fill the space.

Our position is testing his physical abilities, as he pulls my hair harder, bringing my body closer to his.

My pebbled nipples graze the cool satin sheets underneath. The new sensation finally pulls me over the edge of the orgasm.

“Fuck, Rome! Yes!” My screams sound.

He stills his thrusts. Shorter, slower, harder, deeper, then he stills and I can feel him pulsing with me.

He collapses on top of me, our arms splayed out on either side of our bodies. Both of us are breathing heavily.

“That… was… exactly… what I… needed,” I get out between heavy pants.

“Need… food,” he breathes out.

Neither of us moves for another five minutes. Just laying with his weight on me is already making me feel better.

When he finally moves, he slaps my ass and I can feel it jiggling in the aftermath of his hand. I groan inwardly. I’ll need to add more hip thrusts into my workout routine.

“How would you feel about swinging by the brewery to con Clark into cooking for us, and so I can check on things to see how they’re going? Then we can get some lava cake to bring home with vanilla ice cream and peanut butter sauce?”

“You had me at conning Clark into cooking.” I jump off the bed and find the leggings and tee I was wearing earlier.

I pop into the bathroom to run a toothbrush over my teeth, the fuzzy feeling from crying yesterday, catching up to me.

I dare to peek in the mirror and see myself for the first time. My eyes are swollen and puffy, and bloodshot. My hair looks like a bird’s nest, and I’m not even sure I’ll be able to get a brush through this disaster.

“Sit.” Rome motions to the toilet.

“What?”

“Sit.” This time he takes the brush from my hands.

He gathers my hair into a ponytail, holding the base tightly in his hand as he works the brush through the bottom, working his way up.

He brushes my hair with so much care it makes me choke up.

When he finishes, he puts the brush back into my drawer, and scoops me up to put me on the vanity. He goes about brushing his own teeth, and gets my washcloth ready to wash my face as he uses his mouthwash.

He tests the water to make sure it isn’t too hot, and then gently rubs it around my face getting the skin wet before lathering my face wash in. Then finally, wiping it all away and placing a kiss on the tip of my nose.

A smile spreads across my face. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“I’d do anything to make it better, Sunshine. Anything.”

I slide off, following him downstairs and out the front door without looking at anything related to Olivia.

He parks the truck in the back, by the door at his office instead of going in through the front.

Before he opens the door, he stops and turns to face me. “Do you want to eat in the dining room, or in my office?”

“Um. Both? Can we get the quiet corner booth by the hallway?”

“I’ll check.” He uses his key to unlock the side door and we slip in, down the darkened hallway toward the action.

I stop by his office door when he continues on and pokes his head around the corner. He turns to nod to me that it’s open and I follow him.

“Stay here. I’ll go grab Clark and tell him two of anything.” He kisses the top of my head before leaving.

I slide all the way into the corner, hiding myself from the world, but still wanting to feel like a part of it.

I need the background noises of happy conversations to keep me from spiraling in my own head.

How did I let this happen again? How did I not see the warning signs? I should have known what the Ryans were planning. I can’t blame them. I’d do it to get Olivia back, honestly.

Do I even have a right to want her back? She’s not mine. I’m the nanny. I’m nothing to her, but she’s everything to me.

“Get out of your head, Sunshine.” Rome slides into the booth across the table from me.

“I’m sorry.” I shake my head, bringing me back to the here and now. “What is Clark making?”

He smiles, “He said we need true comfort food, so bacon cheeseburgers with caramelized onions, garlic mayo, and of course fries.”

Ugh. My mouth is already watering, and my stomach grumbles at the thought of Clark’s cheeseburgers. They are hands down the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had. He manages to char the edges just right while keeping the beef juicy, and just… perfect.

“What the heck are you doing here? I thought you were off because…” Jasmine approaches our table and looks around to see who else can hear us. “You know.”

My stomach grumbles again. “I was hungry. But we didn’t have the energy to cook.”

Her look changes to one of pity. “I’m so sorry, Emma.

I can’t imagine someone taking my baby boy.

You come here for whatever meal you want and I’ll make sure you have the quiet booth and access to Clark.

In fact, I’m marking this booth as permanently full until you’re ready for me to release it.

” She gives me a sad smile, and I appreciate the thought.

“Thanks, Jasmine.”

“Y’all want some drinks while you wait for Clark?”

“I’ll take a Coke,” I answer her.

“Give me an IPA? Dealer’s choice,” Rome orders.

She walks away, leaving us back to our sad conversation.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not here. I don’t want to have another breakdown in public.”

He nods, understanding my plea. I’m not the emotional sibling. That’s Coop. He’s the one with all the feelings. One good commercial and he’s in tears.

Jasmine returns with our drinks. “Clark is coming with your food, guys. Let me know what else you need. I won’t bug you, so just flag me down.”

She deserves a raise.

True to her word, Clark is in fact right behind her with two plates.

We eat in silence, just listening to the world around us.

A first date happens in the booth next to us.

A group of rowdy guys enjoy the rival baseball game at the bar.

Esther and Franklin join Margaret at a table on the other side of the brewery.

A family with two small children ordered a pizza to share.

Everyone is just living life like it’s totally normal and things aren’t falling apart around them, not like me.

I feel like it’s all crumbling and I’m running around to collect all the pieces to fix them. An impossible task.