Page 7 of Loving Roman (The Summer Twins #3)

–roman–

“All right. My turn to ask a question,” Alice says as she leans forward in her chair, pinching a piece of cheese between her fingers.

I dip my head for her to go ahead.

“If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go?”

I press my back further into my chair, my mind racing with images similar to those of a travel documentary highlight reel. Each image is more spectacular than the last, and in each one, I have Alice by my side. “So many to choose from.”

She leans forward, closing the distance between us, and I get a peek at her cleavage. What I would give to bury my face between those generous mounds. “Perhaps it was an unfair question.”

I shake my head vigorously. “Not at all. My top pick, although far away, would have to be Australia.”

Her mouth drops open, and her eyes shoot wide.

“What?” She waves her hand around in the space between us.

“Well, I guess it was nice knowing you. If you go there, I’ll never see you again with all the deadly animals they’ve got down there.

” She shivers, and I laugh at her dramatics.

“Have you seen the size of their spiders? Those things could carry you away to their lair before they feast on you.”

My entire body shakes with my laughter, and I reach across the table, linking our fingers together. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard. “I’m pretty sure it’s not that bad.”

“I’m pretty sure it is. I think I read somewhere that Australia has the largest number of deadly species in the world.”

I tilt my head to the side. “I guess that means you wouldn’t come with me?”

Her eyes snap up to mine as if she’s searching for something in my gaze, and even though the words slipped out, the idea of traveling to different parts of the world with Alice is so very appealing.

After a long moment with no response, she pops a cube of cheese in her mouth and steals her eyes from mine.

My shoulders slump, and my disappointment seeps into the air like fog surrounding us.

“It’s just a vacation fling,” she murmurs to the window, reminding me of our agreement and squashing any hope I may have for something more.

Being needy is not what this week is supposed to be about. I should be thrilled the woman opposite me agreed to spend any time with me. I never should have suggested anything more.

I paste on a smile and clear my throat. “So, turnabout is fair play. Where in the world would you visit if there were no limitations?”

Alice grins at me. Her face lights up, and the tension across her shoulders releases.

“That’s easy. Egypt.” My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“I would love to see the pyramids. I bet they’re even more spectacular in real life than they are in photographs and on TV.

” She sighs. “The history and the magnitude of the construction. The sheer genius it would have taken to create the secret chambers and move the giant blocks into position.” The awe in her voice and delight in her eyes is so damn sexy.

I can tell she’s picturing it all in her mind, just as I did a few moments ago.

We talk more about places we’d love to see as we polish off the tasting board, and when it’s time to pay; I take care of it, leaving a generous tip.

It’s not like I earn an enormous salary, but I don’t have a lot of expenses.

I live simply and with no rent, amenities, or food to pay for; I have a reasonably healthy bank balance, so why not give a little extra where I can.

Alice smiles at me and nudges my arm with her shoulder. “You can tell a lot about a person by their generosity.”

I hold the door open and lead her out into the warm afternoon, then wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her against me as we take the stone walkway back to the road. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She smiles up at me but says no more.

Warmth fills my chest as if her smile and approval are all I need to survive. And in this moment, with her settled against my side, and my arm holding her close, everything feels right in my world. If only we had longer than a handful of days to explore this connection we share.

Leaning down, I kiss the top of her head, drawing her sweet vanilla scent deep into my lungs, then pull away enough so I can see her face.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve booked a surprise excursion for us later this afternoon.

” Her eyes widen, and her cheeks press up.

“We have a couple of hours to kill. What would you like to do?”

Her eyes twinkle beneath the afternoon sunlight. “How do you feel about checking out the small local craft shops along the main street?”

I duck to kiss the tip of her nose. “Lead the way.”

Alice’s laughter rings out across the beach as her horse trots along the shoreline. “This is brilliant, Roman. What an incredible experience!” I sear the joy on her face into my memory, knowing I’ll hold it dear for years to come.

I’m thrilled she’s enjoying the ride. It was a risk to assume she’d be okay with getting on a horse.

I know they’re not for everyone, but I’m glad I took the gamble, and it paid off.

Alice’s penchant for not letting her fears hold her back gave me the courage to go ahead with the idea.

Our horses slow to a walk side by side as our guide leads us along the shoreline, explaining the ancient formations and wildlife that call this area home.

As we reach the end of the guided horse ride, the sun is sinking toward the horizon, turning the cliffs golden and orange. The warm sea breeze blows Alice’s hair, and the moment is perfection, one I wish would last forever.

Her shoulders drop, and she turns to me with a soft, contented smile. “Thank you so much for this experience. I’ll always remember it.”

Well, that’s great. But will she remember me ? Because I know I’ll always remember her. I swallow my doubts and questions. I don’t understand what it is about this woman that has my mind constantly fast-forwarding to a future we’ll never have. “You’re welcome.”

I climb off my horse when it stops, and then step over to help Alice down from hers.

She removes her feet from the stirrups, and I grip her waist to support her descent.

When both of her feet are solidly on the sand, she spins and flings her arms up and around my neck, then pushes up onto her toes to press her mouth to mine.

The move is so unexpected that I lose my balance for a second, but regain it quickly.

It takes but a moment for my body to respond to her touch …

her kiss, and I use my grip on her hips to drag her closer.

Her lush breasts press against my chest, and I stroke my tongue across her lips, hoping she’ll welcome me inside again.

I’m greedy for her attention and hungrily seek to deepen our kiss and get lost in her.

She matches my need and within seconds, I feel as though we’re going to combust right where we stand on the shore.

The soft neigh of the horses brings us back to reality, and when I finally look up, our guide is some distance away, leading our horses up the beach. While we were gone, a table and two chairs have been set up, along with hurricane lamps and a picnic basket.

Alice gasps when she notices. “You didn’t?” Her head moves back and forth between me and the romantic dinner setting.

I grin, pleased that she’s surprised. “I did. Hope you don’t mind.”

She brings her hand to her chest and gazes up at me with a hint of disbelief. “Why would I mind? It’s not every day that a handsome man organizes a romantic dinner for two.”

My shoulders relax, and I slide my hand down her arm and entwine my fingers with hers to tug her toward our picnic. It’s the perfect evening to enjoy dinner by the seaside with a beautiful woman, and I plan to soak up every second.

Once we’re settled, I pour us each a glass of wine and uncover an entrée of seared scallops.

We’re quiet as we sip our wine and enjoy the fresh seafood.

A comfortable peace settles between us, and I appreciate knowing Alice doesn’t need to fill every second with idle chatter.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy our conversations, but I love sitting beside her enjoying the tranquility of the moment.

We move on to our main course; the sky darkens above us, making the ocean appear almost black. The waves crash rhythmically on the sand, creating the perfect soundtrack for our evening as we finish our meal with a generous slice of cheesecake for dessert.

Alice leans back in her chair and rubs her hands across her stomach. I notice she does that a lot after a meal. She sighs, then takes my hand in hers. “Thank you.” She waves her free hand out, gesturing to our surroundings. “This is beautiful.”

I lift her hand and press a light kiss to the back, lingering with my lips on her soft skin. What I wouldn’t do to have the chance to press kisses all over her body. Spend hours exploring every single delectable inch. I shift in my seat, making room for my growing erection.

Goosebumps race up her arm, and she shivers. “Are you cold?” I ask, studying her face closely in the fading light.

“Not at all,” she murmurs breathily.

The huskiness in her voice and the fast flutter of her pulse at the base of her throat suggest she’s growing as aroused as I am.

We don’t have an endless amount of time together, and the need to feel her writhing beneath me grows like a wave, crashing over me with a violence I’m not used to experiencing.

I’m not a young man. I’ve met my fair share of women, but never before have I felt this level of comfort and peace while also wanting to tear every stitch of fabric from their body.

This need to explore every part of Alice inside and out and pursue her beyond our agreement is becoming overwhelming, and I have no idea what to do about it.