Roman and I sway slowly together, and for a minute I letmyself enjoy it, forgetting the fact that he’s my co-star and that I’m supposed to hate him after everything he’s said and done.
When the chorus rolls around for a second time, I catch the faintest sound of complementary notes coming from somewhere. Looking up to my right, I realize that it’s Roman softly humming in my ear.
“Do you know this song?”
He shakes his head. “Haven’t heard it before.”
“Then how do you know the notes?”
“I don’t, I’m harmonizing.” And fuck me sideways, he is, and it sounds amazing. Between that and how it feels to be pressed up against his chest, I’m having a hard time thinking clearly.
“I’m going to go grab another drink, do you want one?” I ask, breaking forward quickly.
“Sure.”
With that, I make my way toward the bar, desperate for a little clarity. Space is good, it’ll help me clear my head.
While I wait for the bartender, I notice a petite blonde has approached Roman and is talking animatedly. She waves her hands around and bats her eyelashes at him, and instantly my hackles go up.
I silently will the bartender to hurry the hell up so that I can get back over there. He clearly doesn’t get the memo and continues to move slower than a dead tortoise.
“Come on...” I whisper. When I glance back over at Roman, the girl is still there, making eyes at him. Only now she’s actually reaching out and touching his arm.
I flag the bartender and order our drinks as I stare at the girl and wish my eyes could actually fire off the daggers I’m shooting with them. I don’t even know why I’m pissed off, but seeing her with him sets something off.Yeah, we’re not technically anything to one another, but he’s my fake boyfriend, and that’s got to count for something, right?
Roman’s not doing a good job of telling her to pound sand, which only frustrates me more. She’s got hearts in her eyes, I can see that from over here. He should be telling her that he’s here with me, and that she should get lost. He’s not though, he smiles down at her and pushes his hair back, giving her a look that should be reserved for only me. Fucker.
I grab the beer bottles from the bartender before he places them on the counter, and make a beeline back toward my fake boyfriend.
“Hey babe,” I smile, handing him his bottle before wrapping my arm around his neck and pulling him toward me. Unsure of whether I’m doing this because I want to mark my fake territory or because I genuinely want to, I kiss him.
When our lips meet, everything feels right again. Deepening the kiss, I tug the hair at the nape of Roman’s neck. And to let him know I’m a little pissed off, I tug hard. I feel his lips curl into a smile against mine, and he gives my lower lip a hard nip.
An annoyed-sounding throat-clear comes from down below us.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there,” I say innocently, knowing full well it’ll piss her off.
Roman grins. “It was nice meeting you, Chelsea.”
“Can you snap a quick picture of us?” She looks up at me and gives a smile that doesn’t meet her eyes.Bitch.
Sensing my response before it comes out of my mouth, Roman reaches toward her outstretched phone.
“Let’s take a selfie.”
After they take the photo, Chelsea scampers away, and I glare her down the entire way.
“Territorial, are we,babe?”
I wrap my arm around his neck once more, and my eyesrake across him. “Just acting how any actual girlfriend would.”
He places a kiss at the crook of my neck, sending heat shooting through my body. “Feel free to keep it up,” he whispers.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I mutter.
“There are a lot of things I’d like,” he says as he licks his lips, as if he’s trying to still taste me there.
He’s trying to kill me, I swear to God. Not knowing what to say, I turn back toward the stage, and Roman pulls me close as the band finishes out the rest of their set. This proximity to him is making it hard to think clearly. While one hand holds his beer, the other is splayed across my hip, holding me possessively. His thumb rubs along my skin, driving me mad thinking about other places it could rub. I need to simmer down.
