“Not a beach person?” He repeats slowly, his head leaning to the side.
She shrugs, blowing out a breath. “I don’t know how to swim.”
Now his lips part and his eyes widen. “You live inFlorida,and you don’t know how to swim?”
“I just … never had time,” she says, sipping from the second glass of water he pours for her. “What?” she asks as he studies her, eyes clouded in thought.
“I could teach you,” he says. “I’m an excellent swimmer.”
Her mind wanders to a shirtless Roman at the beach. The salt from the sea, the grain of the sand, the heat from the sun, her legs around his waist, her in his arms?—
“No time,” she whispers, and to her dismay, she sounds winded.
He tuts, finishing his own glass. “Make time, Jones.”
CHAPTER 21
DISTRACTING
ROMAN
Roman smells something sweet as he drops his keys on the console by the front door. In the hallway mirror, he sees that his cheeks are flushed. He loosens the tie around his neck, leaving it hanging as he works a few buttons undone walking further into the house.
The lights are off in the hallway.
“Jahlani?” he asks in a whisper.
When there’s no response, he rounds the corner crossing the threshold to the living room, and the sight before him causes his heart to lodge in his throat. Lucy is wrapped in Jahlani’s arms as they both breathe evenly, their eyes closed. The television still flashes with animated figures, causing different colors to extend over their features.
He wipes a hand down his mouth, staring at how peaceful they look unsure of what to do. He knows he should pick Lucy up, and put her in the crib, but the greedy part of him wants to take it in.
How right they look together.
Whole.
Roman tiptoes forward, clicking the remote to turn the television off and that wakes Jahlani. She blinks, before looking down at Lucy.
“Hey, what time is it?” she asks, her voice thick. She shifts against the couch, pulling Lucy closer to her.
He clears his throat, sinking next to her so that their knees brush. “A little after midnight,” he murmurs.
“Hmm. Sorry for not putting her in the crib, she convinced me to watch the show and I couldn’t say no to this face,” she says softly, leaning her head back.
“Yeah,” he chuckles. “She has that ability.”
Jahlani nods, her eyes drifting shut again and he has to restrain himself from asking her to stay the night.
He stands abruptly, trying to put some distance and her eyes fly open again. “Here, let me put her to bed so you can get your stuff.”
As he gathers Lucy against him, her head rolls against his neck and he can feel that she’s hot. He inhales her powdery scent as he walks with her to her room. He places a soft kiss on her head as he lays her down in her crib, undoing a few buttons on her onesie before shutting the door softly.
He returns to find Jahlani leaning across the counter, engrossed in something on her phone.
This woman.
He stands for several moments in the archway studying her. Trying to process the shock of seeing her inhis fucking kitchen. She’s shed the oversized sweater from earlier and now stands in a white cotton T-shirt with a low V-neck. Her braids cascade down her spine while her black leggings hug the length of her toned calves.
Jahlani in his house might be his favorite version yet.
