“Oh, my babe,” She sighs dreamily, “You’re in love.”
“Shh, don’t say it so loud.”
Her laugh is light. “Be proud of it, Niamh, some of us don’t get to experience it at all.”
“You got it,” I point out.
“And I am proud of it. You know what I didn’t get though?” She picks up her wine and takes a sip. “I didn’t get railed behind a waterfall or tied up with a bikini top.”
My face flames. “Ashley.”
“Who’s being tied up?” Dylan asks, making my face even hotter.
“You talking about me, baby?” Roman presses up behind me, his breath whispering against the shell of my ear. A shiver runs through me, body lighting up as his hand presses to my stomach and he pulls us together for an even tighter fit. “You wanna do it again?”
The back of my head thumps against his shoulder as I melt into him. “I’m not opposed.”
He chuckles lightly. “Noted.”
He passes me his beer, letting me take a sip as the band takes a break, the bar falling into a weird place of silence. The sound system kicks in to fill the void, covering them for the fifteen-minute break before they finish their set for the night.
I turn to Roman, who immediately takes my hand and presses his lips to the ring on my finger. “Luckiest man in this whole place.”
If I could melt into a puddle, I would.
“Blushes pretty too,” He grins.
“Stop,” I fuckinggiggleat his words, shaking my head at how ridiculous that is. We remain at the bar, an ease between us that I’ve never felt with anyone. There’s something incredibly freeing about that, about how we are able to just exist in this little bubble we have created for ourselves. Nothing can get in, no onecan take away the feeling that blooms in my chest, a thread that ties us together. I never want it to end.
The band returns and immediately sets up, the starting notes ofCry to Meby Solomon Burke flowing through the speakers.
“Dance with me,” Roman whispers.
Chapter 32
Roman doesn’t hesitate for even a moment when I say yes to a dance. He pulls me onto the small dance floor in front of the band, the smokey vocals of the lead singer sounding through the speakers as Roman leads. He holds me close, spinning us to the beat of the music. The floor seems empty, but I’m too focused on him to care whether we are up here alone.
He dances as if the music is part of his soul, leading in a way I have no choice but to follow. I get lost in him; in the music and the way he holds me like I’m precious. His hands are soft where they sit on me and yet firm, confident, keeping me moving with him. He sweeps us over the dance floor, owning the space, the song. A laugh trickles from me as he starts to sing along with the lyrics, those smile lines making my insides feel like jelly.
He suddenly dips me back, leaning over me with a grin, which I answer with one of my own.
“There she is,” He rasps, pulling me back up as he brings up one hand to sink a finger into a dimple on my cheek.
“I love you too,” I blurt.
His eyes widen. “What did you just say?”
“Is that okay?”
“Is that…” He trails off on a chuckle. “Say it again.”
“I love you too.”
His lips slam against mine, a kiss to claim in front of all the people watching. I don’t care, nor do I shy away from it, I let him own me. A loud whistle cuts through the room, and when we finally break away, I find Ashley clapping.
“That’s my bestie!” She hollers loudly.
Roman grins, “And she’s my wife.” He says it low, only for me, continuing to move us to the music slowly now, barely on beat but it doesn’t matter, this is our world and everyone else is just living in it with us.
