I want a family and a home full of laughter. I want someone as worthy as Tessa to be there at the end of the day with soft eyes and a warm heart. I want our children to be exact replicas of her, and I want them to be able to count on me for encouragement and strength, not disappointment and fear.
A thick swallow works itself down my throat, and I continue on my way up the stairs. I move from room to room, searching high and low for Tessa.
Never mind the milkshake—I want her.
“Where are you, Princess?” I whisper.
My heart beats for something other than myself, and I chase it like I’ll never survive without it.
I push open the last door and smile to myself at the light-purple walls. There’s a checkered-print blanket on the bed and a bulletin board above a tidy desk that is full of inspirational quotes. There’s a certificate hanging crookedly by a single pushpin that says,Tessa Halston, Voted Most Responsible,with her high school name and the year she graduated below.
I trace my finger over her dresser and pause to look into the mirror. In the reflection, I spot her crouched beneath her desk, tucked behind the chair.
“Ugh!”
She scoots the chair away to stand and rolls her eyes playfully with the cow-print cup thrusted in my direction. “I guess you can have the rest since you found me.”
I reach for the cup, our fingers brushing as I take it from her. “I don’t want the milkshake,” I say.
A quizzical look takes over her face, but it’s gone as soon as I grab onto her wrist and haul her into my chest. Her sweet, chocolate-scented breath hits my face, and I breathe her in.
“I want you, Tessa. Fuck the milkshake.”
Chapter Forty-One
TESSA
“Here?”I squeak.
I lean my face into the palm of his hand when he winds his fingers through my hair. I run my tongue against my lips, licking away the leftover chocolate.
Rome presses his forehead against mine, and my stomach flutters. “Everywhere.”
There’s something different lingering as he stares at me—a silent pleading or maybe desperation.
His other hand falls to my chin, keeping my face steady, as he leans in to kiss me.
My childhood bedroom fades in the background as I give in to him. I’m weightless and floating away with each stroke of his tongue against mine. He palms my hips, and my hands land on his strong shoulders. He moves us over to my dresser and plops me down so he can stand between my legs.
Goosebumps rush to my arms from the flitting of his fingers against my skin as he toys with the hem of my shirt. I arch my back as he pulls it from my body. It falls to the floor.
“This is risky.” I move to unbutton my jeans.
Rome helps me in between placing hurried kisses against my lips.
“What is?” He’s out of breath, both of our jeans on the floor beneath his feet. “Me taking you in your childhood bedroom or…”
I let my head fall backward when his fingers delve beneath my panties to slide them down my legs.
“Or what?" I ask breathlessly.
“Or how fucking in love I am with you.”
I snap to attention.
My heavy breasts press against his chest, his heart beating so violently they thump against my skin.
I suck in a mouthful of air when he pushes into me.
