She sat back on the cushions. The air between them was doing that thing it did when they were together. That thing that felt like an invisible string. That thing that made her heart skip around in her chest. That thing that she hadn’t realized she was missing in her life.
Just like that, it was as though they were back at the truck bed and the universe was trying to push them into a do-over.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked, gesturing to the empty cushion beside her.
Her heart caught in her throat. She couldn’t do it. The reason she had rules was because she’d learned. And her second-chance rule? She used to believe in second chances. But every client who had tried for a second chance had failed. In each and every case, if they’d have just stuck with their original plan, they would’ve come out at the end in a better place.
The war inside Sadie rocked between the desire to touch Roman and the knowledge life had illustrated over and over and over again.
“If you’d rather, I can find another seat.” The heat of his intensity broke down a layer of her barrier. He was practically an actor running lines in an attempt to recreate that night on the tailgate.
Officially, she couldn’t figure out what to do with it. Still, this was Roman.
She moved over, enough to make her point. “I scooted. If you’re waiting for verbal confirmation or”—she gestured to the space—“whatever.”
Roman sat next to her. Not so close that he was in her space or anything, just reasonably close. Her body craved him. She scooted back his direction, filling the space so their thighs touched.
His blue eyes heated and practically glittered. “It’s been good to see you again.”
She took him in, and her throat went thick at the tattoo that trailed past his elbow onto his forearm. It looked like vines. Those hadn’t been there when she’d spent the long weekend with him.
What was she supposed to say?
“Sadie, I think—” he said at the same time she asked, “Did you get good pictures?”
Wasn’t that the lamest thing she could’ve come up with?
He tapped his fingertips against his knees. “I did. Good stuff.”
“That’s good.”
Good. Good. Everything was good, which wasn’t great.
“Any updates on your nephew?” He shifted on the sofa.
She shook her head. “Just waiting. Trying not to drive my entire family crazy with text messages, so I’m just hanging out.” She pulled her feet up under her bottom.
“I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” he said. “At the wedding. Or here.”
She didn’t say anything in response. Didn’t really have anything to say.
“I’m glad I did,” he continued.
“Did what?” She ran the edge of her top teeth along her bottom lip, tapping down further questioning and pretending she was in a courtroom where she had to have her mask of indifference on so that the jury didn’t get a glimpse of what she really thought.
“I’m glad I got to see you,” he clarified, stretching his arm behind her along the top edge of the sofa like it was the most natural thing in the world.
He was so… He just hadn’t changed.
Suddenly, her hair felt too tight pinned against her scalp. She wanted to yank out all the bobby pins. Cuddle up in her extra comfy Hello Mello pajamas. Go to sleep and stay there until Marlee and Eli announced the birth of her nephew.
That was, of course, easier thought than done.
Mostly because Roman was sitting right there.
Also, this wasRoman. Roman just wasn’t the kind of guy a girl could forget. His scent, his body. His everything.
The tattoo was new, but he still smelled the same. He still looked the same. He still made her insides feel like she had just finished jury selection and instinctively knew she was screwed when it came time for the trial deliberation.
