Page 54 of From Rome, With Hate

Her pretty mouth pulls into a wide grin. “You’re more than good for me, Rome Montgomery. You’re perfect.”

Well, fuck. There goes my heart.

I tuck her hair behind her ear and spin her around until her ass lands against my car. I pin her with my hips and pull back, taking her in. She’s glowing in the dark of night.

“Happy birthday,” I tell her, my cheeks aching from grinning. “For real this time.”

She giggles, and the sound makes me instantly hard. I press it into her, relishing in the feeling of being with her.

“Thank you.” She kisses me again, wrapping her arms around my neck. She tightens her grip on me.

I rub against her, a hungry groan rumbling from my chest. I want to keep going. I want to sink into this feeling. Being with Julianna makes me feel a million miles away from the world I otherwise exist in. It’s as if I’m living two separate lives. I hope one day I can merge them somehow, no matter how foolish the notion sounds when I repeat it to myself.

She stops kissing me, running her glitter-painted nails over my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “I missed you.”

“Me, too.” I hum. “How’s the party?”

“Fine.” She lifts a shoulder, twisting her mouth.

“Just fine?” I raise my brow, shocked she isn’t jumping at the chance to fill me in on everything that’s been happening.

She tilts her head. “Remember when you told me you were glad once your eighteenth birthday was over?”

“Yes.” I swallow, tracing her cheek with my fingertip. “Are you saying you wish this day was over?”

“No.” She frowns, her smile falling completely. “But I wish you could be a part of it.”

“I am.” I drag my hand along her thigh and slip it under her dress to reach for her hip. “I’m here now.”

“You are.” She sighs heavily, her eyes half closing. “But I just wish you could have been in there with me. At my side.”

“I thought you said you wanted it to be a girls’ night.”

She playfully slaps me, scoffing.

I catch her hand and press a kiss to her palm. “One day, I will be,” I tell her, speaking it into existence.

“You promise?” she asks, her smile returning.

It makes my heart flutter. Fuck, I’m so in love with Julianna Capuleti.

“It’s a promise, Lark.” I squeeze her hip, rubbing myself against her again. “One day, we won’t need to meet in secret like this.”

“I dream of the day I get to wake up beside you.” She drags her nails across my scalp, threading her fingers through my hair.

“I dream of the day I get to wake up and hear you singing in the morning.” I smile against her mouth, dragging my tongue across her bottom lip, tasting her lip gloss.

“The perfect dream.” She grins against my mouth.

I slip my hand farther under her dress, spreading my fingers across her lower back.

“Do you have a birthday wish, Lark?”

“Other than being able to be with you without this silly little family rivalry hanging over us?”

“Yes,” I laugh. “Anything besides that.”

“I want you.” She removes one of her hands from the back of my head and dips it between us to unbuckle my belt and pop the button of my pants. She’s quick to lower the zipper and slip her hand into my boxer briefs.