I spot Dominique beside him, his shoulders shaking. His lips are pressed together and I can tell he’s fighting to contain his own laugh but in the end, he fails.
“Rome, if you could see your face right now.”
I move forward to gauge his expression but the mask he usually wears is firmly in place. “Well, uh, I’ll let you guys do your thing.” I inch around Roman and head back toward the fire, my eyes scanning around for Aaron. When I spot him, there’s a girl in his lap kissing at his neck. I can’t make out her face but…
My steps falter.
I look again and yep, it’s Sarah. The bitchy girl from earlier. Awesome.
Warm breath on my neck catches me off guard and then I hear his voice. “Looks like your boy is busy tonight.” His voice is low, his tone suggestive. “Fool. Going for that when he could have had this instead.” His fingers brush up my spine and I release an involuntary shiver.
“No one is havingthis,” I snap, hating what he’s implying. “Besides, we’re just friends. He can go after whoever he wants.”
Another caress, this one along the back of my hip. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Roman’s fingers tighten on my hip into an almost bruising grip as he draws me tight against his body. “What if I decided I want you?”
My breath hitches and he's still behind me, trailing his lips up the column of my exposed neck. It’s not a kiss. The touch is featherlight but it feels like he’s marking me, branding me as his. “I’d tell you to screw off.”
“Liar.”
I step away from his body, instantly missing his warmth.
“Come with me.” He twines his fingers with mine and despite knowing better, I allow him to lead me toward one of the larger cabins.
I stumble after him, but he doesn’t pause or slow his steps. He just tugs my hand harder, forcing me to quicken my pace. “Where are you taking me?” I ask, finding my voice.
He smirks over his shoulder. “You scared, vanilla?”
I scoff but continue to follow him, my steps hurried as I try to keep up with his longer strides. “Hardly.”
The cabin is empty aside from the two of us and I take everything in. Much like the outside, it looks more like a regular home than a cabin. A large leather sectional takes up most of the room in front of a wood-burning fireplace. And the kitchen and dining area look like they came straight out of a magazine.
Roman watches me as I soak everything in, gauging my reaction though I’m not sure what he’s hoping for. Everything inside screams expensive, but it’s tasteful and you can tell that each piece in the space was carefully thought out.
Looking at it makes me think of movies in front of the fire huddled up with friends. Julio and Adriana and I would do that sometimes. Sometimes Gabe or Felix would join us. Before she did what she did. Before my mom died.
We’d watch stupid movies and eat popcorn. Julio always poured a bag of Swedish fish in my bowl so I could find sweet surprises. We’d fight over who got to eat the last one and the night almost always ended with Adriana sprawled out on our only sofa, Julio and I on the floor. He’d lean against the sofa with me lying beside him, my head in his lap.
I think of what it would be like being huddled up next to Roman in front of that fire and warmth spreads inside my chest. It wouldn’t be like when I watched movies with Julio. There would be no easy carefree affection.
“What are you thinking?” he asks, stepping closer to me.
“Nothing.”
“Mentirosa.”Liar, he says.
Maybe I am, but I know better than to share my true thoughts with him, so I say, “I was just thinking this place is nice. Homey. I know it probably cost a fortune but it doesn’t feel cold.”Like my new living arrangements. But I don’t say that out loud. “I like it.”
He nods and heads toward the kitchen, leaving me to follow him. He opens the refrigerator and starts pulling out ingredients. Carrots, celery, a package of ground beef. Then he opens up cupboards and pulls out onions, garlic, potatoes, spices, a few cans—corn and tomatoes from the looks of them—followed by a bag of rice.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m cooking.”
A laugh escapes me. “I can see that but what are you making, and why?”
