“I’m fine.” Liar, liar, pants on fire.
He sighed softly, then tilted my chin up. “Look at me, baby.”
I did, immediately, because apparently the word baby turned my brain to mush.
“Don’t think about that chick for another second.”
It was like he’d reached into my head.
I blinked. “I’m not.” Another lie.
His mouth twitched. “Terrible liar.” He leaned down and kissed me.
Quick. Soft. But enough to make me forget where we were for a second.
When he pulled back, his forehead touched mine. “You’re a million fucking times better than her, baby.”
My breath caught.
“A million fucking times.”
I stared at him, because... I believed him.
Or at least I wanted to.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Now let’s have some fun.” Rome got me a drink. Then another.
Not enough to make me drunk, but just enough to take the edge off.
We stood at the bar talking about nothing and about everything.
People kept stopping by, and it seemed like every single person knew him. And every single time, Rome introduced me.
Not awkwardly.
Not like an obligation.
Like he was proud to. “This is Josie.” Over and over. The words settled something inside me, because he could’ve come alone or could’ve let me drift beside him. Instead, he kept making room for me.
Then Bon Jovi started playing. I couldn’t not sway back and forth. It was Bon freaking Jovi.
Rome grinned. “You wanna dance?” Before I could argue and tell him I was just fine right here, he took my hand and dragged me toward the dance floor.
“I don’t dance,” I shouted.
“Liar.”
I didn’t dance because I had the rhythm of a nun in church. No one here needed to see that.
I groaned, but I went because it was Rome. And because when he pulled me into his arms, everything else faded.
Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi pumped through the speakers as my arms slid around his neck, and his settled around my waist.
Everything disappeared, and it was just Rome and the gravel in his voice as he sang a few lines under his breath, terribly and completely off-key.
I rested my cheek against his chest and his heart beat steadily beneath my ear.
