Page 59 of Saved By the Billionaire

“I get the feeling she’s why I’m here.”

His jaw clenched visibly.

“You’re protecting me, because…because she died?”

He closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring. “I hate how easily you see me.”

It was an admission, and she was glad. The last thing Kate wanted was for Roman to obfuscate and pretend.

“She was alone, in the end, just like you are, and I have spent years wishing someone had helped her. Just one person taking an interest, caring for her, goddamn calling me, could have saved her.” He lifted a hand and cupped Kate’s cheek. “Yes, I wanted to be that person for you.”

“I didn’t need saving,” she said sharply. “At least, not after you did actually save me.” It sounded so stupid, she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Once you got me away from those guys, I could have gone back to the hostel. I’m not a victim.”

“No, you’re not,” he said. “And make no mistake about it, Kate, you’re here because I want you here. You. Because from almost the first moment I held you in my arms I knew I needed you.” He moved closer. “If Tia wasn’t standing in the kitchen, I’d make you mine right here on this sofa; I’d take you again and again until you could hardly breathe. Believe me, this stopped being about saving you almost as soon as I had you here.”

She shook her head, finding it hard to separate his words from her fears, the truth from the past. She tried to remember things he’d said, to argue with him.

“But even today, you were so protective…”

“I can’t be protective of you?”

“I don’t think it is me you’re protecting. I think it’s like…the ghost of your sister.”

He moved his body to shield her from Tia’s view, then dropped his finger lower, to her lips, tracing the line of them. “This is not about Grace.” He padded his thumb over her lower lip. “Saving you, yes. Knowing you deserved better than to be attacked on the street, or rotting in that hovel of a hostel, yes, sure. But keeping you here is all for me.” And then he dropped down and kissed her, never mind that Tia was in the kitchen, never mind that one kiss from him made Kate’s whole body explode with searing heat and light, that made it impossible to remember where she was and who was around. One kiss sucked her into a vortex from which she felt as though there was no escape, there was only Roman, and a moment later, she was clinging to his shirt as though it were her sole lifeline. Everything was a blur. Too bright, too hot, too desperately tight. Her insides were coiling and squeezing.

“Roman,” she murmured, lost on a wave of feeling.

He pulled up and stared down at her, eyes glittering. “By the end of this week, you’re going to forget your own name, Kate. And that’s just about you and me, and whatever this is between us.”

She bit down on her lower lip. “Is that a promise?”

“Fuck, yes.”

He dropped his forehead to hers then, so his breath fanned her cheek and it was just too much. Everything about him was too much. But it was just for one week. One week of Roman, and his intoxicating power, his strength, his command. One week of letting herself feel that for the first time in her life, she’d met someone she wasn’t quite equal to holding at bay. One person who’d managed to get under her skin…but it was only temporary, which somehow made it okay.

“Okay, it’s time,” Tia said, brushing the crumbs from her fingertips. She stood and collected their plates, carried them to the kitchen. “Ready?”

“Time for what?” Kate asked.

“Come and see.” Roman’s voice had taken on a strange quality, thickened by the sort of emotion he usually repressed. Before she could stand, Roman was at her side, lifting her to his chest and staring down at her for a long beat, his temple throbbing as his lips tightened. Kate’s breath hitched in her throat. Desire throbbed heavily in the air. Her hand lifted to his shoulder, her fingers digging into the warm skin.

“I can walk,” she murmured.

“I know.” Her heart turned over in her chest; how could it not?

“God, you two,” Tia rolled. “I’ll be out of your hair soon enough, don’t worry.”

It seemed to puncture their bubble, albeit slowly. “You can stay over.”

“I have early meetings.”

“You’ve been drinking⁠—”

“Garrett can take me home, Roh. Relax.”

But there was nothing relaxed about Roman or Kate as he carried her across to the enormous glass sliders that led to the deck. Tia pushed them open and a moment later they were outside. Where only hours earlier, with Tia around, Roman might have settled Kate on the sofa and moved to the other side of it, this time, he sat down and kept her cradled to his chest, in his lap, close, and Kate expelled a soft breath for how perfect it was to be near him.

Tia moved across the space, which Kate now realised wrapped around the whole penthouse. What a space! When Tia returned, she was carrying two folded blankets and as she wrapped one around Roman’s shoulders, enveloping Kate in its warmth as well, Kate wondered if she’d ever known a fabric quite so soft.