Roman (Cold Fury Hockey #7)(55)

Then he kissed me, and that was even better.

“What do you want to do tonight?” he asks as he puts his glass down and leans back in his chair, studying me over the flickering candlelight.

I shrug. “Want to go out dancing?”

“No.”

“Roller skating?”

“No.”

“Yahtzee?”

“Definitely no.”

Laughing, I lower my voice and practically purr at him. “Spend the rest of the evening in bed?”

“Now you’re speaking my language.” He grins at me, then leans forward to place his elbows on the table. Roman steeples his hands in front of his face and gives me a serious look. “But…if you want to go out and do something, let’s do it. I suppose I need to take you out on a proper date, you know, if we’re dating and all. I do have a tarnished reputation to overcome, or so it’s been said about me.”

I roll my eyes at him and his backhanded jab at Gray.

“That’s a good thought,” I say thoughtfully, and take another sip of my wine. “We should go out at some point.”

“But not tonight?”

I shake my head slowly and flash a sexy smile. “I think I’d rather spend it in bed tonight.”

“I’m not going to argue with that if that’s what you’re looking for,” he says agreeably.

Laughing, I set down my wineglass and push up from my chair.

“I don’t want you to change my mind,” I tell him as I grab my empty plate. “Let’s get the kitchen cleaned up and then get naked.”

As I start to walk past Roman toward the sink, his hand shoots out and wraps around my free arm. I stop and he carefully takes the plate out of my hand, sets it on the table, and pulls me onto his lap. His hand goes in between my legs but he just gently squeezes the inside of my thigh. Still, his actions cause a pure thrill to run through me, knowing that this is a small display of his dominance. That he’s the one who says when we get naked.

“Will you come to tomorrow night’s game?” he asks, and I’m surprised by the about-face in subject. I thought he’d be starting to strip me by now.

I tilt my head at him, wondering why this is coming up right now, we when we were talking about being naked.

“The last game you came to,” he continues, seeing the question written on my face. “You were supposed to sit in my seats, but you went up to the box. Of course, you ended up breaking up with me too before the game, so there’s that.”

“If it helps,” I tell him sincerely as I wrap my arms around his neck, “that entire game I watched you whether you were on the ice or on the bench, completely bummed out over the decision I’d made. It felt wrong right from the start.”

Roman smiles, his eyes shining in appreciation. “So now that we’re together, I want you sitting in my seats. So I can see you during the game. Can’t see you up there in the owner’s box.”

I’ve never dated a professional athlete before, so things are obviously a bit different here. But knowing that he wants me to be a part of “his” game causes warmth to fill every molecule of my being, and a feeling of completeness takes root. It’s the first time I truly realize that Roman sees me as something more than just an interesting girl who is fun to hang out with.

He needs me.

“And I know you took tonight off work to see me, so that’s asking a lot to take tomorrow off too, but—”

“I’ll do it,” I blurt out.

“Just that easy?” Roman asks, leaning in and nuzzling my neck. “Don’t you have to think and ponder and contemplate options? Don’t you have to fret over getting someone to cover you at work?”

“Nope,” I say breathlessly as his lips trail fire up to my ear. “I’ll make it work.”

Roman’s teeth nip at my earlobe, but then he pulls away and looks at me. “I’m being a bad influence on you, aren’t I?”

Laughing, I tip my head his way and rub my nose alongside his. It’s a deeply intimate move and his arms lock tighter around me. “As long as I don’t leave Georgia in a lurch, it’s fine.”

“And you won’t be in a lurch, right?” he asks with those hazel eyes pinned on me. “Giving up the shifts.”

“I’ll have to make it up,” I tell him truthfully, because as much as I love spending time with Roman, and I will gladly juggle my schedule to do so, I do have bills to pay. “But I’ll pick up doubles this weekend to make up, and since you’re gone this weekend to Miami, it works out perfectly. Will keep me busy so I don’t miss you so much.”

“Fuck, you’re sweet,” he mutters, and then kisses me hard.

I get so consumed by his kiss, contemplating stripping him bare right here in the kitchen, that I vaguely notice my phone ringing.

“Need to get that?” Roman asks as he pulls away from me.

I recognize Brian’s ringtone I’d set, and since things have not gotten too hot and heavy, but most assuredly will very soon, it’s probably prudent I answer it now. I’m sure I’ll be so occupied the rest of the night there won’t be time.

“Sure,” I say. I hop off Roman’s lap and grab my purse off the counter. I plunge my hand inside, immediately grab my phone, and bring it to my ear as I connect the call.