Rome's Chance (Reapers MC #6.6)(30)

I nudged my hips forward, rubbing my jeans-covered clit against the painfully hard ridge in his pants. White hot pleasure ran through me as I tried to think of anything we could possibly talk about that was more important than this. Shit. Stopping was really hard.

But he’d listened to me, and now I had to listen to him.

Talking is good, I reminded myself. Usually women have to beg men to talk. I should be thrilled. Except right now, all I really wanted was to ride him like a cowgirl.

“Last night you said you weren’t in the mood for a hookup,” he said, catching my hips and steadying them. His hands were big, and the message clear.

I sighed, settling back onto his lap.

“I am now,” I replied, frustrated. His cock still pulsed underneath me. Every muscle in his body had gone tense—he clearly wanted this as much as I did, and he obviously wasn’t scared. What was the hang up?

“I need to get something straight,” he said, reaching up to slip his hand around the back of my neck. “I’m not looking for one afternoon with you, or one night. I want more.”

That caught me off guard.

“But I live in Missoula,” I said carefully, even though I knew it wouldn’t be for much longer. Where was he going with this?

“Did you know there’s a road between Hallies Falls and Montana? It’s paved and everything,” he said. “Coincidentally, I happen to own a motorcycle that I like to ride on roads.”

“That’s a long ride just to get laid.”

“You really think I need to go to Missoula to get laid?” he asked. I flushed. “This isn’t about getting laid, Randi. I just want it clear—I’m staking my claim. I missed out the first time we met. I won’t let it happen again.”

His eyes held mine, dead serious.

“Rome, we hardly know each other,” I said carefully. This was crazy. His dick was still hard as a rock between my legs. Maybe he didn’t have enough blood to supply that and his brain at the same time. “It’s nearly four hundred miles.”

“So we’ll visit each other,” he replied, like it was no big deal. Like traveling didn’t take up precious vacation time, money, and effort. Except for him, maybe it didn’t. His family owned all this property, and the stuff down in that shop had to be worth a fortune. Was he actually serious? “We’ll go on that second date, see what happens. I’m not asking you to marry me, Randi.”

“I’m moving back to Hallies Falls,” I blurted out, the words coming out in a rush. “I decided this morning. My family needs me. You think you’ll be getting a nice, safe, long-distance relationship but I’m going to be right here. In the grocery store. You’ll see me and it could get really awkward.”

Rome gave me a funny look. “Seeing each other is the goal, Randi.”

“But how could anything last between us? We have nothing in common,” I said. “Nothing. You like motorcycles and airplanes and bar fights. I like… macaroni and cheese.”

“Randi.” His voice grew serious. He looked down, and one of those little muscles in his jaw flexed. Shit. I’d pissed him off. I held my breath, waiting. Then he looked back up and pulled my head in close until our foreheads touched. “Randi, sweetheart.”

“Yes?” I whispered.

“Baby, I need you to listen to what I say and believe me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Everyone likes macaroni and cheese,” he said, the words slow and deliberate. “If you don’t like mac and cheese, you’re a fucking lizard person, and I don’t sleep with lizards. Not even when I’m drunk. Do you sleep with lizards?”

I gaped at him.

“Randi?”

“No,” I finally managed to say. “I don’t sleep with lizards.”

“Good,” he continued, still serious. “That means we got two things in common. We both like mac and cheese, and neither of us fucks lizards. It’s a start. We’ll figure out the rest along the way.”

I blinked, trying to think of a response.

Nope. Couldn’t think of a damned thing to say.

Rome’s lip twitched. The twitch turned into a smirk, and I found myself holding back a giggle. Lizard people? What the actual fuck? Suddenly his fingers attacked my sides. I giggled, then shrieked as he started tickling me without mercy. I writhed and twisted, trying to escape, but he wrapped one of his giant arms around my back and wouldn’t let me go. I kept trying to tell him to stop, but every time I opened my mouth, his fingers got me again.

To make things worse, his cock was still down there.

Poking me.

I couldn’t stop laughing. Not only that, I was getting turned on again. This wasn’t fair. No one should be this sexy and this strong. He was evil, I decided. Pure, delicious evil.

“Stop!” I finally managed to shriek. Rome raised his arms instantly, ending the torture.

“See?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “I’m very well trained. Practically an altar boy. You’d be crazy not to give me a second date.”

I tried to collect my thoughts. Rome was good at this, I realized. Charming. Playful. And when he settled his hands back down around my hips, his touch felt more than sexy.

It felt safe.

I wanted to say yes so bad. I wanted to lean forward and kiss him and tell him that of course we could have a second date. And a third and then someday move in together and maybe even adopt a puppy or something.