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“I’m on my way to talk to him now. Any idea what he wants to see me about?”

“None. Now go before I give you a black eye to match that slap mark across your face.”

Malik tongues his cheek while smirking and walking away. “See you two later!”

“Fucking dick,” I mutter.

Rome pulls me into his chest, and my face presses into his pec, muffling my words as I ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Can we get out of here? I’ll tell you when we get back to my place.”

Looking up at him, I nod and offer him a soft smile. “Let’s go.”

Back at his place, I’m quick to get comfortable. I kick my shoes off and plop face-first onto his bed.

Rome chuckles while he gets undressed, preparing to take a shower.

“Make sure you’re decent when you get out!” I shout as he walks into the bathroom.

“Why?” Walking backward, he arches an eyebrow and smirks.

I flip over on my side and purse my lips. “Zack may have told my parents we’re dating.”

The last guy I introduced to Mom and Dad was back in freshman year. His name was Ryan Sliverskawitz. We dated for a few months, nothing grand in the scheme of things. I thought he was nice, and he is. Mom approved, and Dad played along. They met him during a trip out to visit Gwen, Zack, and me. A few weeks later, we broke up.

I don’t introduce my parents to many of the guys I date solely because nothing ever lasts. This is different, though. Rome is different.

“They didn’t already know?”

It’s such a typical Rome answer that it makes me smile. “No, they didn’t. I... I don’t introduce them to the guys I date.”

“How come?”

Would it be rude of me to ask him to put a shirt on for this conversation? His rippling abs and mountains of muscles make it difficult to concentrate and talk without sounding like a blabbering idiot.

“Most of my relationships don’t pan out... take Miles, for example.”

Rome rests his arm on the doorway, and my heart pitter-patters all the way toward my clit.

“I don’t know what happened between you and Miles. Why did you break up, if I may ask?”

“It didn’t feel right. I felt like I was forcing myself into trying to love him. I thought we ended things amicably, but I could be wrong.”

“You and I both know love hurts. Things never end without some kind of pain. He’ll be okay, he’s Miles Summers.” Rome gives me a warm smile, and I return the gesture.

“Anyway, I told Mom you might be able to say hi, but that’s up to you.”

“I would love to. I’ll make sure I’m decent, don’t worry.”

“Thank you!” I say loud enough for him to hear me from the bathroom.

Steam billows out of the bathroom as I fiddle with my phone. If I were a good and innocent girl, I would wait patiently for him to return and call my parents, but I’m not in the right headspace, so I’ll call them tomorrow.

As quietly as I can, I tiptoe to the bathroom and work on taking my clothes off.

The water splatters on the tile in the shower. The curtain is drawn closed, and the mirror is foggy. I remove my bra and stand facing the navy blue fabric separating Rome and me. With a step forward, I put on my game face. With another step forward, I hold back the giddy giggle that threatens to leave my lips.

When I draw the curtain back, Rome’s eyes linger over my body, and his lips form a lopsided smile. “Took you long enough.”