Page 116 of Lease to Love

"Yes, you can.” His voice was a rasp, his lips against my ear. “Give it to me, Sunshine. Give me what's mine."

The coil broke.

I came with a scream that echoed off the high ceilings of his living room, my hips jerking, my eyes rolling back, my entire body convulsing around him. I thought I might black out. I thought I might die. I thought I might never be able to live without this feeling again.

Roman's hands moved to grip my ass, his fingers digging into the soft flesh as he chased his own release. His hips stuttered. His breath went harsh and ragged. He drove into me one last time and buried himself to the hilt.

“Summer…” He groaned my name against my ear as he spilled inside me.

For a long moment, neither of us moved.

The city hummed outside the windows. The air conditioner clicked on somewhere in the loft. I could feel Roman's heart hammering against my ribs, or maybe that was my own heart. We were so close I couldn't tell anymore.

I was still trying to catch my breath when he spoke.

"You could've waited for me to actually get the pants off, babe."

I laughed into his chest.

"No." I lifted my head and kissed him. "I really couldn't."

I settled back against him. The feelings hadn't gone away. If anything, they felt bigger. But they weren't chaotic anymore.

They were settled. Heavy. Real.

And somehow that scared me more than the chaos ever had.

I lifted my head again. "Roman?"

"Hm?"

I paused, unsure of how to ask him this without embarrassing myself or sounding like the emotional, clingy mess I felt like.

Finally, I just said it. "What are we doing?"

His hand stilled against my back.

I swallowed. "I mean, really. What happens when you get your end of the deal? When your initiative gets passed?"

He looked at me.

"You give me the free year. You go off and become Langston Park's great Black hope. Do all your great things… And we live ten blocks apart and pretend none of this happened?"

His expression changed, and he stared at me for a long moment. "Is that what you think I'm going to do?"

"I don't know." The words came out smaller than I'd intended.

His jaw tightened. "Summer."

"I don't know what this is anymore, Roman."

The silence after that was deafening.

Neither of us moved… Then his eyes shifted toward the front door.

I frowned. "What?"

He didn't answer… Because the doorknob turned.