AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Someone?” Roman’s voice was guarded.
Angela stepped back so she could see his expression. She shrugged, sending her thick hair spilling over her shoulder. “I’ve been alone for a long time, ever since I was eighteen. I’ve always liked it, but lately I’ve been thinking it might be nice to have some company. Your place is always busy. There are always people around, and always someone to say hello to.” She cast him a droll look. “And please, don’t remind me that most of those people are there to do your bidding and carry out your nefarious orders.”
“Nefarious?” Roman’s lips twisted in a grin. “You think I’m nefarious?”
Angela shot him a dirty look. “Don’t try to be cute with me, Roman. You are nefarious, and you know it.”
Roman threw his head back and laughed. His eyes lit up, the corners crinkling. When he was done, he met her gaze. “You make me happy. Did you know that?” Angela’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. Roman grinned. “You look adorably shocked, Angel.” He reached over to close her mouth with a gentle finger beneath her chin. “Careful there, Doc. You don’t want anything to fall in.”
Like your cock, Angela thought. She slapped her hands over her mouth, praying she hadn’t accidentally said that out loud. She sometimes did. It was a bad habit when she was tired and overworked. When he didn’t react, she breathed out a sigh of relief. “I make you happy? Really?” she finally said, addressing his statement.
“You do. Why are you so surprised?” Roman asked curiously.
Because I don’t want it to be true, she thought. Because it would be an honest and vulnerable reality, and the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her. So, she did what she always did when she was feeling exposed. She lashed out, ruining the peace and comfort of the moment. “Don’t pretend to be a nice guy, Roman. We both know you’re not.”
His face shut down, losing all its softness. “You’re right. I’m not.”
“Roman... wait.” Angela grabbed his hand, stopping him from moving when he went to grab his keys. She sighed, hating her self-destructive behavior. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I feel the need to constantly tear you down. But I have a feeling it’s a me problem. Not a you problem.”
Roman regarded her for a moment before he spoke. “I know why. And I can easily tell you, Angel. But I believe it will lose something in translation.”
She was sure he was right. Angela cursed her runaway mouth. Yes, it was a defense mechanism, pure and simple. But that didn’t make it okay. Roman had been nothing but nice to her since that first night. Sure, he’d held a gun to her head. And he’d since admitted to killing people. But he was also respectful, protective, and loyal. And he is a good cuddler, she added.
As Roman walked away from her, she was afforded a wonderful view of his spectacular ass. She tilted her head, watching the way the faded denim cupped his strong cheeks lovingly. The plain gray Henley was tight, showing off his broad shoulders and muscled arms. But it wasn’t one size too small, like she believed all of Abel’s to be. The thought made her snicker.
“Something funny?” Roman asked, leaning against her kitchen counter.
She shook her head, biting her lip when her gaze strayed to her kitchen wall. The same wall the sexy Roman had screwed her spectacularly against. Her pussy clenched, and she fought the urge to press her legs together. She didn’t need him to know just how potent she found him. He was dangerous enough to her as it was. “I was just thinking about Abel,” she finally revealed.
Roman’s scowl was instantaneous, as well as fierce. “You’re thinking about Abel when I’m standing in front of you proposing sex?”
“Stop saying sex,” Angela ordered—rather weakly. “And you’re not proposing that. We were in the middle of a kind of fight, thanks to my mouth.”
He smirked at her, crossing his arms and making his biceps bulge. “Mio angelo, whenever you’re in my presence, I’m proposing sex. Never forget that. But I was referring specifically to the friends with benefits offer. And that wasn’t a fight. Though, it could be if you’re talking about Abel and sex in the one sentence.”
Her stomach fluttered from his admission, but she ignored it. “I wasn’t thinking about him like that,” she assured Roman. “Gross.”
Roman stood up straight, looking suddenly cheerful. “You think Abel is gross?”
“I think Abel is extremely good-looking with a body built for sin,” Angela corrected him honestly. “But he does nothing for me. It’s another reason why I don’t do friends with benefits. I can’t sleep with my friends. It’s weird.”
Roman hummed, prowling toward her with all the grace and lethality of a jungle cat. “And do you consider us friends, Angel?”
“I...” She closed her mouth because there was no way she was going to win. She would be damning herself with her own logic, no matter what she said.
“Just as I thought. Do you know what that means, Angel?” Roman all but purred.
“Stop saying my name like that.” Angela did her best to snap, but her voice came out too breathless.
“Like what?” Roman asked innocently. He leaned in close, running his nose along her neck—something he did with alarming frequency. He inhaled deeply, nuzzling behind her ear, sending shivers throughout her entire body. “Angel...” he whispered again, before nipping her earlobe.
“Damnit, Roman,” Angela groaned, her knees literally going weak.
Roman caught her against his chest. His eyes mapped her face tenderly, but the heat in their chestnut depths was unmistakable. “You are so very beautiful,” he told her.
Angela wasn’t proud of the whimper that came out of her mouth, but she couldn’t help it. The man was deadly. And not because he was a killer. She pushed up onto her toes, aligning their mouths before kissing him with all the pent-up frustration of the past few months. She moaned when his grip tightened on her hips, pulling her against the hardness straining the front of his jeans. She wrapped a leg around his waist, doing her best to increase the erotic contact.
It was a bad idea. It was wrong. She knew it. But she couldn’t bring herself to stop. The way he kissed her like he wanted to devour her made her feel wanted. It made her feel whole. And though she had worked hard over the years with a shitload of therapy, the feeling of completeness—of being whole—had remained elusive.
