Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Maddie

By the time I wake, Roman isn’t in bed. I hear the shower in the bathroom, and rising, I start for the bathroom.

I’m not wearing a stitch of clothing, but I’ve stopped feeling strange about it. Nor does it occur to me that he doesn’t want me in the shower with him. Is that wrong? The intimacy between us is getting intense.

I pause at the bathroom door, giving a soft knock. “Roman?”

“Want to join me, sweetheart?”

I push the door open with a smile, relieved to know I was reading this all correctly. “I do.”

My body is still humming with contentment after last night and this morning. “Did you feed Tom?”

“Yes. It’s about the only time he tolerates me, and honestly, the cat is always hungry. Is that normal? Is it because he was homeless?”

“Maybe,” I say biting my lip as Roman turns on the secondary shower heads. I listen to them come on. There must be at least three others that fire up, hitting me from all sides. It’s a luxury I have to confess I enjoy. I’d been so reluctant to leave my home, but there have been some real perks to staying at Roman’s.

Warm water washes down my body a moment before Roman’s hands join the rivulets of water, streaming down my skin.

I don’t think I’ll ever tire of his hands.

I tip my head back under the hot water, which pushes my chest out. Roman gives a satisfied growl before his mouth drops to one of my nipples.

I nip at my lip, the skin instantly puckering in his mouth. How can I be this excited after the orgasms I’ve just had?

But I can’t seem to get enough of this man. I slide my hands down the muscles of his back, the water making his skin slick.

He cradles my body into his, his erection pressing into my belly. God, I want to know what it feels like for him to be inside me.

I’ve never been in love before, I’ve never been more than a bit infatuated with any man. I don’t know if this is what love feels like, but I know that for the first time in my life, I’m in lust.

I can’t get enough.

“Roman,” I gasp out his name. Is it wrong to lose your virginity on the wall of a shower?

He’s kissing down my belly. I know he’s magic with his tongue. But I just want… “I’m ready for all of you.”

He stops at my belly button, nipping the smallest bit. “I have to go out this morning, sweetheart,” he says into my skin.

“Oh. Okay.” But my heart contracts, and I can’t help but feel a little hurt. I just offered myself to this man and he’s rejecting me for errands?

He rises up, pulling me close. Our bodies press together as he whispers into my ear. “When I take your virginity, I want to make sure I can hold you after.”

“Oh. Okay.” The words are the same, but this time, they sound completely different. This time, they are a sigh. Because yeah, I want that too.

And perhaps my lust is a little more love than I’m letting myself acknowledge. Because the idea of him holding me after, it’s just as good as the thought of having this man inside me.

He kisses me again, soft and slow and full of a promise that practically makes me sigh like a lovesick puppy.

“Want me to help you wash?” he asks.

I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that. I can do it myself.”

“I like taking care of you,” he answers. Which shouldn’t surprise me. He’s crazy good at it. Where did he acquire that skill?

A little stab of jealousy pulses through me. Which is silly. Roman has likely had hundreds of willing women throw themselves at his feet. Of course, he’s experienced.

He steps away, grabbing the shampoo. “That’s very nice, Roman. But really…”

“Maddie,” his voice has taken on a serious note that I don’t quite understand. “You should take advantage of me. And just know that I will always help you.”

I shake my head, trying to understand that one. He doesn’t owe me anything. Yes, I helped him that first night, but he’s been looking after me ever since.

And Thomasina too. Speaking of…I’m feeling guilty for not telling him the whole truth. “I really appreciate that, Roman. But honestly, once the Vendettis are in prison, I don’t expect?—”

He kisses me again. Harder, cutting off my words as his hands come to either side of my face. “Maddie,” he murmurs against my lips. “Let me take care of you, okay?”

“Okay,” I answer, even more confused. “Did something happen that you’re not telling me?”

He lets out a long breath against my lips. “The call from Mason this morning…”

I still my hands, grasping his wrists. “My brother took the police to the Vendettis’ place last night but there is no sign of Luke or Kate.

I gasp, clutching him even tighter. “Poor Kate. Poor Luke.”

“The Vendettis were arrested last night. But they’ve brought in family from Italy to keep fighting…” He drops his forehead to mine. “I don’t want you to leave yet.” His hands slide down my neck and then cradle the back of my head. “Stay here with me where I can keep you safe. I’ll take care of you too. I promise.”

I melt into him. Yeah. This is definitely a bit more than lust. Maybe a lot more. “I know, Roman…”

“You do?”

“I have every confidence in you.” I kiss him then, the steam of the shower adding to the heat of our embrace. “And I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

“You’ve done enough, sweetheart.”

I shake my head. I don’t feel like I’ve done enough. In fact, I’ve been keeping something from him because I like having the cat here. “I have to tell you something.” Thomasina is so small compared to everything he just told me, but I hate keeping the truth from him.

“What?” I feel him tense, his body turning to stone under my hand.

“The cat isn’t a boy.”

“What?” Air rushes from his lungs over my face.

“Tom is Thomasina. And Thomasina is going to have kittens.”

“Shit.” He doesn’t sound angry, just surprised. “How soon?”

“Soon.”

“Need more supplies?”

My mouth drops open. That’s the last thing I expected him to say. “Yes. I do.”

“I’ll get what you need while I’m out.”

I nod as he kisses me again and then sets a brisk pace of washing me and then himself.

We get out and dress, Roman leaving my side long enough to come back and press something small and rectangular into my hand. “It’s a phone,” he says. “Just a burner. But you can use it until we find yours.”

“It’s so strange,” I say, wrapping my fingers around the plastic, the different shape feeling odd. “I know I had it.” But still, I lift up my new phone. “Thank you.”

“I’ve already put my number and Lucia’s in there. Let’s voice-program them both so you have it should you need to call one of us while I’m out.”

I nod, appreciating his thoughtfulness and attention to detail. It’s made this whole transition so much easier.

A half hour later, he’s gone and I’m left wondering what I want to do with my day.

I miss my other animals and Thomasina seems to have gone into hiding. Picking up the phone, I call Lucia.

“Hey,” she chirps. “I’m so glad you called.”

“How did you know it was me?” I ask with a smile.

“Roman sent me your temporary number.”

That was so thoughtful and my smile just gets bigger. “Did he really?”

“He did. Which was very nice, I have to say. Any luck finding your phone?”

“No.” I shake my head, telling her about how I left the phone in Vigo’s car on the night of the date, which has me launching into the whole story.

A half hour later, Lucia is still silent. I don’t know that she’s ever gone that long without speaking. Finally, I pause long enough that she lets out a whispered, “Holy shit, Maddie.”

“I know,” I sigh.

“And so Roman is what…like Vigo’s competition?”

“He says that he mostly develops real estate, but they cut the Italians out of their new project and Vigo is out for revenge.” Still. Now that I think on it, shooting Roman seems excessive. Or maybe not. Vincent is certifiable.

“Is Roman as wrapped up in crime as Vigo?”

“He says no.”

“Just be careful,” Lucia’s voice tightens with worry. “I don’t like any of this.”

I don’t tell her about the feelings I’m developing. I’ve got to get them straight in my own head. “On the bright side, Vigo and Vincent went to jail last night.”

“Really?” Lucia sounds hopeful. “That is great news. Does this mean you’re coming home?”

Roman asked me to stay and no part of me wanted to refuse.

There is a big part of me that will be sad when I go home by myself. And for the girl who’d hardly left her house in months, that’s amazing.

Not only am I surviving, I’m enjoying myself. Is that only because of Roman? “Not yet,” I sigh as I tell her about the Italian family members.

“It’s like you stepped into the plot of a movie,” Lucia adds. “But hey, if the Vendettis are in prison, and you’re staying at Roman’s, can Josh and I use your house?”

“Of course. What’s wrong?”

“We’ve got some infestation in our apartment. They’re spraying and we have to leave for like ten days.”

Lucia’s apartment is awful. She and Josh don’t make much money, though, so there aren’t many other options. Mrs. Higgins, my tenant, is old and I’m sure Lucia and Josh will move in once Mrs. Higgins can’t live in the upstairs apartment anymore.

“You know where the key is. Help yourself.”

“Thank you,” Lucia gushes. “Should we take Gran’s room?”

“Yes. Definitely. It’s bigger and—" I hear a low groan come from under the end table on the other side of the couch.

“Crap,” I mutter.

“What’s wrong?” Lucia asks.

“The cat…” I get down, inching my way toward her as I catch the sound of her panting. “I think she’s in labor.”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.” The corner is too dark for me to see anything. At home, I have lights set up to allow me to give basic medical care to my little patients. But here… “Though I have no idea what Roman’s address even is.”

Lucia lets out a curse. “We’re going to have to correct that. It’s just weird.” I can hear the concern in her voice. It has nothing to do with the cat. She thinks Roman is bad news. Then again, she liked Vigo.

I can’t let her feelings sway me too much.

“I’ll call you back,” I tell her. “I’m going to call Roman.”

“Ok,” she says. “I don’t leave for work for another hour and Josh is home all day. Just let us know what you need.”

“I will. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I hang up and instantly dial Roman, though I go straight to voicemail.

Not knowing what to do, I try again.

He doesn’t pick up. But the phone almost instantly dings. I can’t read the screen. “Siri, read text message.”

“Text message from Roman Kincaid: ‘In a meeting. Call you soon.’”

“Siri, send message. ‘Thomasina is giving birth. I need your address to send to Lucia.’”

The phone dings again. “On my way.”

“He’s coming Thomasina,” I say to the cat. “We’re going to make sure you’re all right.”