Chapter 12

Twelve

Roman

"Did you know her before you moved here?" He glanced at her as they walked toward the water.

"Vivian?" Sam asked and shook her head. "No. I didn't know anyone. Just packed up and moved here."

"Why here?"

A woman on a bike barreled at them from the opposite direction, causing Sam to step closer to him. Her eyebrows jumped a bit when their elbows touched. Roman had to look away. He felt the same jolt at the skin-on-skin contact, and feeling it, feeling his heart race, his dick stir to life, made him feel like a kid again.

There was no question he would touch her tonight. Kiss her. He'd heard the local myth about a first kiss on Love Point Pier being good luck for a couple. Roman didn't know about good luck; after all, he didn't want any strings. No commitments. No happily-ever-afters. But a sunset kiss, or even a kiss under the stars, on Love Point Pier would be romantic. He wasn't a player. When he made a move, he wanted the romance for Sam and the excitement and pleasure for both of them.

"I visited Love Beach several years ago," she answered. "My sister and I did, actually. It was a fun trip. I liked the idea of a beach. Of getting away from winter weather in the Midwest."

She looked up at him again, eyes sparkling as she talked.

"I found Book Roman knew it was a challenge, not a flirty, coy move.

"The doctor who treated me. My personal doctor. And a friend."

"But not your kids?" She tipped her head.

"No." He shrugged. "I'm a little bit afraid that Luca would break into my place and finish the job."

"Oh, come on." Sam rolled her eyes. "Is your relationship that bad?"

"Eh." Roman groaned. "I don't know. I sometimes wonder if she has a voodoo doll of me that she jammed with pins in the first place. On the other hand, Luca's more likely to hurt herself."

"Maybe because she knows that would hurt you more than a voodoo doll."

"You ever been the victim of a voodoo doll stabber?"

Sam snorted and shook her head as they took their place in line at O'Leahey's.

"Why would I tell Luca and Damien?" Eyes on the menu, Roman shook his head when he felt Sam watching him. "Nothing either of them could do about it."

"And Cathryn? Does she know?"

"No." His voice wasn't exactly cold, but he felt his jaw clench when he snapped his mouth shut. He didn't want to talk about Cathryn. Sam deserved more than an evening stroll and more of his failed marriage, failed family life, musings.

"What're you getting?" she asked him.

"What's your favorite?"

"I like mint chocolate chip, but the flavor to try is blackberry with dark chocolate bits."

"Then I'll try that."

Once they had ordered and taken their sugar cones from the young blonde at the counter, they wandered back to the sidewalk.

"Ever been to the sports bar?"

"I have." She nodded. "It's a fun place. There's a nightclub, too. It's called Lava. Very cool place."

"And you frequent this place?"

"No." She flashed him a smile as she swirled her tongue around her mint green ice cream. "I've been there a few times, but I'm not a regular."

"Do you like to dance?"

She sighed, seemingly pained by the question.

"Too personal?" he asked, a little concerned by and amused at her reaction.

"No." She laughed. "I do like to dance. I do like sports bars. I like concerts. I just…" She shook her head and looked up at him. "I don't know, Roman. I guess I moved down here and got old. I don't do much at all. I mean, I needed the break when I made the move."

"And you got comfortable," he suggested.

"Yeah. I guess so. I couldn't tell you the last time I danced."

"Did someone hurt you?" When she drew back with a frown, he hurried to continue, "Break your heart?"

"Mmm." She smacked her lips and sighed. "No. Not really. I mean, years ago? Sure. College boyfriend. Vague marriage plans, but it didn't pan out, ya know? Sure, I was heartbroken but not scarred."

"And yet, you're single."

"Ever heard the saying you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince?"

Roman laughed and crunched into his cone.

"What're you doing? You have to lick the ice cream down first!"

"No, you don't. You do both at the same time."

"No." She shook her head. "No, no. You focus. You lick the ice cream. You enjoy it. Savor it. And then you use your teeth."

Roman's intense stare chased a trail of fire down her throat and through her belly, straight to her lady parts. She hadn't meant that comment the way it sounded, the way he obviously took it.

"I have heard the thing about the frogs." He seemed to sense how his gaze had paralyzed her and changed the subject to save her.

"Well, I've kissed a lot of frogs. And I've dodged a lot of crocodiles masquerading as frogs. And I'm just not sure I'm that into amphibians."

"Crocodiles are reptiles."

"Even worse," she said with a nod. "Not into amphibians and definitely not into reptiles pretending to be something they're not."

"And what about princes? Do you like them?"

Sam met his eyes as she crunched into her cone. True to her word, she had licked her ice cream down to the bottom part of her cone. Roman watched her lick her lips, imagining the taste of mint on her cold tongue.

"Jury's still out," she answered simply.