Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Roman

Her eyes are wide, and she looks a little pale but she's not given one inch. In fact, I can tell you the moment she decided to fight me. That little chin went up and her eyes lit with sparks.

"It's not bullshit. It would be crazy to go to…Europe with someone I don't even know."

"You live with me!"

Her mouth opens and closes several times like she is trying to find the answer that will make me go away. "That's different."

"How is that different? How is you staying in my home, sleeping in my bed, any different from you coming with me and staying with me in Italy?"

"Because it just is! Here I can…I have my sister…I…"

"You can run here, and it's harder to do that if you are an ocean away and in a place you don't know anything about. That's the real reason, isn't it? Isn't it?"

"You…you know what? Go to hell! I don't have to give you a reason for anything I do. You aren't my father. You aren't even my real boyfriend. You're just…,"

I feel the reins holding my temper starting to loosen. "Don't do it."

Her chin rises, "You're just some guy who fakes everything you say or do."

I close my eyes, take a deep breath…and then make a dash for her. She takes off running for the staircase but I'm coming too fast for her to reach them in time. She senses as much and changes her direction, so she is running around the couch and heading for the backstairs. I launch myself over the damned piece of furniture and barely reach her in time.

Her foot is on the first step when I wrap my arms around her waist. She tries to wiggle out of my arms but my hold on her is too strong. If she wants to go upstairs, we'll go upstairs. I have her all the way to my bedroom before she's loosened my grip and starts to slip out of my arms. By the time her feet hit the floor, she's free… and I have a whole armful of dress.

She immediately realizes what has happened, gasping and grabbing her breasts to keep them covered.

"You weren't wearing a bra?"

"It was made with one… you know what, never mind. That is not the problem here."

"What is the problem, Sunshine? Is it that you're scared? Is that the problem?"

"Fuck you! I'm not afraid! Just because I don't want to go with you doesn't mean I'm afraid or that I'm trying to run; asshole."

"Maybe…or maybe not. Maybe you're just trying to be braver than you actually are and you are really scared shitless just like everybody else in the world."

I can almost hear her grinding her teeth at my words. "You're so clueless. You spend all your time working because you're scared too."

"I'm not working now."

"No, you're leaving. Like you leave your sister and your home and…"

"You?" It's a question that has her halting her words. "Only, I'm not leaving you. I asked you to go with me, remember? I asked you to leave with me…and you said no."

"I can't go."

All during our fight, I've been walking closer to her until I'm right in front of her. I touch her cheek softly, "Then come with me to see me off."

We hold each other's gaze for a long pregnant moment before she gives me a quick short nod.

"And give me something to come back home to." I push her so she's off balance.

Her eyes show her shock as she starts to fall backwards only to land on the bed. I am on her before she can think of anything to say in retaliation. Our lips crash against one another and I'm pretty sure she's forgotten she is only wearing a pair of thin silk panties that barely cover her since her hands come up to wrap around me.

I don't think she realizes what she is offering me when she wraps her legs and arms around me instead of pushing me away from her, but I do. I take her mouth until she is breathless and then make my way down the thin column of her throat leaving kisses as I go. Her hands run over my back, her touch burns through the material of my shirt like it's made of the thinnest material known to man.

I'm so lost in the kisses that it takes me a few minutes to realize she's worked the buttons on my shirt open. The touch of her hands trailing down my bare body has my whole being seizing up, ready to burst. When our bare skin touches, both of us pull back to take in deep gulps of air at the sensation.

I drop my mouth lower and take her tightly furled nipple between my lips. She arches off the bed, pushing herself further into my touch, my kiss. Her little body is so receptive, so responsive, it makes it hard to stay in control and not take things too far. Especially when she is moving against me like flames licking up a dry wall. Sunshine is an apt name for her because she's a little ball of fire and heat and I'm nothing but tender to her inferno, engulfed and combustible. I have been since I first laid eyes on her.

Our lips come back together as I run my hands down her body and over her hips, trying to touch every part of her, to imprint her on my memory. I go back to sucking and licking her hardened raspberry nipples as I give in just a little and give her what she wants, moving and sliding against her.

Her hands come up to cup the back of my head and hold me to her even tighter. Like I could ever leave this, ever walk away. She rides over the hard swell of my cock in the front of my pants as her fingers start to work my belt loose. Knowing it won't end if she succeeds, I grab her wrists and bring them over her head so I can retain some semblance of control.

This time when I drop my head to play with her breasts I move against her, fast and hard and rough as I work to get both of us off. I take both of her wrists in one of my hands and use the other one to explore the curves and contours of her body. First her breasts, and then further down.

I push her panties to the side and flutter my hands over her soft flesh causing her eyes to widen and her breath to catch in her throat. I keep my touch light until she makes her mind up about whether she wants me to go further or stop where we are. When she moans and arches into my touch like a cat seeking affection, I don't disappoint her or make her ask me twice. I explore the velvety softness soaked and begging for me to ready it.

"God!"

My lips curl at the end and I can't even begin to imagine how wolfish I must look. "You can call me Rome, Sunshine. No need for deification."

Her eyes narrow for just a second before they fall closed again and she's giving me sweet, loud little moans. I find her clit and rub against it. And it only takes once. She gasps and this time when she arches into me she grabs my wrist to hold me to her as she tenses up and shakes through a release that has her screaming my name.

"Oh God!"

I come back to her mouth and kiss her as deeply as I want to sink my cock into her. "Rome, baby. Rome."

"Rome." She agrees sleepily and curls up around me like that same cat I saw her as before and all but purrs out my name as she starts to drift off.

I stay until I am sure she is resting well… and then I go to work making plans for us. It's what I do best, see something I want, go after it until it's mine, and let nothing or no one stop me. Only this time is different. This time I'm not letting go. Ever!

My little sunshine doesn't realize it just yet, but she's mine. And always will be!