Page 39 of Sinful Escape

“Oh. . . a geek.”

“What’s wrong with that?” I’d better not tell him about my love of reading and researching history.

“Niente.” He flicked his hand. “Carry on.”

Pushing my glass farther away, I tried to formulate a response. The intensity in Roman’s eyes scared the hell out of me.

I had a terrible feeling Roman was going to wrangle every rotten secret out of me.

Chapter Nine

The more I stalled, the more awkward I felt and deciding to get it over with, I turned to face Roman and said, “William was smart and kind, sweet and handsome. He was my first boyfriend.”

My heart clenched at the memory of our first hug in the library nook. I’d been distraught over Mother and William had pulled me to his chest, and we’d wrapped our arms around each other.

For the first time in my life, I’d understood the healing potential of a simple embrace. I missed our hugs.

“What’re you smiling at?” Roman’s grin had grown spectacular.

I dropped my smile, watching the bubbles floating to the top of my glass, so free and frivolous. They were a complete contrast to the sorrow that gripped me every time I thought of William.

“You remembered something.” His long lashes fluttered. It was probably something he practiced regularly. “Tell me.”

With nerves zipping across my stomach, I swiveled on my stool to meet his gaze. Maybe it was Roman’s special ability to extract information. Maybe it was the stupid champagne, but before I could control myself, I blurted something I’d never said to a man before. “William saved me.”

“Saved you?” He cocked his head and the dangling pendant lights caught in his lovely eyes. “From what?”

I shrugged. There were so many things, it would take the entire tour to list them all. So, I chose just one. “My mother was planning to move again, and I didn’t want to go. William and his parents let me stay with them so I could finish my final year at one school.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Your parents left you with your boyfriend? How old were you?”

“Seventeen.”

“What?” His jaw dropped.

“Yeah, and it was just my mother. Dad had already left by then.”

“That’s even worse.” Something flashed across Roman’s eyes. Might’ve been disbelief. Might’ve been sorrow. “I can’t believe your mamma abandoned you.”

My resolve crumbled and I pulled my drink toward me and took a large sip. It had never occurred to me that Mother’s actions were wrong. In fact, it was the only thing she’d ever done right. “I wouldn’t have gone with her anyway. She had no choice.”

He swigged his beer and plonked the empty glass onto the bar top. “Okay, so you move in with William at seventeen. Then what?”

“Jeez. You don’t give in, do you?”

“You haven’t told me why you broke up.”

I finished my drink with one gulp and shoved the empty glass away. No more champagne.

Nibbling on the inside of my lip, I considered lying to him. But even as the idea formed, I knew it wouldn’t work. Roman seemed to be some kind of intuitive freak. Like Zali. It was like he could read my thoughts. Maybe having sisters had helped him develop that instinct. “I’ll need more champagne.”

Damn it.

I cringed. I rarely drank this much. Usually, it was just one glass of quality French champagne. But before I could rescind my request, Roman clicked his fingers and after a couple of hand gestures, the barman nodded.

Roman turned back to me. “Right, continue.”

I half huffed; half laughed. “You should’ve been a police interrogator.”

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