Page 31 of The Love Simulation

“A garden,” he says, laughter in his eyes.

It takes me a few seconds, but I finally remember what a garden is. I also remember the cameras pointing at us, the people witnessing our every interaction.

He keeps a steady gaze as I pull my hand away from his grasp. “I used to have a nice garden, but it’s been hard keeping up with everything outside of work.” It dawns on me not only how busy and grinding it’s been at school but how little I’ve done at home to relax and refill my well. “Ithink the only thing I really do for pleasure these days is read.”

“Let me guess, you like romance?”

I shrug. “I dabble a bit.”

“Do you? I’ve thought about dabbling myself. What do you suggest? Maybe something with werewolves?”

I know he’s teasing, but I feel my eyes go wide and my cheeks heat up. Did I put the book up after Simone gave it back to me or leave it out on the table? I can’t remember.

Regardless, I’m not going to back down and keep letting him one-up me. “You know what? If you decide to dabble, I’m happy to lend you a book. Who knows, you might even learn more in one of mine than you would in these manuals you’re so fond of.”

He tilts his head to the side. “The way Angie talks about them, I have no doubt I should be studying as much as I can. Although, I am a mere man with no extra appendages. I’m not sure if I can measure up to those guys in the books.”

So apparently he heard our conversation about Felix and his tentacles. I shouldn’t be surprised, considering how small the habitat is as a whole and how loud Angie was.

“Come on, Roman. I’m sure you more than make up in other ways for what you lack in extra appendages.”

I can’t believe the words tumbling out of my mouth. Judging by the way Roman’s eyebrows jump to his hairline, he can’t either. My only saving grace is, like our facilitator told us, the microphones don’t pick up conversation in here, and the others can’t hear me with the door closed.

Before I can backtrack, Roman laughs. It’s unguarded, unfiltered, and rumbly and goes straight to my core. All year, I’ve never seen him laugh, and I immediately realizewhat a tragedy it is that no one gets to witness this on the regular. I’m so caught up, I can’t even feel embarrassed about what I said. In fact, it feels like I’ve already won the grand prize here.

But then he just keeps on. I wonder, when is he going to stop? Any reasonable person would have sobered up by now. It’s not like what I said wasthatfunny. Unless he’s laughing at me?

I sweep my braids into a bun while waiting for Roman to get ahold of himself. He finally does, and I crook an eyebrow at him. “I don’t think what I said was that hilarious.”

It looks like he might start again, so I narrow my eyes at him until his face sobers.

“I promise I’m not laughing at you,” he says, yet again on the verge of laughing. “I was just caught off guard to hear you say something like that so nonchalantly.”

“Why wouldn’t I say something like that? It’s not like I’m some naive virgin. I know what all sorts of appendages entail.” No, I haven’tseena lot of appendages, but I’m not a blushing violet. I hate when people assume that just because I’m short and young looking, it makes me inherently more innocent.

Roman sighs and shakes his head. “I never said you didn’t. I’m sorry if it feels like I was making fun of you. I promise I wasn’t, Bri.”

I snap my head back. Oh, so I’mBrinow. This coming from the man who refused to call me anything but Vice Principal Rogers two weeks ago. Now here he is, laughing way too hard at my jokes and shortening my name. I don’t know what to make of it all. And while the thought of him laughing at me is embarrassing, it’s clear he wasn’t. He was actually letting loose, and I really like this side of him.

But can I trust it? Is the real Roman finally making anappearance now that he’s outside school grounds? For what has to be the millionth time, I wonder if this is all a ruse.

Roman’s tongue flashes along his bottom lip as he looks me up and down. “And for the record, your boy absolutely knows how to use his appendage.”

Oh God.I stand corrected. Apparently, I am a blushing violet. Forget blushing. My whole body is a furnace. I’m ready to strip out of this jumpsuit and toss my panties at him.

“You shouldn’t say things like that,” I say.

“Why not?”

I blink. I actually don’t know. Something about boss-employee inappropriateness. Something else having to do with being monitored. I can’t form coherent thoughts while he looks at me like that.

He takes a step closer. “Well?”

“It’s not nice,” I finally get out, my words more breath than sound.

Roman smirks. “I’m not a nice man. My dad made sure of it. But you know what I am? A man who goes after what he wants.”

“What you want?” I echo. Before I can process that meaning, Roman takes another determined step forward, almost closing the distance between us. At the same time, my heart jumps into my throat. There’s no way he’s about to try to kiss me. Not here, out in the open.

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