Page 57 of The Love Simulation

It’s no masterpiece, but I was able to vaguely land hisskin tone by mixing red, yellow, and blue. The waves of his hair came out great.

“I’m a little rusty,” I say, “but I used to paint all the time when I was younger. I almost went to school for art but changed my major at the last minute. I always told myself I’d get back into it. I just need to find the time. And I guess motivation. Let me see what you did.”

Roman looks almost pained as he holds his picture up.

“Who is that?” I ask. His picture is, for lack of a better word, bad. It’s a person. A girl, certainly, but that’s about as much as I can make out. “Who is that?” I ask again.

“I didn’t know I was going up against Picasso,” he grumbles. He shakes his head, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

“You know what, I was going to help you clean up, but now I feel like I need to look in a mirror. There might be something I’m not seeing.”

I rise from the table, but I do take a few of the cups of paint with me, one in particular.

I walk back to the table and stop in front of Roman. “I’m going to call it an early night.” I wipe some of the mustard on his cheek. I had to get back at him for the awful painting somehow, and I hope he takes the bait.

He takes the bait.

Half an hour after I get to the room, Roman follows. I look up from the book I was reading and watch him close the door behind himself and stalk toward me.

He stops by the bed and looks at me a second before barking, “Book down.”

My back goes straight, but the desire to see where this is headed is stronger than my natural urge to ignore any commands. I bite my lip and set the book down.

“Stand up,” he orders next.

I stand up and tilt my head back to look at him. I want to reach out and latch on to him, but I know I need to practice patience in at least some areas of my life.

Roman steps forward, bringing us impossibly close. “I’ve been waiting to do this all day,” he says before capturing my mouth with his.

The waiting definitely paid off. I kiss him back, trying not to be so awestruck that this is happening—again. Not only is it happening again, but it’s so good. I work on committing to memory the taste of him, sweet and addictive, as I suck on his bottom lip then open my mouth as his tongue sweeps in.

If this is going to end at some point, I need to have one hell of a memory to recall. My hands are interlaced behind his neck. I slide one down to his zipper. He’s got a black shirt under his jumpsuit, so I reach for the hem of his shirt and tug it up. Roman does the same for me, pulling my shirt over my head and off as we momentarily break apart.

His eyebrows lift in clear appreciation as his eyes trace my chest, making me feel powerful and desired.

He meets my eyes again, smiling slightly before tugging me back to him. This time, it’s nearly skin on skin, save for my bra, as we go back to devouring each other’s lips. I trail my hands over Roman’s biceps to his chest and down his stomach. Not allowing my mind to second-guess, I let my fingers go exactly where they desire. Roman is rock-hard in my hand as it closes over him through his boxer briefs. It’s still not enough. I manage to get one hand in his boxers and stroke up and down. Roman rocks his hips in time with my strokes.

“I want you,” I say against his lips, knowing closedmouths don’t get fed. I didn’t intend for this to go any further than a kiss, but I also never intended to come to depend on Roman as a partner when I arrived in this simulation, let alone kiss him. It’s way past time to readjust my expectations.

“You got me,” Roman responds, voice only halfway audible and fully carried by lust.

I shake my head. “More.”

We fall onto the bed, and he slides my pants and underwear down in one tug. His hand goes to my core, rubbing me in a way that makes my back arch. Then he slides one finger inside. I gasp at the sensation, but still say, “More,” and he works another finger in.

It feels good, but I’m not able to concentrate on so many things at once. I tear my lips away from Roman while riding his hand and continuing to stroke him. With his lips no longer occupied, Roman is free to trail kisses along my neck. His fingers are magic. My body tightens, but he keeps his finger thrusts steady until I finally let go and I’m falling over the edge. At the same time, he gives a deep groan before he too comes undone, all over my stomach.

Once we both catch our breath, I look up to find Roman looking at me. “You good?” he asks.

I bite down on my lower lip, swollen from Roman’s kisses, and smile. “I’m good. I’m…great.”

Roman closes the bathroom doorbehind him. As he takes me in with lazy eyes, I can’t help but notice how relaxed he looks. Mere weeks ago, I thought I’d have given anything to see him look at me the way he looked at his friend Raven, but now I see how wrong I was. His eyes now feel like a caressto my soul as his gaze sweeps me from topknot bun to black socks. Those beautiful brown eyes, soft and open. This is a kind of gaze I never even imagined.

“Ready to hit the hay?” Roman asks, gesturing to the bed.

What was mine is now ours. In this tiny habitat that has been our home for the past three weeks, we are the last two standing, but I feel like this isn’t it. For the first time, I’m not only letting myself imagine what it would be like to take our relationship out of this simulation, but I’m hoping for it. The seed has been planted in my mind and in my heart, and I’m going to see it through. Roman may shoot me down, but I’ve at least got to take a shot.

I move to the bed first, climbing in and moving to the far left side so Roman can get in. He lies down and faces me, and we both stare at each other until we start laughing.

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