Page 18 of Roman & Olivia
“But you have to admit that you can’t lean on a crutch like that the rest of your life. Sometimes you have to accept that growth only comes when you start spreading your wings.” He placed a palm on Olivia’s knee, and her focus locked on him. Her lips parted as Mason spewed some more nonsense about growing up and adapting to different stages of life. “One day you’ll find the person you were meant to be with all along, and the two of you will start a new adventure.”
Olivia exhaled softly, her eyes still connected with Mason.
Roman glared at the way he was touching her. Yes, this was all part of the plan. They were trying to manipulate the guy into realizing what he could have.
And yet Roman felt sick inside.
Without warning, he slipped his arm around Olivia’s waist and tugged her to his side. Mason released her, and the tension between the four of them shattered. Cammi made some joking comment, and Olivia laughed as she leaned into him.
Only this time, she was stiff. No longer did she melt into his side like she usually did.
She was angry.
Well, that made two of them.
Olivia gavehim a shove the second Mason’s car pulled away from the house. “What was that all about?”
“What was what all about?” Roman smirked at her irritated voice.
“Back at the picnic. You practically bashed me over the head and claimed me as your own when you yanked me away from Mason. We were having a moment.”
He frowned, his anger over that specificmomentreturning. “Yeah, you were having amoment in front of your boyfriend.”
“You’re not my boyfriend.”
“He doesn’t know that,” Roman growled.
Her eyes widened. “This is what you said we needed to do. You’re the one who said?—”
“I know what I said,” he snapped, dragging a hand down his face. “I know the plan, Liv.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Roman scowled, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “Theproblem? Theproblemis that Mason is fully aware that you’re taken, Liv. He knows this, and yet he’s making a pass at you—in front of his date, no less.”
“What? No, he wasn’t.”
“Really? The way he leaned in close and lowered his voice?” Roman did the same, telling himself that he was trying to prove a point. “The way he stared at you and all but told you that you need to drop me like a sack of potatoes?”
Her chin quivered as she stared up at him, unblinking. Then she found herself and gave him another half-hearted shove.
He stumbled back a step. “I don’t like it, Liv. I don’t like that he’d willingly try to come between you and someone you’re happy with. It would be one thing if we weren’t serious?—”
She groaned in exasperation. “We’renotserious.”
“But. He. Doesn’t. Know. That.” Roman said, raking his hands through his hair and tugging at it. “What if this is a character trait of his? What if he doesn’t mind coming between happy couples?”
“You’re being ridiculous. He wasn’t hitting on me. He was being friendly.”
Roman arched a brow. “Friendly? That’s what you want to call it?”
Her hands were pinned to her hips. “Yeah. Friendly. The plan is working. We just need to go on a couple more double dates and then we can stage our breakup. After that, you don’t have to help me anymore.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, whatever you say. You’re the boss.”
“Thanks,” she bit out. “I’m going home.”
His head snapped up. But of course she was going home. She didn’t need to stick around. They weren’t really a couple.
