Page 40 of Roman & Olivia
She squealed, turning on her heel and darting away. Several dogs barked. Other animals shifted nervously. She tripped out of her flip-flops as she ran from him, but she wasn’t fast enough. His legs were longer, he was stronger, and thus he was faster.
It took no time at all for him to catch up and wrap his arms around her waist, dragging her against him. Her back was pressed to his chest, and she squirmed and squealed with laughter, kicking her feet out and begging for him to release her.
“Roman!” she gasped. “Please?—”
He put her down just long enough to spin her around and throw her over his shoulder.
More screams escaped her throat, and his laughter joined the sounds. She kicked her legs and pounded on his back.
“You brought this on yourself,” he hollered. “Don’t start a fight you know you can’t finish.”
She gasped and laughed during the whole walk back to the basin. Her fighting waned, but only until she realized what he was about to do. Then she went stiff. “Roman,” she warned. “Don’t you dare!”
He snickered. Then, without preamble, he deposited her in the full water trough. She gasped and sputtered from the cold and her bright eyes turned up to meet his, full of fury.
Roman threw his head back as a laugh he hadn’t experienced in a long time burst from his chest. It was short-lived.
Olivia caught him off-guard when she burst up from the trough and threw her arms around his neck. That wouldn’t have been enough to throw him off balance. It was the way she pressed her lips to his in such a crushing kiss that he lost all train of thought.
The little gremlin knew exactly what she was doing. In that one disconcerting moment, she yanked him down into the water. He lost his balance, and the two of them sloshed into the large water basin together.
Roman had to twist around to get his head above water. He spit water from his mouth and wiped at his face with both hands, gawking at Olivia the second his vision cleared.
She looked nearly as surprised as him. Then she was laughing, and that sound—man, that sound was like music to his ears.
He laughed right along with her.This. This was worth saving, even if it meant he couldn’t have her love. If she never fell in love with him, at least he would have these moments that they could share.
“Roman?”
They both fell quiet at the sharp tone of a low voice. His head whipped around at the same time that Olivia searched for the source. Mateo looked about ready to drag them both from the basin by the scruff of their necks. He glared at them with arms folded and eyes flashing with fury. The hose had long since filled the second trough and was overflowing. The one they were all but swimming in had lost so much that he’d have to fill it again.
“Get out,” Mateo snapped. He shook his head and threw his hands in the air as he muttered something about brothers and idiot decisions.
Olivia ducked her head and covered her face with her hand, stifling another laugh. “Sorry,” she mumbled, but she didn’t sound like she meant it whatsoever.
Roman cupped his hands together and splashed her for good measure. “Yeah, right. I don’t believe you for a second.”
This time she shrugged. “Yeah. I’m not reallythatsorry.”
They laughed again and he got to his feet before holding out a hand to her to pull her out of the water.
The tension from their last date had broken, and they were back to being Liv and Roman.
“You want to stay for dinner?” he asked. “Sophia said she’s making tacos.”
She looked down at her clothes and grimaced. But before she could make an excuse, he stopped her.
“You know you can borrow anything my sisters have. Or we can eat outside. It’s hot enough.”
Olivia grinned at him. “Yeah, okay. Tacos sound good.”
It didn’t matter if he wasn’t pretending anymore. She could go on believing he was, and he wouldn’t take the time they had together for granted. As long as she thought they were still playing their game, she wouldn’t get scared away.
16
Olivia
Olivia chewed on her thumbnail as she paced her apartment after work. Mason had flirted mercilessly with her today, and it had felt like a win.
