Page 60 of Roman & Olivia
“So you know he’s been going out with other women? Kissing them?”
She shut her eyes and a tear escaped. “He didn’t owe me anything. We’ve been taking things slow. I hadn’t agreed to anything, so it doesn’t matter.”
“That sounds like you’re making excuses for him,” Roman snapped, stalking toward her. “Let me guess, while he’s out doing that with other women, you haven’t been.”
“No, but I’ve been spending time with you.”
His lips curled into a snarl. “And he doesn’t like it.”
“Of course he doesn’t.” She threw her hands into the air and the first tears fell. “Who would want the girl they were interested in spending any time in the company of their ex? It doesn’t matter that you don’t like me like that. You put on a good enough show that he couldn’t tell the difference.”
“And he made you feel bad about it. He made you want to hide our friendship?” He said it quietly, but there was no lessanger in his tone. “I’ve never seen you become such a doormat, Liv.”
She gasped, and her eyes cut to his. “What?”
He winced. Roman hadn’t intended on saying something like that, but it didn’t make it any less true. She was conforming to an idea that Mason had of her. “The fact is, he doesn’t hold himself to the same standards. He tells you that you can’t spend time with me, and yet he’s out there with other women.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she seethed. “Maybe she was his sister.”
Roman scoffed. “Yeah, I don’t think I’d ever kiss my sister the way he kissed her.” Inwardly, he flinched again. This wasn’t going at all the way he’d wanted it to. “You can’t let him push you around. The guy who cares for you isn’t going to let his jealousy get in the way of developing a healthy relationship with you. If Mason was good for you, he wouldn’t be making you feel this way.”
“And maybe it’s not Mason.” Her words were whispered so quietly that he wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. But before he could ask her to explain what she’d said, she lifted her eyes and scowled at him. “What’s it to you, anyway? Why are you so worried? It’s not like I haven’t dated anyone before. I’ve had loads of boyfriends over the years.”
Because I wasn’t in love with you when you were with them!
The explanation was on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to tell her exactly how he felt. He wanted to lay all his cards on the table right then and there. But he couldn’t. Something held him back. Maybe it was the fact that she had agreed to be exclusive to the jerk he’d helped her win over. Or maybe it was because he felt it would sound like he was trying to put a wedge between them, and she wouldn’t believe him.
Either way, he knew in his soul it wasn’t the right time. He’d lost his chance to tell her. Roman wasn’t going to upend her life right now.
His throat closed up and he all but wheezed out the words, “You’re my best friend, Liv.”
More tears spilled down her cheeks. Had she been expecting him to say something else? He took a step toward her, and she held up a hand as she retreated. “I’m dating Mason now, Roman. I want to make this work.”
As much as he hated the idea, maybe Olivia had a point. She’d made several points he had to force himself to consider.
“Okay,” he murmured, resigning himself to letting her move forward. It wouldn’t stop him from worrying, and he’d be keeping an eye on Mason to see if Olivia was right.
“And that means…” Her voice broke, drawing him up short. He hated the way it sounded—like she was going to do something painful. On instinct, he inched closer to her as if he’d be able to shield her from her next words.
But there was no shielding her.
“We probably shouldn’t hang out anymore.”
“What?’ he hissed.
She flinched, then straightened her shoulders as she kept her eyes firmly connected with him. “Mason needs to take priority, and you being jealous of our time together?—”
“I amnotjealous,” he insisted with a sharp tone. Okay, that was a lie, but not for the reasons she thought it was. “I don’t like you going out with someone who doesn’t love you the way you deserve.”
Olivia’s snort said it all. “This relationship is still new. I know he doesn’t love me. I know that’s going to come in time—for both of us. That’snormal, Roman.”
But I already love you.
He gritted his jaw so tight he could feel the sparks aching in his teeth. “He’ll never love you the way you deserve. You’re a prize to him. Something he won. He doesn’t want you like—” Roman cut himself off and raked a hand through his hair. “He doesn’t want you like he should.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Break up with him.” The words spilled from his lips before he had a chance to rein them in. “Break up with him. Do it for me.”
