Page 76 of Roman & Olivia
Roman waved his phone at her. “You’re forgetting I have the evidence. He’s trapped. Whatever he tells her, I can disprove it.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure someone in Mason’s position can find a guy to vouch for him and tell Olivia that the photos are doctored. You can’t count on the villain to do the right thing.”
For the first time since Roman had cornered Mason, he was scared. Shoot! He hadn’t thought about that possibility. Mason could definitely do something sinister like that.
He got to his feet and dug his hands into his hair. “What do I do?”
“You talk to her,” she said flatly.
“And if he’s already told her that I’m lying?”
Camilla sighed. “You can’t change the past. Just go over there, Roman. You can’t let Mason weasel himself out of this one. And if he’s actually doing the right thing and telling her the truth, then she shouldn’t have to hear that sort of thing alone. She needs you whether you want to admit it or not.”
He wouldn’t argue with her about that. Roman didn’t want Olivia to be alone when she found out the guy she cared for didn’t feel the same way. Blowing out a nervous breath, he gave his sister a sharp nod. “You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” Camilla grinned.
Roman made it one step outside when a familiar car pulled up to the house, and that was all it took for him to stop breathing. His muscles seized up and his brain stopped sending electrical currents to the rest of his body.
Olivia was here.
In the flesh.
His eyes remained glued to the car as it came to a stop. Then the door opened, and she climbed out.
Their gazes locked, and if he could compare this moment with anything, it would be what soulmates might experience after seeing each other for the first time. His heart beat only for her.
His Olivia.
She gave him a small smile, but she didn’t approach. They continued to stare at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither one of them having the strength or courage to speak to the other.
Then Marcus’s obnoxious holler shattered the spell. “Will you two kiss and make up already? We know it’s inevitable.”
Olivia’s head whipped around as she sought the source of the catcall. Then she brought her attention back to Roman, and he could see her shoulders shake with quiet laughter.
Roman ran down the stairs toward her and crossed the distance between them in long strides. Seeing her was like…
He hadn’t known he’d been drowning.
She was pure oxygen, pure light.
The feeling had come back into his bones, breathing new life into his soul.
If there was any doubt in his mind that he was one hundred percent, wholly, truly, and maddeningly in love, that doubt had faded.
“Roman, I?—”
Scooping her into his arms, he pulled her against his body in a crushing hug that probably prevented her from breathing as much as it had stopped her from speaking. At first, Olivia’s arms came out at her sides. Her body had gone stiff from surprise.
But then like chocolate on a warm summer afternoon, she melted into him. But her relaxed state only lasted so long because her languid muscles tightened as she clung to him. Her body shuddered and a sob escaped her lips.
His hand clutched the back of her head.
She was here.
Olivia was here. And she was in his arms.
But then reality hit him in the chest, knocking the wind from his lungs.
