Page 83 of Catch Me
I wanted to push for more information, but that didn’t feel right. Roman had been unexpectedly vulnerable, and I kind of wanted it to happen again, so I didn’t want to make him regret it this time.
He looked down at his hand, which was still holding mine, and he quickly pulled back. Getting to his feet, he cleared his throat. “Are you going to bed? I’m beat.”
“Yeah, I’m getting too old for late nights.”
When I stood, Tessa did the same. She followed us into the tent and curled up on a blanket in the corner. I pulled a pair of sleep pants from my bag, then clicked my tongue.
“I’m gonna go out there and—”
“It’s fine,” he interrupted. “You’re not gonna make me uncomfortable by putting on some pants.”
Something really had changed with him. There were a few guys I’d been playing with for the past two years who wouldn’t change in the locker room if I was there, as if I ogled every man who existed.
I switched my jeans out for the pajama pants and immediately felt better. Everything should be as comfortable as these. Whoever decided jeans were the move should’ve been put in jail.
After I’d stripped out of my shirt, I adjusted my blankets and sat down. Roman grabbed the bottom of his Henley and lifted it over his head. The movement drew attention to his hips, just above the waistline of his basketball shorts. His abs were defined and his chest was broad, accentuated further by his tattoos. Every part of him was toned, and I knew how much work that took to attain.
No, I didn’t ogle every man, but I was pretty sure I just checked Roman out. And he saw it.
I felt like a dick, but drawing more attention to what happened wouldn’t help, so I just laid back and stared at the ceiling. A shirtless man wasn’t anything special, and I’d seen him like this a few times already without being affected by it.
Looking at him in any way other than as a friend couldn’t happen. He was either straight or repressed. I wasn’t the right person to handle that sort of thing. I was too prone to attachment, and that could push me into becoming emotional, maybe even impatient, which would be harmful to the whole situation. Besides, he was leaving a week from today. I’d checked him out, but that’s all it was.
He’d been super quiet, so I glanced over at him. He was lying on his stomach with his tablet on the floor. It reminded me of a kid with a coloring sheet, and for a second, I imagined little Roman watching TV and putting the characters on paper.
“Do you bring that thing everywhere?” I asked.
He smiled without looking up. “I’m not exaggerating when I say yes, I do take it everywhere.”
“What are you working on now?”
“I was gonna start something new, but I don’t have any ideas.”
“Tell me where your favorite place is.”
“Rialto Beach.”
“Draw that. I don’t know what it is, so you’ll have to show me when you’re done.”
“Want to watch?”
“Would you mind?”
He shook his head, so I moved closer and laid on my stomach beside him. As soon as he opened a new page, I felt excited. Witnessing art being made in the moment, especially by someone as incredible as Roman, felt special.
“When you get famous, I can say that I watched you create art in a tent.”
“After you drooled over my hard-earned pecs.”
My cheeks heated and I was grateful that he kept his eyes on the tablet. That was exactly what I planned to do until the end of time.
Chapter 27
Roman
“Don’t be a pussy,” I said as I pulled my shirt over my head.
“You’re gonna get us killed,” Travis called after me.
