Page 67 of More Than Nothing
He made it there in twenty-five minutes, his battered F-150 handling the terrain far better than the patrol car would have. Roman parked halfway up the narrowing track and walked the last part, food tucked under one arm.
Elenie was already waiting, and a small smile lifted her lips as he turned the corner. Her jeans and t-shirt combo bore no resemblance to the glitz of the red dress, but his chest hitched regardless. Damn, she was potent.
An unexpected rightness spread through him. Attraction layered over respect layered over destiny, as if he was walking toward everything that mattered. Elenie, the transmitter, sending an energy pulse that resonated through his every cell, calling him onward.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“No problem getting away?” He raised an eyebrow.
Elenie shook her head. “No sign of the boys. And Frank and my mom were getting ready to go out. They’re seeing a movie later. I cut through the woods without touching the road.”
Roman nodded. He searched for a response, digging for smooth, reaching for charming, chatty—anything—and came up empty. A thousand unspoken words whirled in the air between them, like a flock of birds, twisting and diving in soundless motion. The gala dinner, their kiss, the touchpaper that smoldered between them, impossible to extinguish, threatening to blaze. He wanted to reach for her but stopped himself. Wanted to tell her how much she’d been on his mind but didn’t know how to begin.
Instead, he smiled again. She smiled again. And it was enough.
The food smelled good when Roman unwrapped it. He was starving. They tucked into the tacos with greedy delight. The pork belly was juicy; the salsa and slaw made for messy eating but it was delicious. Any awkwardness disappeared. Elenie shot Roman a sideways glance and grinned.
He made sure he didn’t have sauce on his chin. “I don’t know what you’re laughing at. Most of your filling is in the bottom of the carton. At least I’m getting mine in my mouth.”
Her eyes flicked to his lips and the tiny movement was incendiary. Roman’s dick twitched in his pants. He shifted slightly, smothering a curse under his breath. She was pure temptation. And the pull between them seemed to grow stronger every time he saw her.
It was impossible to chat while they ate but Roman asked about Elenie’s meeting with the DEA once they’d finished up.
“Don’t give me any details, but did you feel comfortable? Did they explain everything you needed to know?” He’d had his own dealings with CIs before now and knew the fine balance of the relationship well.
Elenie shuffled her feet. “The DEA agent was fine.”
Roman frowned as he wiped his hands. “Who else was there?”
“Chief Deputy Shawn Booth. From the Sheriff’s Office.”
“Damn. Yeah, he seems a bit of a hardass. Did he give you a tough time?”
“No, he just made it clear he wasn’t one hundred percent on board with the whole thing.” Elenie picked at the grass. “It’ll be fine. Special Agent Dorsey was nice.”
It was so damn frustrating being outside of the loop. He wanted to quiz her further, make her tell him everything from start to finish—especially whatever it was that weighted her words with reserve—and yet he knew he couldn’t. “If you’re having second thoughts—”
“I’m not. It was just a lot to take in. And it feels kind of unreal now I need to actually get started. But I’m committed. I’m ready. I just need to work on the way Frank views me and I’ll have more chance to wiggle back into the trusted circle.”
“I’ve got a plan to help you there.”
He talked her through it. She was nodding before he finished.
“Yes. That’s just what I need. I can carry that off.” There was wicked determination in the smile that inched across her lips.
Pride bloomed beneath his skin. She was so fucking impressive. Roman had to look away before she saw something on his face neither of them was ready for. His hand had a mind of its own, though. It covered Elenie’s, long fingers closing around hers. Her skin, so much paler than his own, was soft and warm. A breeze sent the leaves above them rustling. He felt her eyes on his face even without turning.
“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Have you been sleeping any better?”
“I have.” He squinted sideways at her. “Getting it off my chest helped a lot. And I’ve had other things to think about when I go to bed.”
Elenie colored, studying her Converse with concentration. “I’m glad.” Her voice was husky. “About the sleeping.”
“Not the thinking?”
“That too.” Her flush deepened, but she was smiling. “Dean told me you stopped Frank this morning.”
