Page 27 of Destined for the Devil
I arrived in my apartment with a heavy heart and a lump in my throat. This was my new place, but it was actually ancient.
Dread overpowered all of me. Roman maybe would stay a friend, but that was it. Our circumstances, or rather,mycircumstances, brought us together, and there really was no other reason for us to see each other.
He was a big bad man, and I was a small, good girl. He lived like he had ten lives, and I tried to salvage whatever I had.
He was darkness. I was light.
Mechanically, I powered on through the motions of the day and cleaned while waiting for my bed and mattress to be delivered. I went grocery shopping, bought some curtains, and washed the bedsheets, and, overall, tried to get all the necessities together, doing my best not to think about him all day.
Finally, at quarter past five, the doorbell rang—my bed, finally. I swung the front door open, expecting to see movers, but instead, there was Roman! His perfect smile stunned all my senses, and the divine smell of him infiltrated my soul. Fuck, he was perfect.
"Pizza delivery!" he quipped and raised the pizza box in one hand, a champagne bottle in the other. I physically stopped myself from lunging in for a hug. All of me exploded in joy! This man! This man evoked inexplicable feelings inside me.
"What?! How did you—what are you doing here?! How did you know where I lived?!" I couldn't even formulate a sentence.
"Comeon,Isla. Give me some credit.” He leaned against the doorframe, all casual and relaxed, but then he threw me an expectant look and lowered his voice. “Are you going to invite me in or...?" Fuck, he spoke so playfully and without thinking, I stepped aside.
He strolled right in toward the kitchen island, placing the pizza and champagne on the counter. And then, I fucking did it—I leaned in for a hug, initiating it fully, probably catching him by surprise.
Slowly, his large arms wrapped around my body just like this morning, and I sighed into his chest. Being so close to him did something fuckingrottento me. I wanted to rip his clothes off and just stay with him forever.
"Wow, you missed me that much, huh?” His little remark made me giggle.
"It's been a long day." It really hadn't; I was just so relieved to see him again. Having him in my own apartment was the strangest feeling—like he was a boyfriend that came over. But at this thought I let go and stepped back.
"What's your plan here? You're going to sleep on the floor?" Roman looked around the empty space, his words echoing.
"The bed and mattress are supposed to be delivered any minute. I also have to put up some curtains."
"The light is so nice here; curtains would ruin it." He took a step toward the window and looked out, having no idea how much I enjoyed watching him in what was now my place.
"Just because you like to live like some kind of exhibitionist without any curtains or blinds doesn't mean all of us want our neighbors to see us naked," I replied, distracted with putting some cups into a cabinet.
At this though, he promptly turned around and sauntered over to me, his hands in his pockets, all of him smelling divine. And I could definitelysmell him because he stopped a little too close for comfort, watching what I was doing.
"You like to walk around naked?" he questioned with his deep, delicious, fucking sexy voice.
"Doesn't everyone?" I asked, not turning around, but his stare was burning a hole in my skin.
Wait a second.
Wait.
A.
Second.
I figured Roman wanted to fuck—of course—he fucks any girl that comes his way, but...suddenly, and so intensely, it dawned on me that maybe he just...liked me. I didn't know why that was the precise moment the thought hit me, but my mind plunged into all the events of the last month and everything that was said and done between us.
Understanding pierced through me like a bolt of lightning.
Did…did Romanlikeme? My tiny shorts and t-shirt that barely covered my midriff now felt scandalous. Especially because his eyes were glued to me, slowly taking in my little outfit.
Tell me what you like, baby. Tell me what you want me to do to you.
You like it, baby?
Yes, fuck, you’re taking me like such a good girl.
