Page 92 of DadBod

His lips drag down my neck to my shoulder. He’d better stop doing that if he hopes to have any kind of real conversation. My mind is getting all fuzzy, and my body is coming alive, especially now that his hands are wrapped tightly around me, pulling me closer. “The second you walked into the restaurant.”

“Over two years?” Almost three, actually.

“Yes.” Rome’s hand has moved beneath my tee. His hand is sliding up my side.

“Rome?”

“Huh?”

I can definitely feel him now.

“Um….” I really hate to break this up, but I must. “You wanted to talk, right?”

Sighing, I feel his hot breath on my neck as he rests his forehead against the side of mine. “Yeah. I came up here to talk.”

Then talk.

“You’re too hard to resist.”

Well, that’s a first. No one has ever said that to me.

“What did you mean when you said you ‘want to take it easy’?”

“I meant, we need to take this slow and to keep it under wraps.”

Under wraps? I know what that means. “You want me to be your dirty little secret?” Part of me likes this notion because I’ve never been anyone’s dirty anything, but it also hurts, probably more than it should.

“No.” I feel his body shift away from me. “Yes.”

“Oh.” I guess I didn’t expect him to admit to that. “I see.” What do I do with that information? Sure, I’d love nothing more than to be Rome’s lover––did I expect more out of the man? Honestly, no. There was never any hope of becoming Elizabeth James; although, that name has a very nice ring to it. A girl can dream, right? On one hand, though, would I want to be married to Rome James, workaholic and moody jerk?

No matter how sexy the man is, I’d probably get tired of that moody stuff. Probably. Even though he’s sexy when he’s cranky. It’s like I’ve got the need to turn his frown upside down, or something stupid like that. Over time, that could get tedious. Right?

Who am I trying to fool? Just like he said to me a second ago, I’ve got a thing for Rome, and it started the day I walked into When in Rome. The second he strode over to me, snapping, “What do you want?” in his growliest voice, my heart flipped in my chest and that was it.

Ugh. It still gives me chills––in a good way.

“Elizabeth?”

Oh, right. We’re talking.

How the heck did my hand get there? Like it’s got a mind of its own, it’s found its way beneath his soft white shirt. It’s the first time I’ve gotten a feel of the skin on his chest. It’s soft and firm. There’s hair in the middle of his chest, but it’s not too much. A sprinkling is the way I’d describe it. Coarse, but not in a bad way.

And God, he smells good. I know because I’ve leaned in close enough to his neck to get a whiff. I wonder what his neck tastes like…

“Elizabeth?”

Screw it.

“I’m in.” I do what I wanted to do and lick his neck, right below his ear. Not a big lick. Nothing too creepy. Just a tiny swipe to see.

And let me tell you. It’s good.

I guess that was the right thing to say, because a second ago, I was on Rome’s lap enjoying his soft touches. Now? Now I’m on my back, Rome James nestled between my legs, his mouth kissing my neck, cheek, and my mouth.

“You taste good,” he says, right before his mouth touches mine. I open for him immediately. Why wouldn’t I? Opening my legs wider, I wrap my legs around his hips so Rome can press closer.

Best idea ever.

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