Eternal Flame (Eternal Flame #1) (17 page)

Kristen sat inside the Hummer for minutes after Roman’s sudden, weird departure. She didn’t know what to do. After he’d run off she just climbed up inside the Hummer and shut the door, thankful it was open so she had somewhere to hide. The irony was once she was tucked inside the jeep, cars seemed to come out of nowhere, exiting and entering the garage every few minutes. She was relieved no one was around while she was practically fucking Roman out in the open but she’d been so wrapped up into him and the addictive things he was doing to her body, she was sure neither of them would’ve noticed if someone had gone by. For a split second she thought about finding the security booth and asking them if they’d seen anything but she talked herself out of it. That would’ve been too embarrassing and she didn’t want to put Roman in a compromising position. As if they hadn’t been in one already. Besides, she was almost certain Roman would hear about it later, either in a disciplinary way or with an enviable congratulations and a good-ol-boy wink.

Kristen struggled. She was too embarrassed to call Joy and calling Ms. Austin was definitely out of the question so she called the only person she could think of: Diego. She knew it was a bad choice but she didn’t know what else to do or how she was going to get back to her hotel. She didn’t want to be alone and she didn’t want to be there if and when Roman came back.

Diego answered her call on the first ring and after hearing what she had to say, he said he’d be right over. He got there in there in less than fifteen minutes. She didn’t know how far away from Roman he stayed but she was thankful he got her out of there before the Incredible Hulk came back. The drama that might’ve erupted had Roman seen her riding off with Diego was so not worth the trouble.

At the hotel she walked back and forth in the living-area of her and Joy’s suite, spilling her guts to Diego, feeling like a fool with each word that fell from her lips. It had been almost two hours since he’d picked her up and she still couldn’t stop talking. She refrained from giving him too much detail. She didn’t tell him that she’d kissed Roman or that he’d practically fucked her in the basement garage of his apartment complex; just that she was confused about how hot and cold he was. Considering she had broken his heart earlier, she knew calling him had been selfish and confiding in him about his romantic rival was even worse but he was so engaging and patient and he listened to her without judgment. She needed that. She needed him.

“I’m sorry about this Diego,” she repeated for the tenth time since he’d picked her up. “Six hours ago I tell you I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see one another anymore; now here I am whining to you over some drama between me and him. I’m sorry. I realize how this looks but I just needed to talk to someone.”

Diego dismissively waved his hand at her from the couch. “It’s okay.”

Kristen stopped pacing and seriously looked him. “For what it’s worth, thank you.”

He simply nodded. “You think you should call him?”

Kristen tightly crossed her arms and stubbornly shook her head. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

“Well, maybe he’ll call you.”

Her face fell. “It’s been two hours. He won’t.”

“I know you don’t want to give me too much information and I respect that, but was it so bad that you don’t want to talk to him again?”

Kristen knowingly smirked at him. “Is that hope I hear in your voice?”

“You can always change your mind.” Diego plaintively watched her for a moment; then slowly lowered his eyes to the floor. “But you and I both know you won’t.”

Kristen’s heart went out to him.  “I wouldn’t know what to say to him if I did. I mean, it wasn’t horrible it’s just… I don’t know what the fuck is going on with him; I really don’t. He keeps pulling me close to him just to push me away again. And I don’t get it.”

“You said you guys had a good time tonight, right?”

“It was wonderful,” she said, emphatically nodding. “We laughed; got to know one another a little better. Then, when it seemed like we were turning a corner, he just went dark on me, talking about how young and inexperienced and naïve I am and how he didn’t know why I was with him and why he was with me...” She stopped and woefully sighed, remembering their awful fight.

She closed her eyes and pitifully groaned. “We’ve been doing this crazy back and forth dance since yesterday and I can’t stand it,” she wearily continued.  “I just wish he’d make up his mind about what he wants. I’m only here two more days. I don’t want them to be like this.”

“I told you I didn’t think it was a good idea Kristen. Roman didn’t just get his heart broken; that bitch destroyed him. You’re a beautiful girl and you’re very special but a man is not just going to come back from a tragedy like that overnight. I don’t care how great a girl he meets is. He’s spent the past year angry, withdrawn, and full of rage. He hasn’t talked to any of us about it and he refuses to talk to a professional. I know he’s a spiritual man but he was pissed off at God for a long time so I’m almost certain he’s not talking to Him. There’s nothing you can do or not do that’s going to make him forget everything that happened to him. It’s just not going to happen.”

Kristen sat down on the chair opposite Diego and hopelessly sighed, putting her head in her hands. She was on the brink of tears as she spoke. “I just feel so stupid Diego. So dumb. I thought things were moving in the right direction with us, but…”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. This isn’t your fault. And there’s nothing you can do to speed the process along. It’s going to take some time. A lot of time. If you want to continue seeing Roman, you have to know that and prepare yourself for that. Like I told you, don’t let your heart reign over your common sense. Like him and spend time with you if you want, just take it for what it is. Don’t try to make into something it’s not.”

Anxiety squeezed Kristen’s chest as she stared up at the ceiling. “I’m not trying to make it into anything Diego. I just want things to be okay with us. I want whatever this is between us to keep growing in a positive direction. But maybe you’re right. Maybe this isn’t what he wants.”

“I didn’t say that,” Diego firmly said. “Maybe it
is
what he wants. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right time to pursue it. Roman is a great guy; he’s genuinely one of the nicest people you’re ever gonna meet in life. But he’s been through a lot and he holds all of it in. That kind of suppressed rage is dangerous. Whoever is around him is automatically the enemy, no matter how well-meaning their intentions are or how much he loves them or they love him. You saw that yesterday with us and his family. That should’ve told you something.

“I’m sure he doesn’t mean to take things out on you, and he probably feels just as terrible as you do about whatever went down but it’s just going to keep happening until he decides to face what happened head on and deal with it in a healthy, productive way.”

His walnut brown eyes were deep with concern as he eyed her. “I don’t want him to hurt you. I’m sure he doesn’t
want
to hurt you. But I’m afraid that’s what’s going to happen. I don’t want him to break your heart.”

Kristen registered the genuine concern in Diego’s eyes and ruefully smiled at him. “I’m afraid it might already be too late for that Diego,” she sadly replied. 

Both of them were startled by heavy pounding on the door. Diego looked at her in question and she shrugged. He got up and walked to the door and cautiously opened it. Standing on the other side of it was Roman. His hands were resting on either side of the door frame and he was dripping wet from the relentless rain that was still falling outside. His eyes angrily zeroed in on Kristen sitting on the couch before they focused on Diego. His eyes were filled to the brim with jealousy and contempt as he leered at his best friend.

“Oh, excuse me,” he facetiously said, placing his hands to his chest in mock surrender. “Am I interrupting something here?”

Diego dryly chuckled and shook his head at Roman. He frowned at the bitter look in Roman’s eyes and looked over his shoulder at a wide-eyed Kristen. “No man,” he calmly said.

Roman’s tone was confrontational as he continued speaking. “No, it looks like I am. Am I interrupting something’s that’s just getting started or something you’re just finishing up?”

Kristen was aghast as she stared at Roman.  Irritation flinted in Diego’s eyes as he looked back at his friend. He put both hands of top of his baseball-cap covered head and held his wrists. He pulled his bottom lip in and clicked it before blowing through his lips. He and Roman held unnerving, unflinching eye contact, staring one another down. Kristen could tell Diego was fighting for control. She appreciated his maturity in handling the situation. Roman could learn a thing or two from him.

The room was deathly quiet for several uncomfortable minutes. The look Roman had in his eyes as he eyed Diego sent chills up Kristen’s spine. She was almost certain he wanted to hurt Diego. So much for a woman never threatening their friendship. She prayed to God the two of them wouldn’t go to blows.

“We were just talking,” Diego finally told Roman in a no-nonsense tone.  “And I was just leaving.”

Roman didn’t address him; just looked over at Kristen.

Diego turned and looked at her as well. “You good?” he asked her. She nodded in the affirmative and he turned back to Roman. “You and me? We’ll talk later.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Roman sullenly said, his eyes still fixed on Kristen.

Diego agitatedly shook his head at Roman, walked around him and walked down the hall to the elevator. Roman scornfully looked after him; then looked over at Kristen. He stepped inside the suite and closed the door.

Kristen stood on shaky legs and regarded him. Her eyes were cold as she looked at him but her body was feeling something else. Every muscle was taut with emotion and a shiver of desire ran through her as she gazed into his demanding eyes.

She flinched and stepped back as he reached his hand out to her. His tone was disarmingly calm when he spoke. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.”

A lump formed in Kristen’s throat. She swallowed hard and huffed at him in annoyance. She crossed her arms. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she haughtily said, rolling her eyes at him.

Roman took another step towards her. “We’ll just see about that.”

“Does your doctor know you went off your medication?” she dryly dead-panned, sucking her teeth at him.

Roman stopped and blankly looked at her. His mouth quirked up at the corners and his eyes twitched. He looked like he was going to laugh but he didn’t. That scowl she hated immediately took up residence on his beautiful face again. This time Kristen wasn’t intimidated by it. She was annoyed. She was more annoyed by her body’s reaction to him than by his dropping by her hotel like nothing had happened and ordering her around. She was angry as hell at him for running off but her heart was in her throat and her body was violently reacting to him. They had been intimate; her body recognized his smell, his face, his heat, his presence. And it wanted more.

Roman looked her up and down, flabbergasted. “You changed your dress.”

Kristen glanced down at the strapless tube midi-dress she was wearing. Like her dress earlier, it left little to the imagination and hugged her curves in ways that would be illegal in most foreign countries. With the assistance of the hydro-lift strapless bra she was wearing, her breasts were about to fall out of the top.

She looked over at Roman and almost cheered out loud at the uncomfortable look on his face. “I did,” she blandly said.

“Was Diego in the room when you changed your clothes?”

Kristen tilted her head and mischievously narrowed her eyes at him. “Yeah, as a matter of fact he was,” she said, mocking him. “I lifted up my dress and showed him my panties first.”

His eyes narrowed into two dangerous slits. “Not funny.”

“Neither is this crazy shit between me and you.” She paused, turning away from him and walking to the other side of the room. “What do you want?”

He took so long answering her she had to turn back around to see if he was still there. That look she’d grown to love was back in his eyes as he stared at her in a way that only a man that obsessively desired a woman would. She subtlety squeezed her legs together as her pussy moistened and pulsated between her legs. She reminded herself to breathe. “What do you want Roman,” she repeated, whispering.

“You took your hair down.”

“Great one Roman!” she facetiously taunted him. “Yes, my hair is down and it’s all mine. You’re very observant, aren’t you? Let’s see, what else is there? Oh, I’m no longer wearing heels; I’m wearing flat sandals now. The dress I’m wearing is red. My hair is brown in this light but when the sun hits it just the right way, it’s more blonde. I have on black bra and panties… Oh, you can’t see that, can you? Maybe you should call Diego back and ask him what they look like.”

Roman’s jaw ticked as he walked over to her. “You might want to stop talking,” he warned in a disarming tone. “Now.” He took her by the arm; then lightly ran his finger against her warm skin. “We’re getting out of here.”

Kristen tried to ignore the heat that coursed through her body at his touch. “No,” she timidly said, pulling back from him.

Roman intently looked down into her eyes, speaking firm but soft. “I’m being a gentleman about this right now Kristen but I don’t have to be. Now are you going to come with me? Or do I have to put you over my shoulder and carry you out of here?”