Friends Forever (3 page)

Chapter Four

Rome stood and closed the distance between
him and Kate. Gathering her in his arms, he let her cry. He'd known
her all his life and had never seen her so upset. He stroked her
back as the tears fell. After a few minutes, when the worst of her
collapse appeared to be over, Rome took her by the shoulders and
leaned her away from his body. Her tear-streaked face made him
crumble.

“I'm so sorry Kate,” he shushed her as tears
escaped from her eyes. Using the pad of his thumb he wiped a tear
away. “Please don't cry, Kate.”

Her shoulders continued to shake and Rome
pulled her closer.

“Tell me who he is. Who hurt you? Tell me
and I'll kick his ass.”

He stroked her back and when her body seemed
to convulse, he leaned back to see her face. He couldn't believe
she was this upset. But to his surprise when he lowered his eyes to
her face, she was laughing, not crying.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You.” Kate laughed in hysterics.

“Me?” Rome shook his head, watching her try
and gasp for air. “Why are you laughing at me?”

“I want to see you kick your own ass.” She
spat out the words between chortling and almost gagging on her
words.

“What?” Rome shook his head. “What the hell
are you talking about?”

“You...you said, you'd k-kick the person's
ass that hurt me!” Kate's laughter was so uproarious that Rome
thought she might just choke on her words.

“Kate!” He grabbed her shoulders, shaking
her slightly to make her focus. “What the hell do you mean?”

“You! You're the reason for the tears, you
ass!” She wiped away a few stray tears. “You hurt me. You always
hurt me.”

Her mood jumped ten paces in the blink of an
eye. She went from a hysterical crying woman, to laughing like a
fool, to a woman scorned. Rome stepped back for fear of what
emotion may erupt next.

“Me?” He laid his hands on his chest,
questioning her charge.

“Yes,.. you.” Her eyes dared him to
challenge her.

“How?”

So, he was a glutton for punishment.

Kate tilted her head to the side, her
luxurious long hair falling over her shoulder, her eyes displaying
dubiousness of his question.

“You really don't know, do you?”

Rome shook his head. “Explain it to me.”

Using the back of her hand Kate wiped away
the excess tears still visible on her cheeks. Sniffling she waved
her hand towards the sofa they'd just abandoned.

“Sit.”

“No, I'd rather stand.”

“Fine.” The word escaped Kate's mouth with
despicable sarcasm and emphasis on the “F”. She crossed her arms
over her chest.

“You always hurt me Rome, always have.”

“So you've said,” he retorted, mimicking her
stance.

Towering over her by at least five inches,
he knew his looming presence could be considered dangerous and
forbidden. Damned if Kate didn't dismiss his domineering mood, she
always had an uncanny way of dismissing his mass.

“But tell me how.”

“Every time I see you, you discount me. You
treat me like the plague… Like I'm still a child.”

Kate's eyes, full of angst hidden behind the
anguish, were moist with fresh tears.

“I can never do anything right in your eyes.
You're very...” She flipped her hand in the air searching for the
correct word. “Very... “

“Annoying?” He offered.

“Yes...but more.” She ignored his
sarcasm.

“Domineering?”

“That too,” she continued seeking the
word.

“Arrogant?”

“Oh yes.”

“Sexy?” He changed his tone, but Kate was
too caught up in her own mind that she hadn't really heard him.

“Yes, of course.” She bit her lower lip
while thinking, unaware of his word.

“There is more here than a love/hate
relationship, isn't there?”

“Rome, I'm trying to think here,” she
sighed, shaking her head. “Stop it, Rome.” Her annoyance was
obvious. She stared past him, thinking still.

“Did you hear me?”

“God, Rome.” Her anger was boiling again.
“It's not all about you...”

Her eyes focused on him, almost as if the
light-bulb went on in her head.

“What did you say?”

He'd loved Kate for years and the only
reason he treated her the way he did was to keep his distance from
her. Just like he was about to do now, but he had kept his secret
long enough.

“What did you say?”

“I think you heard me, Kate.” He gazed into
her eyes. “Didn't you?”

She nodded, her eyes deviating from his
gaze

“And?”

“And, I don't know how to answer that.”

“It's really quite simple.” Rome's eyes
never wavered from hers. “Either we hate each other... or
we...”

“Don't...”

“Love each other.” They said simultaneously.
His meaning translated into his love for her, but her saying the
exact same words left him wondering if she was finishing his
sentence, being agreeable to
not
loving
him, or did she mean she loved him.

*****

Kate had never tried to contain her
excitement this much in her entire life. She was bursting and
smiling from deep within. She wasn't one-hundred percent sure of
the meaning behind his statement, but her heart rate increased. His
words
love each other
hit a nerve in her that she couldn't
relinquish.

“Rome? What are you saying?” Her voice
pleaded. She needed clarification.

“I don't think I needed to be more clear.”
His voice husky, his eyes tender, yet ardent. He opened his mouth
to continue, but Kate cut in.

“Shh.” Her eyes gazed up at him. “Make love
to me just this once. That's all I'm asking of you. Then you can
leave.”

She didn't expect more from him than one
night. She couldn't, Rome was out of her league, no matter how much
she wanted him to be hers. What she wasn't expecting, was his
reply.

“No.” Rome startled her. “No, I can't do
that.”

“W-what?” The remains of Kate's heart broke
when he announced his admission of not wanting to make love to
her.

“I can't do that,” he reiterated, stepping
back to look at her.

Humiliation bloomed on Kate's sweet
face.

“I-I don't know...” She shoved away from
him, breaking all contact. “Just leave… Now!”

In a split second, she reached up, placed
her hands on his chest and pushed him away.

“Kate...”

“Go! Damn you, Rome. Just leave!”

Rome opened his mouth to speak, but thought
better of it. Cursing under his breath, he turned and left the
room. He sensed Kate crumbling to the floor, when he heard a thud
from her bedroom, as he walked down the short hallway. He heard her
sobbing and his heart broke, knowing he'd devastated her.

“You are such a fool, Katherine Rose.” Rome
heard her scolding herself in between sobs. “How could you make
such a fool of yourself in front of the only man you've ever
loved?”

Chapter Five

Rome stopped when he heard Kate's words. He
knew her feelings were strong, just as his were for her. But to
actually hear her confess the affection struck him hard.

He eased back some to listen, thankful he
hadn't shut the door behind him. His first thought had been to
close it, giving her privacy, but he hadn't. His internal anguish
ruled as he stormed out of her bedroom. He was seconds away from
making love to Kate, his sweet Kate. And if he had only stayed ten
more seconds and explained why he couldn't just make love to her
once. He'd be in there loving her now tasting her mouth, touching
her soft skin and feeling her love beneath him.

Rome smacked his palm to his forehead, which
seemed to be a reoccurring theme in his life.

He turned back to her bedroom and walked to
the door. He found Kate slouched against the bed frame, looking
defeated and ruined. Leaning down next to her, he brushed the hair
away from her face and she flinched under his touch.

“Go.” Her voice was a whimper.

“No, Kate. I have to explain.” He settled on
the floor next to her, trying to take her in his arms. When she
resisted, he halted his actions so as not to upset her more.

“There's nothing to explain. I get it,” her
hair fell over her face, blocking him out.

“Yes, there is.” He whispered. “More than
you can imagine.” When she didn't reply, he continued. “I can't
make love to you once, Kate. I just can't do it.”

“I know.” Her sobbing started again. “You
told me that.”

“And I have a reason for that.” Rome scooted
closer, so their bodies were touching.

“Oh God!” Kate howled, her shoulders shaking
uncontrollably.

He trudged on before she lost control of her
emotions. “It’s because I'm not capable of it.”

“Am I that hideous?” She tried to make her
question sarcastic but it came out in between her tears, making the
rebuttal pathetic.

“No, no, sweetheart.” His words attempted to
coddle her. “I just know that I can't make love to you...once.”

“Not even once?” Her voice crackled.

“Not
just
once.” He restated,
slipping his arm around her. “Let me show you.”

Lifting her chin with his hand, his lips
brushed against hers. With his other arm he slid it under her arm,
hoisting her onto the bed. He gently laid her back, never breaking
contact with their lips.

Kate's heart started pounding as he lay down
next to her. He ran his rough denim clad leg up her bare thigh. The
movement eased aside her robe, exposing her tender skin.

A feral moan escaped from her throat and
Rome took this as an invitation to proceed. He deepened his kiss,
his fingers starting at mid-thigh, traveled up slowly. As his lips
nibbled on hers, Kate shifted under his touch, which was so light.
If she hadn't been laboring her pelvis into him, she'd barely know
he was making contact.

“I'm going to make you mine,” Rome whispered
against her lips.

“Yes!” Kate groaned, her head lolling back
into the pillow. “Now.”

“No.” His voice rustled full of seduction
and promise. “I'm going to take my time.”

“Oh God.”

Kate tilted her head back, revealing her
neck. Rome took the opportunity and lowered his mouth, sucking the
sensitive spot of the crook of her neck.

Kate shuddered as Rome's hot breath teased
her and his teeth nibbled her skin.

“Don't stop.”

Kate shifted beneath him, the motion causing
her robe to slide a little higher up, exposing more of her thigh.
His hand immediately took control, moving higher.

“Touch me.” Kate said greedily.

“In due time.” Rome replied, his lips
brushing her shoulder.

“Rome.” Her pleading voice whimpered.

“I'm going to make this last. Savor every
minute, taste every inch of your luscious body.” He nipped her
shoulder.

“Rome!” Kate mewled, her breathing becoming
erratic while thrusting her hips lower to meet his hand. When her
hips advanced, Rome's hand descended down her leg.

“Now, now, Kate, be patient. Trust me; it
will be worth the wait.” His smooth voice soothed her passion.

Kate groaned in frustration. “I want you…
Now.”

“And you'll have me.”

“Not soon enough.”

“Oh, Kate.” He smothered her mouth with
his.

****

He collapsed on top of her spent body, their
breaths in sync. No words were spoken. The mutual silence was
deafening yet comforting. Rome tried to lick his chapped lips but
had no energy left, not even in his tongue to perform the task.
He'd made love to many women in his thirty plus years but never
like this. His body, soul and mind now belonged to Kate.

“Please tell me you don't regret this.”
Kate's melodic voice broke into his thoughts.

“What?” He lifted his head.

“I'm not a hit and run kind of a girl.”

“I never thought you were.” Rome gazed into
her sex-laden sultry eyes.

“Any other man and I would be,” she
confessed. “But never with you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” she conceded. “You're special.
I've always...”

“Stop.” Rome held his fingers to her lips.
“Don't say it. Let me talk first.”

“Okay.” Kate licked her lips, sadness
filling her eyes.

It almost broke his heart to see the sorrow
in Kate's eyes. She appeared to be expecting to have her heart
broken. Rome knew it, but now was the time to talk to her about the
real reason he'd come over this morning. He was ready to share the
truth. Leaning on his elbow, Rome stared at Kate. She appeared calm
but he knew her emotions were jumbled and anticipating the worst.
One wrong word and he'd lose her.

“I came here today to tell you why I've been
treating you so badly lately.”

“Lately? That's an understatement,” she
snorted.

“Shh.” Smiling, Rome placed his finger on
her lips again. “Let me talk, then you can have your turn.”

She opened her mouth but Rome raised his
eyebrows. Clamping her lips tight Kate tried not to smirk. Rome
released a long sigh but then continued talking.

“I came here to talk to you and tell you
that I'm sorry for my behavior. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Really? Well, you did.” An argumentative
tone settled into her voice.

“I never meant to, Kate. You have to believe
me.”

“Then why did you?”

Rome sighed. “Kurt would've kicked my ass if
he knew how I really felt about his little sister.”