could write the hell out of an angsty plotline, I didn’t need it in my life. I couldn’t write when I was sad or depressed. Before I could respond, he said, “Don’t answer yet. I’m coming over. You can tell me in person.” He hung up before I could respond.
Oh, no. What had I done?
Chapter Twelve
S O I GOT nervous waiting for Ridley, right, and I started thinking about Roman. Sure, Ridley and I had had a good, hot run, but Roman had surprised me and turned everything upside down. There had been lots more to that man than had met the eye.
Unlike Ridley, Roman was my friend. He cared about me.
Now, though, Ridley was indicating that maybe he did care, and I didn’t quite know how to deal with that revelation.
Running to my bedroom, I started rifling through clothes, looking for the perfect outfit. I didn’t want it to seem like I’d tried to look nice for him, but I didn’t want to look like a slob, either. I found a pair of cute cutoffs in a dresser drawer that I hadn’t worn in ages. They’d show off my legs and maybe look sexy without appearing to have been done for him. I found a slinky top too—navy blue with thin straps—not revealing, but it showed off my shoulders and hugged my frame. I looked in the mirror. Okay, maybe trying too hard. I looked in the closet again and grabbed a light blouse instead. I wasn’t wearing shoes, so I touched up the red polish on my toes and then ran to the bathroom mirror to check my makeup.
Ugh. That would never do. I added a new coat of mascara and blush and put on some light pink lipstick. Ridley had seemed to like the pink on me, although he’d never said a word. Then I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail, a style that had always seemed to favor my face, making me look a couple of years younger…not that I needed it.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at myself in the mirror, satisfied with my efforts. Then I picked up in the bedroom a bit. I looked around, believing it was good enough but then panicked. Should I change the sheets? Roman had been in my bed at least twice since the last time I’d changed them.
That was when I heard him at my front door.
I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, smoothing my blouse along my belly as I walked toward the front door. Inside, I felt frozen with fear. I tried to think of Ridley playing the part of the book boyfriend I was writing, but I’d already had Roman playing that part for the past two weeks. Ridley didn’t quite fit. Maybe one of my next books…
My mind tried to lock around that idea as I opened the door.
Only it wasn’t Ridley. It was my substitute boyfriend.
Roman.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Oh, shit. Had I said that out loud? And did it sound as rude to his ears as it had to mine?
Probably, considering he looked irritated. It was then that I noticed the bouquet of roses in his hand…and I’d just been a horrible bitch. Before I could apologize, he said, “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
I let the air out of my lungs. “I’m doing all right. Sorry. Please come in.”
I opened the door the rest of the way, momentarily forgetting that Ridley would be there any moment. I’d have to tell Roman about that, but first I wanted my friend to know he was important to me. When I closed the door, he handed me the bouquet. “For you.”
“Thank you.” He followed me to the kitchen. I placed the bouquet on the counter and opened the cabinet under the sink where I had a couple of vases stored. I half filled the vase with water and said, “They smell wonderful.”
He didn’t sit. As I arranged the flowers in the vase, he said, “Do you need more time?” I looked up at him and could tell he had more questions, but he wasn’t willing to expose himself further to ask. That was strange, so unlike my friend Roman.
I took a deep breath and considered him for a few
Oh, no. What had I done?
Chapter Twelve
S O I GOT nervous waiting for Ridley, right, and I started thinking about Roman. Sure, Ridley and I had had a good, hot run, but Roman had surprised me and turned everything upside down. There had been lots more to that man than had met the eye.
Unlike Ridley, Roman was my friend. He cared about me.
Now, though, Ridley was indicating that maybe he did care, and I didn’t quite know how to deal with that revelation.
Running to my bedroom, I started rifling through clothes, looking for the perfect outfit. I didn’t want it to seem like I’d tried to look nice for him, but I didn’t want to look like a slob, either. I found a pair of cute cutoffs in a dresser drawer that I hadn’t worn in ages. They’d show off my legs and maybe look sexy without appearing to have been done for him. I found a slinky top too—navy blue with thin straps—not revealing, but it showed off my shoulders and hugged my frame. I looked in the mirror. Okay, maybe trying too hard. I looked in the closet again and grabbed a light blouse instead. I wasn’t wearing shoes, so I touched up the red polish on my toes and then ran to the bathroom mirror to check my makeup.
Ugh. That would never do. I added a new coat of mascara and blush and put on some light pink lipstick. Ridley had seemed to like the pink on me, although he’d never said a word. Then I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail, a style that had always seemed to favor my face, making me look a couple of years younger…not that I needed it.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at myself in the mirror, satisfied with my efforts. Then I picked up in the bedroom a bit. I looked around, believing it was good enough but then panicked. Should I change the sheets? Roman had been in my bed at least twice since the last time I’d changed them.
That was when I heard him at my front door.
I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, smoothing my blouse along my belly as I walked toward the front door. Inside, I felt frozen with fear. I tried to think of Ridley playing the part of the book boyfriend I was writing, but I’d already had Roman playing that part for the past two weeks. Ridley didn’t quite fit. Maybe one of my next books…
My mind tried to lock around that idea as I opened the door.
Only it wasn’t Ridley. It was my substitute boyfriend.
Roman.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Oh, shit. Had I said that out loud? And did it sound as rude to his ears as it had to mine?
Probably, considering he looked irritated. It was then that I noticed the bouquet of roses in his hand…and I’d just been a horrible bitch. Before I could apologize, he said, “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
I let the air out of my lungs. “I’m doing all right. Sorry. Please come in.”
I opened the door the rest of the way, momentarily forgetting that Ridley would be there any moment. I’d have to tell Roman about that, but first I wanted my friend to know he was important to me. When I closed the door, he handed me the bouquet. “For you.”
“Thank you.” He followed me to the kitchen. I placed the bouquet on the counter and opened the cabinet under the sink where I had a couple of vases stored. I half filled the vase with water and said, “They smell wonderful.”
He didn’t sit. As I arranged the flowers in the vase, he said, “Do you need more time?” I looked up at him and could tell he had more questions, but he wasn’t willing to expose himself further to ask. That was strange, so unlike my friend Roman.
I took a deep breath and considered him for a few
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