“Stop.”
“Don’t have a family to introduce you to,” I continued.
“Roman, I don’t care.”
“You deserve more.”
“So do you.”
Do I?
I hated dwelling on it but living in the system for so long left me bitter, jaded, and full of anger. I hadn’t done anything wrong to be placed in foster care, but I’d been treated like a criminal since I was seven years old. Eventually you started to believe you deserved your shitty life and weren’t worthy of a better one.
Our eyes locked and to my utter shock, she placed her hand on my chest, over my heart. Blood thundered through my veins. My heart was literally in the palm of her hand. Could she feel it throbbing and ready to jump out of my chest?
Looking up at me through her lashes, she raised up on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against mine.
Sweet, beautiful mercy she was so soft and shy. It took everything I had not to grab her and devour her completely. She trembled as she opened her mouth, running her tongue over my bottom lip. She tasted like cinnamon and crisp spring air.
I snapped. The attraction that had been building between us for days flared like a lit match. I captured her lips with mine and swept my tongue inside her mouth. Tasting and teasing her. She moaned, the soft vibration firing me up even more.
“Roman.” Either she whispered my name or thought it. We were so entwined I wasn’t sure where I ended and she began.
My cock jerked against my zipper so hard, it shook me from head to toe. I framed her face with my hands, holding her still for more kisses. She fell into me, pushing her perfect tits tight against my chest. Fuck, I burned with the need to sneak my hand under her shirt and run my thumb over her nipple.
She smelled so damn good. I wanted her scent embedded in my clothes and skin so everyone knew I was hers.
“Yeah, dawg. Get some!” a kid shouted.
As quickly as it blazed, our kiss fizzled. I pulled back enough to lean my forehead against hers and whispered, “I want to do that again, Juliet. Soon. And often. But not here.”
She closed her eyes tightly, her lips curving up with happiness, relief, or satisfaction, I wasn’t sure.
That short, searing kiss was a cataclysmic shift in our relationship. We were no longer locker buddies or new friends getting to know each other.
We were soul mates.
Deep, deep down, my heart twisted with anguish. Nothing good had ever come from caring for someone before. I wasn’t sure I even knew how. And even if I learned how to love someone...
I always lost them anyway.
Chapter Thirteen
Juliet
Who knew one little kiss could devastate and electrify you at the same time?
For the rest of the day, I floated through school on a cloud.
Nerves consumed me after our last class. I jittered all the way to our locker, my thoughts bouncing around like a bunny in the forest. Roman said he wanted to kiss me again. And often. Did he mean right now? At school? Where else could we go to have some privacy?
“Hey,” he greeted me.
“Hey.” For the first time since we met, I felt shy and unsure around him. I ended up staring at his feet.
“Juliet? Is everything okay?” The concern laced into his question drew my attention to his face. The confusion and uncertainty swirling inside me seemed to be reflected in his eyes.
“I’m fine.”
“Ready to head home?”
Not really. I wanted to go somewhere I could be alone with him, but I wasn’t sure how to float the idea.
“Can we walk through the park?” The path through the park would take us half a mile out of our way, giving us time together.
“Planning to do some bird-watching?” he teased.
“Not really.” A nervous smile twitched over my lips.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
The grounds behind the school backed right into the park and we took the well-worn trail up over the first small hill separating the two places. Lots of kids headed this way after the final bell. Usually to hide and sneak cigarettes. Or ambush other kids. I never went home this way because it didn’t seem safe. But with Roman I felt completely protected.
As we entered the deep grove of trees surrounding the park, Roman slipped his warm, rough fingers around mine.
A dizzying rush of heat spread through me. The contact was so simple but felt so right.
“How was your day?” he asked quietly as we kept walking.
“Not as good as my morning.”
He stopped, turned, and stared at me. “Juliet.” So much longing colored his voice, I leaned closer and pressed my hand against his chest.
His eyes closed briefly, then he seemed to make a decision. He gently nudged me off the path, into a cluster of trees. Bright, afternoon sunlight beamed through the canopy of leaves, turning the hidden spot into a magical chamber. Our bags hit the ground with thuds muted by layers of leaves and pine needles.