Heading to the door, I glance back at him with a smile. “I will.”
******
I keep him steady as he unlocks the door of his apartment. Swinging it open, he lets me step inside as he shuts the door behind me. Hanging my coat on his coat rack, I remove my boots and watch as he walks through the foyer with the help from his cane. I still can’t believe this happened. He’s walking again.
During the cab ride, he called his aunt and uncle and told them the good news. I easily heard their screaming and tears of joy right through the receiver. Roman told them that he would come by to visit tomorrow, but he just wanted to rest at home for the remainder of the day.
Leading him to the sofa, he slowly sits and I prop his feet up, making sure they are properly elevated. He’s been on his feet for the past hour and I know it must be taking a toll on his body. I don’t want him to over exert himself so we’re taking it easy.
Ensuring he’s all right, I ask, “Do you want water or anything else to drink?”
He shakes his head no and pats the spot next to him, inviting me to take a seat. I smile as I sit and snuggle into his arms.
I glance up toward him. “How do you feel?”
His chest inhales and exhales a deep breath. “Like a million bucks right now. I’ve never fel
t better.”
Rubbing his chest, I rest my head on his shoulder. “Good. I don’t want you to push yourself too hard. You may be able to walk, but nothing too long distance, okay?”
His voice whispers, “Melanie?”
“Yeah?”
A loud breath seeps out of his mouth and tickles the back of my neck. “I’m sorry I blew up at you the other day.”
I sit up to face him as he continues with his apology. “Roman, you don’t have—”
He raises his palm to stop me. “No, let me finish.”
I nod, letting him continue. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, gathering his thoughts. He then opens his eyes and takes my hand in his. I sense his nervousness and in turn, it starts to make me nervous. Oh boy.
Clearing his throat, he gets out what he’s been trying to say. “I shouldn’t have blown up at you. I was a dick for doing that. I guess…I guess I was just upset and hurt because I felt like there are things that I want that maybe, you don’t want.” He glances up at the ceiling with a frustrated look.
Shaking his head clear, he mumbles to himself, “Okay, let me try it this way.”
He stares into my eyes with such conviction it causes my body to freeze and stop breathing. “I have wanted to be with you since I was seventeen years old. From that first moment you walked into the bakery, I knew that you were the only girl I wanted to be with. There were times when I was close to telling you, but you had a boyfriend and I didn’t want to jeopardize that, because I just wanted to you to be happy. After years of not seeing you around, I moved on and dated other women, but none of them compared to you. Not even close. The thing was, even though I didn’t know you that well, I knew we were right for each other.”
Tears fill my eyes and spill down my cheeks as I listen to him pour his heart out. His hand cups the side of my face as I lean into it. He thumb rubs against my cheek, wiping away the tears that fall.
“Then you literally crashed into my life again and I knew this was my time to act. I knew that if I didn’t, I would lose my chance and never get it back. But what I didn’t expect was that you’d be the one to find me. When I saw you walk in my hospital room, I thought I had died. It couldn’t be real that you were standing there in front of me. I know I was an asshole back then, but I was so messed up. My life had changed in the blink of an eye and I didn’t know how to handle it. I felt like I was damaged goods and wasn’t up to par with what you deserved, so I wanted to push you away. And even after all of that, you still pushed through.”
He glances away for a second and looks at me again, his hand still cupped on my face as his voice starts again. “You saved me. You brought me back to the person I once was. I don’t think I could have recovered without you and frankly I wouldn’t want to try. I owe my life to you and I owe my happiness to you. Being with you is something that I’ve dreamed about and now that it’s happened, I got scared that it would be taken away. I guess…I guess what I’m trying to say is that I—”
My finger presses against his lip, stopping him from finishing his sentence. He blinks with shock and a little annoyance that I interrupted him yet again. My palm rubs the scar on his face as I look deep into his dark brown eyes. I’m no longer nervous; instead, I’m full of affection and passion.
Finding the strength, I open my mouth. “I used to be so afraid, afraid to open myself up and feel. But, with you, I’ve learned to let it out. I’m ready to be your everything and more. I just want you to know that I am yours.”
My lips curve into a smile as I say the words to him. “I love you.”
His eyes widen and his face brightens with awe and excitement. He exudes joy with a wide smile. “And I love you.”
My heart speeds as we press into one another as our lips crash. Our kiss is fueled with passion and lust, growing stronger as our lips dance together. His hands roam over my shoulders and down my back as we continue to deepen our kiss. I push my tongue forward, stroking it against his, and he lets out a moan. My body temperature rises as my breathing becomes harsh. My lungs gasp for air but I refuse to stop kissing him.
He pushes me backward, laying me down on the sofa as he climbs on top. His lips lift off of mine to start a trail of kisses down my neck. I gasp out as the touch of his body presses harder against mine. The bulge from his jeans pokes into my lower stomach, begging to be released. His hands roam underneath my clothes, down my to stomach and around my thighs. As he touches me I realize that I’m still wearing my scrubs. Oh, fuck it.
We make out on the sofa until I can no longer breathe. Turning my head to the side, I inhale deeply and exhale, taking as much air as I can during this free moment.