Breathe You In (Sweet Torment 1)

“But, Friday night…” I shook my head, having no idea where I was going with this.

It had been so raw. So wild and rash. There had been nothing slow, sweet, or pure about it. And when the moment had gone, I’d felt like we were back to business. A no-connection, emotion-free kind of business. Hazel once told me that sometimes, sex had nothing to do with feelings. Roman was obviously better at separating his. The question was, could I? All Friday night did was leave me wanting more while feeling vulnerable.

That word stuck in my head. It was the same feeling I’d had when I’d found out that Warren had used me. I felt like I had shown a private side of myself and now, in the light of day, it was being held against me.

“The other night was unexpected,” Roman said. “You gave me a lot to think about.”

“I gave you a lot to think about?”

“Yes. You left.” He pushed his hip off the desk and stood up straight.

“What was I supposed to do?”

“Stay.”

Uncertainty blistered until it felt like boils on my skin. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden rush of adrenaline that spiraled through me. Adrenaline that left me feeling not innocent at all, but scandalous.

There were two raps on the door before it opened. A tall man with a receding hairline, and what looked to be a permanent frown on his face, walked in, swiping his fingers over his smartphone.

“We need to go over the major donors coming to the fundraiser Saturday, and what the hell is this rumor that you have a girlfriend?”

“Bill,” Roman said, and the man looked up, catching my eye before looking at Roman. “This is Amy Underwood. My girlfriend.”

Bill pursed his lips. Between the name and the fact that he obviously handled communications, I figured this must be Paige’s boss. There was something kind of off-putting about him. His dim hazel eyes roamed over me, producing a very different shiver than when Roman did it. He was analyzing everything about me in a single look, and I didn’t particularly care for the way his gaze paused on my breasts and hips.

“Can we have a word in private?” Bill said.

Roman casually adjusted his shoulders. “Just say what you need to say, Bill.”

Bill glanced at me again. “I don’t think that taking another person on your campaign tour is a good idea.”

“It will be fine. I’ve done the preliminary background check and Amy, if anything, is an asset.”

An asset? Again, it was like I wasn’t there. And was this how Roman had talked about his past girlfriends? As assets?

“We can go over this more tomorrow,” Roman continued. “Right now, I need to get Amy prepped for Saturday.”

Bill obviously wasn’t happy with that answer, and frankly, neither was I. Knowing Roman was going to discuss my worth with this guy, who obviously wasn’t convinced I was a good thing, made me feel like I had just been fished out of the bargain bin.

“There are pictures floating around social media sites of you kissing someone, I assume her.” Again Bill glared at me. “In a bar in Arbor Hill last Thursday.”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t look—”

“It looks like I was at a sports bar, not drinking, enjoying an evening in Arbor Hill—where low-income constituents hang out—like a normal human being with my girlfriend, who works for an anti-drug nonprofit. It looks like I was enjoying the state I love while interacting with the people of that state.” Roman took a step toward Bill. “If that is not how it looks, then you have some spinning to do. However, I think the majority has seen this incident in a positive light, based on the research and report I received from your assistant this morning.”

Bill grumbled something. I stared, wide-eyed, and Roman looked cool as ever. Was that what Paige had been doing the night I came home from Roman’s? She’d said she was working this past weekend. Was that what she meant? Going over media for hours and “spinning” my relationship with the governor?

I never meant to affect your job…I know, but you will…

Those words made my stomach instantly clench. And yet, she’d still listened, still supported me, even though I was creating stress in her life.

“We’ll talk about the rest tomorrow, Bill,” Roman said with finality in his voice.

Bill nodded and left the room, not bothering to shut the door. I heard a sharp thump right outside the office, like something had been rammed into the wall, followed by Bill’s annoyed curse.

“Roman, I can’t—” I was about to tell him that involving Paige wasn’t okay with me when another person walked in, pushing a wheeled rack of clothes.