Breathe You In (Sweet Torment 1)

“I apologize for my tone the other day,” he began.

I looked up at him, a cool breeze hitting my face. “I shouldn’t have overstepped. It’s your job, your life. You were right.”

He stopped and looked at me, like this was some kind of trick. Which was cute, because I could see how a man like him would think that if conversations seemed too easy to be true, they probably were.

“Look, I just want you to know that I’m not going to interfere with you being governor and all,” I said.

Warren’s nasty face flashed through my mind. Ken Stanton, however, was a good guy, and I wouldn’t try to sink him with Roman. I didn’t have a plan yet for how all this would play out, but I had time. And in that time, I would stick to the truth, which was, “Roman, you’re an amazing man and a great governor.” I looked up at him, getting lost in his dark eyes. ?

?Whatever needs to happen in relation to your office is your call. I know that certain matters don’t concern me.”

He gripped my hand a little tighter and that dark gaze grew hotter. “You matter to me.”

His voice was rough, and as if he couldn’t look at me too long, he kept walking, staring straight ahead. Something confused and almost angry plagued his face.

I laughed a little and sipped my coffee.

“Something funny?” he asked.

“Yeah. You say things like that, super sweet things that make me all…” I wiggled my shoulders, “warm and fuzzy. But then I see your face, and it looks like you’re pissed as hell.”

He grinned. “I’m realizing things that are surprising to me, and it’s an adjustment.”

I could understand that. Everything about Roman was an adjustment for me. But truth be told, I liked the way he pushed me, because I felt more alive, more connected to him, when he did it. I felt like a real human being when I was near him.

“So, certain realizations have you upset?” I nudged him a little.

“Politicians don’t get upset.” He grinned. I recognized the go-to answer, and knew Roman was thinking more than he was speaking.

“You matter to me too,” I said. “And it is an adjustment, but I kind of like you, so…” I shrugged. “I guess I’ll learn to deal with it.”

“Well, I wouldn’t dream of causing you distress, Miss Underwood,” he said, smiling.

“Then learn how to use a damn phone.”

The smile turned into a deep chuckle, and the sound of something so contented from Roman was amazing. For a moment, things didn’t seem so hard. I could almost forget that Warren was threatening me, and that this “relationship” with Roman technically wasn’t real. I could even almost look past the gut-wrenching emptiness I’d been carrying around for the past seven years.

Almost.

“Now you look like the one who’s upset,” he said.

I took a sip of coffee and took in the expanse of street before us. “Just warding off bad thoughts.”

“Want to talk about these bad thoughts?” His tone was soft, not pushy, his words just an offer.

“No thanks. I don’t want to ruin this moment when we’re actually getting along.”

“Hey.” With my hand still intertwined with his, he reached for my side and pinched. I gasped with a short laugh. “If memory serves, we get along quite well.”

Even the crisp fall breeze couldn’t combat the heat that rushed to my cheeks.

“I have to admit though, I have an agenda,” he said.

“Of course you do,” I replied, taking another sip.

We came to a bench and he sat me down. The wood was cold but thankfully not overly damp. Roman took the spot next to me.

“As you know, we’re traveling upstate next week,” he started. “There will be a couple stops, one of which will be my parents’ estate.”