Eternal Flame (Mature 18+)

Chapter 22

"How long have you liked the Next Level?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She widely smiled at him. "Since the beginning."

"So, you were what? You were one when we came out right?"

She girlishly laughed. "No. I was twelve."

Roman grabbed his chest in mock horror. "Oh my God! I am old!"

She laughed again and bit her salad, the lettuce crunching in her mouth as she spoke. "It was love at first listen."

"Oh really? What's your favorite song?"

"Too many to have just one."

He teasingly smiled at her. "Let me hear you sing one of them."

"Oh, hell no. I'm not doing that. I like you too much to make your ears bleed."

He lightly chuckled and wiped his mouth, sitting back in his chair. He sat his silverware on his empty plate and stretched strenuously. Kristen tried not to gawk at his chest as it expanded, showing multiple waves of muscle beneath his thin shirt.

"So, what made you enter the contest?"

Kristen contemplatively watched him before answering. She leaned forward on the table. Roman's eyes lowered to her generous breasts sitting on top of the table and she leaned back, self-conscious. "Roman," she cautiously began. "I have a confession to make."

Roman's eyes didn't immediately leave her breasts. He scratched his bearded cheek and looked at her. "What's up?"

She exhaled and put her fork on the table. She wringed her hands and hesitantly watched him. "I didn't enter the contest."

He arched his brow. "No?"

"Joy did. She knew I was going through some things so she entered for me. She knew you were my favorite so she thought it would be the perfect antidote for what I was dealing with. It was also kind of like a birthday present for me too, I guess."

Roman perceptively nodded. "What were you going through?"

"I was kind of down about Carlos having to leave," she earnestly said. "I didn't deal with it too well at first. He was all I knew for a year, so-"

Roman straightened up and fixed his critical eyes on her. "I thought you said it wasn't serious."

"It wasn't. I did like him a lot. We had a good relationship. He was there for me during some trying periods. I had a rough time with school my final year, and... And he was the only boy that ever really liked me and treated me good. That meant a lot to me."

"I find that hard to believe. There were no other guys?"

She shook her head. "There weren't."

Roman looked at her for a moment then abruptly got up from the table. "You done?" he said, gesturing to her plate.

She shook her head and picked her fork back up.

"I need some wine," he said with a deep frown. "I'll be back."

Without waiting on her to reply, he stalked out of the room, taking his plate and glass with him. Kristen quizzically looked after him then hurriedly continued eating. He was gone so long she began to wonder what he was doing. When she looked up, he was standing in the entry of the dining room, holding a wine goblet and staring at her. Her breath racked her ribs as she looked back at him. Her eyes drifted to the hand holding the glass and her body instantly warmed and vibrated. He hadn't touched her all evening. She wanted his hands back on her like they'd been last night.