Before I knew it, I had jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist, feeling the warmth and strength of him against me.
“Careful,” he murmured, his grip tightening around me, one large hand sliding under my thigh while the other supported my back. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“You actually did it, you crazy man. You actually-“
“As if I care!” I buried my face in the crook of his neck, laughter bubbling up as I felt the thrill of this moment wash over me. My legs were still wrapped around him, and my heart raced, a wild rhythm that matched the pounding of my pulse.
He shifted, pressing me against the side of the car, and my breath hitched when his gaze dropped to my mouth.
“Roman…”
Before I could finish my thought, he captured my lips with his, the kiss crashing into me like a wave, sweeping me off my feet. My gasp was swallowed by him, and I melted into the heat of his body, feeling the pressure and urgency of his kiss. His tongue pushed past my lips, claiming me in a way that made me feel both owned and liberated.
I pulled back just enough to whisper, “Thank you.”
The smile that flickered across my face was short-lived, as he consumed it with another kiss, rougher and darker, igniting a fire deep within me that had my toes curling even though I was not standing.
The fob slipped from my hand, hitting the ground with a clatter, forgotten as his hands tightened around my waist, pulling me closer. The hard line of his body pressed into mine, and a moan escaped my lips before I could stifle it.
With a solid thud, Roman set me down on the hood of the car. The heat of the metal seeped through my shorts, grounding me while everything else around us spun in a blur of excitement and passion.
His weight pressed forward, caging me in, and I clawed at his shirt, pulling him closer until the kiss grew frantic. Our teeth clashed, and neither of us cared; the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of us in this electric moment. His fingers slid under my top, igniting a trail of fire along my skin.
“God,” he growled, his lips trailing down my throat, finding my pulse and biting lightly. “You smell so good.”
My head fell back, nails digging into his shoulders as his hand cupped my breast. Even through the thin fabric, his touch sent jolts of electricity through me, and I instinctively jerked my hips against him. He chuckled darkly, grinding his body into mine with a deliberate, teasing cruelty.
“That’s it,” he murmured against my lips, his voice a seductive whisper filled with smoke and sin. “That’s how I want you to drive it. Desperate. Hungry. Like you can’t stop yourself.”
A strangled moan escaped me, and the world tilted, narrowing until all I could focus on was him-his heat, his weight, his mouth consuming mine. In that moment, nothing else existed but the two of us, lost in a sea of passion and desire.
–
“Oh my God! Is that exactly what I think it is?!”
The words burst from Lizzie’s lips like a firecracker, and I felt my heart leap into my throat. I jolted back as if struck by a bolt of electricity, pushing Roman away from me with such force that I nearly lost my balance and toppled off the hood of the car. Lizzie, in a flurry of excitement, dashed across the driveway, her bare feet slapping against the concrete, her hair a chaotic halo around her face, her eyes wide with disbelief as they locked onto the vehicle.
“Savannah!” she shrieked, her voice cutting through the morning air like a siren. “Is this yours?!”
I scrambled off the hood, my mind racing as I tugged down on my flimsy tank top, acutely aware of the way it clung to me and the very obvious state of my embarrassment. Heat rushed to my cheeks, turning them a vivid shade of crimson, while Roman leaned back against the car with an air of nonchalance, as if he were completely unfazed by the scene unfolding before him.
“Lizzie!” I squeaked, my voice barely above a whisper as I folded my arms across my chest, trying to shield myself from her gaze.
But Lizzie was oblivious to my discomfort, her entire being consumed by the beauty of the car before us. She circled it like a devoted worshipper, her fingers gliding over the sleek body as if it were a sacred artifact. “Roman, are you serious? You got her this?!”
“It’s mine,” I declared, unable to suppress the grin that broke across my face, despite my embarrassment. “Roman got it for me.”
Lizzie gasped, clutching her chest dramatically as if she had just received the most shocking news. “Sav, I swear, if you don’t marry him, I’m returning him in one piece!” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and I could see the gears turning in her mind.
I laughed breathlessly, leaning into Roman for support, his presence grounding me. “Sorry, Liz. I don’t share. Especially not him.”
Roman’s hand found its place on my hip, his thumb stroking me in a lazy rhythm, a gentle reminder of how completely wrecked I still felt from the whirlwind of emotions that had been swirling around me.
Lizzie groaned, throwing her head back in mock despair as she began snapping pictures and videos of the car, her laughter ringing out like music. “This is unreal. I hate you both. No, wait, I love you- I don’t even know anymore!” She rambled, tugging at her hair in frustration, as if trying to pull herself out of the chaos of her own thoughts.
Before I had a chance to respond, another voice sliced through the excitement like a knife.
“What’s with all the noise?! And whose car is that?!”
We all turned to see Chloe standing in the doorway, her expression already darkening, a storm brewing behind her eyes.
“It’s mine,” I said smoothly, hooking my arm through Roman’s and pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, relishing the warmth of his skin against my lips. “He gifted it to me.”
Chloe’s face twisted into a scowl, her voice rising in pitch. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Trying to overshadow me on my own wedding day?” Her tone was shrill, laced with frustration. “It’s bad enough that Dean hasn’t answered any of my calls or come home since last night. And now, Savannah?! You’re out here flaunting this? Where the hell is Dean?”
The tension in the air thickened as her words hung over us, and I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on my chest.
Dad emerged from the house, drawn by the commotion, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the car. Without hesitation, he patted Roman on the back and launched into an animated discussion about engines and horsepower, completely oblivious to the storm brewing between the sisters. I caught snippets of his praise for Roman, declaring him to be spoiling me too much.
The rest of the family gathered around the car, their whispers a soft murmur of awe as they reached out to touch the gleaming surface, even Emily joining in on the admiration. But Chloe remained rooted in place, her fury directed solely at me, her glare sharp enough to cut through the air.
Suddenly, the memories of last night crashed back into my mind like a tidal wave. The baby. The vasectomy.
I stepped forward, my resolve hardening as I grabbed Chloe by the elbow, pulling her away from the crowd and toward the garden, my heart racing.
“Let go, you freak!” she hissed, jerking against my grip, her voice low and dangerous. “Are you trying to bruise me the day before my wedding?”
“Who’s the father of your baby, Chloe?” I asked, my voice flat, devoid of any emotion.
She froze, her body going rigid as she blinked in shock, then erupted into bitter laughter. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Cut the act. You know exactly what I’m asking.” My gaze bore into her, unyielding.
For a fleeting moment, her facade cracked, revealing the vulnerability beneath, before she shoved me hard. I stumbled back a step, barely catching myself on the garden bench, my heart pounding in my chest.
“How dare you? You’re accusing me of cheating now? Saying my baby isn’t Dean’s?” Her finger jabbed at me, her voice rising in indignation. “You’ve gone too far this time, Savannah. Dad will hear about this.”
She turned to leave, but my words stopped her in her tracks, slicing through the tension like a knife.
“Go ahead. Run to Dad.” My voice was sharp, a blade of ice. “And I’ll tell Mom that Dean had a vasectomy. That he can’t be the father of your child.”
Her entire body went rigid, and slowly, she turned back to me, her eyes wide, red, and wild with a mixture of fear and disbelief.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.