“We’re in a hurry, Fred,” Roane said, tugging on my hand. “I’m supposed to pick Shadow up in ten minutes.”
The man’s ruddy face fell. “Ah, of course. Sure, sure. Bring Evie to the Lion’s Head one evening so we can get to know her.”
“Will do.” Roane nodded, and before I could say goodbye, I was pulled along with Roane, whose long strides were hard to keep up with.
Tension radiated from him as he frog-marched us to the SUV.
“What is going on?” I finally asked, feeling a little out of breath as we rounded the Defender.
“Nothing. I just . . .” He winced. “Fred would have had us chatting for hours, and we only get today to ourselves.”
Not sure I was buying that excuse, I got into the passenger seat and opened my mouth to tell him so, but my cell cut me off. Digging through my purse, I pulled it out and saw it was an international number. Penny. I showed it to Roane before I answered.
“Evie.” Penny’s familiar voice made me smile.
“Hey. How are you? How’s Australia? I’m with Roane, FYI.”
“Oh, then put me on speaker.”
I did as she asked and waited as she and Roane exchanged pleasantries. As Roane pulled out of the parking lot, Penny dropped her news.
“I’m staying in Melbourne. I’m happy here.”
Overjoyed for her, I told her so.
“We’ll miss you,” Roane added.
“I’ll miss you all too. But I think I needed to be here. To move on, finally. It means, however, that I’m selling the store. You’re still good to run it for the next four weeks, Evie, but there will be an estate agent coming in to value the store and the flat, so I’ll need you to give them access.”
I swallowed hard, bitter disappointment filling me as I realized the store would no longer be mine. Neither would the great apartment above it. “Right.”
“I’m going to send you an email with the details, who my estate agent is, etc. Okay?”
“Okay.” I cleared my throat. “Thanks, Penny.”
“No, thank you, pet. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
When I hung up, a thick tension fell between Roane and me. We still had not discussed the future—and the inevitability of me having to make a choice hung above us like a cloud that blocked out everything else.
Would it turn black and drench us in rain?
Or would it separate to reveal blue skies?
Although I was ninety-eight percent sure I wanted to stay, I didn’t know how it was possible. No matter what my decision, I would probably have to go back to the States while I applied for jobs here so I could get an extended work permit.
I was still waiting for the go-ahead from Roane. But he hadn’t spoken up. He hadn’t asked me to stay.
Once we pulled up to the store, it was only as we got out of the SUV that I realized Roane hadn’t gone to collect Shadow from Caro. I would have asked him why, but for the first time since we’d met, Roane had a wall up. His expression was guarded as I let us into the store, and the dark mood rolling off him was so uncharacteristic I didn’t know what to say.
I climbed the stairs to the apartment, feeling a burn of panic clog my throat. In an attempt to work off my jitters, I strode into the room and abruptly stopped by the dining table.
In four weeks, this apartment wouldn’t be mine anymore.
Would Roane?
I heard his footsteps behind me seconds before he wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me into his body, my back to his front. My breath hitched as his hand coasted up my stomach to cup my breast and he squeezed it, a deep groan rumbling up from his chest. I could feel his arousal digging into my back as he tugged on my hair with his free hand, arching my neck. As he kneaded my breast, he pressed hot, burning kisses down my throat.
“Roane,” I whimpered, reaching for him.
His strong hands pressed down on my upper back until I bowed over the dining table, and he nudged my legs open with his feet.
Arousal flushed through me, and I shivered, pressing my hands to the table for support.
No words passed between us. The only sound was that of our heavy breathing and the unzipping of my shorts and his jeans.
I shuddered when he peeled my underwear down my legs and caressed my cheeks.
Then I was lost as Roane touched me, readying me for him, my moans growing louder as he built me toward climax. Just as everything inside me tightened to near breaking point, he stopped, I heard the sound of foil crinkling, and then seconds later he gripped my hips and pushed inside me.
Sensation overwhelmed me as he powered in and out of me and I rocked back and forth, chasing his hard thrusts. The coil of tension snapped inside me, and as I came around him, his fingers bit into my skin as he pumped faster and harder, racing after his own release.
It was quick and hot.
But it was also different . . .
It had a desperate edge that hadn’t been between us before.
His lips were hot on my neck as he bowed over me, his hands coasting soothingly up my sides. His chest rose and fell against my back as his labored breathing eased. I felt his lips on my nape, a tender, sweet touch before he straightened and pulled out of me.
Roane’s continued silence worried me, and I didn’t look at him as I pushed up off the table to fix myself. However, as I bent to reach for the underwear around my ankles, Roane took hold of my arm to stop me. Finally, I met his gaze, and a renewed flush of desire floored me at the heat in his.
“Don’t bother putting it back on,” he said, voice thick with want.
A new shiver trembled through me as I followed him into my bedroom, where he undressed me to make love to me.
Slow, languorous, thorough lovemaking that seared me to the very soul, and as we lay panting, staring at the ceiling, skin damp with sweat and our legs entwined, I knew that was what Roane intended. He wanted to dig himself so deep inside me, there was no way I could let him go. I knew it, because he’d succeeded.
Now I just needed him to say those three. Little. Words.
Twenty-Three
The next morning when I woke up, Roane was gone. At some point the previous evening he’d texted Caro to ask if she could look after Shadow all night. We’d barely left the bedroom, and I’d fallen asleep, completely exhausted.
Seriously, the man had way too much stamina.
Okay, that sounded like a complaint.
I wasn’t complaining.
I’d be insane to complain about that.
What freaked me out was our lack of discussion about his sudden mood change and the fact that I’d woken up alone. For once I had no clue what was going on in Roane’s head, and I didn’t like it. The man was usually an open book, which I’d found was a rare quality in a guy.