Eternal Flame (Eternal Flame #1) (8 page)

Roman dismissively waved a hand at her, ignoring her attitude. “It’s fine, go ahead. Finish.”

“I’m not hungry anymore.”

“You said you were hungry in the car, go on and eat. It’s fine. I’ll wait.”

Kristen stubbornly lifted her chin. “I’d rather not. I’ll get a doggy bag.”

“Just eat.”

“No. I’ll get a doggy bag so we can leave and you can do whatever you have to do-“

“Damn, you’re a pain in the ass. Will you just shut up and finish the got-damn salad?”

Kristen widely looked at him, her mouth open; her body rigid and trembling with anger. “What is your damn problem?”

“I don’t have a problem. I’m just ready to go.”

“Well, you don’t have to be an asshole about it. We can leave. Call the waitress over and ask her for the damn check.”

“You need to lower your voice.”

“
I
need to lower my gotdamn voice? You’re the one who was screaming.”

“Look Kayla-“

“Kristen!” she shouted as pounded her fist on the table. “My name is Kristen. Get it right asshole. You’ve been calling me the wrong name all afternoon. When you’re not doing that you’re asking me what my fuckin’ name is every fifteen minutes. Do you want a pen and paper so you can write it down? Do I need to write it across my fucking forehead so you can just look at it when you can’t remember?  Will that help your slow ass out?”

Roman nervously looked around the restaurant at the startled guests and nodded to them to assure them all was well, giving them one of his dazzling smiles. When he looked back at Kristen, that warmness instantly vanished. His eyes flared into hers as he leaned across the table. If she had any sense the look he was giving her would’ve scared the shit out of her but no one could ever call her sane.

“Lower, your voice,” he said in an eerily calm tone.

“You’re a fuckin’ asshole and a fuckin’ creep,” she seethed through gritted teeth. “Is that low enough for you?”

They unflinchingly stared one another down, stubborn Bull to stubborn Bull, neither of them wanting or feeling the need to back down. Roman was the one to break first.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke through his teeth, averting his eyes away from hers, before looking at her again. “Okay? I’m sorry.”
 

Kristen’s lip trembled as she looked at him, the threatening tears once again yearning to spill over. Fuck, she hated this weakness he pulled from her. “Just take me home.”

Roman reached across the table and gently grabbed her wrist. Kristen gasped and looked down at it, staring widely at it like it was a two-headed spider. She was instantaneously rendered silent. The electricity that soared through her was so strong she was surprised the restaurant didn’t explode. She would’ve moved her hand had it not felt so damn good. She wondered if he felt it too.

She cautiously looked up at him and swallowed when she saw the look in his eyes. He was trying not to show it but there something was there. She saw it. Not only that, she felt it. But as intimate as that short moment between them was, it was gone in a flash when he pulled his hand away from her scorching skin. He roughly ran his fingers through his hair and scrapped his chair back, throwing a wad of bills on the table as he stood.

“Let’s go,” he simply said as he walked out the restaurant.

Kristen dumbly sat there for a moment, staring vacantly at the seat he had just left, ignoring the curious glances of onlookers and the waitress, who had wandered back over when Roman left. She was rubbing Kristen’s shoulder and asking if everything was okay. Kristen blankly looked at her and assured her it was. Then she grabbed her purse and left the restaurant, leaving the rest of her salad on the table. She was sure their altercation would be front page news tomorrow.

For fifteen agonizing minutes they sat in his Hummer. Not talking. Not moving. Not looking at one another. The silence was deafening. The tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. They were still in the restaurant parking lot. As much of a hurry as he’d been in to leave, that all seemed to change once she’d come outside and gotten in the car beside him.

Kristen couldn’t understand what was going on. Why was this happening? Who was he? What had happened to that sweet, dimple faced talented man she’d been in love with since first sight? The one who was always smiling and acting goofy during interviews? What was wrong with him? What was troubling him so badly? Worse than that, why was she still here? Why was she taking it? The entire afternoon had been nothing but awkward and uncomfortable. He was honestly the rudest man she had ever met in her life. She wanted him but fuck the dumb shit. She was not a pushover and she did not let men treat her any kind of way, she didn’t care who it was. Roman was a celebrity and she’d wanted him for years but he didn’t deserve the special treatment she was giving him. He didn’t deserve a free pass.

Still, the softer side of her felt she shouldn’t leave his side. Deep down, she knew it didn’t have anything to do with her. The man was hurting. She just wished she knew why. She felt sorry for him and she didn’t want to. But she couldn’t help it. Based on the few hints Diego and Nick had given her, Roman was going through some heavy shit. Her heart went out to him. Every muscle in her body warned her to leave but her heart was urging her to stay. She honestly felt he didn’t need to be alone. Neither did she. But where could they go from here?

Kristen jumped and looked over at Roman in surprise as he started the vehicle, the large roar of the engine startling her as she sat in the plush black leather seat. He sat still for a few moments, reflectively looking out the window at the passersby. Then…

“Kristen”.

Kristen quietly gasped and looked over at him, her eyes wide. He remembered her name. He called her by name! Her actual name!

“I need to go by my apartment for a minute,” he quietly said. He looked over at her, his eyes weary and heavy with emotion. “Do you want to come with me?”

Kristen breathlessly stared at him, weighing all her options in her mind. She should say no. She should go back to her hotel. She should find Joy and talk to her about the crazy and troubling afternoon she’d had. She should go back to the studio and resume her odd flirtation with Nick and Diego. Roman Dean was a train wreck and the last thing she needed was more drama in her life. Still, before she could stop herself she found herself saying…

“Yes.”

Roman’s apartment building was one of the most architecturally beautiful structures she had ever seen. She could see why Roman would live there. It fit him perfectly. It was in the heart of downtown Boston and the outside design was all glass. She could literally see other buildings reflecting in the glass. The building was also unbelievably tall. It seemed to stretch upward for miles and disappear into the sky. She almost passed out when Roman told her he lived on the top floor.

A doorman was waiting at the entrance of the building and Roman coolly greeted him before ushering her inside. Kristen’s mouth dropped open in wonder and she gasped out loud as she eyed the lobby. She looked around in awe. It was so fancy she felt she should take her shoes off. It was all stone, marble, and granite, decorated with rich colors. The interior lights were dimmed to create an intimate mood. There were several places to sit and watch TV on the oversized televisions peppered throughout and there was a bar with attractive male and female bartenders strategically placed in the center of it all. She looked to her left and saw the complex even housed a Starbucks.

Kristen smirked to herself. Coffee and Alcohol. That was a lethal combination. If the drunk people collided with the amped up people all hell would break loose.

Kristen noted there wasn’t much activity going on and that added to the mystique and romantic element of the building. She was happy to see the few people she and Roman passed on the way to the elevator were friendly and cordial and either spoke or nodded their way in acknowledgment.

Roman placed his hand to her back as he maneuvered her through the lobby and it was all Kristen could do not to melt out of her skin. His touch was light but it sent her hormones raging in a direction that could prove to be dangerous if she wasn’t careful.

“Is it usually this empty down here?” she nervously asked him, trying hard to ignore the rising heat in her body.

“Most days,” he said. “It’s very exclusive, that’s why I picked it. Mostly older folks live here and there’s not a lot of kids. Even during the days where they might have open house or events for the tenants it’s pretty quiet.”

Roman pushed the up button on the elevator. Kristen gnawed her lip as she stared at his fingers. They were so long. She bet they’d feel incredible going in and out of her. She closed her eyes to distract herself from the visual and stood in silence beside him as they waited for the doors to open. Once they did, Roman stood back to let her inside first and followed in behind her. He pressed the number 50 and leaned against the back wall of the elevator, looking at her. They were alone.

Kristen was standing in front of the elevator buttons and fought in vain to fight the fluttering in her heart. It was hard to breathe. She wanted to be closer to him but she didn’t trust herself. She tried not to appear nervous but it was hard. She could see his reflection in the yellow reflective glass on the elevator doors. He was leaning casually against the wall with his hands in his pockets, sneakily looking her up and down. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose. Did he know the effect he had on her?

Her dress wasn’t in the slut neighborhood but it was tight and showed off all her delicious curves. It was cinched in at her breasts, waist, and hips and flared out at the bottom, showing off her shapely legs. It was a pretty spring-timey dress, and it was blue, his favorite color. She hoped he liked it. Judging by the way he was looking at her, she imagined he did. She didn’t want to get too beside herself. This man was hard to figure out and aside from giving her the eye now and again, he didn’t give any hints as to how he really felt about her. She couldn’t help wondering if another woman was blocking him from giving in to his attraction to her.

Playing with her hands, Kristen looked down at the floor and prayed they’d hurry up and get to the top floor. She wanted to jump his bones something awful. She could still feel his eyes on her. She looked up at the doors again and saw him quickly look away. When she looked away, she could feel the heat of his gaze again and looked up at him once more. He looked away again. She looked at him again and her eyes caught his and held.

Kristen started shaking and couldn’t stop. Fuck!

“You okay?” he asked her. His voice was deep, smooth, and husky. Lawd have mercy!

“Um… Yeah. Yeah.” She giggled lightly. “I have a little slight vertigo problem. I’m fine. It’s the height. It’ll pass.”

“You might not want to look out the windows when we get up to my apartment then.”

“You have a lot of windows?”

“Yes. Lots of them, all 180 degree panoramic views. And a terrace. That’s why I picked it.”

She smiled at his reflection in the mirror. “I can’t wait to see it.”

He didn’t return her smile, just kept looking at her. She wished he would stop doing that.

Kristen sighed with relief when the doors finally opened and stood to the side to let him pass. They walked down a long hallway with artwork on the walls and finally stopped at the last door on the right. Roman shuffled in his pockets for his keys. He produced a gold medium-sized key, put it in the door, and opened it. He stood back so Kristen could enter then walked in and closed the door softly behind them.

Kristen was immediately blown away. Roman’s place was as beautiful as the building that housed it. It was extremely spacious with tall ceilings and moderately decorated in beiges, browns, and blacks. It had curtainless floor to ceiling windows and was flooded with natural light.

“You want a tour?” he offered noticing the excited look on her face.

“A tour?” she almost shrieked. “Sure!”

She looked over at him and grinned widely at him, showing off two deep dimples. Roman visibly inhaled and exhaled as she beamed, a troubled expression on his face.

“You okay?” she asked.

He nodded slowly. “I’m fine. Come on.”

Roman’s apartment honestly belonged in an issue of Architectural Digest. He was a bachelor but his apartment was anything but a man cave or bachelor pad. The entire residence smelled citrusy clean but it wasn’t an overwhelming smell. It wasn’t a scent Kristen thought a man would pick. She imagined like most rich people Roman probably had a maid come in daily to keep it tidy and smelling fresh.

There were hardwood floors in the living area and kitchen and carpet throughout the rest of residence. There was a large U-shaped couch in the living area and a separate sitting area with two leather wingback chairs and an avant garde wooden table. There was also a wall unit, a keyboard on a stand against the wall by the kitchen and a piano by the terrace. There was a dining area that sat ten and Kristen wondered why a bachelor would need all that space; then remembered he was from a big family and felt it made sense.

The kitchen had all stainless steel appliances, an island, and numerous cabinet and counter spaces and there wasn’t a dish in sight. There weren’t even any in the sink. There were candles placed throughout the apartment; some of them sitting on tall candle holders. Kristen marveled at how much of a romantic feel it gave the apartment and couldn’t help wondering how many other women had the luxury of being up there. She tried hard not to think about it too much.

Roman gave her a tour of the entire pad. Kristen couldn’t get over how big it was. It seemed to go on and on and each corner they turned only led to more space. He mentioned to her that it was almost 2,000 square feet and had four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. He showed her the first three bedrooms and they were all furnished with a bed, dressers, and flat-screen TVs. Kristen mentally noted that all the beds were decorated impressively with nice beddings and wished she could spend the night in one of them. Each bedroom had its own bathroom and they were all done in different colors with guest towels, robes, and toiletries.

They soon came to what she assumed was the last bedroom. It was far away from the others, around another corner, all by itself. They both stood outside the closed door and looked at one another.

“So uh,” he quietly began, “this is my bedroom.” He looked at the door; then looked back over to her before casting his eyes to the floor. “You can go in if you like.”

If I like? Are you fuckin’ kidding me? Hell yeah I want to see it! I’d love to lie on my back and fuck you in it!

Kristen blinked rapidly and chastised her dirty mind. “Sure,” she easily replied with a small smile.

Roman looked at her, opened the door and stood back, waiting for her to go in. Kristen entered and held her breath, taking it all in as she looked around. How many times had she dreamed about being alone with Roman in his bedroom? Now it was actually happening.

Tentatively, she walked further inside. Her eager eyes scrutinized every detail as she toured. There was a huge four-poster king-sized bed with a leather black headboard, two long and wide skylights above the bed, an almost theater sized television in the wall, a sitting room with two brown leather chairs, coffee-table and another keyboard, and two tall lamps on either side of the bed, along with matching night tables. It was pretty basic like the other rooms, only it was
his
bedroom. How many women had been in his room? In his bed? She wanted so bad to ask him.

Kristen furtively glanced over at Roman. He was watching her as she walked around his room, his face giving away no expression. He watched her a lot. She was starting to become addicted to it.

Kristen went through a set of French doors on her right and was immediately in his master bathroom. Her mouth dropped open at how sexy it was. It was all silver and light-colored marble. It had two sinks on opposite sides of a half wall and one of them housed a make-up area with a chair. Her instant fantasy was the two of them getting ready for the day together, laughing, stealing kisses, and helping one another get dressed. If only… 

There was a huge glass walk-in shower with a bench, three shelves, and four showerheads, two above and two coming from the wall. Hella sexy. The Jacuzzi bathtub literally took her breath away. It was deep with multiple jet settings and there was a huge window that had a wide ledge with a long ivory cushion on it. It was directly in front of the tub and had a fantastic view of the city. Like the rest of the windows it had no curtains. Kristen thought about sitting on the ledge in front of the window while his head expertly moved between her legs.

Memorizing the details for future hot, horny nights, Kristen turned to leave the bathroom but got distracted by another door beside the shower. She looked towards the door to the bathroom and didn’t see Roman, so she turned the knob and went on in. It was his walk-in closet and it was huge. There were drawers, shelves, and clothes racks to the left and right of her. It was filled to capacity with an array of clothes and shoes but like the rest of the residence, everything was neat and tidy.

“What do you think?”

Kristen jumped and turned around with her hand to her throat. She really wished he would stop that vampire shit. It was starting to creep her out.

He was standing in the doorway of the closet, watching her intently with a glass of water in his hand. “Gorgeous,” she whispered.

Roman took a sip of water and gestured behind him. “Would you like to see the terrace?”

“Sure.”

“You going to be okay going out there? I know you said you suffer from vertigo.”

“I’ll be fine. I’d love to see it.”

Roman assessed her for a brief moment; then pushed away from the door, leading her back to the front of the apartment.

The terrace could be seen from the interior of the living room but there was nothing like actually walking out there and seeing it up close. It spanned the length of the left side of the apartment and wrapped all the way around to where the living-area stopped. On one side it was decorated with two single chairs, a long weather-proof couch with throw pillows, and more candles; then the other side was like an entertaining area with four small tables with umbrellas and chairs. The view from out there was beyond amazing. Kristen squelched her feelings of uneasiness and nausea and walked to the wall of the terrace, looking over.

“Careful,” Roman warned.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled and he gave her that strange look again. She ignored it and looked back towards the city. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up when Roman walked over to her and stood beside her.  It never ceased to amaze her the heightened sense of awareness her body had whenever he was around.

He told her his complex had an amazing view of the Charles River. He asked if she’d ever heard of it and she said no. When he pointed it out to her she was literally rendered speechless. With the view of downtown and the river, she imagined it was quite beautiful at night. Especially with all the city lights.

“You should’ve had the winners stay here,” she said as she looked over at him.

Roman slightly shrugged. “I thought of that.”

“Really?”

She thought she saw him finally smile but it looked more like a grimace. She wished he’d smile at least once. “I’m kidding,” he said.  “That would’ve been too much of an invasion.”

“Your apartment is very beautiful. How long have you lived here?”

Roman took another swallow of water. “Three years.”

His phone started ringing again. He took it out of his pocket, looked at it, and replaced it. It kept ringing in the same manner it had in the car and again Kristen wondered why he wouldn’t just answer it. Her instincts told her it was a girl calling him. She wanted to be wrong but she knew she wasn’t.