Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (42 page)

What he did next not only shocked me, but it took my
breath away. He bent down and pressed his lips sweetly to mine.
They were soft and tender and missed so much. Not wanting to seem
too eager I kissed him back gently. I wanted to devour his lips the
moment they touched mine, but I didn’t want to scare him off.

He pulled back too soon and I regretted not taking as
much of him as I could. “Ella,” he spoke softly, still holding on
to my wrist. “I love you,” he whispered.

Those three words were enough to break my heart all
over again, but I kept my cool and tried not to cry. “I love you
too,” I said, hoping he believed I did.

He leaned back against the washer making my heart
sputter uncontrollably. “I’ve done a lot of thinking while I was
home,” he began.

“And?” I pushed having no patience.

“And I do want to be with you, but I just can’t go
back to the way things were.”

“I understand.” I stepped away and leaned on the
dryer, disappointed. I dropped my head and let my hair cover my
face to hide the tears I could no longer stop.

Roman stepped in front of me and picked up my chin,
forcing me to look at him. His face fell when he saw my tears.
“Ella, I don’t think you were really listening to me. Unless you
were hoping I said I didn’t want to be with you?”

“No,” I shook my head. “I want to be with you and I
want you to want to be with me, but?” I knew he was holding
something back.

“But…we’re going to have to take it slow,” he said,
wiping the tears from my face. “Think of it as starting over.”

“I don’t know how to do that?” I said, scared this
might not work.

“It’s easy. Watch,” he said, walking out of the room.
I stood there dumbfounded. He returned not seconds later and walked
in pretending he didn’t know me. He picked up my clothes and
started doing laundry. I stood there and wondered what the hell was
going through his mind. When he was done loading the washer, he
turned to me, and smiled that amazing smile I missed so much. He
leaned up casually against the washer and looked me up and down
like he was checking me out. He extended his arm and said, “Hi, I’m
Roman.”

“Do you always wear women’s underwear?” I asked,
pointing to the basket he
‘borrowed’
for his little
demonstration.

He blushed slightly. “I was trying to make a point
and didn’t have much to work with.”

“I see,” I said, trying not to laugh.

“Okay, how about we try this one more time now you
know what I mean,” he suggested.

“Okay,” I agreed, willing to try anything to make
this work.

“Hi, I’m Roman,” he said extending his hand.

“Ella,” I smiled, taking his hand and shaking it.
When our skin made contact I felt that shock I felt the first time
I touched him. I knew he felt it to by the look on his face. I
refused to let go. I forgot how good I felt when we touched. I
looked up into his eyes hoping he was feeling what I was.

He answered my hindering thoughts by pulling me tight
to his body and kissing me hard. My whole body melted into liquid
by the intensity of the kiss. I let myself fall into him. Not
willing to let him go this time, I wrapped my arms around his neck
and kissed him back with everything I had. He spun me around and
lifted me on top of the washer and worked his way in between my
knees. I ran my hands down his chest and up the back of his shirt.
He grabbed my hips and pulled me closer to him. A tiny gasp escaped
my lips. His hands slipped under my shirt and then quickly tugged
it off. Wanting to feel his bare skin against mine I tugged on his
shirt and he let me pull it off. I wrapped my legs around his waist
and pulled him as close to me as I could. His skin was warm to the
touch and I couldn’t get enough of it. My hands roamed every inch
of his bare skin as he kissed me. I dug my fingers into his
shoulders as his tongue explored the inside of my mouth.

I ran my nails down his back and gripped the belt
loops on his pants. Roman let out a grunt, pressed his hand into my
lower back, and tugged me so close to him our stomachs collided.
Things had gotten hot and heavy. A little too hot. I pushed back
suddenly, gasping, and burning. Obviously Roman was a little out of
practice because he had burned my back with his hand. “What’s
wrong? What is it?” he asked panicked, seeing the pained look on my
face.

“You burned me,” I said giggling.

“Ella, that’s not funny. Where?” he asked, looking me
over. I hoped off the washer and turned around pointing to my lower
back. I could only imagine, but I had a feeling it probably looked
like a giant hand print. “Oh,” he said. “How about I go get you
some ice?”

“Yeah, and maybe next time try to actually take
things slow, for real,” I smiled.

“I thought we were?”

“That’s what you call slow?”

“I didn’t feel you pulling away,” he teased. “It’s
not my fault you can’t keep your hands off of me,” he smiled
cockily. I threw his shirt at him and he laughed as he took off out
the door.

I picked up my shirt and then turned around to
actually do my laundry. I had a smile on my face that I couldn’t
seem to get rid of. I was so afraid Roman would have decided not to
be with me and who could blame him, but I was wrong and I couldn’t
stop smiling. I closed the lid on the washer and pushed start, but
nothing happened. “Huh?” I double checked to make sure it was
plugged in. As I bent down to check the outlet all the lights went
out. I stood up. “Seriously?”

This was one of those situations that never ended
well. “Roman, ha-ha very funny,” I said, hoping this was one of his
sick jokes since he can generate power. “Roman?” I called. I heard
nothing but the clanking of old pipes which just made the situation
even creepier.

I tried to adjust and refocus my eyes to the pitch
black. It was odd, being able to see in the dark. It was almost
like looking through blurred night vision goggles. I could make out
shapes and some objects, but not much else. I guess my powers were
still growing. I relied on my other senses and took a step forward
and then another and another until I was out in the hall. “Roman?”
I called again.

A loud clank, like the sound of a pipe bursting,
caused me to stumble backwards into the laundry room. Instead of
backing into one of the dryers like I hoped I would. I fell into
someone, someone I did not know, and someone who was not a
friend.

I spun around quickly ready to attack, but there was
no one behind me. I looked to my side and then back around again,
nothing. I heard a sound coming from down the hall. It sounded like
a pipe dragging on the ground. “Elllaaa,” a strange voice
whispered.

Whatever was going on was not good and I needed to
find a way out of there fast. The noise was getting closer and I
was running out of time. I had nowhere to go and now my only option
was to stay and fight. “Elllaaa,” the voice called again. “You
can’t beat me,” it hissed, sending cold spikes down my spine.

I took a step back. Panic surged through my body. I
bumped into someone again, but this time I turned swinging. I
punched air. I was starting to think I was losing my mind. Smoke
started billowing up from the ground and encircled me. I was
surrounded by it and coughing from the immense thickness of it. I
waved the smoke away from my face and in the distance I caught a
glimpse of two glowing dots. I squinted through the sea of black
cloud and the glowing dots appeared to be getting larger and
appeared as if they were coming straight for me.

I gasped when I realized what they were. They were
eyes and eyes I knew well. Jack’s face jumped out of the smoke.
“Boo,” he said and I screamed.

I felt hands on my shoulder and I screamed again,
jumped, and did not hesitate to attack. “Ella,” Roman said, ducking
and grabbing my fist before I socked him.

“Roman,” I cried, throwing myself in his arms.

“Are you okay?”

“No. He’s here…I…I saw him,” I stammered, not so
sure.

“Where?” Roman growled, jumping in front of me.

“I don’t know. I mean it was weird. I heard a woman’s
voice calling my name and then there was all this smoke and it was
as if Jack appeared out of nowhere.” I looked around again. “I just
don’t know?” I said, looking over my shoulder.

“Ella, you’re shivering,” Roman said, wrapping his
arms around me. “Let’s get you back to your room and call
Gabe.”

I let Roman cradle me close to him as we walked back
to my room. My eyes were darting everywhere, afraid of what might
pop out at me. The lights were still out by the time I reached my
room and it made it hard to find my phone to call Gabe. “Ella, look
out,” Roman called too late. I stumbled over my suitcase and fell
head first into my bed post.

“Son of a –” I yelled, gripping my head.

“Ella, are you alright?” Roman asked, rushing to my
side.

“Yeah, I’m just a dumbass klutz,” I laughed, holding
my hand to my head.

The lights came back on and Roman bent down in front
of me. “Let me take a look,” he said, pulling my hand away. “You’re
bleeding. I think we should go to the nurse.”

“No,” I protested. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Besides,
I’d like to make it at least a weak without having to visit the
infirmary.”

Roman smiled as he helped me up off the floor and
gently onto the bed. He got a damp washcloth and wiped the blood
from my forehead before placing a small bandage over it and kissing
it gently. “You know, for someone as tough as you, you seem to get
hurt a lot,” he teased.

I laughed knowing how true that statement was. “Grace
is not my strong suit.” We sat there for a moment in awkward
silence. “Is this how it’s going to be? Can we really start
over?”

“I think maybe we’re rushing it. So I think I should
go,” he said, getting up. I wanted him to stay, but he was right.
If we just jumped back into things it wouldn’t work. Not until that
little black cloud above us was gone. “I’ll call Gabe and tell him
what happened and make sure they do a perimeter check.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure it was nothing.
Probably just stress of not knowing where he is.”

“Are you going to be okay? I mean if you want me to
stay I can?”

I smiled at him and got up off the bed. “I’ll be
fine. I promise.” He nodded and walked to the door. I followed him
and leaned up against the frame.

He turned around and gave me a sweet smile.
“Goodnight Ella.”

“Goodnight Roman.” He hesitated for a moment, not
sure, and then he bent down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I
smiled as I watched him walk down the hall. “Hey Roman?” He turned.
“Breakfast tomorrow?”

“Breakfast sounds great,” he said as he walked
backwards down the hall.

After I was able to calm myself down from the freak
incident in the laundry room, I laid down to rest. I heard wolves
howling outside and I got up to see they were doing a perimeter
check. Clearly Roman was more worried than he put on and decided to
call Gabe anyways.

Sometime after one I started to get really hot, like
sweating, burning hot. I knew it wasn’t that warm outside and I was
even chilly when I went to sleep so I didn’t understand why all of
a sudden I was burning up. I pulled the covers off of me to reveal
a large man’s arm draped over my body. I turned to look who was
next to me and I found Roman in his boxers.

I smiled and cuddled up closer to him despite the
heat he was radiating. The feel of his body next to mine gave me
comfort and allowed me to sleep peacefully.

Roman was propped up on his elbow, gazing down at me.
His smile was sweet and loving. I blinked a few times, adjusting my
eyes to the wonderful sight before me. “I don’t believe this is
what you would call taking it slow. I can’t say I’m complaining
though.” I reached up and stroked his cheek.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t sleep and I was worried
about you. So I snuck in here. I hope you don’t mind?”

“And you decided to strip down to your boxers?”

“I was hot,” he smiled.

“Tell me about it. You had so much heat radiating off
of you I was sweating.”

“That didn’t stop you from molesting me.”

“I did not,” I scoffed.

He chuckled and flicked my chin with his finger. “I
didn’t mind,” he winked. I was about to argue when he cupped my
cheek and pressed a tender kiss to my lips, melting all my tension.
“I should go.”

“You don’t have to,” I said, hoping he would
stay.

“I need to shower and we’re supposed to be having
breakfast.”

“How about breakfast in bed?” I suggested, wiggling
my brows.

“Tempting, but I think I’ve done enough damage by
coming here last night.” He got up out of the bed and slipped his
pants on.

I sat up confused. “Damage?” I asked. I was almost
afraid to know his answer.

“I just mean every time we try to take a step forward
we end up taking one back. We’re supposed to be starting over.”

“In a way we are. If I remember correctly, even
before we started dating you use to sneak into my room.”

“History does tend to repeat itself,” he said
solemnly. “I think we’re just so use to each other it’s hard to
start over. Start from scratch.”

“Does this mean you want to give up?” I asked a
little panicked.

“No. Of course not. I just think we need to try to
have more self-control and not give in to our urges.”

“Our urges?” I teased, sending him a sexy smile.

“You know what I mean,” he said blushing.

“I think maybe you should take your own advice
considering you were the one who snuck in here last night.”

“Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Uh-huh,” I nodded, trying to hide my smile.

“Hey, you’re one to talk. You were the one who mauled
me in the laundry room.”