Moment of Weakness (Embracing Moments Book 1) (19 page)

A feeling I never felt before took root in my heart, but before I had a chance to question it, my phone rang. Roman moved me from his lap and dropped his hands from my waist. My body felt flaccid as I scrambled to locate my phone in the tall grass.

“Hey, Dad,” I said, answering the phone.

“Julia, you’re still awake? I thought you’d be sleeping by now. I was going to just leave you a voice mail.” I pulled the phone from my ear and glanced at the time. It was almost two in the morning. Where did the time go?

“Yeah, I um . . . was reading a book and didn’t realize how late it was.” My eyes shifted to Roman, and I internally pouted as I watched him put his shirt back on.

“Okay. Well, I just wanted to call and let you know our plane landed. If you need anything at all, just call, okay?”

“Yeah, I will. I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, Julia. Good night.”

“Night,” I said, pulling the phone from my ear to end the call.

Roman stood in front of me, a soft expression on his face. “It’s late. I should get you back to the house.”

Nodding, I agreed. The slight disappointment I felt at his suggestion was something I refused to give voice to. It was late, and while I wasn’t ready for our moment to end, I was ready to give in to the much needed rest my body demanded. Roman draped his arm across my shoulder and pulled me into his side. As we walked back toward the clearing in the trees, I glanced back at the meadow. Thirteen years ago, a piece of my heart died. Just like I left the memories of that day buried in the meadow, I also left that part of my heart.

Coming down here dug up those memories. Only now, they didn’t seem quite as painful, and as I walked out of the meadow, a strange feeling radiated through my chest. A feeling I hadn’t felt in thirteen years.

I felt my heart beat.

My
whole
heart.

THE OBNOXIOUS RINGING
of my phone pulled me from my sleep. With a lazy arm, I reached for my nightstand, knocking off everything in the direct path of my cell.

Hitting the answer button, I groaned. “You better be dying.”

Lacey’s voice echoed through the line. “Sorry to break it to you, Jules, but if I was dying, I’d be calling an ambulance, not your cranky ass.”

Shielding my eyes from the bright light that filtered through the blinds, I yawned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night.” There was a silent pause on the line, and I knew Lacey was feeling sorry for me. “I’m okay, Lace. It will always be hard for me, but yesterday”—My lips curled into a smile as I thought about the previous day and the time I had spent with Roman—“it wasn’t that bad.”

She spoke, her voice still low and unsure. “I’m glad to hear that, but if you ever—”

“I know, and I appreciate it. More than you’ll ever know.”

“So how’s the trip going?” she asked, some color returning to her tone.

“It’s not,” I snorted. “I decided at the last minute to stay home.”

Her voice perked up to normal Lacey levels. “Does that mean you’re free to go shopping?” Sitting up, I glanced over at my alarm clock. It was almost one o’clock. I slept the entire morning away.

“Sure, why not. I just need to shower and get dressed. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“Sounds good. Just shoot me a text when you’re on your way?”

“Will do.”

Talking for a few more minutes, we decided what stores we wanted to go to. Lacey wanted to pick up a few new outfits, and I decided on looking at dresses for the gala. After we hung up, I hopped in the shower and quickly dressed, throwing on a pair of denim shorts and a simple purple tank. I slipped my feet into a pair of flip-flops and pulled my hair back into a ponytail before moseying downstairs.

Walking into the kitchen, I glanced out at the terrace. My heart fluttered in my chest as I remembered the way Roman had placed a gentle kiss on my lips after walking me back from the meadow. So much had changed between us last night, and the thought of seeing him again had me feeling a little more than nervous. It had less to do with the butterflies in my stomach but more to do with the way he’d react. The first time we kissed, he disappeared for a week. For all I knew, he could already have his bags packed and resignation letter in hand. I swallowed hard and pushed away the thought.

Last night was different.

Rather than sending Roman a text, I took a walk down to the guesthouse. I didn’t know if he was awake, or if he was even in there, but he had to be there. It’s not like he could leave. Running my sweaty palms along my shorts, I reached the front door and knocked.

My stomach swirled with anxiousness as the front door opened. Roman stood before me, and I forced a swallow as my gaze fell on him. His bare chest was on full display, and his light gray sweatpants hung low, showing off the sexy indents on either sides of his hips. He leaned forward, his hands resting on the insides of the doorframe, and the liquid in my veins heated.

He glanced around. “Everything okay?” Unable to find my voice, I nodded, and his lips kicked up in the corners. “Did you need something?”

My voice cracked. “Lacey called. She wants to go shopping. I said I’d go with her.” A brief second of disappointment flashed across his face. “Is that okay? We don’t have to go if you’re busy.”

He shook his head. “No. I just need to get ready.”

I nodded and started backing away from the door. “Okay then.” I tossed my thumb over my shoulder. “I’ll just wait—”

“You can come in. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

I contemplated the offer, but decided it was best if I just waited by the car. Being alone with Roman, looking the way he did, made it hard to resist him. And while I was totally ready for an encore of last night, Lacey was waiting for us. Not to mention, I still wasn’t sure how Roman would handle our interactions going forward. The fine line between black and white was the same line we were now walking. Throwing him a quick smile, I said, “That’s okay. I will just wait for you at the car.” He nodded and turned to walk away, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

Peeking through the door, I watched Roman vanish up the stairs. It had been so long since I last stepped foot in the guesthouse, I had almost forgotten what it looked like. I was getting ready to turn and walk away when the arsenal of weapons sitting on the kitchen island caught my attention. From where I stood, I could see five different handguns and at least three larger guns, resembling assault rifles. Beside them sat several different style and length barrel attachments as well as different scopes.

An uneasy feeling turned over in the pit of my stomach. Having a gun was necessary in Roman’s profession, but a part of me wondered why he needed so many.

“Do guns make you nervous, Miss Parker?”

My gaze snapped to Roman who was walking down the steps, now fully dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a white fitted tee. My mouth fell open, but the ability to form words died at the sight of him. Not only was I staring into his temporary residence, but I also failed to go wait by the car like I said I would. Roman walked over to the kitchen island and picked up one of the small black handguns, reaching behind his back to tuck it in the waistband of his jeans.

Roman turned back around, his expression softening as his gaze landed on me. “The safety is on. I’d leave it behind but—”

I shook my head. “No, no it’s okay. I just . . . It’s not every day I see a counter full of guns.” As I sucked in my bottom lip, a humorless laugh escaped my throat as I thought about how ironic that statement was. With all the security detail floating around, you would think I’d be used to seeing them. But here—now—it was a reminder of Roman’s real purpose of being here. Looking at him, I sighed. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget why you’re actually here.”

Roman strode toward me. His hands fell to my face, thumbs caressing my cheeks, eyes centered on mine. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You have my word.”

Everything inside me wanted to believe what he was saying was true. My father hadn’t received any more phone calls, but that didn’t mean the threat wasn’t still out there. “And if it’s your father you’re worried about, you don’t need to be.” His lips grew into a smirk. “Have you seen Theo’s resume?” I smiled because Theo was pretty badass. Roman leaned forward and captured my lips with his, placing a chaste kiss upon them before pulling back. “We should go.”

Nodding, I turned and headed toward the car. My lips tingled the entire way.

After swinging by Lacey’s to pick her up, we made our way into town. The center square was small, but catered to the wealthy residents of our town. Several boutique shops lined the cobblestone sidewalks, and Lacey decided she wanted to stop at each one. Roman lingered in the background, trying his best to remain unnoticed. For Lacey, it seemed to be working, because she carried on as she usually would. I, however, was finding it hard to concentrate on anything but him.

Determined to find something for the gala, I sifted through the racks of designer dresses. My closet at home was full, but nothing I owned seemed to fit the bill. Pulling a few from the racks, I met Lacey at the dressing rooms.

“Lace, I need your help a second,” I called through the door, trying to pull the zipper up on the back of the dress. All the other dresses I tried on zippered up the side, making them easy to get on and off. Of course, the last one I needed to try on was going to be difficult. The small black dress made of chiffon and silk had a sweetheart neckline. Sequins covered the bodice, and a thick, black silk ribbon cinched the waistline, flowing to a pleated skirt that fell mid-thigh.

“Lace!” I whisper-yelled, trying to get her attention without sounding like my voice was coming through the loudspeaker.

Roman’s voice came through the door. “She’s not out here. She walked off a few minutes ago.”

Dammit.

Holding the dress up with my arms, I stared at myself in the mirror. “I need help zipping the back of this dress. The zipper is snagged and I can’t get it up.”

“I can see if I can find her, or get the cashier.”

Sliding the lock open on the door, I opened it a crack and peeked my head around. “Would you just help me, please? It will only take a second.”

Roman looked left and then right as though he contemplated my request. A moment later, he stepped through the door, closing it behind him. The small changing room became even smaller with Roman in it. Stepping forward, his hands fell to the small of my back, and as his fingers brushed against my skin, I closed my eyes and sucked in a shallow breath. As his hands worked to free the zipper, his breath danced along my spine, leaving a layer of goose bumps in its wake.

Roman glanced into the mirror, his eyes finding mine. “Sorry, fixing zippers really isn’t my forte.” A smile tugged at his lips and then disappeared. “Please don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what, Roman?” I asked, biting my lower lip.

“Like you’re waiting . . . like you’re waiting for me—” Shaking his head, a low laugh rumbled from his throat, followed by a forced swallow. “I’m trying really hard to be a gentleman here.”

Turning around so I could face him, I tipped my head back so I could meet his stare. “Is it wrong if I said I don’t want you to be?”

Roman’s breath hitched, his eyes suddenly full of desire.

Cursing under his breath, he paused for a second and then yanked me toward him, his chest rising and falling against my own. Heat pooled in my lower stomach as he dropped his mouth to mine. His tongue caressed the seam of my lips, and when they parted on a moan, he pushed inside. My body relaxed against his, and my hands traveled up the back of his neck, my fingers curling around his hair. The way his fingers glided across my lower back had me yearning for more. The simple touch of his hands had my body responding in more ways than I was used to. Roman was becoming an addiction.

A volatile addiction I knew I should break.

“Jules! Are you almost done in there? I’m ready to check out.” Lacey’s voice reverberated around the changing room, and my spine immediately stiffened. Releasing me from his grasp, Roman pulled back, his lips skimming the curve of my jaw.

“Yeah,” I hollered back to her, “I’ll be out in a minute.”