Moment of Weakness (Embracing Moments Book 1) (30 page)

Since I hadn’t seen Roman, I wasn’t sure how the evening would play out. The guest list was invite only, but each guest would still be required to go through a rigorous security search before allowed on property grounds. After spending the afternoon, showering and prepping, I pulled the white polyester bag that housed my dress from the closet. As soon as I unzipped it and caught view of the knee-length black cocktail dress, memories of Roman and me in the changing room came flooding back. His fingers on my back, his lips moving against mine. The taste of his lips and the feel of him pressing against me.

How was I supposed to do this? Maybe it was easy for him to act like nothing had happened between us, but it wasn’t easy for me. I couldn’t just write off what we had because every moment spent with him was a moment that brought me back to life.

I slipped my legs into the silky black dress, and hoped this time I’d be able to work the zipper up myself. Once I got it zipped, I pulled the curlers from my hair and tousled them with hairspray. Resting on my dresser was my blue butterfly clip, and as I picked it up, I swept a small portion of curls back and clipped them in place on the side of my head. The glittery, blue heels I had picked out earlier sat at the foot of my bed along with the matching blue clutch. After applying my makeup, I made my way down the hall to my father’s room.

Popping my head around the door, I saw him standing in front of his mirror. His fingers worked to move his tie, but the grimace on his face told me he was losing his patience.

“You need help?” I asked, stepping all the way into the room.

My father looked over at me through the mirror and blew out a frustrated breath. “Please,” he said, looking hopeless. “Before I grab the damn clip-on.”

I chuckled as I walked over to him. “You know, for someone who wears a tie every day, you’d think you’d know how to tie one by now.”

He frowned. “The clip-on ones are easier.” I smiled and grabbed each end of his tie, adjusting them and then tying them into a perfect Windsor knot. “I’m sure you will, but in case you don’t hear it from anyone else this evening, you look beautiful, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” He placed a kiss on my forehead and then grabbed his black tux hanging from the corner of his mirror. I sat down on the edge of his bed and watched him shrug it on over his shoulders. “Have you heard anything?” I asked, referring to the threatening phone calls, or the break in.

“Yeah, I got a message in my email earlier. Someone will be stopping by tomorrow morning to discuss what information they’ve found.”

“That’s good, right? Hopefully they have some idea as to who or why they would be doing this.”

His fingers flicked the buttons through their holes on his jacket, and then he grabbed his cufflinks from his dresser. “Yeah, you may be able to enjoy the last few weeks of your summer without having to be followed.” I tried not to let the disappointment at that thought show on my face, but nothing got past my father, at least not when it came to me. “You okay?”

I forced a smile. “Yeah, just sad that the summer is almost over. A couple weeks and I’ll be back at school.”

“I know this summer hasn’t exactly gone as you planned, but I have to tell you, despite everything you’ve been through, you seem happier. I’m not sure how or why, or who is responsible for it, but don’t lose it. I’ve enjoyed watching you smile.”

Hell. I hated when he said things like that. It was a
who.
It was Roman. But how did I respond to that? How did I tell my father it’s impossible to lose something you never technically had? I stood up and wrapped my arms around him and then pulled away. “I’ve been thinking about changing my major.”

His thick brown brows narrowed. “You have?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I was thinking of maybe taking a couple business courses. Just to see how I’d like it.”

His cheeks rose up in a smile. “Whatever you want to do. You have my full support. You always have my full support.”

“I know, Dad.” I fake punched his shoulder. “It’s why I haven’t replaced you yet.”

He laughed. “Oh? Is that the only reason?”

I brought my shoulder up to meet my cheek. “That and the tiny fact that I love you.”

“I love you too. What do you say we go knock the socks off of people with our good looks?”

I rolled my eyes in laughter and shook my head. “Sure thing, Dad. I’m right behind you.”

Flipping out his light, I threaded my arm through his, and we walked down the hall. In the distance, I could already see people pouring through the front door. I had stayed in my room for a significant part of the day while the decorators readied the house for the gala, so as we approached the stairs, I was swept away by the transformation. Thousands of lights and crystals hung from the ceiling and continued on to the terrace. Sheer white fabric draped the walls, and the bouquets of exotic pink flowers, not only added appeal, but coated the air with a sweet fragrance.

Stopping at the top of the steps, my breath died in my throat as my eyes fell upon the pair of captivating green eyes staring at me. Roman stood at the bottom of the bannister, his fitted black tux showing off his strong shoulders and lean waist. He wore it well, and his confidence spoke volumes. I silently begged my beating heart to stop its crazy thumping, but the damn thing wasn’t listening. My father tugged me forward, and while I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, Roman moved closer to greet us, never taking his eyes off me. As we reached the bottom of the steps, Roman stood in front of my father and addressed him. “Sir.”

“Roman,” my father said, acknowledging him. He then glanced around and turned toward me. “Do you see your date anywhere?”

Glancing around the room, I noticed the dip in Roman’s lips at my father’s question, but there was no sign of Lacey or Shane. I shook my head. “No, I don’t see them anywhere. They should be here soon.”

My father held my arm out, waiting for Roman to take his place. He looked him in the eyes as he spoke. “I trust you’ll keep her safe.”

“Yes, sir,” Roman said, offering a curt nod and then hooking his arm with mine. My father smiled, patted him on the back, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Licking my lips, I looked everywhere but at Roman. Just being next to him was weakening my resolve; looking at him would have obliterated it. As I held on to his arm, we weaved through the crowd of people, stopping to make small talk with a few of my father’s business associates. The entire time, my heart hammered in my chest, and when I caught his eyes stealing glances, I needed to remind myself to breathe.

We eventually made it to the terrace, and although it was less crowded, the atmosphere was much livelier. The band played on the stage off to the right, and a dance floor covered most of the terrace. A beautiful temporary bridge was installed over the pool, allowing you to cross it instead of walk around it, and glowing paper lanterns floated on the surface of the water.

I held my glass goblet under the sparkling liquid flowing from the large silver fountain. Several hostesses roamed about, offering flutes of champagne, but I figured I had drunk enough on my birthday to last me a lifetime. However crazy this evening would be, I was determined to handle it sober. Once the glass was full, I pushed it to my lips and tilted it back, allowing the cold ginger ale to tingle my taste buds.

“So you had no trouble with the zipper then?”

I swallowed back the mouthful of bubbly liquid and glanced at Roman. Of all the first things he could have said, he had to say that? “Nope,” I said, allowing the “p” to pop. My fingers traced the base of the glass, and the sound of the music drowned out the silence between us.

Roman stared out at the dancing crowd and then over at me. “I never got a chance to dance with you on your birthday.”

“That’s because you never asked.” I took another drink, regretting my beverage choice. Why didn’t I grab the alcohol again?

“Maybe I was a little intimidated.”

“Intimidated?” I laughed and rolled my eyes. “More like preoccupied.”

“Preoccupied?”

Were we seriously going to do this? We were seriously doing this. I set my glass down on the table. “Yes, Roman. Preoccupied. Maybe if you weren’t too busy dry humping the brunette with tits the size of Texas, you would have noticed that the only person I wanted to dance with was you.”

Roman moved in front of me. “Then dance with me,” he said, his voice low and strong.

I wrinkled my nose and narrowed my brows. “What? No.”

“What are you afraid of, Julia? You said you wanted to dance with me. So dance with me.” He had the biggest grin on his face, and oh man, did I want to wipe it off.

“Keyword there Roman—
wanted
—past tense.”

His lips curled higher. “Dance with me.”

“No,” I said, letting out a bitter laugh.

Roman shifted gears. His face went serious and his voice softened. “Miss Parker, please do me the honor of dancing with me?” I looked at him in amusement, and after a moment passed, he lowered his mouth to my ear. “Don’t make me beg, Julia. I can, but unless you want the entire attention of everyone on the dance floor, I suggest you just give in now.”

My eyes went round. “You wouldn’t,” I dared.

“You underestimate me, Miss Parker.” Roman turned around and started walking toward the stage.

Holy. Shit.

He was seriously going to put me on the spot. Running after him, I reached for his arm and spun him around. “You’re a stubborn ass, you know that. Now I’m purposely going to step on your toes.”

His lips spread into a full-blown smile. Grabbing my hand, Roman led us to the center of the dance floor and spun my arm around my head so I was facing him. His fingers gripped my waist, and he pulled my lower body flush with his. The music wasn’t anywhere close to the beat that played at the club, but Roman didn’t let that stop him. He twisted me around, and when our hips aligned, he did a move that was probably too inappropriate for the dance floor. The blood in my veins burned hot and my cheeks flushed. Roman’s hands moved to the lower corners of my hip bones, his fingers clenching the smooth material of my dress as he rotated our hips to the rhythm of the music. I attempted to move forward, but when he pulled me back, his lips grazed the nape of my neck, sending my already sensitive skin into a downward spiral of pleasure.

Roman’s hot breath caressed my neck. “I thought you were going to step on my toes?”

For once, I didn’t have a comeback. I was Jell-O, and Roman was the bowl holding me together. What made it worse was he knew it. His arm wrapped around my waist, and after another spin, we were face to face. My chest rose on a heavy inhale, but then his eyes concentrated on my lips, and the breath I was trying to take lodged itself in my throat. As the music slowed and the song we were dancing to came to an end, I saw Lacey and Shane walk onto the terrace. Attempting to move toward them, Roman’s voice held me in place.

“One more.” I looked back at him. “Just one more and then you can go to them.” His eyes pleaded with me. I licked my lips in consideration, my eyes bouncing between Roman and Lacey and Shane.

I held my finger up. “Just one more.” Roman’s lips pulled to a smile. A cover of Lifehouse’s
Hanging by a Moment
played through the speakers, and Roman tugged me forward, his arms circling around my back in a tight embrace. My hands moved up his chest, threading together around his neck.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered in my ear.

I tipped my head back to look at him. “For what?”

His tongue moved across his bottom lip. “For not telling you sooner how gorgeous you look.” I glanced down at my feet, trying to hide my obvious smile, but his voice grabbed my attention once again. “How do you do it?” He dropped his forehead to mine, and our lips were so close I could feel his breath upon my own. “How do you have the power to leave me completely speechless?”

He was asking me that, but ironically, I was the one who was speechless. Everything around us seemed to disappear, and as we spun in circles on the dance floor, Roman sang. How he knew the song, I had no idea, but the way his voice carried the words, it was like he was singing it just for me.

His fingers caressed my lower back, and I tugged him closer, not wanting the song to end. Because
we were
hanging by a moment. Roman and I had a long list of moments, but this moment—this moment was one neither of us was ready to let go of. Roman’s heart beat against my own, and our eyes collided one final time before the song came to an end. Raw emotion poured from both of us.

Why don’t you want me, Roman? I don’t get it. Why can’t you see I’m completely in love with you?

The words were there, rolling around on the tip of my tongue, trying so hard to find their voice.

“Mind if I cut in?”

I glanced over at Shane and then back to Roman. His smile vanished, the muscle along his jaw tightened, and his forehead wrinkled as his brows knitted together.

“No,” he said, pushing a sigh from his lips and shaking his head. Roman’s hands dropped from my waist, and my body mourned the loss of contact. “She’s all yours.”

Everything from that point happened in slow motion. He stepped back, and as he turned to walk away, my heart cried out for him. My eyes watched him disappear in the crowd, and the new arms that circled my waist lacked the gentle strength Roman’s had.

“You look amazing.”

I forced a smile. “Thanks.” It’s not that I disliked Shane. He was super sweet, but all I could think about was Roman. All I could hear was Roman’s singing in my head. And all I wanted to do was find him. My gaze darted around the terrace searching for him.

“Everything okay?”

I took another quick glance around and then looked back at Shane and swallowed.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, I just—”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted me. His expression was gentle and a pang of guilt crossed my chest. “I get it now. I like you, but I see it.”

I pulled back. “See what?” I asked, confused.

“The way he looks at you. I’m a guy, Julia.” He laughed as though it wasn’t obvious. “I know what it’s like to look at a woman and be completely lost in her.” Shane’s hands fell from my waist and he stepped back.