Eternal Flame (Eternal Flame #1) (14 page)

“You look very pretty,” he said, staring intensely at her. “Beautiful.”

Jasmine blushed and bashfully beamed at him.

His eyes focused on her. Without warning, his demeanor changed again. “You were going to kiss him, weren’t you?” he sharply asked.

Kristen reared her neck back and looked at him, taken off guard by the sudden question and the icy tone behind it. “Who?”

“Diego. Last night outside.” Roman drove his knife into the last remains of his omelet and forcibly sliced it, his fork scraping across his plate as he used it to separate the egg.

Kristen fiddled with her fork. Her eyes stayed focused on her plate. “Why you say that?”

“Because I saw you.”

Kristen looked up at him and tried not to be intimidated by the stony look in his eyes. “He was going to kiss me. I wasn’t going to kiss him.” She left out the part that she had kissed him several times the night before.

Roman stopped chewing and quietly studied her. Something flickered in his eyes but it happened so fast Kristen didn’t have time to gauge what it meant.

“Does it bother you?” she asked.

Roman finished the last couple of bites of his omelet and gulped down more water. “Does what bother me?”

“That he tried to kiss me.”

He steadily looked at her.  “No. Should it?”

Kristen didn’t know how to answer that and wasn’t sure she wanted to. He would learn about Diego soon enough. Right then was not the time. As if on cue, her phone began ringing. She reached down to retrieve it from her purse and paused when she saw who was calling: Diego. She fought to keep her face emotionless as she hit ignore and put it back in her purse.

“Was that him?”

Kristen took her time answering him. “Yes,” she faintly admitted.

“Are you seeing him again today?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“This afternoon.”

Silence engulfed the air.

Roman loudly cleared his throat then heavily sighed. “Can I see your phone?” He reached his hand out to her.

Kristen looked at him in question. She hesitated for a moment; then leaned down to get her phone. She took it out of her purse and reached it to him. This shit was crazy. He wasn’t even her man and she was just handing her phone over to him like it was his right to look at it. She couldn’t even begin to explain to herself why.

“What’s the security code?”

Kristen swallowed and rubbed her throat. “Your birthday. Zero five two zero.”

Roman silently looked at her; then promptly put the security code in. He started punching keys as he spoke to her. “I want to see you later,” he said. “I want to see you again today. And tomorrow.”

Kristen’s chest panted with excitement but she kept her voice steady. “Okay.”

He punched the keys a few more times; then handed the phone back to her. She glanced down at it and saw his name and number saved in her phone. She curiously looked over at him.

“When you get done with Diego… will you call me?”

That look was back in his eyes again and she fought hard not to call Diego immediately and cancel her plans with him. But she had to see him. She had to let him know face to face that things had changed.

Biting back the urge to gleefully kiss the phone, Kristen placed it in her lap and shyly smiled at the man of her dreams. “Yes.”

She wished he would say something. It had been almost fifteen minutes and still, nothing. She supposed she shouldn’t have waited so long to tell him. But he had looked so happy to see her when he picked her up from the hotel; she hadn’t wanted to say anything right away. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him. From the look on Diego’s face after she’d told him about Roman, she’d done that anyway.

She hadn’t told him everything. She let him know she had spent time with Roman earlier and she felt she was developing feelings for him. She told Diego she planned on spending time with Roman for the duration of her trip. She also told him she didn’t think it was in his or her best interest for them to keep seeing each-other. He’d remained quiet during her confession and hadn’t looked at her since she’d stopped talking.

They had gone on the historic Freedom Trail tour and were now sitting on a park bench in one of the oldest parks in the city, Boston Common. They’d had a light picnic lunch there and it was only after they’d finished eating that Kristen broke the news to him. She’d thought going somewhere public might cut down on the possible outburst Diego might have after telling him her feelings. His response or lack thereof, was less than what she’d expected.

Kristen looked over at Diego and nearly winced out loud at the gloomy expression on his face. “Diego,” she said, reaching for his hand. She shrank back as he pulled his hand away from hers, still looking at everything but her.

“Just… give me a minute,” he soberly said.

Kristen put both hands in her lap and looked down at them, playing with her fingers. She felt horrible. The last thing in the world she ever wanted to do was hurt Diego. She just didn’t feel it was right to lead him on any more than she already had. She didn’t know where this “thing”, whatever it was, with Roman would lead but she wanted to be 100% available to him if it did go somewhere. She was only in town for two more days so there was only so much they could become in that short period of time, but who knew what the future held? She could still hope.

“Wow,” Diego finally said, after what seemed like hours. “Wow.” He paused and nodded, looking around. “Okay.”

Kristen’s leery eyes searched his face. “Okay?”

He nonchalantly shrugged. “Yeah. Okay.”

She turned directly to him, bending her left leg and tucking it under her hip. She put her arm on the back of bench and lightly tapped. “So, how do you feel about everything?”

Diego waited a minute before speaking. “I wish you would’ve told me sooner.  I wish you would’ve told me before we spent all this time together today. That would’ve softened the blow significantly.”

Kristen swallowed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I still wanted to spend time with you. I know we haven’t known each-other long enough but I do consider you my friend.”

“Friend,” Diego sardonically said as he dryly chuckled. “I was starting to feel something deeper for you than that. You’re right. We haven’t known each-other that long.” His brown eyes were sad as he looked at her. “Hell, I don’t even know you at all really. But I do like you Kristen.”

Kristen looked down at the bench and twisted her mouth. “I’m sorry Diego.”

“I’m not angry with you, but… I mean, I know you entered the contest to win a date with him and all that so I wasn’t blind to the fact that he might be your favorite. But after the way he behaved yesterday towards you and with all he’s been going through-“

“He told me what happened with him and his ex. And about the baby.”

Diego’s eyes widened slightly with surprise. “He did?”

Kristen nodded.

“Well, that’s surprising. He doesn’t talk about that with anyone. Not even us. You must’ve made an impression on him after all.”

Kristen uncomfortably looked away.

“Are you seeing him today?”

She tightly pressed her lips together. “Yes.”

Diego cocked his head at her and folded his arms. “Can I ask you something? Why did you kiss me all those times? What did it mean?”

Kristen helplessly shook her head. “I don’t know; I shouldn’t have done that. It’s not that I don’t like you Diego and it’s not that I’m not attracted to you. I am. I just like him more. I always have. I don’t feel good about this at all. I know I led you on. I know I should’ve told you the truth as early as last night, but-“

“Yeah. I peeped what was developing between you guys when he came outside during the party. I didn’t want to believe it. I tried to convince myself it was momentary and if you spent more time with me, maybe it would lessen it a little. But if he told you about Carmen and the baby-“

Kristen’s stomach clenched with insecurity. “Carmen? That’s her name?”

Diego nodded. Kristen grew quiet and rested her chin on her arm, staring off into the distance. As if sensing her ambivalence, Diego turned towards her and put his arm across the bench atop hers. He touched the hand on her lap with his other hand. She looked over at him and sadly smiled. He gave her a sympathetic smile in return.

Kristen blinked back tears. She had just broken his heart and here he was consoling her. She was an asshole. Diego had been nothing but good to her since the beginning and she was cutting things off with him for a man whose mood changed with the wind. She prayed she was doing the right thing.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“No,” he honestly admitted. “But I will be. Eventually.”

A tear fell from her eyes as she squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry Diego.”

He leaned over to her and kissed her cheek. “It’s okay.” He rested his face against hers for a beat; then pulled back. He continued to hold her hand.

“Does he know you kissed me?” he asked her.

“No,” she said defensively.

“Are you going to tell him?”

Kristen’s words were hectic as they came out. “It’s not like we’re in a relationship. I just wanted to let you know before things got all weird. Before things got weird between you and me
and
the two of you. I don’t think that’s something he needs to know. I don’t want to come in between you two.”

“We wouldn’t let that happen. No girl has ever been worth our friendship and none ever will be.”

He didn’t say it in a mean way but Kristen was still caught off guard by him saying it. She was almost offended. The fact that she was almost offended was even more offensive.
Did
she want them fighting over her?

“If you’re worried about me being weird with him, don’t be,” Diego sincerely continued. “It’s not going to affect my friendship with him, the group, or our music. This will stay between you and me. I’m not going to mention it to the other guys either. As for you and me, I’d still like us to be friends.”

Kristen hopefully looked at him. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. It’s not going to be the same but I’d like us to stay in touch until you leave. Even after that.”

She nodded agreeably. “Okay.”

Diego reflectively looked around the park. His eyes focused on a group of kids playing together before he continued. “I just hope he doesn’t hurt you.”

A chill went through Kristen at his ominous words. She curiously tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

Diego thoughtfully chewed on his lip and ran his fingers through his coarse, wavy hair. He weighed his words carefully as he spoke. “Roman’s been through a lot Kristen. I know you already know that. I doubt seriously anything has changed in one day. He’s haunted by his past. I know he wants to believe he’s gotten over it but he hasn’t. Just be careful and tread lightly. Don’t get too attached. Don’t let your feelings reign over your common sense.”

Kristen flinched at him and moved to turn away from him. Diego lightly grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. “I’m not saying this to hurt you,” he said, looking at her. “I’m not saying it because I’m jealous. I’m saying it because I care about you. Just be careful.”

Kristen’s petulant eyes gave way to a look of solemn appreciation for his honesty. She subtlety nodded at him and took a bottled water from him that he offered from the basket he’d brought along for the picnic. They sat in mutual silence and watched the activity around them in the park.

Diego’s forewarning was brutally honest and it cut like a knife but Kristen couldn’t blame him for being blunt or looking out for her. This thing between her and Roman was moving mightily fast and it was as unnerving to her as it was irritating to Diego. She knew it was coming from an honest place. The only thing was she felt it was already too late for her common sense to reign over anything. Her heart was already deeply in it.

After Diego dropped Kristen back off at the hotel, Kristen did as she’d promised and called Roman. When he answered the phone he sounded genuinely excited to hear from her. He asked if she had any plans for dinner and she told him she didn’t. He said he didn’t either and asked if she wanted to come over and have dinner with him. He said he’d called his mother and begged for her secret spaghetti and meatballs recipe with her special sauce and after she refused the first few times, she finally gave in when she learned he was cooking it for Kristen. Kristen didn’t know what to make of that. Roman told her he’d pick her up downstairs in front of her hotel at 5:30. Kristen asked if she needed to dress for dinner and he hurriedly told her no. He told her to wear what she’d worn earlier. He requested it with that familiar husky tone in his voice and Kristen had to force herself not to run to her shower and masturbate when they got off the phone.

Joy happened to be in the suite when Kristen was talking to Roman and started screaming and jumping up and down like a schoolgirl when Kristen told her what her evening plans were. She tried to talk Kristen into wearing some sexy underwear in case something went down but Kristen nixed that idea. She barely knew the man. What did she look like having sex with him after only knowing him for 24 hours? Besides, she was already wearing sexy underwear. The thought of Roman undressing her and seeing what was beneath her clothes was enough to make her cream her panties. The thought of him taking her virginity made her even hornier.

Kristen and Joy went to Ms. Austin’s room and hung with her crazy ass for a while; then went back to their room to get ready for the evening. Joy was going on another date with Damian. She told Kristen she had spoken to Beau but they hadn’t made any plans to hook up that day. Kristen could tell it bothered Joy that Beau would sleep with her and not want to see her anymore but she didn’t speak on it. Kristen didn’t push her. Kristen wore her heart on her sleeve but Joy was just the opposite. Something would bother her for a minute and then she would go the hell on with life like nothing had ever happened. Kristen wished she could be as blasé’ about her own conflicting situation.

Kristen had a couple of hours to kill before meeting up with Roman so she decided to take a nap but sleep was futile. She couldn’t stop thinking about Diego and the warning he had given her about Roman. She also couldn’t stop feeling bad about how she’d hurt him. He’d said he was okay and he’d seemed fine when he dropped her off but a wall had gone up between them. They hung out for a while in the park but they didn’t say much after he told her his feelings about Roman. When he dropped her off at the hotel he didn’t walk her upstairs; just said goodbye in the front lobby and went on his way. She hated the strain her revelation had put on their developing friendship but she was hopeful things would get better with time.

At 5:00 Kristen climbed out of bed in her bra and panties, took a quick bird bath, put on a fresh pair of sexy underwear and redressed in the dress and sandals she had worn earlier that day. She reapplied her lip gloss and added light eyeliner and mascara to complete her look. The eyeliner gave her sultry brown eyes just the allure they needed. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about how eager Roman was to see her wearing it again and although he’d already seen her in it, she prayed she’d get the same visceral reaction from him like before. She was not disappointed. When Roman pulled up at her hotel and saw Kristen waiting out front, his eyes narrowed and smoldered as he looked at her. Then he gave her that irresistible, dimpled smile and got out of his Hummer and helped her inside.

To her delight,
he
had changed his clothes. He was wearing a form-fitting black t-shirt that outlined his chest perfectly and relaxed black jeans. She loved seeing him in black. It looked fantastic on him. She had to make herself stop staring at him in the car. They listened to the late great Prince on their way to his apartment and engaged in light-hearted conversation. Once upstairs in his penthouse, Roman led her into the dimly lit ornate dining-room and sat her in a chair opposite his.

As she waited to be served, Kristen took note of how beautifully the table was decorated. There were lightly scented candles away from them on the further end of the table and Roman had placed his fancy dishes and silverware out just for her, with the spoons, forks, and glasses in the right places. She was impressed. Roman put some old-school R&B classics on the stereo and went into the kitchen to gather the food. She could hear him singing along with the melody of a Teddy Pendergrass song that was playing and practically swooned out of her chair. She may be young but she was hip to the classics. Her parents had made a point of introducing her to Motown and all the other greats from that area into the 80s, and she loved that music. Outside of Next Level, it was the only kind of music she listened to.

She looked out the picturesque window to the right of her and became hypnotized by the luminous full moon and endless stars shining in the sky. Tonight couldn’t be more perfect if she had dreamed it herself.

Roman soon came back in the dining room with serving bowls filled with fresh garden salad, yeast rolls, and his Mother’s spaghetti. The aroma coming out of the bowls smelled so delicious it sent Kristen’s stomach into hunger overdrive. Everything looked so good and the presentation was immaculate.

“Looks delicious,” she said, giving him a pleasant smile.

Roman appreciatively grinned at her as he stood at the head of the table. “Thank you.” He slapped his hands together. “Well, you can’t drink so… What would you like? I have tea, Fruit Punch, Pepsi-“

“Tea will be fine. Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Kristen resisted the urge to sample the food while he was gone and counted the minutes until he came back. Roman walked back into the room with a glass pitcher and poured the brown liquid into her glass. “I guess I’ll be a responsible adult and have tea too,” he humorously deadpanned.

Kristen giggled and secretly thought about how much she didn’t want him to be a responsible adult. She wanted him to kiss her so badly. She wondered if that time would ever come. Her eyes locked on the muscles budging in Roman’s arms as he sat the pitcher on the table and continued to stare transfixed at him as he walked around to the other side of the table and sat opposite her. Roman’s gaze locked on her like a magnet as he sat down. Kristen’s nipples hardened under his gaze. Long as she lived, she’d never forget how it made her feel every time he looked at her. He made her feel like she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Endless minutes passed by in a blur. Their eyes remained fixated on each-other. Kristen was so turned on she feared she’d pass out. She’d give anything to know what he was thinking; what he was feeling. Were his feelings for her as strong as hers were for him? Did he feel anything emotional towards her at all or was it all primal? And if primal was all there was could she live with that?

“I suppose we better eat before the spaghetti gets cold,” he spoke in that unmistakably sexy low tone.

Kristen rapidly blinked away the lustful images forming in her mind. “Yes. I’m starving.”

In more ways than one.

Conversation eluded them as they dug in. The melodious sounds of several golden-voiced singers filled the air, almost intermingling with the harmonious sounds of their silverware clinking against their plates as they ate. Kristen couldn’t finish swallowing one forkful before she was digging in for the next bite. Everything was so delicious and seasoned just right. She didn’t want Roman to think she was a pig but it was so good she practically scarfed her whole plate down in just a few minutes. She longingly looked at the serving bowls, desperate for more. But she wouldn’t dare. When she saw him going in for seconds, she felt a little better about it and helped herself to both the spaghetti and the salad, taking smaller portions this time.

Roman glanced over at her and appreciatively smiled. He nodded towards her plate. “Good?”

Kristen swallowed a mouthful of spaghetti and vigorously nodded. “Excellent.”

Roman playfully blew on his knuckles and rubbed them on his chest. “Mom will be proud.”

Kristen laughed with him then abruptly stopped, suppressing an obnoxious belch that threatened to erupt from her lips. She covered her mouth with her fist and swallowed it down. She and Roman were cool but they weren’t
there
yet.

“Are your parents still married?” he asked her.

Kristen took a sip of tea and nodded. “Yes. They’ve been married almost twenty-two years.”

“That’s good. There aren’t too many long-term couples staying together these days. Seems like divorce is as common as people changing their underwear.”

“Yes. I’m very lucky. Most of my friends’ parents are divorced and Joy never knew her father.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Your parents are divorced, right?”

Roman nodded slowly. “Yes. It was difficult at the time but we all learned to live with it. It made things hard sometimes but that’s life. It soured me about love for a long time though.”

Kristen bit into a dinner roll and almost moaned out loud at how sweet and warm it was. “You still see your father a lot?”

Roman sat back in his chair and chewed. “Not as much as I’d like but we talk about once a week. He’s doing well. He’s moved on and married someone else. So…” He indifferently shrugged and resumed eating, dropping the subject. “Are you going to stay with your folks for a while or are you going to move out?”

Kristen rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. “I’d like to. Joy and I talk about getting our own place before she goes to school, but… I don’t know.”

“You going to try to get a job or just wing it for a while?”

“Oh, I don’t have it like that,” she chuckled. “My parents aren’t free-hearted when it comes to doling out money and I’m not the type who could live with that and not try to help them out. If Joy and I do decide to get a place I obviously need to work to help out with the bills. Once she goes to school I’ll be living there by myself, so… That’s kinda scary.”

“You seem like a responsible young woman. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, I know I will. It’s just this growing up thing seems so appetizing and then you get there and you’re like…” She made a face and shrugged. “Now what?”

“You’re making me feel old,” he said, laughing.

She curiously looked at him.

“I’m six years older than you, and I’ve never had to worry about things like that. We’ve been famous since I was your age and by then I already had my own car, house, money, everything. So I don’t really know what that’s like. At the same time, I kind of envy you because you do get to make your own way. You don’t have people making decisions for you and whatever decisions you do make, they affect only you. If I make the wrong one, it affects four other guys.”

Kristen quietly moved her fork around in her spaghetti. She hadn’t thought about it much but Roman
was
six years older than her. What could they possibly have in common? They were getting along good right now but there was a significant age gap and they were at extremely different stages in their lives. Not to mention he was famous as fuck and was known all around the world. The group was at an impasse at the moment but with the new CD coming out soon, things were bound to take off like a rocket again. How would that change things between them?

She dejectedly shook her head and took a tiny bite of spaghetti. Why was she even thinking about it? They weren’t even a thing anyway. What did it matter?

“How long have you liked the Next Level?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She widely smiled at him. “Since the beginning.”

“So, you were what? You were one when we came out right?”

She girlishly laughed. “No. I was twelve.”

Roman grabbed his chest in mock horror. “Oh my God! I
am
old!”

She laughed again and bit her salad, the lettuce crunching in her mouth as she spoke. “It was love at first listen.”

“Oh really? What’s your favorite song?”

“Too many to have just one.”

He teasingly smiled at her. “Let me hear you sing one of them.”

“Oh, hell no. I’m not doing that. I like you too much to make your ears bleed.”

He lightly chuckled and wiped his mouth, sitting back in his chair. He sat his silverware on his empty plate and stretched strenuously. Kristen tried not to gawk at his chest as it expanded, showing multiple waves of muscle beneath his thin shirt.

“So, what made you enter the contest?”

Kristen contemplatively watched him before answering. She leaned forward on the table. Roman’s eyes lowered to her generous breasts sitting on top of the table and she leaned back, self-conscious. “Roman,” she cautiously began. “I have a confession to make.”

Roman’s eyes didn’t immediately leave her breasts. He scratched his bearded cheek and looked at her. “What’s up?”

She exhaled and put her fork on the table. She wringed her hands and hesitantly watched him. “I didn’t enter the contest.”

He arched his brow. “No?”

“Joy did. She knew I was going through some things so she entered for me. She knew you were my favorite so she thought it would be the perfect antidote for what I was dealing with. It was also kind of like a birthday present for me too, I guess.”