Scandalous (16 page)

I didn't want to go anywhere with this guy, but my first objective was to get him out of this suite.
“
I'll get dressed, but you can't wait here.
Just leave and I'll meet up with you.
”

His eyes narrowed.
“
I'm not playing, Jasmine.
We need to talk.
”

“
Okay!
Go downstairs, wait for me there.
”

He strolled toward the door, but before he stepped outside, he turned back to me.
“
If you don't come down soon, I'll be back.
”

“
Give me ten minutes,
”
I said.

He nodded.
It wasn't until I closed the door behind him that I realized that not only was my heart pounding and my head throbbing, but I was shaking all over, so much that I could hardly stand up.

At least I'd gotten him out, but for how long?

I had to get rid of him for good.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I dashed into the bedroom to get dressed.

Just minutes before, I thought Kenny had dressed in record time, but he didn't have a thing on me.
I don't think two minutes passed before I grabbed the room key and my purse and opened the door.

I still didn't have a plan, but the moment I stepped into the hall and let the door close behind me, I heard,
“
Psssttt.
”

I turned and saw just a hand waving to me from the stairwell.
Quickly, I glanced around, then rushed to the stairs.
And there stood Roman, grinning once again.

“
I didn't want to take the chance you’d try to slip out on me,
”
he said.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.
“
I've missed you, baby.
”

I wiggled from his embrace, pushed him away, and took two steps back until I was pressed up against the wall.
“
This is crazy, Roman.
You're
…
.
”

He frowned.
“
What?
You think I'm crazy?
”

No, I didn't think he was crazy.
I knew it for a fact.
But I also knew that crazy people didn't like the truth.
Not that I'd had a lot of dealings with folks like this.
Usually, I crossed to the other side of the street when I saw crazy coming my way, but for some reason, I was all wrapped up with this nutcase.

Finally I answered,
“
I wasn't going to say that you were crazy.
”
I spoke slowly 'cause I wasn't sure how many brain cells this dude was working with.
“
I was going to say that you have to stop this.
”

The wrinkles in his forehead deepened.
“
You didn't want me to stop on Monday morning.
”

I couldn't believe that he was really going there.
“
I know, but
…
.
”

“
The night before your wedding, I had you singing in all kinds of languages.
”

As if I needed that reminder.
“
That was then,
”
I said.
“
And that was a mistake.
”

He shook his head.

“
And it's never going to happen again,
”
I added.

It wasn't until he moved toward me, that I realized how I had backed myself into this corner
--
figuratively and literally.

“
See, that's where you're wrong.
”
He leaned forward and pressed his hands against the wall behind me, trapping me inside his arms.
“
It is going to happen again,
”
he whispered.
“
And again.
And again.
And again.
”

“
Roman.
”
I whispered his name because I'd once heard that if you said a crazy person's name over and over, that calmed them down.
“
Roman,
”
I repeated.
“
I'm married.
”

He shrugged.
“
So?
”
Then, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

Now I knew for sure that Roman was crazy.
Because crazy recognized crazy, and I was completely out of my mind.
I had to be, because the moment his lips touched me, that electrical shock surged and all I wanted to do was to have this man rip every piece of my clothing off me.

But by the time he nudged his tongue inside to meet mine, I came to my senses a bit.
“
No!
”
I was huffing and puffing,
“
I can't do this.
We're not going to do this!
”

“
Come on, Jasmine.
You know you want me.
”

He ain't neva lied, because all I could think about right now was that body-shivering, toe-curling, hand-squeezing, heart-stopping, mind-freezing sex that Roman had laid on me.

But I couldn't give in to that, could I?
I was married, right?

Pushing him away once again, I stepped to the side, this time giving myself room.
I could dash down the stairs if I had to.

“
Why are you playing?
”
His tone had gone from lust to loathing in two seconds flat.
“
I'm not into games.
”

“
Neither am I, and that's why you have to listen to what I'm saying.
It was nice, but it is over.
”

Roman opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, the stairwell door swung open and a security guard who looked like he could've been a defensive lineman for the Raiders towered over us.

“
Is there a problem here?
”
he asked, looking from me to Roman and then back at me.

Can you say embarrassed?
“
Uh, no.
We were just talking,
”
I said.

The guard squinted.
“
Just talking?
We have rooms for that.
Are you a guest here?
”

“
Yes, I am,
”
I said, reaching for the key.
“
My husband and I are in the bridal suite.
”

“
Oh.
”
Now, he grinned as if he had a newfound understanding.
“
Well, I suggest that you and your husband go back to your room and handle your
business
because there are cameras all over the place in this hotel.
”
He pointed up at a little black gadget that hung in the corner of the stairwell.

“
I
was just going back to
my
room,
”
I said, making it clear that Roman wasn't with me.

The guard frowned again.
“
He's not your husband?
”

It was only then that I noticed Roman hadn't said a word
…
and that he was backing away.
As if he didn't want anything to do with this man.

“
No, he's not.
”

I had barely gotten the words out of my mouth before Roman dashed down the steps.
The security guard and I both stared over the railing, watching Roman jump down the steps two, three at a time.

The guard took his walkie-talkie from his hip, but before he could put out an APB, I laughed, hoping to distract him.

“
He's so crazy,
”
I said, as if the way Roman had ripped out of there was some kind of joke.
“
My brother could've at least said goodbye, but I guess he didn't want to be late for work.
”

“
Your brother, huh?
”
the guard said as he tucked this two-way back into its holster.
“
Well, like I said, there are cameras all over this place, so just be careful.
”

I nodded and ducked my head.
Now I was the one to rush away like I was trying to make some great escape.

Back inside our hotel room, I could hardly breathe.
If that security guard hadn't shown up when he did, what would've happened?
Would I have given in to that madness?

“
No!
”
I said aloud, because I thought if I heard the word I'd be able to convince myself.

I couldn't figure out what was going on with me.
I didn't like Roman and I didn't want to cheat on Kenny.
Every time that man touched me, though, I seemed to forget those two facts.

But I was Jasmine Cox Larson.
I wasn't going to go down like this.
I was the one who was in control.

By the time Kenny came back, my decision was made and I had another plan in place.

When Kenny stepped into the suite and the bedroom, he frowned at our suitcases atop of the bed.
I'd already packed everything we owned and I was ready to get the heck out of Dodge.

“
What's going on?
”
Kenny asked.

“
Baby,
”
I said.
“
I have a surprise.
We're leaving.
”

“
Leaving?
”
His shoulders drooped just a bit.
“
For where?
”

“
Now don't get me wrong,
”
I said, holding up my hands.
“
I really enjoyed being here, but after you left, I started thinking that it's been wonderful making love in this room every day, but wouldn't it be great if we could do it someplace else?
”

Once I mentioned sex, Kenny stood up straight.
“
Yeah?
”
The hope was back in his voice.
“
Someplace like where?
”

“
For the next four days,
”
I started as I sauntered toward him,
“
we're going to be,
”
I wrapped my arms around his neck,
“
at a bungalow,
”
I kissed him and then said,
“
in Santa Barbara.
We're going to be right on a private beach.
”

“
Oh, yeah?
”
My words wiped the frown right off his face.

I nodded.
“
I already have visions of us making love tonight, under the stars, at the edge of the ocean.
”

Kenny looked at me for a moment longer, then grabbed the first suitcase.
“
How long is it going to take for us to get there?
”

I laughed, but inside I released a long sigh of relief, thankful that Kenny agreed and even more thankful that I would be getting away from here.

The Ritz was all that Roman knew about me.
Once we left this hotel, he'd never be able to find me.

“
Let's go,
”
Kenny said.

I zipped up my bag and then dropped it to the floor.
When Kenny picked up both bags, I asked,
“
You're not going to call a bellman?
”

He shook his head.
“
Nah, I'm good; I don't want anything to slow us down.
”
He grinned.
“
I'm ready to get part two of this honeymoon started.
”

Now, I had never been a praying woman
--
at least, I hadn't been since my mother died
--
but right now, I sent up a little prayer to God.
If He was listening, I had to thank Him for this idea.

Because now, I was safe.
And this little thing that had been going on with me and Roman was over for sure.