The Bachelor (25 page)

She hit the switch in the hall and the overhead lamp came on, bathing them in muted light. He kicked the door closed behind
him and pulled her into his arms. Standing, she leaned against the wall as his lips came down hard on hers. His need was blatant,
apparent, and as deep as her own. She shed her jacket, dropping it to the floor, and Roman made even faster work of her jersey,
until she was wearing only her red boots, blue jeans, and white lace bra.

He sucked in a shallow breath as he traced the floral pattern with roughened fingertips. Her nipples pebbled beneath his touch
and her body coiled tight, desire spiraling through her at a rapid pace.

“You’ve got to be hot in all those clothes.” She reached for the collar of his jacket and pulled it down, letting it join
hers in a heap.

His blue eyes glittered with anticipation and desire. “What I’m feeling goes way beyond hot.” He pulled his navy shirt over
his head and tossed it aside. It hit the wall behind them and dropped with a muted thump. “Your turn.”

A steady rhythm took up residence between her legs, and moisture accompanied his seductive words. Excitement was her companion
as she bent over and pulled at her boots to get them off, but her hands shook and the leather seemed to mold tighter to her
foot.

“Let me.” He knelt down and pulled first one red snakeskin boot off, then the next, before turning his attention to the button
on her jeans. He worked it like a pro, his strong hands lowering the zipper, then easing the waistband over her hips.

Her legs shook and only the wall supported her as he brought the heavy denim around her ankles. And stopped. She tried to
wiggle one foot free, but the darn jeans were too narrow at the bottom.

“Don’t bother. I’ve got you right where I want you.” He knelt on the floor at her feet and looked up at her. A wicked grin
tugged at his lips and a satisfied expression settled on his handsome face.

She was held captive by more than confining clothing. She was imprisoned by desire and bound by love. Love he reciprocated.
And when he bent over, his hair dark against her white skin, white-hot arrows of desire shot through her body, a distinct
combination of erotic craving and emotional need.

She wanted nothing more than for him to satisfy the divergent desires, but knew nothing less than him being inside her would
do. He met her gaze and must have read her mind, because instead of pleasuring her with his mouth as he’d seemed intent on
doing, he worked her pants off and rose to his feet. In seconds, he was as undressed as she was, gloriously naked and as aroused
as she.

He stepped toward her and held out his arms. “Come.”

She did as he asked and soon he’d lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, her hands looped around his
neck, and, once again, her back against the wall. His body heat and strength seeped into her, cocooning her in warmth and
arousing her even more.

“I need you inside me,” Charlotte said.

Roman groaned. “I need the same thing.”

It took some jockeying, but she finally felt his erection, large and full, ready to enter her. And when he thrust inside her,
her heart opened to all possibilities. How could it not, when he was full to bursting inside her?

As he moved, every hard ridge of his arousal caused a glorious friction inside her that built stronger with each successive
thrust of his penis higher and deeper than before. She couldn’t catch her breath, didn’t need to, as sensation after sensation
washed over her, carrying her up and over the edge and into the most explosive climax she’d ever experienced—because it was
marked by love.

His shuddering groan told her he’d felt it too. She loved him. And later, as she fell asleep in his arms, she wondered why
she’d denied herself the admission for so long.

Charlotte awoke and stretched, feeling the cool sheets on her bare skin. The sensation of waking up alone was normal and alien
at the same time. No different than most mornings of her life, and yet because she’d slept through the night snuggled against
Roman’s body, the chill was unwelcome and disturbing. So were the emotions that buffeted her still-dream-fogged brain.

She understood his reasons for kissing her and slipping out in the dead of night and she appreciated the respect he showed
her in front of a gossipy small town. But she missed him, wanted to make love to him again. She loved him. Each thought frightened
her beyond belief.

Rising, she went about her morning routine, attempting to pretend everything was still the same. Hot shower, hotter coffee,
and a quick jump down the steps to work. Yup, Charlotte thought, same routine. But there was no getting around the fact that
she was different.

Because she’d committed herself to Roman with those three little words.
I love you.
And now that the words were spoken, she feared her life was about to change forever. If history was anything to go by—her
mother’s, her father’s, and even Roman’s—it wouldn’t change for the better.

On that disturbing thought, she entered the unlocked shop, hoping the familiarity of the ruffles and lace and the vanilla
potpourri she freshened daily would soothe her nerves. She stepped inside and the unexpected smell of lavender assaulted her
senses, jarring her and destroying any sense of soothing sameness she hoped to find here.

“Beth?” she called out.

“Back here.” Her friend strode out of the back room, a bottle of sachet air freshener in her hand, spraying as she walked.
“The cleaning people were here last night and they must’ve spilled a bottle of ammonia in the office.” She waved her hand
in front of her face. “You could die from asphyxiation back there. I’ve been spraying from the front on back trying to cover
it.”

Charlotte crinkled her nose in disgust. “Yuck. Is it really that bad?” Because the lavender was enough to make her gag too.
Charlotte walked farther into the store, dropping her purse by the counter, and when she reached the dressing area, she reared
back from the horrific odor. “Whew.” The idea of closing herself in her office and losing her thoughts in paperwork had just
been shot to hell.

Beth nodded. “I shut the door from the office to stop the worst of the odor from getting into the changing rooms, and I opened
the windows all the way, hoping to air the place out.”

“Thanks. At least it’s not too bad up front.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“Well, we’ll have to close off the dressing area and mark the receipts—you can take returns on any item bought today.” Normally
on-sale items, bathing suits, and underwear were exchange only, but it wasn’t a fair policy if a buyer couldn’t try on the
merchandise first. “If the smell gets worse, we’ll just close for the day. No sense poisoning ourselves.”

Beth sprayed a few more shots of lavender.

“Couldn’t you have picked any other scent?”

“The general store was out of everything else.”

“Never mind. Just please, quit spraying and let’s see what happens.”

After placing the can down on a shelf, Beth followed Charlotte to the front end, where Charlotte wedged open the front door
for fresh air.

“So.” Beth perched herself on the counter by the register. “I’m glad to see you here and smiling. How are you after … you
know?” She lowered her voice to a hushed whisper on the last two words, obviously referring to the spectacle Charlotte and
her family had made at the baseball game yesterday.

Once Charlotte had climbed into Roman’s car, she’d forgotten all about Beth, dinner, and everything else. “I’m fine,” she
said in equally hushed tones before catching herself. She glanced around the empty shop and rolled her eyes. “Why are we whispering?”
she asked loudly.

Beth shrugged. “Beats me.”

“Well, I am fine. I didn’t appreciate being ambushed in public, though. If Dad—I mean, Russell—wanted to talk to me, he should
have called. Or come over. Or gotten me somewhere alone. It was humiliating.”

Beth glanced down at her nails, not meeting Charlotte’s gaze as she asked, “Would you have given him the time of day if he
had?”

Charlotte rolled her shoulders, where tension courtesy of this conversation had lodged. “I don’t know. Would you give Dr.
Implant the time of day?” She immediately sucked in a sharp breath, disgusted with her comeback. “Good God, I’m sorry, Beth.
I don’t know why I’m taking things out on you.” Charlotte ran to the counter and gave Beth into an apologetic hug. “Forgive
me?”

“Of course. You don’t have a sister to torture and your mother’s too fragile. Who else is there but poor me?” Despite the
harsh words, when Beth pulled back, she had a smile on her face.

“Actually, you asked an interesting question. I would give Dr. Implant the time—long enough to thank him for opening my eyes
to my insecurities. Then I’d dump ice water on his lap.”

“You’re really feeling better?” Charlotte asked.

“How do I explain it?” Beth glanced upward, as if searching for answers. “I’m feeling aware,” she said. “All I do lately is
think, and I can see a pattern in my past relationships now. All the men I’ve been involved with wanted to change me, and
I let them. I easily adapted to whatever they wanted me to be. David was the most extreme case. But no more. And I have you
and Rick to thank for helping me on the road to recovery.”

“Me?” Charlotte asked, surprised. “What did I do?”

“I told you the other day. You offered me this job because you knew better than me where my talents and interests lay. Now
I know it too. And that’s just for starters.”

“Well, I’m glad to be of service. And what about Rick?”

“He talked and he listened. Most men don’t talk. They watch television, grunt, maybe burp a few times before nodding their
heads and pretending to pay attention. Rick listened to the stories about my past and he helped me draw the right conclusions.”

“The man’s born to rescue damsels in distress. Maybe he should’ve been a shrink, not a cop.”

“Nah, the law-and-order thing makes him sexy,” Beth said with a laugh.

“Please don’t tell me you’re falling for him.”

Beth shook her head. “Nohow, no way. I’m on my own for a good long while.”

Charlotte nodded. And she believed her friend. Beth’s eyes didn’t take on a dreamy cast when she spoke about Rick. She didn’t
seem to swoon over the sexy officer. Not the way Charlotte swooned when she thought about Roman. Her insides churned with
anticipation and excitement at just the idea of seeing him again.

“I need to learn more about myself,” Beth said, interrupting Charlotte’s thoughts, and not a minute too soon. “I want to figure
out what I like and what I don’t. Not what’s expected of me. So for now all I need is my friends.”

“You’ve got us, hon.” Charlotte clasped Beth’s hand tightly and Beth returned the gesture. Charlotte only hoped
she
wouldn’t be the one needing her friend’s shoulder next.

“So what are you going to do now that you can’t hole up in your office and do paperwork? Crochet again upstairs?”

She cringed at the thought. “No. My hands hurt. I need to spread out that kind of work. First I’ll stop by the
Gazette
offices and talk to Chase about an Easter sale ad. I can’t believe the holiday’s only two and a half weeks away.”

“Know what the best part of the holiday is?”

Charlotte tapped one finger against her forehead. “Hmm. Let me think. Could it be the chocolate Cadbury Bunny commercials?”
she asked, referring to her best friend’s weakness.

“How’d you know?”

“Are you forgetting I sent you wrapped chocolate every holiday? I know you like I know the back of my hand.” Charlotte picked
her bag up off the floor where she’d left it earlier.

“We get to pig out together this year.” Beth licked her lips in chocolate-heaven anticipation.

Charlotte laughed. “I’ll stop by when I leave the
Gazette.
If it’s quiet, I may just take the paperwork and bills upstairs.”

“I knew this would happen.” Beth shook her head sadly. “One day at home crocheting, and you’re hooked on the soaps.”

“Untrue.”

“Are you denying you’re going to watch
General Hospital
while you work?”

Charlotte gestured as if she were zipping her lips. She refused to confirm or deny. Of course she’d watch
General Hospital.
Because one certain sexy actor reminded her of Roman.

Man, oh, man, she was in deeper trouble than she thought. “See ya later.” She waved and walked out the front door into the
fresh air and inhaled deeply. “Much better,” she said aloud. She hiked her purse onto her shoulder and started down the road.

As she passed the outskirts of town and the final median of grass, daffodils, and other assorted flowers, she saw Samson weeding
the flower beds and called out to him. He didn’t hear her, or chose to pretend he hadn’t.

“Oh, well.” She shrugged and continued on, grateful for the fresh spring air. As she walked, her thoughts drifted to Roman.
Tingling anticipation mixed with trepidation over the words they’d exchanged and the level of commitment those words implied.

She wondered not only what Roman meant by working out a compromise, but whether she could trust in the love he’d given and
the marriage he claimed he desired.

Roman let himself into the
Gazette
offices, using his key. The place was still quiet. It was too early for Lucy’s arrival, and from the look of things, even
Chase hadn’t made it downstairs yet. Roman needed fresh-brewed coffee and fresher air than the stuffy office provided, so
he left the door to the street open, then headed for the kitchen to make something strong and caffeinated to drink.

Daybreak had forced him out of Charlotte’s bed. He’d left her asleep. Only a kiss on her cheek and then he was gone. The town
was talking enough about Charlotte and her family. He didn’t need to add to the gossip by walking out of her apartment in
broad daylight. Leaving in the early morning was chancy, but he hadn’t been able to resist the opportunity to spend the night
in her bed, her warm, naked body snuggled tight against his. As it would be for the rest of his life.