Page 17 of Hate On

Roman said nothing to him.

There was no point.

He just shut the door and slid the padded mailer open, peeking inside.

It was rather small and unimpressive, he had to say.

With a shrug, he walked over and picked up Julianna’s purse from where she’d left it on the floor. After a quick glance toward his room to make sure she hadn’t slid out after him, he pushed the envelope inside.

Guilt tugged at him, stirring unpleasantly inside him as he lowered the purse back to the floor. He moved back to the doorway of his bedroom and stared inside. He could remember the girl she’d been—he hadn’t ever forgotten her and had often wondered about her.

But she wasn’t that little girl anymore and he wasn’t the boy he’d been.

They were both adults living in a cutthroat world and he was doing what needed to be done.

She rolled over on her side in her sleep, a soft sigh escaping her and he rubbed at the back of his neck, even as some small part of him wondered if maybe it would have been possible to do what he needed to do without manipulating her and using the attraction he’d sensed they’d both felt.

She’d felt it for certain, he knew now.

And it was too late to undo anything.

Maybe she’d never find out about the ruse and all of this brooding would be for nothing.

He padded back across the floor and slid back into the bed with her. She mumbled something in her sleep and rolled into him, her body a warm sweet weight.

That didn’t help the sting of guilt at all.

Let it go, Roman, he told himself.

She would have done the same thing if she’d had the chance.

He kept on telling himself that until he fell asleep.

6

Julianna

Julianna wokewith a yawn and stretch, her body aching in the best way. Memory rolled through her on the heels of that realization and she lay there, smiling for a moment before rolling onto her side to look for Roman.

He lay on his side, facing away from her, one muscled arm flung over his head. He was…absolutely delicious. Morning light gilded his long, muscled frame and her fingers itched to touch.

Slipping closer, she reached out to rest a hand on his belly and his muscles flexed under her touch.

Smiling, she eased away and pressed her lips to his jaw.

He muttered in his sleep.

She slid her mouth to his and whispered, “Wake up.”

“I’m awake.” His arms came around her and before she had time to process it, he’d rolled them over and he was lying between her thighs while she lay sprawled on her back.

“You are indeed,” she said, a throaty sigh escaping her as the heat of his cock settled up against her folds. Sliding a look to the right, she spied the box of condoms on the nightstand.

He followed her gaze with his eyes and reached out.

Before he managed to secure a condom from the box, Julianna heard a familiar ring coming from somewhere in the apartment. She grimaced at him, sliding her hands between them and pushing up. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to answer that,” she said, more than a little regret threading its way into her voice.

“Why?” he asked, pressing his lips to the side of her mouth.