Page 9 of When In Rome
“Um, I guess I’ll hang around for a few days just in case my sister needs me.”
He asks me questions and we talk until he notices my eyes struggling to stay open. “I should…spend some time thinking about where I am going to go…you know, tonight.”
“You need rest. You look like you’re about to drop and it isn’t going to change the outcome if you stay here another night. Take a nap. When you wake up, we’ll go to the hospital to visit with your sister and then grab something to eat before we both come back and get a good night’s sleep.”
It all sounds like a good plan. And frankly, I’m just too damned tired to try to figure out why this man, this stranger, is being so nice to me. Maybe…for once in my life, I can let someone else tell me what to do and worry about all the stuff I typically worry about. For once. Maybe. But just this once.
Chapter Nine
Roman
I don’t mind at all that I was the person who helped Nolia to her bed when she grew too tired to talk anymore. Or the one who watches over her while she sleeps. The only thing I am even the slightest little bit annoyed about is that I still haven’t come up with a way to make her stay. I did, however, buy myself another night. And if I have to spend the rest of our lives talking her into one more night with me, one more day together, then that is what I will do.
But I think there is probably a better way.
And when my sister calls me, I think I have found my biggest asset.
“How is everything, Rome?”
“You mean, how is she?”
“Well, Summer did say she walked in on the two of you, and Nolia was tied to a chair.”
“She’s resting.”
This is met with silence.
“What’s going on, Rome?”
“What do you mean?”
“’She’s resting’? That doesn’t sound like something you would know automatically if you weren’t still with her. And if you are still in the suite with her… why are you hanging around?”
Damn! My sister knows me too well.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, dear sister. I am tired - bone fucking tired - and this is where I am bedding down after all. Why would I not be here still?”
“Don’t fuck with me, brother dear.” She throws my words of affection back at me. “Something is up, and I know it. If you were just staying put to sleep, how would you know Nolia is ‘resting’? Oh my God!”
And she found me out!
“You like Nolia.”
I say nothing, neither denying nor confirming if what she says is true.
“Oh! You REALLY like Nolia. Okay, this is what we have to do…”
“She’s trying to go back home.”
“Oh, that’s not going to work. What did you do? Did you come on too strong?”
“I didn’t do anything, Pearl. She…I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“Well, that’s because you tied her to a chair, sweetheart. Women don’t like when strange men tie them to furniture. It makes us a little…antsy.” I heave a heavy sigh. Wouldn’t it just be easier if I could just keep her tied to the fucking chair? Then I would have time to think of a better way to make her stay. “Okay, don’t do anything. Leave it to us.”
“Us?”
“Me and the girls will see what we can’t do about buying you more time but what you do with it is up to you. And, Rome…don’t fuck this up for me.”