Devoured - Cathryn Fox Page 0,42
kindness and compassion you have for kids.”
“When have you ever seen me with kids? Hey,” I say when a guilty look crosses his face. “What did you do?”
He gives a slow shake of his head. “Even sick, you’re questioning me.”
“When you look like the damn cat who swallowed the canary, yeah I’m going to question you.”
“I was out for a stroll today, just to get some fresh air. I saw you in the schoolyard with the kids.”
“You’re a creeper, Roman,” I murmur, and snuggle in tighter.
“I just wanted to make sure everything was going okay and you were happy.”
I chuckle. “Still a creeper.” My stomach squeezes, but this time it’s from happiness. I like the thought of him checking up on me, just to make sure I’m okay and happy. “You’re sweet,” I say without thinking.
“Keep that to yourself. I have a reputation to uphold.” He laughs softly. “Close your eyes and sleep.” I do as he says. A second later his warm lips are on my forehead and a soft sigh escapes my throat.
Don’t fall for him, Peyton.
If I put that on repeat in my brain, will it sink in?
As his warmth and closeness cocoon me, his steady, even breathing sounds soothe me. I’m seconds from drifting off when a horrible thought occurs to me. My lids fling open.
“I did eat something different.”
CHAPTER TEN
Roman
“YES, LUCY, I’M FINE. Working away as usual.” I pinch the bridge of my nose as my lovely sister grills me about my love life, or lack thereof, on the other end of the phone.
“Why do you sound like you’re close? Typically your calls from New York don’t come in this clearly,” she asks.
“I’m just...outside,” I say, not a lie. Peyton had been up half the night with stomach cramps and slept through her alarm this morning. I shut it off. She’s in no shape to go in to work, and when my phone rang, I ran to the rooftop to answer it, not wanting to wake her.
“You sound tired.”
“I am tired.” I spent the better part of the night worrying about Peyton and debating on calling a doctor, not to mention refreshing her water to keep her hydrated after every trip to the bathroom. There wasn’t much time for sleep. I yawn, and something niggles in the back of my brain. I reach for it, and when I’m finally able to grasp it, I blurt out, “Wait, why wouldn’t you expect me to sound tired? You’re calling in the middle of the night.” At least in New York it’s the middle of the night. A long pause takes up space between us, like she’s trying to figure out a way to tell me, and worry zings through me. “Lucy, is something wrong?”
“It’s Mamma. She worries about you being all alone. She’s not getting any younger, Roman. You need to find yourself a wife and settle down.” I open my mouth, ready to blurt out that I did, just to ease my mother’s worries. I stop myself before I do. While that might make my mother happy, it would bring a whole lot of trouble to this situation Peyton and I are in.
“Can you please tell her she has nothing to worry about? I’m happy, and life is good.” I smile. Despite Peyton not feeling well, this last week has been good—probably the best week I’ve had in a long time, or ever. Yeah, being with Peyton has been fun, and I can’t remember the last time I had fun or felt this alive. But in a few short weeks, after she signs the contract and I say I have to head back to New York for work, we erase this time from our memories and go back to a clean slate.
Why the hell does that idea bother me so much?
“That’s why you called? To tell me our mother has been worried?” I glance at the gorgeous sea cliffs in the distance; a colorful blue bird chirps as it takes flight. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t know, so why the call in the middle of the night, Luce...”
“What was that?” Lucy asks.
“What was what?”
“If it’s the middle of the night there, why do I hear a bird chirping?”
Shit.
“Sound machine,” I say quickly. “Helps me sleep.” Wow, aren’t the lies just rolling off my tongue lately.
“I though you said you were outside?”
Crap.
“I’m back inside now.”
“Sounded like a blue rock thrush.”
“How would I know what it is? You’re the bird-watcher, not me.”
“It’s the national bird of