Friends Forever (2 page)

She'd purposefully strutted her firm ass in
front of the men in the room for his viewing and he hadn't even
seen it. The skirt hugged her ass like a glove and she knew anyone
looking could see that there were no panty lines. Perfect for
enticing Rome, that is, if he'd even noticed… Which he hadn't.

“God,” she muttered between clenched
teeth.

“What?” Her friend Hannah yelled over the
jukebox that was blaring a hideous country song about lost
love.

“Huh? Nothing.” Kate scowled.

“Oh, okay,” Hannah returned her attention to
the conversation.

Kate squinted her eyes, zeroing in on Rome.
How dare he ignore me!

She wasn't hurt anymore.
How could he
blatantly dismiss her actions? How could he not see her strutting
across the room? The audacity!

“Damn!” She glowered, drinking her beverage
in one gulp.

Hiking her left leg over her right one, she
crossed her legs. She then had pouted, folded her arms tight over
her large breasts, and huffed with irritation.

The ticking of the clock on the wall brought
Kate back to the present. Her coffee had grown cold so she washed
it down the basin. Instead of pouring herself a fresh cup she
decided to take her shower and wake up. She’d wash away the images
of last night and all the other moments of humiliation inflicted by
Rome.

Kate entered the bathroom, adjusted the
shower water and slipped off the tee-shirt. She flung back the
shower curtain and slipped into the steamy water spray. The water
sluiced over her body, warming her but not banishing her thoughts.
The scalding water burned her skin but nothing would singe her
heart the way Rome had all these years. His harsh words, rude
manners and accusative glares implied less than friendly feelings,
definitely not love.

Tears escaped and spilled down her cheeks.
The water washed them away but the hurt remained. It always would.
Almost two decades of the pain she'd been eluding rolled down her
cheeks. Her heavy heart threatened to burst with emotional anguish.
Her chest heaved, while her stomach wretched in distress. Breathing
became burdensome and all the sorrow she'd been holding in raced
out of her with the velocity of a rocket on a destructive course.
Tears fell and her body revolted. Slumping to the shower stall
floor, Kate let her emotions take control, crying like she'd never
cried before.

Chapter Two

Rome became frustrated, tapping his fingers
on the steering wheel and staring at the front door of her
townhouse. He'd been sitting outside in his truck for ten minutes.
Waiting for her to either text him back or answer her damn phone.
When she did neither, he slammed out of his pickup truck and
stomped to her front door. Then he pounded. After waiting ten
seconds, he pounded again, vowing to ram his body through the
wooden barrier if she didn't open it in...

Three...two...one

He turned the doorknob at the last minute,
thinking this would help his entry. As his bulk smashed into the
solid door, his body was flung forward with a force greater than
any he'd ever experienced before. Grunting, he landed on the
ceramic tile of the small foyer, his shoulder taking the brunt of
his weight. He shook his head in either embarrassment or stupidity,
he wasn't sure. He had a hard time fathoming his actions.

Why was he plowing into Kate's haven,
disrupting her life? Was it to scold her for having dozens of men
drooling over her last night? Or to tell her how he really felt and
why it had taken him so long to confess his feelings.

“
Yes dammit, all of the above plus
some.”

Rome pushed up from the floor, and stood,
ready to concede. Tell Kate he loved her and that his arrogant
manner concealed his true feelings. He loved her and had for years.
The ire he directed at her disguised his love. He hated to treat
her like that all the time but he had to, to protect his heart and
his sanity.

How could he be in love with his best
friend's little sister? How could he allow that to happen?

It was easy and loving Kate came
effortlessly. It was her sweet disposition, her melodic laughter
and the way her blonde hair swung side to side as she talked
animatedly. It was also the way she used her hands to talk and
express herself. The sparkle in her turquoise eyes when she
laughed. It was all intoxicating. He lost himself in her gaze. The
sultry gander she tossed his way over the years left him panting
for more.

“Damn.” Rome pushed his body up and listened
for movement from Kate…
Nothing.

Focusing his hearing better, he caught the
sound of the shower running. Nodding his head he realized that's
why she hadn't answered his text or calls.

Blowing a sigh from his lips, he smiled.
Maybe I can surprise her.

He strolled through the living room. His
eyes rolled back, his heart skipping a few beats as the shower
splashed and hissed in the background. His thoughts instantly
returned to the present, Kate in the shower and her sweet body
beckoning to him. With every rhythmic beat of the water, Rome's
body pulsed with anticipation. The idea of slipping into the shower
with Kate was like a fantasy come true.

A soft moan coming from the bathroom brought
Rome back from his reverie. Turning, he headed towards the feminine
sound. As he approached the bathroom, the shower water stopped and
he heard Kate softly talking.

Wasn’t she alone? Who the hell was with
her?

Rome's blood started to boil. After the way
he had treated her
last night,
she must
have found a male partner to bring back to her place. They had
probably stayed awake into the wee hours of the morning and here he
was disturbing their rendezvous. The thought of another man in the
shower with Kate burned Rome.

It could’ve been him. He could be the one in
there right now washing away soapy bubbles from her full breasts.
He could be the one towel drying her curvy hips, kneeling down to
dry off her long legs.

But instead he was standing in the hallway,
not twenty feet from her, the odd man out. Feeling like an idiot,
Rome smacked his palm to his forehead.

“Dumb ass,” he shook his head. He tried to
banish the thoughts of her in bed with another man fulfilling her
fantasies. “Cripes! Stop it!”

As he was about turn and disappear from
witnessing any further embarrassment, he heard a soft sob coming
from the bathroom. Kate still spoke in a hushed tone but the
unmistakable weeping stopped Rome in his tracks.
Had the man in
there made her cry?
Rome's free hand balled into a fist as his
eyes squinted ready for a confrontation.

He stepped towards the slightly ajar door.
Steam escaped from the hot shower and the scent of lavender stung
his nose. Glancing in the mirror, he could see Kate, alone. No one
was with her in the bathroom. She'd showered alone.

He leaned in closer, watching her wrap a
lush bath towel around her voluptuous body. She tucked one corner
between her significant bosoms, preventing the towel from falling.
God what he'd give to tug at that towel, dropping it to the
floor and reveal Kate's full breasts!

A second later Kate's hand slid over the
steamy mirror, clearing a spot for her to view her face. With the
back of her hand, she wiped away tears and then gently touched the
puffiness under her eyes with her fingertips. The delicate way she
nursed herself broke Rome's heart. He'd kill the bastard who'd done
this to her.

His nostrils flared at thinking a man had
slinked out of Kate's house recently. Leaving her high and dry
after a hit and run sexual encounter.

A movement in the mirror caught Rome's
attention. Kate was smoothing lotion over her neck and shoulders.
Cocking his head to the side, he watched as she lavishly spread the
creamy white liquid over her soft skin. Swallowing hard, Rome
shifted his stance.

Rome imagined his hands gliding over her
soft skin, smoothing the lotion in places she couldn't reach. She'd
moan when his hands slid over her tense muscles. Relieving stress
from the workday and letting out little groans of delight and
relinquished pleasure.

He would lean her against the counter and
pull her body close to his, while she placed her hands on the back
of his head guiding him to her mouth. He imagined her velvety lips
hungrily accepting his advances. A gasp found its way out of his
throat and escaped.

“Oh my God!” Kate's voice squealed. “How
long have you been there?”

“Umm,” Rome's voice caught in his throat.
“I-I...”

“Oh my God!” Kate tugged the towel around
her tighter. “What the hell! How did you get in here?”

Her anger exploded. Her turquoise eyes
flared with a wrath ready to destroy. Rome had never seen Kate so
enraged, and he appeared to be the cause of her fury.

“Oh, man.” Rome released a sigh, opened his
mouth to try and explain.

“How did you get in here? Why the hell are
you here? Oh my God!”

Kate slung one arm through a robe she'd
retrieved from behind the door. She finagled her body into the
garment, never permitting the towel to reveal an inch of skin
despite his sub-conscious pleas.

“Jesus, Rome!”

She struggled to tie the belt, her wet
blonde hair flying wildly around her, making her appear
uncontrollable. God help Rome, all he could think about was what a
wildcat she'd be in bed with this passion.

He tried to explain his purpose for invading
her Saturday morning but she continued, “I mean what the hell! Do
you think you can just waltz in here anytime you want?”

“No, I came over...”

“I mean, what the hell could you possibly
need...”

“I came over to...”

How could he explain that he’d come to tell
her loved her. That he was sorry about his past behavior. His mind
drifted back to the night before as she’d swaggered across the
room. Her hip-hugging mini skirt molded to her every curve. When
she strutted past him, his pants needed more room for movement and
all he could do was stare at Kurt, listening to some meaningless
story. He’d nodded his head, snubbing Kate's exhibition.

“Well?” She planted her hands on her hips
impatiently waiting for an explanation. He'd never seen her look
more beautiful.

“Huh? I came over here to... I really don't
know.” He smiled, hoping he could use his charm to avoid an
ass-chewing.

Kate's eyes sparkled with fury, her chest
heaved with emotion. Her breasts went up and down, her breathing
hastened.

“You don't know?”

“No,” he chuckled, anticipating a reprieve.
But apparently today was not going to be his lucky day.

Kate started pacing in the confines of her
small bathroom. She mumbled words of anger and what sounded like to
Rome as personal ridicule. She ran her hands through her damp hair
and proceeded to rant about privacy, men were blind and her
stupidity.

“What?” He leaned in to hear her better.
“What did you say?”

“What?” Kate appeared confused, like she had
almost forgotten he was there.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing” she squawked. “Leave.” She waved
her hand at him, dismissing him.

“I'm not going anywhere. I came here to talk
to you.”

“Oh, you remember why you're here now?”
Looking deep into her eyes, Rome recognized pain, hurt and a hint
of disbelief.

“Yes, I remember.” He stepped towards her
but she eased away so he stopped. “Let's go talk.” He held out his
hand to her showing her that he was being serious.

Kate accepted his hand with hesitation but
permitted his offering.

Chapter Three

Rome sat on the sofa, just feet away from
her, and Kate became self-conscious of his presence. So close yet
so far. She would give anything to spill the truth to him, but she
had a gut instinct he was here for another reason. Not a good
reason at that. Was this going to be the night he finally told her
to leave him the hell alone, to stop pestering him like a school
girl?

Cringing inside, her stomach recoiled and
bile began to rise in her throat. She knew it was coming, but also
knew nothing could prepare her for his verbal rejection. She'd
spent years swooning for this man and it all came down to a
two-minute conversation ending in a brush-off.

His eyes were directed down and slowly he
raised them to meet hers. Swallowing hard, she geared herself up
for heartbreak. It was coming, the pain she experienced in the
shower was nothing compared to what was about to be thrown on her
now. Her hands twisted around her robe's belt, knotting the fabric
into shreds.

“Kate.” Rome's smooth, silky voice entering
her being, she shivered.

“Yes.” She lowered her eyes in shame.

“We need to talk.”

Kate sighed, turmoil continued to rise
inside her. Her lower lip started to quiver and she bit down on it
to prevent Rome from noticing, or worse, to prevent her from having
a complete breakdown.

“I came here with the intention of telling
you...” Rome stopped.

Kate raised her eyes to see Rome was staring
at her lips. “What?” She shook her head in confusion and rubbed her
temples.

“Hung over?”

“No.”

“Kate...” Rome started

“Stop.” She held up her hand. “Just go,
please.”

Then the tears and breakdown began. She
didn't want to hear the words of rejection from his mouth. She
suspected the letdown was near, but her heart still couldn't handle
it. She had known this day was coming for years, but the reality of
it all was that she would never be prepared for Rome's denial.