Free Pain Lived, Love Found 2 by Thalia Lake Page A

chance with you. I’m not having any of that, Sarah. Stay close to me,” he said, firmly, as he towered over me.
    The possibility of any of those things happening never crossed my mind, and the more I thought about what he said, the more he made sense. Knowing a little about his background and seeing Roman in his element impressed me. Instead of seeing a jerk with an ego the size of the heavens, I now see a smart, take-charge man. I hate admitting this, but the way Roman laid down the law to me just now was plain sexy. I was tempted to argue with him just so I could watch his nostrils flare in the same cute way they did in the limo when he was angry with me, but I couldn’t. I was too busy being in awe of his alpha male demeanor. Something in me wanted to submit to Roman in every way possible, especially in bed.
    “You’re right. This is your night and whatever you want, you get. You pai...”
    “You better not say that I paid for it, Sarah. I’m tired of you throwing my words back in my face. It’s not just about me getting what I paid for. I want you to enjoy yourself as well,” he angrily stated.
    I saw the sincerity in his eyes, but I also saw that he was truly fed up with me reminding him of what his money is paying for. I had to suppress a satisfied smile as I looked up at him.
    “Let’s call a truce,” I offered.
    His rugged features softened a bit. I could have easily made his life a living hell tonight, but I didn’t want to do that. Besides, I enjoyed watching him in action. He commanded attention no matter what part of the room he was in, from men and women. And speaking of the women, I caught several of them drooling on themselves as they stared at Roman, but thankfully he only had eyes for me. It made me feel good because I’ve had many clients in the past who flirted with other women right in front of me. It used to bother me when I was younger, but I quickly learned that nothing mattered but the money I received for my services. Roman, on the other hand, treated me like we were an actual couple. Sometimes I forgot that we were pretending, and I think he did too.
    He reached out and caressed my arm with his fingertips, taking me out of my personal thoughts.  “Truce. So, are you having a good time?”
    “I am having a good time. I’ve met some very interesting people. These old farts are quite touchy feely, and so are some of the younger gentlemen - but I handled them,” I chuckled.
    Roman wasn’t laughing, nor did he crack a smile. Aww, man, why did I share that with him? I watched as the anger brewed in his eyes. Nice going, Sarah.
    “Who touched you?” Roman asked, as his eyes bored into my own.
    “Roman, I said I handled it. It was innocent for the most part,” I tried to reassure him. When I saw his strong, square jaw clench, I knew it was too late. He was angry.
    “Who touched you Sarah?” he asked again, this time in a slower manner.
    “I can’t remember their names, Roman. Really, it’s nothing.”
    I was lying. The last thing he needed to know was who I was ogled and propositioned by, and then cause a scene as a result. Everything we wanted to accomplish, everything I wanted him to accomplish tonight, would be for nothing if I allowed him to cause a scene.
    “I’ve met so many people in such a short period of time that there’s no way I could possibly remember all of their names. I can remember faces, but not names.”
    “Before this night ends I want you to point them out to me,” he growled.
    I rolled my eyes and turned around to walk away. Before I knew anything, I felt a strong hand gently pulling me back and spinning me around. I was in his arms being firmly pressed against his hard, muscled body. Before I could get a word out, let alone breathe, he lowered his head and captured my lips with his and kissed me. He didn’t just kiss me, he dominated me. He started off gentle and soft, taking his time tasting my lips and exploring them. I quickly got over my shock and