ROME
Rome observed as Jess glanced around his house, her gaze lingering on the pictures of Georgia. He could sense her longing for his late wife.
“I really miss her,” Jess confessed softly, walking over to join him. Memories of the tension between Georgia and Jess flashed through Rome’s mind, though he still didn’t understand the full extent of their rift because Georgia choose to not tell him the reason.
“I wish I had gotten the chance to meet her,” Jess added, her hands resting on his shoulders. Rome tensed at her touch, uncomfortable with anyone other than Georgia invading his personal space. But he didn’t want to be impolite to Jess, who was only trying to be kind.
“Do you have any kids?” Jess inquired, her attention fully on Rome.
“Not exactly,” Rome replied evasively, not wanting to delve into his personal life with her. He couldn’t shake the feeling of curiosity about why his mother was so close to Jess.
“What do you mean by that?” Jess pressed, her gaze probing.
Before Rome could respond, his phone suddenly rang, displaying Phoenix’s name on the screen.
“Sorry, I have to take this,” he apologized, answering the call and stepping away.
Jess watched with a mix of curiosity and concern as Rome spoke into the phone, unable to hear the conversation. She wondered about the nature of their relationship and why Rome seemed so preoccupied.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Rome’s voice reached her ears, causing Jess to gasp softly. Something was definitely going on.
“When?” Rome inquired, his words leaving Jess puzzled.
“How much is it?” he asked next, prompting Jess to roll her eyes. Who was this girl asking Rome for money?
“Okay, but if that’s what the baby wants, then no problem,” Rome concluded, leaving Jess even more bewildered.
As Rome ended the call, Jess couldn’t help but wonder about the mention of a baby. Had Rome impregnated someone?
“Oh, sorry, that was just…” he began to explain before his phone rang again, displaying the same caller ID. Jess frowned, sensing there was more to this and what the hell does she want??
As Rome pondered over the strange phone call.
“Okay, do you want some fruit?” Rome offered, attempting to change the subject.
“Yes, I need some grapes and… oh lord, I need to rest. Goodbye,” Phoenix replied abruptly, ending the call before Rome could respond.
Rome glanced at Jess, offering her an apologetic look for the interruption.
“So… I wanted to ask,” Jess began tentatively, drawing Rome’s attention back to her.
“Okay,” Rome replied, his curiosity piqued.
“Since I moved here, I haven’t been able to find an apartment yet,” Jess explained.
“Oh, you need an apartment? I can call someone right now, and they’ll get you one immediately,” Rome offered, misunderstanding Jess’s intention.
“No, it’s not that,” Jess clarified, sensing Rome’s confusion. “I was asking if I could spend the night at your house.”
Rome’s shock was evident as he processed her request. Why did she want to stay the night at his house? There were plenty of other options like hostels or motels, or she could even stay with his mother. Why choose his home?
With a deep sigh, Rome contemplated his next move. He couldn’t simply turn her away, especially since it was already late. What should he do now?
“Do you have nowhere else to go?” he asked, still trying to understand her reasoning.
“No, please,” Jess pleaded, her tone earnest. Rome couldn’t bring himself to refuse her, especially if she truly had nowhere else to stay. Besides, he had plenty of guest rooms available.
“Okay,” he relented, resigned to her request.
“Thank you so much,” Jess exclaimed, unexpectedly pulling him into a hug. Rome inwardly cringed at the physical contact, but he didn’t push her away. She withdrew from the hug with a smile, and Rome led her to one of the guest rooms.
After ensuring she was settled, Rome retreated to his own room, mentally exhausted from the evening’s events. He undressed, took a refreshing shower, and prepared for bed, hoping for a peaceful night’s sleep when he suddenly heard a knock on his door.
Rome sluggishly rose from his bed, surprised to find Jess standing outside his door with a train of food.
“Hi,” she greeted him with a smile.
“Hey,” he responded, still groggy from sleep.
“I figured you’d be hungry, so I ordered some food,” Jess explained, raising the food for him to see.
Rome’s stomach growled in response, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since morning. He gazed longingly at the food, his resolve weakening. Without a word, he opened the door wider for Jess to enter.
She placed the food on the nightstand, her smile widening. “You can eat. Can I turn on the TV?”
Rome, consumed by hunger and exhaustion, simply nodded in response, his attention fixated on the food.
He ate quietly as Jess watched a movie on the TV. Though the food was tasty, it couldn’t compare to Georgia’s cooking. He missed her dearly, especially her culinary skills. He wished their child could taste the delicious meals she used to prepare.
As he ate, Rome suddenly began to feel uncomfortably warm. He tried adjusting the air conditioner, but the sensation only intensified.
Then, a wave of intense arousal washed over him, catching him completely off guard. He swallowed hard, trying to push aside the inappropriate thoughts, especially with Jess sitting in his room. He rarely experienced such intense desires, so why now?
“Are you done with your food?” Jess asked, breaking the silence with a smile.
“Oh, yeah, I’m done,” Rome stammered, attempting to conceal his discomfort.
“I’ll help you with the plates,” Jess offered, moving closer to him. Rome instinctively tried to stop her, but she reached for the plates on his lap, inadvertently revealing his hard Boner.
Jess’s eyes widened in shock as she gasped, her gaze fixated on his boner.
“I-I’m sorry,” Rome muttered, attempting to excuse himself and escape the embarrassing situation. But before he could move, Jess reached out and kissed him, her lips pressing against his.
Rome was taken aback by her sudden boldness. Part of him wanted to push her away and demand an explanation, but another part of him, fueled by the overwhelming desire coursing through his body, couldn’t resist.
In that moment, his rational thoughts were drowned out by the primal urge, he just couldn’t push her away inside his body accepted all she was giving to him.
~~~
?PHOENIX?
He speaks so much of punctuality and yet he haven’t come yet.
As I waited anxiously for Rome’s arrival, thoughts raced through my mind. He was supposed to be here an hour ago, and his tardiness filled me with apprehension. What if the necklace had already been sold? He was my only hope of retrieving it, and now he was nowhere to be found.
“His house address?” Camilla inquired, sensing my frustration.
“Yes… I really need to meet him about the baby,” I explained urgently.
“Oh, is the baby okay?” she asked with concern.
“Yeah, but I need to see Rome,” I reiterated, my desperation growing.
“Okay, I’ll send it to you, but I’ll call Neo to take you there,” Camilla offered, easing my worries slightly.
“Thank you so much,” I expressed my gratitude.
“No problem, anytime,” she reassured me.
Neo arrived promptly, and I couldn’t help but notice his frequent attempts to see my sister. It was amusing, but also a bit concerning.
“Okay, that’s child abuse!! Funny though,” I commented, unable to resist teasing him.
“So when will she be 18?” Neo asked, causing me to scoff.
“Maybe I’ll have to call the police on you the next time you ask that question,” I joked, earning a laugh from him.
“What? She’s pretty,” Neo defended himself.
“And she’s a minor,” I reminded him firmly.
“That’s why I’m asking when she’ll be an adult,” he replied with a smile.
“A month, and she’s not into older guys twice her age,” I clarified, rolling my eyes.
“Twice her age? I’m just 27,” Neo protested.
“Yeah, ten years older than her, bro,” I teased.
“Well, let’s see when she’s 18 though,” Neo mused, eliciting laughter from me.
“You’re so much more fun than Rome,” I remarked, grateful for the lighthearted banter.
“Yeah, I know. And you’re fun than him too,” Neo agreed with a grin.
“But don’t tell him that though,” he added conspiratorially, causing me to burst out laughing.
As we approached Rome’s mansion, I couldn’t help but be awestruck by its grandeur. It was so big and elegant,, was he the only one staying here?? Wait… was this the house I was supposed to be living in? Oh lord.
“He’s not normally late, I don’t know why he’s not picking up his phone,” Neo remarked as we made our way towards the entrance, urging me to follow him.
“Maybe he… got drunk last night,” I suggested, grasping at any explanation.
“Who got drunk? He barely drinks alcohol, and he’s not that type of guy,” Neo countered, causing me to nod in agreement. Rome had all the qualities of a husband material, but his pride often got in the way.
“Should I wait down here?” I asked Neo, unsure of what to do next.
“No, let’s go laugh at him,” Neo replied with a mischievous grin, taking my hand and leading me upstairs.
As Neo slowly opened the door, our plans to tease Rome were abruptly halted by screams.
Neo, the girl on the bed, Rome, and I were all screaming in shock.
The chaos came to a sudden halt as we all recognized each other.
“Jess,” Neo exclaimed in disbelief, staring at the girl in bed with Rome.
They were both clearly naked under the covers. I had no idea Rome had a girlfriend. Was she a rebound, or perhaps just a one-night stand?
Well.
I didn’t care much.
TBC