Chapter 13 Roman 12
Rory couldn’t help the smile that played on her lips as Roman led her by the hand into the melee of the fair. She had always loved the lights and colours. The music blasting from a hundred different rides. The smells. It had always brought back memories that made her smile, and now here they were again fifteen years later, making new memories. “Are you happy?” Roman brought her hand to his lips, but there was uncertainty in his eyes, she couldn’t help but smile up at him. Was she happy? Was the earth round? “I’m happy, are you?”
“More than I could ever tell you, now what do you want to do first?”
Rory laughed, throwing her head back.
“Not that, this is meant to be a date,” He chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She pouted, pulling him towards her. He was a big man, but she moved him easily. “Are you sure you have to go straight after?”
“You are terrible.” But he was laughing as he slung his arm around her waist. “Right I’m thinking waltzers first, what do you say?”
“You know I hate it when they spin us round and round.” She giggled though, because even though it was true, the fact that she could bring up memories like that with him made her beyond happy.
“Maybe I want to kiss you when you are all dizzy?”
“Maybe I want to kiss you right now?” she countered.
“Maybe I want to kiss you always?” He countered.
“Maybe I want to let you.” It slipped from Rory’s lips before she could help it. He stopped dead, still clutching at her hand. They stood like that for what seemed like hours, with him staring at her face. Searching it with wide hopeful eyes. “Rory?” She moved back to him, stretching up to her tiptoes and she let her lips brush his.
“Rory you can’t say something like that, not to me.” But he kissed her back. Rory shrugged, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck. “I know I shouldn’t make promises but…” She trailed off, hiding her face against his white t-shirt.
“I love you too Rory.”
“Hey, I didn’t say I loved you.” She slapped his chest. It hurt her hand. He was so god damn solid, he didn’t even flinch. He gave her a look that sent her off into peels of laughter again. “I didn’t!”
“Okay.”
“I do, but I didn’t say it first.”
A grin split his tanned face. It was like the sun coming out from behind a rain cloud. “You have never said it first.”
“Hey, It's not like you have said it a hundred times, just a few.”
“Not when you have been awake or to your face no, but I do love you, you know that right?” He kissed her again, crushing his lips to hers. Ignoring the dirty looks of a family as they manoeuvred past them. The older woman tutted loudly, whilst their teenage son snickered loudly. “I love you.” He let her feet touch the floor finally.
“I love you too.”
“So…”
“Hold your horses stud”
“So, marriage and mating are off the table?” He may have said it a little loudly. The older woman who had been passing them turned sharply. Her eyes grazed over them. She narrowed her eyes. She muttered something under her breath that made Roman go rigid. A growl rumbled out of his mouth.
“What did she say?” Rory knew it must have been something bad for him to react this way, but she didn’t have shifter hearing.
“Let’s just say she doesn’t approve.” Rory shot the woman a look.
“I said it's disgusting, a human carrying on with an animal.” The woman’s voice was shrill, causing more than one pair of eyes to turn towards them.
“Leave it, Rory.” Romans voice was soft. He wasn’t about to let one judgmental woman spoil their day.
“No.” Rory turned eyes blazing. “I won’t leave it.” She launched herself at him, he caught her easily with his hands on her butt as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His eyes were laughing as she kissed him.
It wasn’t a soft kiss. She put all her feelings into it. Crushing her lips down on his, tearing his lips open with a groan as she explored his tongue with hers. He squeezed a handful of her ass in return.
The air seemed to vibrate as the people around them clapped and catcalled. Rory jumped off. “I’m not carrying on with an animal, I’m carrying on with the MAN I love.”
Her son pumped his fist into the air. Obviously glad someone had taken his mother down a peg or two.
“Oh, and sweetie that was nothing. He’s a gentleman, but if I hear anything like that out of your mouth again, I will show you what carrying on really means.” Rory tugged Romans hand, leading him between two rides as people stared and whistled.
“Where the hell did that come from? You were amazing.”
She broke into giggles. “I have no idea; I didn’t embarrass you did I?”
“No Rory, I’ve never had anyone stick up for me like that before.” His voice was so soft she barely heard it.
“You have a whole pack of wolves, not to mention other shifters, who would die for you.” Rory was shocked. He shrugged. “Maybe, well yes, they would, but this is you. You stuck up for me, for us.” He captured her face between his big hands. “You are incredible.” He started walking again, an evil glint in his eye.
“Where are we going?”
He pointed.
“No way in hell Roman!” Rory baulked as she turned her eyes towards the giant ride that looked like a hammer twirling people upside down in the air. “I would rather do the waltzers.”
“Nope, you’ve shown me how brave you are. You can handle a little ride, plus I want you to be holding onto me and screaming at some point today.” He winked.
“Rory?”
They had been sitting in silence for minutes, legs swinging as the little pod that carried them into the air slowly made its gigantic circle. Rory lifted her head from his shoulder. “Mmmmm?”
“What you said earlier about loving me?” He kissed her hair. “Did you mean it?”
“I’ve loved you forever Roman, why wouldn’t I mean it?”
“We were just kids.”
“Doesn’t mean what we felt wasn’t real. I loved you then, and I’m falling hard for you right now. And it's scaring the hell out of me.” She admitted.
”Why does it scare you?” He gripped her a little closer as she shrugged. He knew why, she didn’t have to say it.
“I’m not Dale.”
“I know, I just wish we hadn't fallen out of touch.” He wiped a tear as it spilt down her cheek. “Things might be different.”
“We would definitely have a few cubs running about.” He sounded almost wistful.
“Cubs?”
“Children.” He whispered into her hair.
“You want children?”
He wrapped a strand of her ponytail around his fingers absently. “Yes, don’t you?”
“Do you want children with me, or with your mate?” She was only half-joking.
“You are my mate Rory; I want children with YOU! I always have. I can’t imagine them with anyone else“
“You know your pack might not accept me.” Her voice was tiny because there it was. The shadow hovering over them.
“Rory…”
“It’s true… it's okay, I want to be with you no matter what happens.” She placed a finger on his lips, the sudden movement making the small pod rock as they looked over the fairground with its sprawling lights far below.
“If they don’t accept you then they aren’t my pack. Jude can take over, or someone else, I don’t care.”
“Roman please don’t say that, they are your family.” She was horrified.
“Rory you don’t get it, you are my MATE. It doesn’t matter whether you are human or wolf or even something else. I will love you to the day I die. They can force the matter if they like. I will not take another mate, not even to keep my pack. I won’t give children to a woman I don’t love, just to keep my Alpha line going. OUR children will be my Alpha line whether they are only half wolf or not.”
Silence fell.
“I will need to go soon,” he said softly.
“So soon?” Rory felt her heart drop into her toes. Why did the day have to end?
“As soon as I drop you home; it’s a long drive, and the sooner I leave, the quicker I can get back to you.” He kissed her nose as their little cocoon neared the ground again. “You could come with me, you know; my mother would love to see you.”
Rory smiled, fingers playing with his short hair at the back of his neck. “I wish I could, but you know I can’t.”
“I’d like you to see my home, Rory.”
She hopped off, into his open arms. “I want to see it as well, but I can’t just drop everything and go off with you Roman.”
“It could be your home as well; you just need to say the word. I’m not a poor man, I could look after you, you know?”
“I know silly, but I’m an independent woman and I have a business to run. One day maybe I’ll see where you call home.” They strolled hand in hand as the light began to dim.
“Mate me, Rory.” His voice was tortured.
“Roman…” She sounded exasperated.
“Marry me then, marry me as soon as your divorce comes through.”
Rory rolled her eyes.
“I’m serious.” His eyes were deadly serious. His blue eyes ignited in gold flame. His wolf eyes.
“I know.”