Mission Impossible

He stopped the car and grabbed my backpack for me. He was at my side before I could pull the seat belt off my body. He offered me his hand. I took it warily, afraid that touching him would bring familiar feelings of hunger. I was right. A hot thrill shot through me when he touched me. He dropped my hand the second I was out of the car. I ignored the empty feeling that washed over me.
I walked as close to him as I dared, using the corners of my eyes to check if my proximity probed any discomfort for him. I lost count of how many times his hand twitched toward me. Did he want to hold my hand as badly as I wanted to hold his?
After I'd wiped my plate clean — he'd cooked again, Lasagna — he did the dishes while I caught up with homework that was piling up, going undone. I packed my books back into my backpack and got to my feet. He had his back turned to me. "Can I ask you something?"
He turned to face me. "Anything."
"Um..." I stepped forward hesitantly and gave him a tight smile. "Have a good night."
"No, Nuru." He turned and walked to the couch, dragging me by my wrist behind him and sat down with his elbows on his knees. "We'll sit here until you tell me what's really on your mind, the whole night if we have to."
"I was just..." I kept my gaze down on the table, and tried to memorise the pattern twisted into the granite. "That day, when Hazel was suppose to meet you — did you really I think I was her?"
I sat at the love seat across the room.
Roman stared at me, his eyes full of uncertainty.
"Nuru I..." he hesitated. "What can I say?"
After a minute he stood and paced with his hands buried deep in his pockets.
“I don't know what to say to you, Nuru.” he tapped his foot on the floor.
I massaged my temples. “Please don’t tap your foot — it drives me nuts.”
When he still didn't speak for another minute, I mumbled, "Maybe you should tell me the truth. How about that, huh?"
Roman mumbled something under his breath but nodded.
"Er... I don't..." he hesitated and then sighed. "If I'm being honest. No other woman smells to me like you do. Its..." he struggled to a find the right word. "It's the most addictive thing about you. The way you say my name, no one else can... like smooth, ancient melody. No one else can make my name sound so... So — fuck it — so sexy? No sexy is not the word I'm looking for — exotic maybe... seductive perhaps?"
"What do I smell like?"
He smiled, but his face was ashamed. "Like vanilla and blackberries."
"No." I met his eyes and my eyes travelled down my body suggestively. "What do I smell like?"
His eyes opened wide with surprise. "What?"
"I said—"
He interrupted me with a scowl. "I heard you the first time, Nuru."
"So?" I asked, leaning into him.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated. "They haven't come up with a word that describe your womanly fragrance."
I waited.
"You taste amazing," he murmured, leaning further away from me, his bright eyes piercing. "It drives me crazy thinking about it — you do know I'm gonna need a icy cold shower after this."
I tried to remember how to breath. "Would you ever do it again?" I looked him in the eye. "If you weren't here to look for my dad, would you consider doing it?"
He cursed in Italian and grabbed my chin roughly, not rough enough to hurt but firm enough to make my heart rate pick up speed. "Nuru," he said slowly, trying to control his anger but his voice was harder than usual. "Is that what you think this is about? Huh?" He tugged my chin and pulled it up so that I had no other option but to look at him.
"You've never been in love have you?" He pulled my face closer, forcing me to go up on my toes. "It's a feeling that makes a man weak. I've never been weak. But I'm weak now, you hear me? If you were wise you'd avoid it all together."
"That's a little late — the warning — don't you think?" I was breathless now. I'd never been this close to an angel before.
"Shit Nuru." His voice was low, husky. His eyes were penetrating.
He let go of my chin and paced. "That was not suppose to happen."
I sighed seeing the anger in his eyes. "Impossible. You can't be mad at me. Be mad at yourself. You made it impossible for me not to."
He glared at me. "Oh, Nuru, what am I to do with you?" He mumbled hopelessly.
I laughed but then stopped short when he was suddenly standing in front of me. He hesitantly, with trembling hands, ran the palm of his hand on my cheek and jawline, his thumb ran roughly over my lips. His gaze kept mine captive.
"How did I ever become so lucky?" He looked up towards the ceiling. "Good choice. This one is perfect."
"Roman?" My voice was throaty as if my heart was stuck there. It certainly felt like it.
He groaned, his face tortured. "Don't get used to saying my name like that."
I just stared at him, struggling to think clearly, I looked away from him. It was better that way. I cleared my throat. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

I waited nervously for him to respond, each passing second my nerves twitched anxiously.
He waited another minute before he could answer. "Only..." he cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse. "Only on one condition."
I yawned involuntarily and nodded.
"You'll sleep on the floor."
"Okay." I agreed cheerfully.
He looked at me strangely. "I was kidding."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "What's the condition then?"
"You have to wear one of my long sleeved t-shirts, my long pajama pants and don't take a bath before bed."
"Why?" I couldn't stop my curiosity. I could tell by his tense jaw that this was one of those questions he'd hoped I wouldn't ask.
"I keep thinking it will get less... sexually frustrating, avoiding you right after you've showered." He ran a hand over his frustrated face. "Oh, what the hell, I'm doomed anyway."
"And by that you mean?"
"For a person like me—"
"A secret agent?" I asked just to be sure.
He nodded. "Having someone like you in my life will only be my downfall."
"Someone who's weak?" I asked again, this time with a surge of regret.
"No," he said through clenched teeth. "Someone who is my weakness."
He lead the way to his bedroom and I followed behind him. He walked into his closet and brought out a t-shirt and pajamas for me as promised. He walked into the bathroom to give me some privacy.
I quickly got dressed. The pajama pants were too big for me and with a heavy sigh I rolled them at the waist and then comfortably got between the sheets. He came out with water glistening from his body.
"You showered," I accused. "That's not fair."
He smiled wickedly. "My bedroom, my rules."
I glared at the ceiling. He laid next to me and held his arms open for me. With a defeated sigh I crawled into his arms and laid my head on his chest and he wound his arms protectively around me.
"You're not being fair," I insisted. "I look absolutely ridiculous. And you... you're perfect."