From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 124

**TITLE: Dreams Folding Into Broken Time**
**Chapter 80: Only Need You**

The air in my lungs felt like it had been trapped, as if it had lost its way back to freedom. Not after that casual confession.

Not after he had tossed those words into the atmosphere with such ease. Roman had spoken them as if they were nothing more than a lighthearted joke, like scattering breadcrumbs on a table for birds, yet they landed within me like a seismic tremor, shaking the very foundation of my being.

He loved me.

Or at least, that’s what he had said. Again. For the second time today. And therein lay the fragment that gnawed at my insides, consuming me from the inside out. He had uttered those same words once before, only to laugh it off, brushing it aside as a playful retort to one of my sarcastic jabs, as if I had only said it to entertain him. To coax a chuckle from him. Perhaps that was all it was then. Perhaps that was all it was now.

But then again… what if it was something deeper?

“Are you okay, Sav?” Roman’s smooth, even voice sliced through the storm raging in my mind. He flicked a brief glance my way, his green eyes catching the dim light of the car for just a moment before returning to the road ahead, a landscape that felt both familiar and foreign.

I nodded too quickly, a reflexive action born from desperation. “Yeah.”

What was I even thinking? Of course, he didn’t mean it in that way. He couldn’t possibly. He loved me because I was his best friend, the one who brought laughter into his life. That was all there was to it. That’s what best friends do, right? They toss around “I love you” after wild nights filled with laughter, or in the aftermath of heated arguments, or when they find themselves lost in nostalgic memories.

That’s all this was. Just a friendship love. Just like all those times I had told him I loved him before. I repeated that mantra to myself, over and over again, as if the rhythm could drown out the chaos inside.

Yet, my chest tightened like a fist clenching around my heart, because I knew, deep down, that what I felt was far from the innocent affection friends are supposed to share. And worse still, I couldn’t shake the nagging doubt that he might not recognize the difference either.

Best friends love each other.

And that’s likely what he meant. Nothing more than that. Nothing related to the tumultuous feelings swirling in my mind.

Instead of dwelling on the illogical, it would be wiser to direct all that energy toward ensuring he had truly forgiven me for the mistakes I had made.

“You’re unusually quiet tonight, Sav,” Roman remarked, his tone tinged with an emotion I couldn’t quite identify—was it concern, suspicion, or perhaps a hint of amusement dancing just beneath the surface?

“Am I?” I exhaled, attempting to sound casual, but the sigh that escaped me was heavier than I had anticipated. My gaze drifted out the passenger-side window just as we passed the ‘Welcome To New Hope’ sign—now seen from the opposite direction. The same sign we had breezed by just days ago on our way here, filled with laughter and lightness. This time, however, instead of butterflies fluttering in my stomach, there was a gaping pit that felt as vast as the universe itself.

Would Roman want to continue this newfound intimacy? Would he revert to his usual parade of women? Would we slide back into our roles as best friends, pretending that the past seven days had never unfolded? Would he act as though he had never witnessed the way I looked on the precipice of ecstasy? As if he hadn’t seen me break apart and shatter beneath his skilled hands and mouth?

The thought seared through me. My palms felt the heat, my chest constricting as if I were caught in a vise.

In the wake of that tumultuous week in New Hope, the air between us felt charged with an unspoken tension, a delicate balance between friendship and something far more profound. As we drove away, the weight of our shared experiences loomed large, a palpable reminder that the lines we had drawn were now blurred beyond recognition. I could no longer ignore the truth that had been hiding beneath layers of laughter and camaraderie: my feelings for Roman had evolved into a yearning that threatened to consume me. The fear of losing him was eclipsed only by the fear of what could become of us if we dared to explore this new territory. Each mile that passed felt like a countdown to a reckoning, a moment when I would have to confront not just my desires but the reality of our connection.

Yet, as the familiar landscape of our lives unfolded before us, I realized that no matter the outcome, we had already crossed a threshold that could not be uncrossed. The intimacy we had shared was etched into our very beings, a secret language only we understood. Whether we returned to the comfort of our friendship or ventured into the unknown depths of love, one thing was certain: we were forever changed. The shadows of our past now intertwined with the light of our present, and as I glanced at Roman, I felt a flicker of hope amidst the chaos. Perhaps this was the beginning of something extraordinary, a journey of discovery that could lead us to a love that was as boundless as the universe itself.

**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**

In the upcoming chapter of *Dreams Folding Into Broken Time*, readers can expect to delve even deeper into the emotional turmoil that Sav is grappling with. As she and Roman navigate the shifting dynamics of their relationship, the tension will mount, forcing Sav to confront her feelings head-on. Will she find the courage to voice her fears and desires, or will the weight of uncertainty keep her silent? The stakes have never been higher, and the fragile thread connecting their friendship to something more will be tested in ways neither of them anticipates.

Roman’s perspective will also come into play, shedding light on his own internal struggles and the complexities of his feelings for Sav. As he grapples with the implications of their recent intimacy, readers will witness the delicate dance of emotions that could either bind them closer together or tear them apart. With the backdrop of New Hope serving as both a sanctuary and a battleground for their hearts, the chapter promises to unravel the layers of their connection, revealing hidden desires and the fears that threaten to keep them apart. Expect moments of raw vulnerability, heated exchanges, and perhaps a revelation that could change everything. The question lingers: can love truly flourish in the midst of chaos, or will the ghosts of their pasts haunt them forever?