From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 227

**Chapter 136: Crave The Distance**

Roman

I hesitated before responding to Savannah, my mind racing through a whirlwind of thoughts.

“Sleeping with Penny?”

What a preposterous notion.

The very idea made my stomach churn. It was absurd, laughable even. I couldn’t fathom how she could even think it, let alone voice it.

Christ, the thought of it was vile. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as I blinked at Savannah, convinced I must have misheard her. The absurdity of her words echoed in my ears, drowning out everything else. Out of all the wild accusations she could have thrown my way, she chose that? Penny? Of all people?

No way in hell would I ever do something like that. Not even if someone held a gun to my head. I’d rather face the barrel than entertain such a grotesque thought.

The mere image of it twisted my gut. It wasn’t that Penny was unattractive; far from it. She had a captivating allure, with sharp, bright eyes and a charm that effortlessly drew people in, making them feel small in comparison. She was the kind of woman who turned heads, the type that made my brother, Reese, swoon.

Reese had been infatuated with her once, so deeply that I half-expected him to propose, despite the years that separated them. But alas, fate had other plans, and their story came to an abrupt end. It was a shame, really.

But to me, Penny had always been more like one of the guys—one of my closest friends in a dress. She was the kind of person who could call me an idiot without a hint of hesitation, and I wouldn’t take offense.

She was like a sister to me, someone I felt compelled to protect rather than desire.

And now, here stood Savannah, trembling with wide eyes, accusing me of something so ludicrous.

I studied her, noting how her fingers clutched the glass tightly, as if it were the only thing anchoring her to reality.

“Sleeping with Penny?” I finally managed to say, my voice gravelly with disbelief. “Savannah, are you even listening to yourself? That’s absolutely wild.”

Her gaze narrowed, suspicion flaring in her eyes. “You didn’t answer me.”

“Because it’s insane!” I shot back, my voice rising unintentionally. “It’s a ridiculous accusation. You sound completely unhinged, Savannah!”

She flinched at my tone, and the glass slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor into a dozen sparkling shards.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock. “It’s true.”

“What’s true?” I asked, confusion swirling in my mind.

She froze in place, but her glare remained unwavering. “You think I care about glass right now?”

“Yes,” I replied firmly. “Because I do.”

Her eyes burned into mine, fierce and unyielding. “Roman, I swear to God, if you don’t stop lying to me right now, I’m walking out that door. And you will never see me again.”

That was the breaking point.

I spun around, the air rushing from my lungs in a sharp gasp. “And where the hell would you go, Savannah? Huh?”

“I’m not destitute!” she shot back, her voice rising in defiance. “I’ll figure something out.” Despite the tremor in her voice, her anger lent it a solid edge.

I stared at her for a long, tense moment, my jaw tightening with frustration. “You know what your problem is? You can’t recognize when to back off. You can’t read the room, and you sure as hell can’t tell when someone is being honest with you!”

Her lips parted, indignation flaring. “What truth, Roman?!” she retorted, her tone sharp. “You want me to play dumb? Pretend I didn’t just catch you red-handed?”

“Red-handed?” I echoed, incredulity lacing my voice. “You caught me doing what? Breathing near Penny? Sharing a bottle of wine? What exactly is the issue? Last time I checked, she isn’t my ex.”