Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 176

NICOLE

I wake up to the feel of Roman’s hands on me.

Shortly afterward, he presses a kiss to my nape and pulls me even closer to him. I take several deep breaths, enjoying being this close to him. I feel calm. Relaxed Spent.

“How’re you feeling?” he asks in a deep, sleepy voice.

“Great,” I answer. Then, after a second thought, l add, ”

Sore.”

Roman’s quiet for a beat, then apologizes.

We rise without making love first thing in the morning-a first for us—and head straight to the bathroom. Roman does everything; he turns the water on, regulates the temperature, and lathers a loofah with my favorite shower gel before scrubbing my entire body clean.

All have to do is stand and balance myself by holding onto him while he washes me tenderly.

We don’t say a word to each other.

I know why.

Yesterday was an intense day. Honestly, I’m starting to get really tired of all this fighting. I thought getting married would somehow resolve all these issues of oursbut that’s not the case at all. Instead of talking things out, we have sex, and a lot of things end up going unsaid.

It’s drowning us, and it hurts me that our relationship might not work out because of this.

I love Roman. I’m sure of this. I think it’s safe to say that he’s the only man I’ve ever loved. Losing him because we can’t seem to agree on anything anymore…this thought brings tears to my eyes. I tilt my head up and let the warm spray of water wash them away.

When he’s done, it’s my turn. I do this distractedly, though. Now that I’m thinking about what happened yesterday, I’m reflective. Was I wrong for going to Sebastian? The first answer that occurs to me is no. I’m not. He’s the one who exaggerated and overreacted.

We step out of the shower. He wraps a clean towel around my frame, and then we head into the closet. I don’t know what to wear. Something comfortable, since we might be staying home, or an outfit I could go outside with? I opt for the latter, pulling on jeans and a blouse I love. Roman goes for jeans, too, and a white linen shirt. He looks great, but his expression is as haunted as mine is.

We head into the kitchen. He asks me what I want for breakfast.

“Just a coffee, I think. I’m not really hungry.”

I’m too numb to eat, and this happens when I’m going through a highly emotional phase.Roman seems happy to just have coffee, too. He prepares. a cup for me, and one for him. Then, we sit across from each other at the kitchen island, just staring at each other.

I take a sip of my coffee. I take it black, but I do need some sugar in it.

Roman takes a deep gulp of his, then sighs. “I didn’t behave as maturely as I should’ve, Nikki. I’m sorry about that.”

His apology makes me want to run to him, throw my arms around his neck, and pepper his face with kisses. But I stay put, mostly because we both have to get through this. We have to sit and deal with this like adults.

“I get jealous and protective of you,” he explains before meeting my gaze. “I can’t stand the thought of Sebastian anywhere near you. And you called him your friend.”

“He’s not my friend per se. Not in that way. But he means me no harm, Roman. He just wanted to tell me that he felt bad about how things turned out, and he even told me that he deserved the punch because he provoked you.

I can’t believe I was friends with her for all these years. Idon’t even remember what I saw in her anymore. How did we ever become friends? Most importantly, how didn’t I ever notice that she was a snake? That she only ever wanted to humiliate me and prove to me that she was better in some sick and twisted way?

That she took me to outings and shopping sprees to prove that she had much more than I? That the only reason why I even met Armand was because it was important for her to let me know that she’d secured someone rich, and I hadn’t.

As soon as I told her about Roman, she overreacted and never spoke to me again. She acted like I was such a skank for sleeping with a man who was engaged, but she was one who was married.

I don’t know. I let a lot of things slide, come to think of it.

So, the only question I need to ask myself is this: Am I willing to lose Roman for her? Is she worth ruining what we have? I know there’s love between us, even if we never understand each other. I also know that he doesn’t love her.

“I don’t know how to make all of this go away,” he claims.”.

I don’t know how to make it stop.”

I rub his arm. “Let’s not talk about this, alright?

Emeralda, I mean. I know that…! can’t stomach the thought of her, Roman, and I probably never will.”

“I know.”I pull away. I think of something else to say, then decide against it. “You know what? Let’s have a good day. Let’s get out of here and spend the day together. How about those rings you promised me?”

Roman smiles. It’s so radiant that heat travels down my spine at the sight of it. “Yeah. Let’s do that.”

He looks hopeful. I feel it, too.