Page 41 of Shadows of Obsession
I turn my head toward Luna who's looking at me with something warm in her gaze. I like to see her spark when shecalls me "Mr. Borisov" instead of "Roman," but that warmth in her look might be exactly the element that will put me, again, on my knees before her. She's so vulnerable and small in front of me that I only want to take her in my arms and ensure that nothing and no one shakes the sparkle from her gaze.
"Tomorrow at the same time," I say, and yielding to temptation, I let my finger slide in a light caress on her cheek.
It's a delicate touch, but I see her pupils dilate and the fact that I affect her to some degree causes a void in my stomach.
"I like your perfume too," I murmur when some of the rose notes reach my nose.
Every perfume she wears works on her. Never noticed that with other women, but on her skin, each scent becomes perfect - even though she changes it daily. It's fascinating. Who switches perfumes every day? And how do I end up loving each one? Maybe I hit my head somewhere.
I turn and head back to my office without another word. I need to get through these contracts then figure out what the hell I'm going to do about Luna.
Chapter 19
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Luna
The house is quiet except for raindrops tapping against the window. I haven’t moved from this couch since Roman left, and weirdly, I can't shake this blanket of peace he wrapped around me.
'I like your perfume too' - his words keep playing in my head, pulling this ridiculous smile from me. Obviously he's referring to what I mumbled while coming down from my panic attack, but watching that ice-cold facade melt around me sends butterflies through my stomach.
Someone needs to write a manual for this man - how can you be the same person who casually admits to making people vanish then rushes to open my car door?
Stop crushing on your boss, Luna!
The feeling of guilt hits me again. I had a panic attack in the elevator. At work. Because of a message.
I knew that if I allowed myself to fall into the trap of security it would somehow turn against me.
It's a message, Luna. A single message. Maybe he mentioned the blouse by chance. I already know what I'm thinking is stupid. Somehow he saw me. Somehow he was in my vicinity today and I didn't realize it.
I need to be more careful.
I really hoped that after Damien's threat he would understand to leave me alone.
I try to occupy my time with housework, but after polishing the bathroom tiles to exhaustion and getting drunk on the smell of freshly washed laundry with fabric softener, I collapse on the couch and put my headphones on to listen to the ending of my audiobook.
I listen with bated breath to see what happens because, of course, at the end the heroine is kidnapped by a cult leader who's obsessed with her. When it ends, I'm left with... an emptiness in my soul.Look what my existence has been reduced to.
I'm just a ball of anxiety desperately seeking distractions. I’ve learned to take the bad days with the good ones, but being alone - that's something time doesn't really fix.
I realize I haven't called Dad in forever and he'll probably start bombing my phone soon, so I dial him while puttering around the kitchen for food. He picks up on the third ring.
"What are you doing, my beautiful?" he asks in the same warm tone he's had since my childhood.
I love how whenever I call him or he calls me, he tells me I'm his beautiful one. He calls Mom the same thing, and it's something so small, but it brings me immediate comfort.
"Trying to make something to eat even though I don't have many options."
I make a note to go shopping, otherwise my fridge will go on strike.
"What are you guys doing?" I ask.
In the background, the TV is playing an NFL game, from what I gather, because although American football has nothing to dowith European football, my father is a sports man and likes to stay current with everything moving in this field.
"Nothing new. Your mother is taking care of her old ladies. I got a few contracts for house renovations. We’re good." I don't need much to feel more at ease.
There were many moments when I felt guilty for not telling them what was happening with Aidan. I know they would have gone crazy knowing I was hours away and unable to do absolutely anything. They probably would have pressured me to move back home with them, and the last thing I wanted was to lose even this fragment of freedom.
