“I have to know,” she said. “I have to know and you cannot lie.”
She could have sworn all the color faded from his tanned skin. “What?”
“Are you for real?”
“I’m…I’m…” He blew out a breath. “Yeah. I mean, yeah.”
“I’m serious,” she said. “Are you too good to be true? Are you going to break that girl’s heart? Are you for real, Roman Matteo?”
His smile disappeared. “I’m real. I’m not too good to be true. And, please remember this, Tessa, no matter what happens—I’m not here to break any hearts.”
She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Okay. I’m going to believe you. But you better be telling the truth.”
“I am,” he said, turning away so fast she couldn’t quite catch the expression in his eyes. But he walked a few steps ahead toward Lacey, leaving her standing in the sun wondering if he was all that…or a big fat fake.
They hadthe boat underway in no time, with Roman showing a natural affinity for managing the lines and helping them off the dock. Shocking no one, he was as at home on the deck of a cabin cruiser as he was on a football field.
He inspected every inch of the vessel, above deck and below. Afterwards, he settled in next to Lacey on the bow bench, tipping his head back to get sun on his face as he draped an arm around her.
And she stiffened as though she hadn’t been expecting it.
Maybe Lacey was just being cautious, too. After all, the guy was textbook perfection. Surely there was a red flag, a fatal flaw, a reason to run.
Could it be he was a kind, considerate, humble, warm, gorgeous NFL wide receiver who made millions and could do anything during the off-season but chose fishing with Lacey and Tessa?
Nah. Nobody wasthatperfect.
“How long have you had this boat, Tessa?” he asked.
“About a month and a half. Smartest negotiation I ever made.”
His brows lifted behind his sunglasses. “Negotiation?”
Tessa grinned, flipping back the ponytail that had fallen over her shoulder with purposeful smugness. “I persuaded a rich client to include it in my fee because he owed me this and a lot more.”
Roman choked on a laugh. “That’s hilarious.”
“That’s Tessa,” Lacey said, looking bemused and still proud. “Fearless, cool, and gets exactly what she wants.”
“I love that,” Roman said softly, regarding Tessa for a moment. “I mean, if you know what you want.”
“I usually do, and in this case? It was a boat. Do you know what you want, Romeo?” she asked with a tease in her voice. “I mean, beyond a good season of football and a renewed contract.”
“A good catch out here,” he answered glibly. “I did some research and heard that Destin is called ‘The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.’ Is that true or just good PR?”
“You should know about good PR,” Tessa said. “You have it down to an art.”
He sat a little straighter, the arrow hitting its mark as he slowly took off his sunglasses. “You want me to answer that question about what I want out of life?” he asked, all humor gone.
“Yes, I do.”
Lacey looked concerned. “Tessa, don’t?—”
She held up a hand to quiet Lacey. “I really do want you to answer the question, Roman. Honestly and without…spin.”
He leaned forward, dropping his elbows on his knees as he squinted with lush lashes and a direct gaze.
“I do know what I want. My parents pounded it in my head.”
