11. Scheduling Dates

The rest of the day passed quickly, mostly because I was too focused on the events in the cafeteria.

When I saw Dean, all my worries vanished and I smiled widely, walking over to him. We both walked over to my car and got inside.

"Wow. This is one nice car." He said once we were on the road and I grinned at him, pulling up in front of a quaint little café near the college. I parked my car and we both went inside and to the front to order.

"What are you getting?" He asked me and I shrugged.

"A cappuccino and... the chocolate cupcake." I said and he nodded, taking out his wallet.

"Oh let me pay, please." I said but he paid anyway and we made our way to a table near the window.

"You can pay me back another way." He said and I leaned forward with a grin.

"How exactly?" I asked him and he too leaned forward with a charming boyish grin.

"Let me take you out to a date. Next week, Saturday." He said and I froze momentarily before smiling awkwardly.

"I was just putting it there, you don't have to if you don't want to." He said but I put my hand on his.

"No, I'd love to go out with you." I said smiling and he smiled back, just as our coffees were brought to us and we enjoyed each other's company, talking about anything and everything.

I felt good with Dean. He made me feel warm and fuzzy and good. And I honestly can't wait to go out with him. He was good looking, caring, genuinely concerned about people and gave such good company.

While we were talking about our college and our teachers, my phone started ringing from an unknown number. I frowned briefly before excusing myself and picking up the call.

"Hello?" I asked and heard deep breathing on the other side.

"You didn't save my number. Why?" He asked me and I sat up straighter.

"Uh... I forgot." I said and heard him hum in response.

"I'm waiting outside the café." He said and I frowned, looking around and sure enough, he was leaning against the hood of my car, his phone next to his ear.

Dean must have noticed and followed my gaze, his brows furrowing in the process.

"Is he stalking you? He seems to appear anywhere you are." Dean said skeptically.

"Maybe." Roman responded and my eyes widened realizing he was still on call.

"I'll be right out, just a few more minutes." I said and heard him hum.

"Don't take too long princess." He said and hung up as I looked back at Dean.

"I'm supposed to go with him for the project, remember?" I reminded Dean who nodded his head after a moment.

"Oh right, I forgot. Well since he's here already, let's head out, yeah?" He said and I nodded, getting up and we both walked out laughing at a lame joke Dean said.

When we stopped in front of my car I fetched out my keys from my pocket and threw them to Roman who caught them swiftly and unlocked the car, getting in the driver's seat.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess." He said and I nodded and we both stood there for a few moments.

As I was about to turn, Dean suddenly placed a chaste kiss on my cheek, lingering for a few seconds.

Suddenly Roman honked the car horn rather loudly and I scowled at him briefly before turning back to Dean again.

I gave him a small smile, waving him goodbye and going to the other side of the car and getting in the passenger's seat.

As soon as I buckled my seatbelt, we drove off with a jolt, as if Roman couldn't stand here a second longer.

What's his problem?

I glanced at him briefly and saw his tight grip on the steering wheel and his clenched jaw.

I ignored it and put my head against the window, closing my eyes and letting the day's exhaustion taking over me.

A while later, I felt a soft touch on my cheek and stirred in my peaceful sleep, swatting the arm away, only for it to return back and stroke my cheek and push my hair aside.

"Heather, we're here princess." I heard his deep voice and opened my eyes slowly, squinting slightly until my vision cleared and I sat up straight.

"Sorry, I must have dozed off." I said trying to stifle a yawn which escaped anyway and heard Roman's deep chuckle.

My head snapped to his, letting his deep chuckle settle into my ears and make me shiver from the danger and edginess in his voice.

"Let's go, yeah?" He said and I nodded, getting out of the car as he walked in front of me. I looked at the mansion in front of me with awe. I lived in a pretty big house too, but this was just next level.

He gave one of his guards the car keys and the front door opened, revealing a man in his early fifties, about my dad's age and a woman who came behind him, looking to be about the same age.

"David. Maria. Questa è Heather, ridecorerà la casa, le darà tutto ciò di cui ha bisogno." (This is Heather, she'll be redecorating the house, give her whatever she needs) He said and I swooned internally at his accent.

"Heather, this is David and Maria, the caretakers of this house. If you need anything you ask them or you come to me. Understood?" He said and I nodded.

He then walked inside the house and I followed close behind, taking in my surroundings. The house was beyond beautiful, and I didn't understand why he'd want to change it.

"Roman?" I called out to him and he stopped in his tracks, turning towards me and looked at me expectantly.

"I uh... I just wanted to say your house is really beautiful already... Why would you want to change it?" I asked him and he folded his arms behind his back, slowly walking over to me and stopped right in front of me.

"I want something else." He said, looking deep into my eyes and for some reason I had a feeling he wasn't talking about the house, but something else entirely.

I averted my gaze and cleared my throat, glancing at David and Maria briefly who were watching us closely.

"Alright. We'll have to discuss few things after I've taken a look at the house." I said and he nodded as David came forward.

"This way Ms. Elias, I'll be giving you the tour." He said and I smiled at him and was about to leave with him when Roman caught my arm and pulled me back.

I looked at him confused while he looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Leave, David." He said looking at me and the man nodded once, leaving with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him but he shook his head.

"Come on, I'll give you a tour of the rooms that need to be done." He said and I nodded, following him to different rooms.

I jotted down what I thought was the size of the rooms, and some ideas that popped into my head as we walked around.

Soon we stopped in front of an office and he went inside, me following behind. The door shut with a click behind him and I sat down on one the couches.

"I'll be asking you a few questions now so I can start working." I said and he nodded, sitting right beside me on the couch.

I ignored our very close proximity and started asking him the necessary questions like what materials and colors he preferred.

When we finished, I completed my mind map and showed him the rough draft.

"This is a rough draft obviously, I'll show you a better one later but it's a rough idea." I told him and handed him my notepad.

I was so glad my writing was good as he looked through my notes and handed them back to me.

"This is good. You can start working. I have no problems with anything." He said and I nodded.

"Alright then." I said and looked through my notes once more and Roman got up from his seat and threw a black card on the table. I looked up at him and saw him looking down at me.

"For buying the material and anything else." He said and I nodded, putting the card in my bag and getting up.

"I should go now, it's getting quite late." I told Roman who frowned, but I turned around.

"Wait." His voice spoke and I slowly turned to face him.

"Have dinner with me?" He asked me and I thought for a moment before nodding.

How could I say no?

"Sure." I said and he nodded, straightening up and we left the office and went into the dining room.

He went to the head seat of the table and pulled out a chair right next to it and I quickly went to him and sat down. He too sat down and a few maids came in, putting dinner in front of us.

My mouth watered at the sight of the spaghetti in front of me and as soon as Roman started eating, I did too, although trying very hard not to moan out loud this time.

We all remember what happened last time.

We ate in a comfortable silence and he would occasionally ask me questions regarding studies, never any personal ones.

I sipped on the water after I was done and looked at Roman who was swirling his wine glass in his hand.

"Was everything to your liking?" He asked me and I smiled.

"Yes, everything was amazing. Thank you." I said and he nodded, downing his drink in one go and stood up. I stood up too and glanced at my watch.

"I should really go now, my dad and Alex must be waiting for me." I said and he nodded, leading me towards the front the door and outside where my car was parked.

The guard handed Roman the keys and he gave them to me, but didn't let my hand go, the keys halfway in his hand and halfway in mine as we looked at each other.

He finally let go after a few moments as another car entered from the gates and we both looked towards it as it approached.

Before it could get any more closer, I felt warm lips on my cheek and froze in place as his hand came around my waist.

I leaned into his touch, sighing deeply as his lips moved lower, placing small kisses until his lips reached the corner of mine. He placed a small kiss there and pulled away.

I gulped as the car parked and the headlights turned off. Enzo, Gabriel and Maria came out smirking and grinning and I was sure my face was as red as a tomato right now.

"Good to see you again Heather." Maria came and gave me a small hug and looked between me and Roman, grinning widely.

"I'll be going now. Thanks again for dinner." I said and turned around when he caught my hand.

"When will you come back?" He said holding my hand and I shrugged.

"Whenever you want me too?" I said unsure and he nodded, stroking my knuckles with his thumb.

"Tomorrow then, same time. I'll come to you." He said and I nodded, slowly pulling my hand away from his.

I turned around and unlocked my car, getting inside and turning the ignition as the engine roared to life and I sped out of the gated house as quick as I could.

My hands fumbled with the radio as I searched for a song and settled on Chlorine by Twenty One Pilots.

I put a hand on my heart, trying to calm myself down and felt the place where his lips had been tingle as my hand reached out to touch where he kissed.

What is he trying to do?

He's definitely driving me crazy.

And he fucking knows it.