THE BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE BABY

Chapter 23

  I stood there in shock, turning to see Rome's expression. He appeared irritated, but not overly angry. Quickly, I hid the picture behind me, but it slipped from my grasp, shattering into pieces on the ground.

Gasping, I looked up at Rome, who seemed even more displeased.

"I told you not to come to this room, but you never ever listen to anybody," he scolded, advancing towards me.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, attempting to gather the broken pieces from the ground. But instead, I ended up cutting my hands on the shards, causing me to hiss in pain. Why was I so clumsy at this moment?

"Oh God," Rome muttered, taking hold of my injured hands.

He examined them for a moment before sighing. "I'm supposed to be angry, but right now your hands need to be treated," he said.

~~

Rome retrieved a first aid kit and carefully rinsed the cuts on my fingers. His touch was gentle yet firm, causing me to wince in pain.

"Maybe if you had not gone sniffing your nose into someone's business, this wouldn't have happened to you," he remarked, his focus still on my hands.

I remained silent, observing him as he tended to my injuries. He licked his lips in concentration as he applied the bandage to my finger. I couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked in that moment. What would his lips taste like? My thoughts drifted, and I found myself smiling involuntarily.

Wait! What the hell was happening to me? Why was I smiling?

"Stay in your lane," he advised, snapping me out of my reverie.

As Rome finished wrapping the bandage around my injured fingers, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment wash over me. His touch was gentle, yet firm, sending a tingling sensation through my skin. I shifted nervously, searching for something to say to break the tension that hung between us like a heavy curtain.

But before I could gather my thoughts, my feet betrayed me once again, slipping on the smooth floor beneath me. With a startled yelp, I felt myself falling forward, unable to regain my balance. Panic surged through me as I realized I was about to crash directly into Rome.

In a split second, I collided with him, my body pressing against his as we both tumbled to the ground in a tangled mess. My heart pounded in my chest as we lay there stunned, our breaths mingling in the air between us.

Then, Rome let out a soft chuckle, the sound sending warmth flooding through me despite my embarrassment.

"Looks like you're determined to keep me on my toes," he teased, his eyes dancing with amusement as he helped me untangle myself from him.

Blushing furiously, I mumbled an apology, feeling utterly mortified by my clumsiness. But Rome just grinned, his expression kind and understanding as he assured me it was okay.

As we both regained our footing, I couldn't shake the lingering feeling of his touch on my skin, leaving me breathless and strangely exhilarated.

"What's with his sudden change? Why is he being so nice to me these days? Is it because the baby is growing quickly?"

"Don't be clumsy again," he said, walking towards the living room.

I smiled before making my way to the fridge to grab some juice. As I entered the living room, I found Jess and Rome deep in conversation.

"Not her again," I mused silently, noting the disdainful look Jess shot my way.

"I feel so uneasy most of the time. I feel like our baby needs you more in her life," Jess confessed to Rome.