“You’re not leaving, are you?” Marlee was moving slowly this morning, but she definitely looked more rested. She scooted down the stairs. “You are both staying for breakfast, right?”
Roman caught Sadie’s gaze and tilted his head toward the door.
Yes, of course, they were leaving.
“Just heading out.” Roman gave Marlee a hug. “Your kid is awesome.”
“Did you know Sadie still doesn’t have office space?” Eli asked.
Was it Sadie’s imagination or was Roman somehow closer to the door? She hadn’t even seen him move.
“Come on,” he mouthed to her.
She hesitated only a second, but when she turned, Roman was not there. Was he escaping without her?
No. No, he was not.
“I’ve got to catch Rome.” She didn’t look back as she sailed out the door. “You guys will do great. Good luck.”
Roman stood leaning against the side of the house, just outside the door.
“You said no man left behind.” Sadie pointed her finger at his chest.
Roman watched her intently, but he didn’t say a word. Not a syllable. That smile remained pasted on his face, never wavering.
“I’m still here.” He moved forward, right to her.
Oh yes, he sure was. Her body seemed to very much like that he was still there. She felt the nerve endings all along her skin tingle at his proximity.
“But you’re out here and I was in there.” She waved her arm toward the house, ignoring the tingle.
“You were gabbing. I was evacuating.” Oh gosh, he got closer.
She huffed out a breath.
His testosterone level had hit maximum intensity and smacked Sadie straight in the face.
She paused, her heart beating faster.
He was a predator and his prey had just walked through the door and straight into his trap.
Thwwwwwap.
“What are we doing, Roman?” she asked, meaning so much more than what they were literally doing right then in that moment on this planet.
“There’s space in my building.” Roman didn’t move an inch or move his gaze from hers.
Yay! Maybe he’d know where she could find administrative help, too.
“Seriously? Where’s your building?” Sadie asked, hope floating to the surface.
Not that she would choose an office near Roman because it was near Roman, but she really needed an office and wasn’t going to be too picky as long as it was in her budget and didn’t have a leaky roof or a funky smell. She could deal with a hot guy in the same building. And really, the funky smell could be covered with some oil-based candles, so that wasn’t a total deal breaker either.
“In Cherry Creek, not too far from Heather’s cookie shop and Jase’s flower shop.” The way his jaw worked, the way his eyes scanned her, Roman wasn’t attempting to be intimidating (even if he was…a little). He was trying to figure her out. Like she was a puzzle and he thought he had known where the pieces went, but now, he wasn’t so sure.
She would never select him for jury.
Lucky for her, he wasn’t up for jury selection. Instead, he happened to have a lead on an office space.
