I nodded, still unsure where this was going.
“No one was awake yet when I went down to get coffee,” he continued. His eyes flicked down to his phone before lifting back to mine. “But apparently…they found something.”
“Found something?”
Roman nodded. “Whoever broke in must’ve left something behind.”
Unease crept up my spine as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood.
The blanket shifted as he moved, and I barely had time to admire the broad strength of his body before he reached for the clothes draped over the nearby chair. My face heated as he stepped out of his sweats and pulled on a pair of jeans and a soft cotton shirt that fit him perfectly.
I stayed where I was, watching him as a knot of apprehension twisted in my stomach.
What did August want? What did they find?
When I didn’t move, Roman lifted an eyebrow.
“You should get dressed.” He nodded toward the dresser. “I grabbed a few clothes from your room.”
A small pile of neatly folded clothes sat on his dresser.
“If those aren’t good,” he added, “you can go to your room. I just thought it might be easier if you had something in here.”
I stared at the clothes, stunned.
He’d picked out one of my favorite linen skirts and a long-sleeved top—one I wore all the time. The subtle thoughtfulness caught me completely off guard.
“Oh,” I said, fighting a smile. “Those are fine.”
I set the mug aside and hesitated before climbing out of bed, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was completely naked.
Roman seemed to notice my hesitation. Without saying anything, he turned and started toward the bedroom door. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
As he turned the doorknob, a shot of panic ran through me.
“Wait.”
He paused, glancing curiously at me over his shoulder.
I clutched the sheet to my chest. “Just wait outside the door.”
I wasn’t entirely sure why, but the thought of Roman leaving—even just to go downstairs—made something uncomfortable twist in my chest.
I didn’t want him out of my sight.
37
Roman
Ileanedagainstthehallwaywall outside my bedroom door, waiting for Palmer to get dressed.
I tried not to think about the messages August had sent earlier that morning, but the unease sat like a heavy weight I couldn’t shake.
When the bedroom door opened, everything else disappeared for a moment.
Palmer stepped into the hallway, smoothing down her skirt. The dusty-pink color made the natural blush on her cheeks stand out even more behind the freckles scattered across her skin.
God, she was beautiful.
