“With what?”
“Working, after the pictures came out yesterday.” Jeff poured himself a cup of coffee before crossing the kitchen to stand on the other side of the island from me. “I assume you know about the pictures on the beach?”
“Right. Yeah. I kinda figured that was why you wanted to talk. I know I signed an NDA. You guys don’t have to worry about anything. I didn’t even tell my best friend what was going on. Although, I did tell her a story about Pongo, but that was back when I first started walking him, and I had no clue that he was Roman Grier’s dog. I’m so sorry about that. But I swear, I’m a vault. I won’t say anything else. Not even to my own mother.”
It all flew out of my mouth in one long string of verbal diarrhea. And when I was done spewing, the silence rang around us.
Jeff blinked a few times, then a huge smile spread across his face. If I wasn’t afraid of embarrassing myself again, I’d be tempted to flirt with Jeff. But this was a precision strike mission. In and out with minimal loss. Or embarrassment. Maybe I should write a wartime screenplay. Tactical team with gleaming muscles in the hot desert air. But maybe make it a mystery? Or a hidden treasure story! That could be fun.
“Sophia?” Jeff called, and judging by his voice, it wasn’t the first time he’d said my name.
“Yes. Sorry. Got sidetracked there for a second. But I swear you have nothing to worry about. I understand the contract I signed.”
“Now you do.” Roman’s voice came from behind me, and I whirled around to find him standing a few feet away, still shirtless and sweating but scowling. “Sounds like you broke it right after you signed it.”
“I-I-I-” I looked helplessly at Jeff whose face was blank. Traitor. Turning back to Roman Grier, I lifted my hands in a defenseless gesture. “I told my best friend about the time Pongo tried to eat a hermit crab on the beach during one of our walks. It was silly and harmless and way before I knew about you.”
Roman Grier took a tall glass of water Jeff offered. After taking a long drink that made his neck look all muscular—and made me feel all kinds of awkward—he finally set the glass down and looked at me.
And I really wished I didn’t have his attention. It felt like he knew every thought that ran through my head. But not like the way my parents did. This was more intense if that was possible. Because instead of trying to hide the fact that I’d snuck out and drank beer with my bestie during our senior year, now I was trying to hide just how much Roman Grier affected me—from Roman Grier.
And my treacherous nipples werenothelping my case at all.
“Right,” Roman drawled. “But now you know about me, and I’m guessing your friend does too.”
“I didn’t—”
“Because of the pictures.” Roman Grier interrupted me and lifted his palm in a placating gesture. “Not because you broke the NDA again. But now that cute little story about Pongo on the beach suddenly has a lot more cache. And maybe even a payday.”
“Molly isn’t like that. She knows what selling me out would cost me. And I swear I haven’t told her anything else. She might have connected a few dots on her own, but not because I told her anything.”
“I guess we’ll see.” His eyes ran over my body again, and I swear I saw his eyebrow quirk when his gaze paused on my visibly hard nipples.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I guess we will.”
His lips twitched like he was suppressing a smile, and his eyes definitely sparkled as he tipped his head. “I guess we should get down to business, then. Let’s sit at the table.” He held up his empty glass. “Jeff, I’ll take another one of these. Did you want anything to drink, Sophia?”
He said my name. A trill of excitement raced through me even though I knew I was being ridiculous. I opened my mouth to answer, and suddenly I felt a little dry mouthed.
“Maybe some water?” I croaked.
“Jeff?”
“Gotcha, boss.” Jeff answered.
My face was on fire with the power of my blush. I walked to the dining area without waiting for them, pulled out the closest chair, and sat, trying and failing to get my reactions under control.
Don’t embarrass yourself anymore. Just sit, listen, and before you know it, this will all be a crazy memory. Maybe something to tell your kids one day once the statute of limitations runs out. Was that a thing with an NDA? I should look into that.
“Water.”
I jumped as Jeff placed the glass on the table with a soft clink. “Thanks.”
“Right.” Roman Grier took the chair directly opposite me, making it really difficult not to stare at him. “There’s really no easy way to segue into this, but here we go. Are you dating anyone, Sophia?”
“What? No.” The answer came out reflexively before I even had time to think. But that was a strange question. “Why?”
“It’ll make things easier. How long ago was your last relationship?”