He popped through the doorway, his forehead wrinkling when he saw I was still in my work clothes. “Uh, what’s the issue?”
“Are you serious?” I bit back my maniacal laughter. “I don’t know where we’re going. I don’t know how to be the very public girlfriend of a Hollywood movie star. I don’t know how to do any of this!”
“Hoh-kay.” Rome turned and quietly shut the door before crossing to me and holding my hands. “I want you to take a few deep breaths.”
“I know how to breathe! That’s not going to help me!”
Rome lifted my hands and let them rest against his very firm chest. His heart thudded steadily under my fingers. Everything about my situation was so surreal. I was in Roman Grier’s bedroom and he wanted me to touch him. He was still clothed—dang it—but my hands were on him. I wastouchingRoman Grier. How was this my life? My thoughts were having the exact opposite reaction that he no doubt wanted. A weird gasping sound left my lips.
“I want you to concentrate on your breathing.” He must’ve taken in my expression. “It helps when you’re having a little panic attack, which is what I think this is. Just humor me.”
His expression was serious, despite his teasing tone. He shook his head slightly. “Close your eyes. And breathe. In. And out. In. And out. Let all the insanity of this morning go. None of that matters. It’s just me and you in here. And we’re good. No drama. No worries. Just two people breathing.”
Little by little I felt the tension in my shoulders and neck drain away. His voice was so smooth and hypnotic that I swore I felt myself sway toward him.
“And open your eyes.”
I did and stared straight into the mellow brown of his eyes. They were so warm and felt so familiar. Like I knew them.
Like I knew him.
The skin around his eyes crinkled. “Better?”
“Yes,” I whispered back as I swayed toward him again.
His hands patted mine, as they still rested on his chest against the steady thudding of his heart. “Good. So, what do you want for dinner tonight?”
And just like that, all the tension flooded back into me. I opened and closed my mouth a few times like a dying fish, but no words came out.
“Do we need to do the breathing exercises again?” Rome asked drolly.
“Don’t minimize this! It’s not a small decision. This is our first outing as a couple, and those photographers will be there with their gross questions, and everyone will be commenting on what I’m wearing and how I look. I’ll be datingAmerica’s Boyfriend,and everyone will be wonderingwhy her. I don’t know why I agreed to do this.”
Rome sighed and pulled me closer to him as his arms came around me. My body was too rigid for it to be called a hug. But after a moment, my arms grudgingly came up, and I hugged him back. Why did he have to smell so good? And feel amazing? I closed my eyes for a second and just drank the moment in.
“You are gorgeous and wonderful and so unbelievably kind. You charm puppies and babies alike. Everyone will be wondering what a class act like you is doing with a douchey actor.” Rome pulled back a little so we could look at each other. “You’ve got this, Sophia. Donotdoubt yourself. So tell me, what kind of food sounds good for dinner tonight?”
I felt myself swaying toward him again. I had to consciously stay upright. “I kinda feel like sushi. Does that sound good to you?”
Rome grinned. “Yeah. Rice isn’t on my approved meal plan, but I can do sashimi. Ever been to Nobu?”
“No! Are you kidding? I’m adog walkerand barista.” My eyes widened. I couldn’t even imagine being able to afford eating there. The edamame alone was three times the cost at my local sushi restaurant. I might’ve looked it up online once.
“It’s a date.” His eyes flickered to the rack of clothes next to us. “And wear the burgundy sweater dress with the black heels. I’ll have Jeff call to book us a table. How’s an hour sound?”
I could only nod mutely.
Rome laughed softly. “Let me grab a few things from my closet, and I’ll get out of your hair. I think you’ll find all the girly things you need at the bottom of the rack—hair junk and makeup and whatever. If you need anything else, give me a holler.”
He bussed my cheek with a kiss, then disappeared behind one of the doors I’d itched to open just a few minutes ago. I got a glimpse of some hangers but mostly empty space, before he returned with a shirt and pair of pants on hangers and a bundle of something else in his other hand.
“See you in an hour.” And he left. Just like that. Bombshell dropped, and I was just supposed to be ready to go toNobuin an hour?
Oh my god.
Why did I agree to do this again?
* * *