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The man holds his hands up, keeping me from entering the lobby. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but without your keys or a form of ID, I can’t let you in.”
“I’ve lost them.” I root through my clutch a final time just to be sure, but among the lip gloss and credit cards, there’s no sign of the silver key Roman gave to me to access my suite, nor my wallet where my driver’s license sits. “I probably left them at Roman’s. I’m his nanny. Well, not his nanny. His son’s nanny.”
He raises an eyebrow at my rambling. “You work for Mr. Sterling?”
He has such a lovely, bulbous nose that I can’t help but tap it. “That is correct, sir. Please, can I go inside now?”
Sighing, he motions to the doors. “How about I call Mr. Sterling and see what he has to say?”
“You know what, maybe there is such a thing as too much security.” I roll my eyes and stumble into the lobby on the officer’s trail before giving up and kicking off my shoes. My feet are throbbing, and my toes let out a satisfying crack when they’re allowed to flatten again.
After instructing me to “Wait here,” the man heads into the security office. He emerges a few minutes later, crossing his arms over his chest. “Mr. Sterling is on his way down.”
“Noooo.” The room sways with the sound of my voice, and I collapse onto the velvet couch before I topple completely. “He’s my boss. He’ll fire me!”
“As long as he gives you a strong cup of coffee first, I don’t really care.”
I sigh and sprawl out, massaging away the aches and pains in the balls of my blistered feet. Not long later, the elevator dings and Roman steps out, clad in sweatpants and a shirt that do something to my insides.
“Whoa.” I think I say it aloud, although I can’t be sure.
Either way, he doesn’t look too impressed with me as his blurry figure approaches. “Date was that good, huh? Did he get you in this state? Did he take advantage?”
His face is red at the very idea, fists clenched at his sides.
“Date?” I wrinkle my nose and bat him away, forgetting about my earlier lie. “It was a girls’ night. Estelle bought too many tequila shots. I told her, Roman. I said ‘nope, I have to work tomorrow, but’—”
He relaxes immediately but still looks as though he’s been sucking a lemon. “Fascinating. Let’s get you upstairs.”
Roman thanks the security guard and then, without warning, hauls me into his arms. I squirm at first, surprised. Then exhaustion hits me and the room begins to spin, and it occurs to me that he might be the only thing keeping me steady.
His hands rest comfortably behind my knees and around my waist, and I giggle as I catch our reflections. I look like a bride being carried through the threshold, only my husband has a rather casual taste in wedding attire.
Still, we make a pretty couple.
“That man wouldn’t let me inside.” I point at the security officer in question before we get back into the elevator.
As the door closes, Roman offers a stony gaze to the officer. “Don’t worry. I’ll be discussing that with them tomorrow.”
“I lost my keys.” My confession is sheepish.
“No, you didn’t. They’re in my penthouse along with your purse.”
“Knew it!”
The corner of his mouth twitches with the beginnings of a smirk, and, like the intoxicated child I am, I run my finger over it smugly. “Ha! Made you laugh.”
“Nope.” He shakes his head and fixes his expression back to stone. “So. No date, huh? You lied to me.” His voice rumbles right from his chest, biceps straining against my weight.
“You deserved it.”
He scoffs. “Right.”
When the elevator stops and the doors open, I realize we’ve skipped my floor and arrived straight at Roman’s penthouse. I struggle out of his arms to try to press the button for my suite, but he tugs me back.
“Can you stop? You’re like a wriggling, caged puppy!”
“You took me to the wrong floor!” I point out.
