Page 18 of Hate On

“Because, if I’m being called this early, it’s probably important.” She pushed again and after a sulky look that looked entirely too sexy on his beautiful face, Roman rolled away and she slid from bed. She hurried into the living room, although the phone had already stopped ringing. “Damn it,” she whispered. Pulling her phone from the outside pocket, she peeked into her purse and checked the yellow padded envelope nestled inside.

A look at the screen showed that it was her father who’d called.

Damn it.

She swiped at the screen to call him back and paced over to the far edge of the room, keeping her eye on the hallway that led to Roman’s room with a discreet eye.

“Why didn’t you answer when I first called?” he asked, voice stern.

“I was tired,” she said honestly. He didn’t have to knowwhyshe was tired.

He groused a moment, then said, “I need you at the downtown lab. It’s urgent. Can you be there soon?”

She glanced down at herself. “I’ll need a little bit, but I’ll hurry.”

She disconnected just as Roman appeared in the doorway. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our time short, Roman.”

* * *

The trip homewas a quick one. She took a taxi rather than wait for her driver, although she did text him and let him know she’d need him to pick her up from her condo.

Moving into her office, she reached into her purse and withdrew the padded yellow mailer that held the prototype. She tapped it on her hand for a moment, then left it on the desk.

She had no idea what her father wanted, but she assumed it was important so she’d better hurry.

After showering and changing into a sleek, steel-gray pantsuit, she headed back downstairs with a hope that her driver had picked her up a coffee as he often did.

She was gratified by the fragrant scent of life-giving caffeine as she slid through the door he held open for her. Giving him a grateful look, she said, “John, you’re a miracle worker. I needed that caffeine today.”

He just gave her a nod, but there was a smile on his face.

She took the cup from the holder in the middle of the bench seat and sipped it. Perfect. Two creams and a sugar. He didn’t miss a trick, that guy.

“We’re going to the gem treat factory today, John,” she told him as he slid into the driver’s seat.

“Of course, Miss Julianna.”

As he merged into the New York City traffic, she pulled her phone from her purse and sent her father a text, giving him an estimated time of arrival.

There wasn’t a response, but she didn’t expect one.

Just as she went to put the phone up, it rang and she eyed the unfamiliar number for a moment. She almost just slid it back into her bag, but on a whim, answered. “Yes?”

“Good morning, Julianna,” a warm, inviting voice said into her ear.

Wow. Roman’s voice was as good as the rest of him. She’d noticed he had a nice voice, but when the rest of the package was there to distract her, it was hard to focus on something as simple as a voice.

“Roman.” She smiled a little. “How did you get my number?”

“I have my ways. Besides, if you’re nice, you would have given it to me before you left,” he teased. “It’s awful to give a man the night of his life, then disappear the way you did.”

“Ah, yes…that’s me.” She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Taking her cup of coffee, she added, “Love them and leave them, that’s my motto.”

She sipped at the hot beverage as he laughed in her ear.

“I can believe that. Listen, I meant to ask you before you left, but you had to leave so quickly, I didn’t have a chance…are you going to the gala fundraiser for STEM in a few days?”

She blinked, a little caught off guard.