Page 27 of Unstable

He tipped Donald as he pulled their luggage from the trunk. “Let me just make sure the key works and everything looks good, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course. Would you like me to bring the bags in?”

Roman grabbed his own and pulled out the key Knox had given him before they left. “Just hers if you wouldn’t mind.”

He cleared his throat, but Irina remained transfixed, staring in every direction, taking in every little thing from the gulls squawking and swooping overhead to the tiny little shells pressed into the pavement. “Irina.”

She jumped at the sound of her name then rushed forward, a huge smile on her face. “Can you believe this? We’re right on the beach!”

Roman held back a smirk as he inserted the key and unlocked the door, then held it open for her as they stepped into the living room. He could only imagine how much it was costing the studio to put them up here for the next two weeks. After the challenges they put her through, he thought she deserved every overpriced minute of it.

He thanked Donald as he dropped off their bags, then locked up behind him and watched through the window as he backed out of the narrow driveway and left. Roman turned to Irina. “Stay here. I want to check the place out.”

No one knew they were coming, so he really didn’t expect anything, but he also wasn’t going to take any chances. When she rushed to join him, he pointed to the sectional that took up most of the living room. “Sit.”

Her brows lowered, and her face fell into a mutinous expression. “Why?”

“Because it’s my job to keep you safe, and it’s your job to listen. Now sit and stay until I’ve checked everything out.”

She sank down on the edge of the cushion and crossed her arms over her chest. “Would you like me to bark while I’m at it?”

He pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “If it makes you feel better.”

Her eyes narrowed further, but he dismissed her ire as he did a quick scan of the main room. The house was built in a rough L-shape, with the living, kitchen, and dining areas combined into one large room. The living room was basic, with the couch curving around the front and left walls of the house. A small kitchen with bright white cabinets was situated in the far left corner, and a small dining table took up the space just to the right.

Beyond the table, a set of patio doors opened into a small, fenced-in backyard, giving a spectacular view of the pool. He checked to ensure the lock was engaged before turning to inspect the rest of the small bungalow. A short hallway broke off the main room, leading to two bedrooms, a linen closet, and a bathroom.

The bedroom at the back of the house had a sliding door that, just like the dining room, stepped out onto the patio. Through the large bay window on the west wall, the ocean was just barely visible over the fence.

He ruefully took in the queen-sized bed. Too bad the owner hadn’t thought to put two beds in there. He couldn’t let Irina sleep in there by herself with the door unguarded. She would either have to take the smaller bedroom at the opposite end of the hallway, or he’d be crashing on the floor in there for the foreseeable future.

Once everything was cleared, he called for Irina. “Come on back.”

In less than three seconds, she stood at his side, her eyes wide as she took in the vista through the large window. Her eyes lit up, turning the same sparkling blue as the ocean outside. “Is this your room, or would you mind if I take it?” She moved toward the window and gingerly laid her fingers on the glass. “Can you imagine waking up and seeing the ocean every morning?”

Roman felt terrible shooting her down as he explained the problem. “I can’t leave you in here by yourself.”

“Why not?” She glanced at him over her shoulder.

He pointed to the door. “Because someone could come in through there, and I would never know.”

She bit her lip and glanced around. He could see the disappointment written plainly on her face, though she tried to cover it well. Her eyes landed on the bed, then jumped back to him. “We could… share?”

Absolutely not. There wasn’t a chance of that happening. Not because he disliked the idea, but because he wanted to share a bed with her—way more than he should.

He cleared his throat. “I can crash on the floor if I have to.”

“But—”

He waved away the rest of her words. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out later.”

He had no idea how in he was going to stand sleeping in the same room as her without being tempted. He remembered vividly the way her body looked naked and slick from the shower, the way she felt pressed against him. There wasn’t a single thing about her that didn’t turn him on, and now he would be sleeping mere feet away from her—his temporary wife—for the next couple of weeks.

Lord help him.

CHAPTER

TEN