Page 54 of By the Letter

I do have a nice little bump, don’t I?

Thanks for the treat. How did you know this is exactly what I wanted?

I’m working with Kit at BD. I’ll keep you apprised of all my jobs in the future.

Yours,

Shira

“Can you bring this to Roman?”

The messenger took the folded piece of paper and jogged out with a backward wave. I wondered if this was part of his job description or if Roman had commandeered him for the task.

Kit smirked. “That’s cute.”

I tapped my lips. “Shhh. We’re not doing this.”

“Pay me in chocolate, and I’ll keep quiet.”

I swept the candy bar off my desk, clutching it to my chest. “This was a gift.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You won’t share? Really?”

Laughing, I ripped open the wrapper and snapped off a few squares. “This is for the baby, not you.”

She snagged the chocolate, grinning as she bit off a corner. “The baby says thank you.”

We chatted a couple minutes longer before she got up to leave. As she did, the same messenger appeared, his forehead slightly sweaty.

“Hi, Ms. Goldman. Mr. Wells has another message for you,” he panted, placing a piece of paper on my desk.

Shira,

I paid attention during our wallet-snooping game. You had a receipt for candy and a Sprite.

I sense smartassery, but I wouldn’t mind being kept apprised of all your big news.

We’ll talk tonight. I’ll be at your place after work.

X,

Roman

I bit down on my bottom lip to stop from grinning, fully aware Kit was watching me. The last thing I wanted to do was add fuel to the fire she’d conjured up in her mind. It wasn’t her fault. Being madly in love and pregnant, she couldn’t help seeing love stories everywhere. That would never be Roman and me. If I weren’t having his child, he wouldn’t have given me a second thought. We were stuck with each other—nothing more.

Even if I wanted it to be—and I didn’t—Roman was a six-and-a-half-foot former pro athlete with pretty eyes and a smile that stopped people in their tracks. And I was me, short, plain, nothing special at all. We only worked as a faceless, anonymous hookup. Any smiles he caused were strictly friendship-related.

I sent the messenger on his way without another note. His sigh of relief answered whether passing notes was part of his job description.

Kit smirked, and I shushed her again. “None of that.”

Chapter Nineteen

Shira

I’d just pulled myfirst-ever lasagna from the oven when Roman let himself into my place.

“Heeyyy, Goldie,” he called, and my stomach swooped. Hearing him say that nickname reminded me too much of our night in room ten. He really had to stop calling me that, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask him not to. Then again, I’d never been good at asking for what I wanted.

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