Page 77 of Donovan's Men

“Why would you say that? Are you breaking up with me?”

He hung a right on Bayswater Street. Then he sighed. “Donovan, we aren’t even truly together. There’s…a lot of shit to deal with. Maybe Hamish has this right. Professional first—then regroup.”

“What if I don’t fit into your life?”

“I didn’t say that.” He cast a quick glance my way. “Life’s complicated. We’re not in a hurry, are we?”

“Yes, damn it, we are. I fucking want you both. Now.” I nearly shouted that.

He chuckled. “Well, at least there’s no pussyfooting around you.” He made the final left turn onto Point Grey Road.

“Cole lives three houses down. Shit, you know that.” I rubbed my forehead with my left hand. I could do shit with my right, but my arm didn’t always enjoy the movement.

“A reminder isn’t a bad thing.” Tyson chuckled as he pulled up in front of Cole’s house. He yanked his wallet out of his back pocket, lowered his window, and flashed his badge at a woman in a car parked across the street.

“Still? I know they needed someone when he first came out of the hospital, but—”

“Another attempt to trespass was made two days ago. We’ve got people checking periodically. The studio’s considering hiring a security guard full-time.”

“How did I not know this?”What the actual fuck, Hamilton? I thought I was your friend.

“No one knows. We’re trying to keep this under wraps. Of course, if the trespasser is charged, it’ll go on the public record.”

I pursed my lips. “But if things are swept under the rug?”

“That’s Cole’s call. He’s getting good advice, for what that’s worth.”

“I suppose.”

“You going to be okay?” He met my gaze. He didn’t touch me, though.

With his colleague just across the road, I understood why. Didn’t make it hurt any less, though. “Yeah, I’ll be okay.”

“Good. Call me if you need me, all right?”

“Can I call you if I don’t need you but miss you?”

He winked. “Of course.”

Resisting the urge to kiss him took all my strength. But I had to respect his boundaries. Didn’t make me wish any less that we hadn’t done more last night. “Maybe check in with Hamish? I don’t want to push.”

He chuckled. “Right. I’m glad you can acknowledge you can be…persistent.”

“Are you saying you didn’t enjoy last night?”

“Nope.” He grinned. “I had a great time last night. And despite how today ended, I still enjoyed myself. Breakfast was amazing. We both know Hamish had to do what he did. I would’ve preferred he wait until Monday morning. When our weekend had ended. But he did what his heart told him to do. Who knows? Maybe things went better informally than if he’d been called onto the carpet.”

“Getting out ahead of things?”

“Sure.”

“Do you really believe that?”

Slowly, Tyson shook his head. “This was always going to be a shitstorm. I don’t know why I’m so drawn to you. Or why Hamish has to be part of that. We’ve barely spent any time together—”

“And yet we all know.”

His smile came on gradually. “Yes, that.”