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“Where might that be?” I asked as we both got back into the car.

“My parents are hosting a big gala for charity. I wasn’t originally going to attend because I was supposed to be in Quebec for a deposition. Now that I’m on this construction account, Dad gave that task to one of our junior attorneys. You can come with me.”

“A gala?” My eyebrows rose. “The one to benefit the local children’s hospital?”

I’d heard about it at the paper. In fact, I’d almost been assigned to it, but thankfully someone else would be covering the festivities. I couldn’t imagine how awkward it would have been to be working at an event Rick and his parents were hosting.

“Yeah, that’s the one. What do you say?” Rick’s smile faded as he rubbed my arm. “If you’re feeling okay, I mean.”

“I’ll go.”

“Great,” Rick said, and he pulled the car back out onto the street.

I could picture myself chatting with his parents, sipping champagne and eating whatever little canapes were being passed around.

Rick would be holding my hand as the four of us laughed together.

Even more happy thoughts crossed my mind after that.

Rick and I purchasing a house for ourselves, and maybe a home for Mom and Gael.

The three of us would get out of that shitty apartment.

It was almost too good of a fantasy to be believed, but if Rick really was going to finally introduce me to his parents, then perhaps we were moving closer to engagement and marriage. I slid my hand into Rick’s and smiled in contentment.

I paused as I thought about that little fantasy.

God, I sounded like a gold digger. Every time I thought about our future, it was only about what Rick could provide, and never about my life with him as a partner.

Maybe that had something to do with how out of balance our relationship was beginning to feel.

With him always pushing and trying so hard, it made it hard to view him as anything more than a provider.

I shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind for later introspection.

“Can we stop at one more place on the way?” I asked.

“Sure, where do you wanna go?”

“An electronics store or something. I want to get a doorbell camera.”

Rick’s brow wrinkled. “Why do you want that?”

I pictured Nate again, leaning against the wall outside my apartment.

Two things happened whenever I thought about those few minutes I’d spent with him.

First, I got annoyed and irritated at him coming to my home unannounced and unwanted.

Second? A faint warmth crept across my body, sliding from my chest to between my legs.

That, coupled with my worrisome realizations about my relationship with Rick, made me uncomfortable.

Shaking my head to snap out of those thoughts, I said, “One of the other reporters said it might be smart. Apparently, when you start covering more intense stories, you can end up with some unsavory people poking around. I figured it would be good to have a little extra security if I get assigned to the crime beat full-time.”

It was a white lie, but still possible. Maybe there were mobsters or someone who’d try to strong-arm me if I got hot on their trail.

Either way, it was easier to go with that story than the real reason.

I didn’t think Rick would enjoy hearing about some tall, dark, and handsome private detective who’d now invaded both my nightly dreams and my daydreams.

Rick chewed his lip. “Do you need me to do anything? To help you guys stay safe?”

“Yeah,” I said with a laugh. “Take me to buy a doorbell camera.”

“What if someone tries to break in or something, though? You guys aren’t in a rough part of town, but it’s not the safest, either.” He shot me an anxious glance.

“If anyone’s that stupid, then they’ll have to deal with my mother. That should be good enough as a deterrent.”

Rick pulled up in front of a store and let out a heavy sigh. “I wouldn’t want to go toe to toe with Sophia, that’s for sure. I’m your boyfriend, but I always get this vibe coming off her that she hates me. I can only imagine what an intruder would get.”

That was true. My mother and Rick were not bosom buddies, and Mom made her opinions on him clear when he wasn’t around.

Her judgments hadn’t changed, no matter how much I tried to smooth things over between them.

She refused to change her mind about him.

From what I could tell, she didn’t take kindly to the way he flaunted his money.

Also, I got the feeling he simply rubbed her the wrong way.

Half an hour later, after I’d bought a very simple Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell camera, Rick pulled up outside my apartment.

“Let me walk you inside,” Rick said, getting out of his side of the car.

“You don’t have to. Really.” I did my best to give him a confident smile so he wouldn’t worry about me. And honestly, I really wanted to be alone.

He lifted an eyebrow. “I mean, if no one’s home, we could… enjoy the afternoon a bit? What do you say?”

I smiled, but the nausea returned with urgency. Imagining Rick above me, sweaty and grunting, made my gorge rise. A mental image of his cock sliding into my mouth nearly made me dry-heave again.

What the hell was wrong with me ?

“I think I need to sleep off this bug or whatever. I want to be well for that gala dinner,” I said, taking an unconscious step back to get away from his smell.

He winked. “ If it’s a bug, right?”

Rolling my eyes, I walked toward the door. “It’s a bug,” I called over my shoulder.

“We’ll see about that. See you later?”

“I’ll text you.”

The nausea abated as soon as I was inside. Strange. Maybe I needed to tell Rick to get rid of that awful cologne. I used to love it, but I was clearly having a reaction to it.

That was all that made sense. Why else would being close to him make me want to puke?