Page 126 of Bulletproof

“Not enough to keep, J,” he told me, his eyes no longer on mine but instead on my mouth. “When I get home, it’s gonna be done.”

I cleared my throat, and his eyes flicked back.

“He wants to go to cooking school.”

“Done.”

“And a place to live?”

“What are you, his lawyer?”

“Aaron.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned back. “Yes, J, where? Downtown? Lincoln Park? What?”

“Just let him choose, okay?”

“Anything else?”

“It’s not because of me, is it?”

“Yes, and no,” he said, tipping his head, looking at me. “I just—I don’t get how I’m supposed to date someone and not end up taking care of them.”

“You—”

“And a guy who will let me, I’ll get bored of them, and I won’t want them because they’ll end up waiting on me to do things because what other choice will they have?”

He had a point.

“But a guy who won’t let me”—he gestured to me—“that’s the guy I do want, but he doesn’t want me because he doesn’t want me to own him.”

I started to smile.

“It’s not funny. It’s a terrible mess!”

“You need a guy as rich as you.”

“Yeah, not happening.”

“There are no gay oil sheikhs?”

“You’re so funny.”

“I thought I wasn’t funny.”

He groaned and leaned forward, hands on my knees. “That detective is not that hot, you know? I’m much better-looking, smarter, younger. My job doesn’t include getting shot at. I don’t have⁠—”

“Stop.” I reached up and patted his cheek. “He’s it. You know he is.”

“Yes, I know.” He sighed heavily, turning his head to kiss my palm before he suddenly stood up. “I see how you look at him, and it kills me just a little.” He smiled suddenly, and it was very evil. “Poor Hayes—I’ve at least seen Detective Kage before.”

“Don’t cackle. It’s mean.”

“He’d had no idea that the man in your life could bench-press him.”

I smiled wide.

“You know, you gave up on that business of yours without much of a fight.”