“I don’t care,” I add immediately.
“Of course you don’t.”
“He noticed her,” I continue, ignoring him. “Asked for her input. Complimented her.”
Walker doesn’t say anything for a moment.
“You don’t get jealous,” he says finally.
“I’m not jealous.”
“You don’t,” he repeats. “You shut things down before they get that far.”
I laugh under my breath. “Guess I missed one.”
Silence stretches between us.
“She deserves options,” I say, not looking at him. “Someone uncomplicated. Someone who doesn’t—” I cut myself off.
“Someone who doesn’t what?”
“Someone who doesn’t come with rules,” I say. “Or baggage. Or a job that makes everything messy.”
Walker studies me. “You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”
I drain the rest of my beer. “I don’t do relationships.”
“You keep saying that like it’s a diagnosis.”
“It’s a fact.”
“Funny,” he says. “Facts don’t usually make people this angry.”
I look away.
Melissa’s laugh flashes through my head. The way she steadies patients with a touch. The way she looked at me in the hallway yesterday—hopeful. Careful. Like she was bracing for impact.
I flex my hand, half expecting to feel her there.
“Colton,” Walker says gently, “you don’t have to blow your life up to want something.”
I stand. “I should go.”
“Already?” he asks as he stands up with me.
“Yeah,” I reply. “I’m tired. Probably should catch up on some sleep while I’m off workon time.”
He doesn’t argue. His eyes follow me as I grab my coat and keys. I say good night to them and rush to the elevator. As the doors slide shut, they cut off the light, the warmth coming from his penthouse. A reminder of everything I don’t let myself have.
By the time I reach the street, my body is no closer to calming down. I need to go back to my penthouse and run off some of this steam. That’s the only way I’ll get any kind of rest tonight.
Maybe I can run off my feelings, too, because I’m getting to a point where the dam is going to break. I either need to build it higher and stronger or accept that the water is about to come crashing over.
Chapter Seventeen
Melissa
“Morning, Mel,” Trudy says while I pour myself a cup of coffee in the break room.
