Patrick Holt is lonely. A bad breakup with his boyfriend has left the forty-year-old ophthalmologist reluctant to get involved with another man. When his neighbor sets him up with her brother-in-law Eric, Patrick prepares himself for disappointment. But Patrick quickly finds himself surprised and charmed by Eric, and Eric, who’s had relationship problems of his own in the past, falls hard and fast for Patrick.<br><br>On the outside, Eric seems like a great guy: young and attractive with a promising job as an assistant manager at a Chicago hotel. But Eric has a dark side he and his family are hiding from Patrick. When the truth is finally revealed and Eric’s secrets are exposed, will Patrick be willing to go the distance with Eric? Or will he run as fast as he can from the new man in his life?

Baggage

“Don’t worry, Eric. I didn’t tell Patrick anything too awful about you,” Sabrina teased.


“Well, that’s a relief,” he said.


While Sabrina prattled on about how she’d been looking forward to introducing us, I felt Eric’s gaze on me. He wasn’t just watching me; he was leering at me right in front of his sister-in-law! He even licked his lips like he wanted to eat me for dinner.


Thankfully, Sabrina appeared to be oblivious to it all. When Leah called to her mother from the sliding back patio door and Sabrina excused herself to “deal with” her daughter, I actually breathed a sigh of relief. Having to try and listen to her while ignoring Eric as he undressed me with his eyes was mentally exhausting. Before Sabrina left, she told me to help myself to all of the food and drinks available and suggested that Eric and I “get acquainted.”


“I’ll come back to check on you two later,” she said before giving a little wave and disappearing into the house.


Chapter 3