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

When I got to Eric’s apartment and pressed his buzzer, I wondered what I’d do if he wasn’t home. Go to his job and see if he was there so I could harass him at work the way he harassed Mark? No, I’d never do that. Stalking and public humiliation weren’t in my DNA. If they were, I would have done both to Clay after he left me.


Eric didn’t even ask who I was before buzzing me into his building. Either he was expecting someone else, or he knew it was me. I didn’t feel good about either scenario. As I rode the elevator to the fourth floor, I tried to get myself together mentally to deal with him. As angry as I was with him for going to Mark’s office earlier, I knew I had to tamp that anger down if I wanted to stop that kind of shit from happening again.


Chapter 38