“How was the concert?” Brayden asked when I walked out onto the balcony where he and Gavin were smoking cigars.

Gavin handed me a Romeo y Julieta. I cut the end and started to light the stogie. Between puffs, I replied, “It was a nice break from the same old routine. I am just so ready to be off of nights already. I don’t know whose Cheerios I pissed in, but I have been on the job for too fucking long to get stuck with nights again.”

Gavin blew out a plume of woody smoke. “Yeah, but Jess has only been in for a year. Could that be it?”

I chewed on the end for a second. “I have no earthly idea, but I am fucking over it.”

“How’s everything going on that front? The you and Jess being partners thing? Is it weird having a chick that hot as a partner?” Leave it to Brayden to ask the blunt, jackass question.

“She’s awesome. I wouldn’t want another partner. We get along great and she’s one hell of a cop.” It was the truth, simple as that. Even though I couldn’t get the image of her riding my dick only hours before out of my head, first and foremost, Jess was my partner and best friend.

“Sean? Ready to head out? I’m fucking beat.” Jess popped her head out of the sliding glass door.

Handing the half-smoked cigar back to Gavin, I turned to McBee. “Yeah, I need to hit the sack too. Duty calls again tomorrow.”

After we said our goodbyes, I drove Jessica to her apartment building like I had done countless times. This time, though, it felt wrong—I didn’t want her to get out of my car. I didn’t want to drive away from her. I never wanted to spend another second without her right by my side.

“So, I guess this is good night?” She shifted her weight onto her elbow, which rested on the center console in my car.

I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek. “It doesn’t have to be.”

She bit her lower lip. “Yes. Yes, it does have to be good night. We can’t jump in with both feet here. We need to be smart about this.”

I hated how right she was. I hated that she was going to make good decisions for the both of us when every cell in my body was screaming in protest.

“Fine.” I rolled my head from side to side. “But know that I do not like this one bit.”

Leaning over, she kissed my cheek. “I couldn’t agree more. Breakfast tomorrow so we can talk about everything?”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Call me when you get up.” I squeezed her hand before she started to climb out of the passenger’s seat.

“Sounds like a plan. See you in the morning, Whistler.” Her calling me by my last name was normal—we were cops, it was what we did—but right then, the world shifted and it was not all right anymore.

“Jess?” I grabbed her hand quickly, stopping her as she was halfway out of the car.

Wide-eyed, she cocked her head to the side. “Yeah?”

“Please, call me Sean.” Happiness washed over her face at the simple request, and a calm smile played on her lips.

“You got it, Sean.” She blew me a kiss before climbing out of the car and shutting the door.

I waited until she was safely behind the security door of her building. I watched as she quickly glanced over her shoulder for one last look at me before the metal door slammed behind her. It was simple but it made my heart skip a little.

She really does like me.

* * *

I barely slept, replaying the evening over and over in my head.

What if I completely fucked up?

What if she regrets it?

What the fuck was I thinking?

She’s my partner.

She’ off limits.

She’s fucking perfect.

I tormented myself overthinking the entire situation to death, playing out every damn scenario in my head—what would happen if someone saw us, what the captain would do if he found out, how we would tell the captain we were in love and were going to have to be reassigned.

My stomach sank. I felt like a total pansy for how fucking wrecked I was over the entire situation. I was a goddamned basket case. The thing that worried me the most was protecting Jessica’s reputation. I would never want someone in the precinct to think she was easy or a slut.

I tried to think back, and I actually could not remember Jess ever talking about another guy—no past relationships, old boyfriends, or weird sexual conquests. It wasn’t like I was forthcoming on that front either with her, or had much to tell, for that matter.

I grabbed my phone. Took a deep breath. Typed out a text and read it over and over before I hit the send button.

Me: There are over eight million people in this city and you are the only one I truly see.

Cheesy—totally cheesy—but it was true, and right then I needed Jess to wake up to a message showing her how in this I was. I wasn’t going to half-ass it. I was going to jump in with both feet even if it wasn’t what we were allowed to do. I was going to show her that we had not made a mistake—we were supposed to be together. In all of the scenarios that I had played out, not one involved us being apart or not pursuing a relationship—that was one thing I knew for sure, I was at least going to try.

My phone vibrated with a call, and I jumped thinking it was going to be Jess calling me right away, but Gavin’s name scrolled across my screen.

“Hey, man. What the fuck are you doing up at six in the morning?” I groaned as I answered the call and stretched.

“Get Jess and get the fuck over to my place right now. I don’t know what to fucking do. We need you guys’ help.” Gavin’s voice was low and panicky.

“Be there in a few minutes.” I grabbed my clothes off the of floor from the night before, got dressed as fast as I could and rushed down the three flights of stairs to my car parked in its spot.