Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)

“It doesn’t matter what the title is. Director. Anything you want. What I mean is…we’re good together.”

“We are?”

He laughed. “Don’t you think so?”

“Jamie…I don’t… This is crazy.”

“I know. But we’re good for each other. And this is what you wanted. This is your dream, helping to start up a place. We can do it together.”

She blinked several times. Jamie understood her shock, but he was feeling great now that he’d gotten it off his chest. Now that he’d said it, it sounded even better. It sounded perfect. He relaxed and smiled. This was going to be all right.

“Yeah,” he said. “This could be really, really good, Olivia. For both of us.”

OLIVIA DIDN’T KNOW what to say. Her mind spun and swooped, leaving her heart stammering.

On one hand, people were offered jobs every day. Every single day. Sometimes from complete strangers. She shouldn’t be so taken aback.

On the other hand, this was crazy.

“We get along,” she whispered. “Of course. As friends. As people who…see each other.”

He took her hand. “It’s more than that. You bring out something better in me.”

Her heart leapt at his words, but it quickly fell back down again, thumping in fear. Was he saying he loved her? That couldn’t be right. “Have you been drinking?” she blurted.

“No,” he said on a laugh. “I’m sober. And sincere. When I’m with you, I feel mature. Responsible. It’s what I liked about you from the start. You’re so serious—” When she gasped, he held up a hand. “I know that’s not what you want me to say, but it’s true. You’re serious and smart, and I like that. You make me want to be more.”

“More,” she whispered, but the breath had been knocked from her. She made him feel mature?

“Don’t look at me like that. I like you serious. It’s who you are.”

“But I don’t want to be that person. Not just so you can feel mature.” What the hell was she to him? A mother figure? Her face burned with humiliation, but when she tried to draw her hand away, Jamie’s fingers tightened around hers.

“Think about it, Olivia. This would be your answer, too. Instead of working at the university and saving for years to start a business, you could do it now. With me. You wouldn’t have to work for years toward it. You wouldn’t have to risk everything all on your own. You said yourself how hard it would be.”

“It will be hard,” she murmured. Hard, yes. Just as her mother had warned her years ago. Just as her mother had said this week. You are not strong. You need someone to take care of you. And Victor had said the same thing. And now Jamie.

For a moment, everything inside her went numb. And for a moment, she actually considered it. He had a good idea. He had the name and the personality to pull it off. He only needed someone…someone serious behind him. Someone mature.

Someone who couldn’t do it on her own but would happily support him.

She tried again to pull her hand free, and when Jamie resisted, she yanked hard. “Let me go.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, bewildered.

“I can’t make you more serious.”

“I know—”

“I can’t make you mature. My dullness doesn’t rub off.”

“Oh, come on. That’s not what I meant.”

She stood and backed away. “I know what you meant. You have dreams. I can understand that, because I have dreams, too, and I don’t intend to set them aside.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to.”

“You just did! I know the sound when I hear it, because I’ve heard it before!”