He expected Archer to say something, but when he scrounged up the courage to meet his gaze again, he found the man staring at him.He wasn’t sure whether that was disappointment or relief in those electric blue eyes.
Whatever it was, Atticus was ignoring it because it didn’t matter.
“We should get back to work.I’d like to have an action plan in place by the time Brantley and Reese get here.”
“Action plan.”Archer’s shoulders relaxed.“Right.Works for me.”
“Okay, so we’ve got—” He stopped when his phone buzzed, glancing down at the screen to see Carson’s name.“I need to take this.”
Atticus grabbed his phone and headed to the bedroom he would be occupying.He didn’t bother closing the door.
“Hey.”
“Hey.You got a minute to talk?”Carson asked, his voice smooth, erotic almost.
Atticus walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.“Sure.What’s up?”
“I heard you’re in Dallas.Not even a goodbye, huh?”
Staring at the carpet, he said, “You’ve been MIA.”
“You could’ve texted me.”
Yeah, he could have.But he didn’t.
“How’d you find out I’m in Dallas?”
“I got a call from Slade.He mentioned it.Right after he told me you spent the night with your partner.”
Atticus could hear the curiosity in Carson’s tone, but it lacked the accusation he’d gotten from Slade.It didn’t escape him that there wasn’t an ounce of jealousy in his words.Carson didn’t get jealous.Probably not easy to do when you prefer to watch your significant other fuck someone else.
Shaking off the thought, Atticus sighed.“I didn’t spend the nightwithhim.We camped out at HQ last night.We’re workin’ on a case.It got late.I slept for two hours on the couch.By myself.”
“So you’re not movin’ out so you can move in with him?”
Atticus rolled his eyes.“Of course not.Slade’s just bein’ Slade.”
“He can get like this.”
“Get like this?You mean heislike this.I haven’t given him a single reason to doubt me, but that’s all he does.”
“He’s been hurt before,” Carson said, defending him.
“I know that.But I’m not the one who hurt him.”
“But I am.”
“He doesn’t get to extend his insecurities about you onto me.”
Carson didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean it like that.”He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly.“I’m workin’ an important case right now and I don’t have time to hold Slade’s hand and walk him through the forest of doubt.Hell, he tried to tell me I couldn’t go to Dallas.That I needed to change partners.”
“Give him some time.”
“I don’t have it to give,” Atticus told him.“Between him watchin’ every move I make, waitin’ for me to screw up, and you bein’ off doin’ whatever it is you’re doin’, this thing we’ve got isn’t fun anymore.”
“You weren’t complainin’ the other night.”
