I cleared my throat. “I thought today was a barbecue just for the partners?”

“It is. Well, sort of. The partners all come, but the final candidates up for partner are always invited, too. It’s a way to get to know them outside the office. A lot of the partners have had very little interaction with guys from different divisions, yet they get to vote. So it’s tradition that the candidates are invited.”

The other guy smirked. “It’s their final opportunity to grovel.”

A few minutes later, the partner who owned the house called Blake inside. He excused himself and kissed my cheek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

The minute he stepped from the deck through the archway, Donovan made his way over. My heart was beating out of my chest by the time he stood next to me.

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” His voice was steady, but his eyes were swimming with emotion.

I frowned. “I had no idea you would be here either. Blake said it was a partners’ barbecue, and you never mentioned you were coming.”

Donovan drank from a beer bottle. It wasn’t lost on me that he was probably the only one not drinking from a crystal glass at this swanky party. He eyed me over the top of the bottle as he swallowed. “I called you yesterday. You didn’t return my call.”

“Sorry. I…I was busy.”

“Busy avoiding me…”

“Donovan, I…” Over his shoulder, I saw Blake step out of the house and back onto the deck. Donovan must’ve noticed the change in my face, and he turned to follow my line of sight.

Blake was only a few feet away when Donovan turned back around. He looked back and forth between my eyes before leaning forward to whisper, “It’s fucking killing me to see his hands on you—even just your back. Do you like the way it feels when he touches you?”

His words might’ve sounded angry, but there was so much hurt in his voice. My chest tightened, and I had to swallow to clear the lump in my throat. Donovan pulled back and straightened, chugging the rest of his beer without taking his eyes from me.

“Decker,” Blake said with a curt nod. His hand snaked around my waist and Donovan’s eyes shifted to stare at the fingers visible from the front. My eyes closed as I silently prayed he wouldn’t do something stupid.

“Dickson.” Donovan returned the brisk greeting.

“What’s going on with Autumn’s case? I thought passing it to you would be a smart decision. But I’m starting to second-guess myself. I was counting on you to at least get the charges knocked down to a misdemeanor.”

Donovan’s jaw tightened. “Actually, I was able to get Storm into a pre-trial diversion program. The charges will be completely dropped if he does a few minor things and keeps his nose out of trouble for a year.”

I blinked. “You were?”

Donovan nodded. “I called you to discuss the details yesterday—went right to voicemail after one ring. You must’ve been on the phone…or pushed ignore.”

I laughed nervously. “I must’ve been on the phone. I guess I haven’t checked my messages, but that’s such great news. How did you manage to make that happen? It was his third strike, so I thought he was really in trouble.”

Donovan’s lips curved to what resembled a smile, yet there was nothing happy about it. “Sold my soul to the devil. But I figured this was an important case and worth it.”

Blake took his hand from my waist and extended it toward Donovan. “Nice job. I’ll remember this. You’ve really surprised me lately. I thought for sure you’d dump old man Bentley after the crap he pulled last week.”

Donovan’s eyes flashed to mine. He put his hand in Blake’s waiting one, but his words were clearly directed my way. “I wanted to, but I realized it probably wasn’t the best idea.”

The woman whom I’d been introduced to earlier as the hostess of the party, the wife of the partner whose house we were at, walked over and wrapped her hands around Donovan’s bicep. “There you are. It’s nice to see you, Donovan.”

“You, too, Monica.”

“My husband refused to ask if you were single, so I thought I’d come over and do the honors.”

Again Donovan’s eyes met mine. “I am.”

“Good.” She tilted her head toward the pool where a gorgeous woman stood.

She was probably in her mid-twenties and wore a short, white dress that showcased tanned legs a mile long. “I’d like to introduce you to my niece. She just moved here from California and starts law school in the fall. I thought maybe you two could be friends.”

Jealousy coursed through my veins. I knew it was absolutely ridiculous, considering I was standing with another man’s arm wrapped around me. But logic didn’t change what I felt.

Donovan smiled graciously. “Of course.” He nodded once more to Blake and followed the hostess over to the woman at the pool without another glance my way.

For the rest of the afternoon, I attempted to focus on whatever conversation I was supposed to be part of while trying not to watch a certain two people across the yard. I failed miserably. Every time the blonde tossed her hair, I felt like a bull eyeing a red cape—and Lord, did she whip her tresses around. I was grateful it was a hot day, so the reddening of my face would be less conspicuous. At one point, she pressed her hands to Donovan’s chest as she laughed, and I just really wanted to go home.

“Excuse me for a minute, please,” I said to Blake and whatever partner we were now talking to. Honestly, they all looked the same. “Could you direct me to the bathroom?”

“Of course.” He pointed toward the house. “Straight up the stairs and make a left or right. There’s one in either direction.”

At the top of the stairs, I turned left. But someone was in that bathroom, so I went in search of the other. Finding it free, I shut myself inside, tossed my purse on top of the toilet tank, and gripped the sides of the sink, exhaling deeply. It felt like the first time I could breathe in hours. I wanted to splash some cold water on my face, but I didn’t have makeup to fix the mess I’d make. So instead, I dropped my head, closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths. After a minute or two, I started to feel a little better—until the knock came.

I have no idea why, but I just stared at the door without saying a word. After thirty or so seconds of silence, the handle jiggled back and forth, but I’d locked it behind me. When a little more time passed, I thought maybe the person had taken the hint, but then another knock came. And this time, it was followed by a voice.

“It’s me.”

Donovan.

I walked over to the door and leaned my head against it, speaking quietly. “Go away.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Open the door, Autumn.”

I debated arguing with him, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t back down, and I didn’t want anyone to notice him standing around talking through the bathroom door. So I unlocked it.

Donovan opened it hesitantly. When I didn’t say or do anything, he stepped inside and clicked the lock shut behind him.

“You better not stay too long,” I said. “Your new friend will wonder where you are.”

The corner of Donovan’s lip twitched. “Jealous?”