Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

December 10 th

4:49 P.M.

This wasn't really stalking, but for some reason, it felt like he was close to the line.

Donovan reminded himself that he wasn't. Jessica hadn’t said no, she hadn't asked him to stop sending flowers, and she’d been the one to reach out via text.

Yesterday, when he’d dropped off flowers and Lego to the precinct and he’d asked her if she was going to give him a chance he hadn't gotten a no or a yes as an answer. She’d told him she needed time to think about it, to talk about it with her son, and he respected that.

So this definitely wasn't stalking.

Could he help it if the dossier he’d had his security people do on her had also included her address?

Feeling a little guilty as he watched Jessica’s car pull into the driveway of the little house where she lived with her son, he shoved those feelings aside. As interested as he was in Jessica, he also had to be careful. He was rich and some people would try to take advantage of that.

Plus, he currently had a stalker. Just because they were all fairly certain who it was didn't mean he should stop being cautious. And just because he had no reason to believe Jessica would in any way be involved it also didn't mean he should throw caution to the wind.

Besides, he was going to confess to the dossier.

Donovan grabbed the large white box from where he’d buckled it into the passenger seat and headed across the street. Jessica and Freddie were chattering away and didn't see him until he was halfway up the driveway.

“What are you doing here?” Jessica asked, sounding surprised but not angry. Although, that anger could still come when he told her his people had looked into her and done a thorough background check.

“Donovan!” Freddie said, sounding a lot more enthusiastic than his mom. “Thanks for the Lego, they were so cool. I already put one of them together last night after I did my homework.”

“You're welcome, buddy, I'm glad you liked them.”

“I love them,” the little boy corrected. “I asked Santa for a whole bunch of Lego for Christmas.”

He made a mental note to ask Jessica later if she’d been able to buy them all, and if not, he’d get whatever she hadn't.

“We weren't expecting you to pop around,” Jessica said. “I wasn't aware you even knew where we live.”

“Yeah, about that,” he said sheepishly. “My people did a background check. Nothing personal, green eyes, I swear. I just have a situation that requires me to be extra careful at the moment.”

“A situation?”

“A former employee who didn't take kindly to being let go even though it was more than warranted and we worked with them every step of the way to try to resolve the issues. I have people handling it, but it doesn’t hurt to be too careful,” Donovan explained, hoping she could understand this had nothing to do with thinking she was anything other than what she was—a hardworking, dedicated mother and cop—and everything to do with how interested in her he was .

“Do you need help with this?” she asked, compassion and concern in her pretty green eyes.

“I have it under control.” The last thing he was going to do was add another burden to the plate she already had piled high with responsibilities.

“What's in the box?” Freddie asked, eyeing it with interest.

“I'm glad you asked.”

“You know you don’t have to bring us things every day. The house already looks like a florist opened up shop there with all the flowers,” Jessica teased.

“Ah, but this is something special,” he said, holding the box out, low enough that Freddie could see inside, and opened it with a flourish.

“Dessert!” Freddie squealed in excitement. “Lots and lots and lots of desserts.”

“Are those from your mom’s restaurant?” Jessica asked with a hungry expression, eyeing the cakes, pastries, chocolates, fudges, and brownies he’d asked his mom to make.

“Yep. I told her I’ve been trying to woo you and thought the chocolate would work in my favor.”

Red stained Jessica’s cheeks. “You told her you’ve been sending me flowers? I don’t think your mom likes me after the way we met.”

“Nonsense. She was happy to know the local police department was there to protect her restaurant, she just got a little mama bear in the moment.” Absolutely true. When he’d told his mom he was interested in Jessica her eyes had lit up with delighted glee. Only his little sister was still in her twenties, and she’d join him and their two older brothers in their thirties next year, and so far, they were all single. His mom wanted grandkids, and even the hint of a serious relationship was enough to get her excited.

“What's woo?” Freddie asked.

Unsure of how Jessica wanted to answer that particular question and not wanting to overstep, Donovan looked to her.

“Woo is a grown-up word that means a man wants to go on a date with a woman,” Jessica said in a tone that made the whole thing sound boring.

It worked .

Freddie shrugged. “Oh.” His gaze moved back to the dessert. “Mom, I’m hungry.”

“Dinner first before you feast on all this sugar,” Jessica told her son in a mom voice he recognized from his childhood. It was the tone that meant business, and Freddie knew it too because he shouldered his backpack and headed for the front door.

Watching her son, Jessica fiddled with the keys in her hand, clearly nervous.

Donovan kind of liked knowing she was nervous, too, at least he wasn't the only one.

This whole wooing thing was hard, and he hadn't even gotten on the field yet.

“Umm, did you want to come in and …” Jessica paused, blew out a breath. “Have some dessert with us?”

Score.

Relief hit Donovan hard.

Finally, he was starting to make some progress, taking that first step onto the field.

“I'd love to, but I'm not sure you're ready for that yet. I want to take you out, green eyes, want to get to know you, and your son. But I want you to want it as badly as I do.”

Mindful of the fact that little eyes were watching, Donovan leaned down and touched a kiss to her forehead before turning and walking back to his car. Walking away was hard, but it was the right move.

For now.

But as soon as Jessica was willing to give him a chance, he was jumping all in.