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same about him and his insurance work.
    â€œThey’re looking to fill that insurance position by the end of the week. I’ll work with you to get you up to speed to take the test. I made an appointment for you to take it on Thursday, hoping you would be back before then so I could prep you. You’re perfect for the job.”
    She stared at him, not believing he thought he could just rearrange her life like this and she’d be happy with it.
    â€œThat’s my ultimatum,” he said, folding his arms. “It’s not going to work between us if we don’t do this. I don’t want you to go on one more mission away from home.”
    She smiled, albeit a little evilly. “Okay, how about we do this instead. Since you want me working by your side, you can join the JAG agency.”
    Not that Martin would take him into the agency as a field operative when Oliver was a city cat.
    â€œI love what I do. And if I worked for your agency, Martin Sullivan wouldn’t put me out in the field with you.”
    Right, because Oliver would be a handicap and get them both killed.
    â€œNot that I have any intention of changing jobs,” Oliver added.
    â€œDitto for me.”
    â€œWe wouldn’t be together any more than we are now if I took a job like that,” Oliver said, frowning at her.
    She sighed. “All right. True. I get your point. Really I do. You want more ‘us’ time, and I understand. It’s just not going to work out. I don’t want to quit what I love doing.”
    â€œFine. Then pack up your stuff and leave.”
    She couldn’t believe he wanted this over between them so soon. “Okay. Glad we could work this out so well.”
    He walked into the living room, sat down on the couch, turned on the TV, and acted as though she had already vacated his life for good.
    â€œI’ll have to come back for the rest of my things as soon as I have some boxes and a place I can stay.”
    Oliver raised his brows. “Stay with what’s his face.”
    She ground her teeth. Oliver really believed she was going to move right in with Huntley? “He’s got a girlfriend. I told you that already.” She just barely stifled the urge to add, “you jerk.”
    â€œBoxes are out in the garage.”
    Her jaw dropped a little. He had known all this time that she wouldn’t go along with his ultimatum and had planned for her to leave? Even prepared for it.
    â€œHuh? Thanks, I guess. But I still don’t have a place.” And it was too late to do anything about that. “Unless you already thought of that and have one lined up for me. Just in case.”
    He shook his head.
    â€œGuess not, then. I’ll be back tomorrow when you’re at work and will pack up my stuff.”
    Crap. Well, at least Martin had given her a week off, so she had time to look for a place. But she wasn’t leaving until she had a shower and changed clothes.
    After that, she grabbed her still-packed bags and was about to leave the condo when someone opened the door to the guest bedroom. She nearly had a heart attack, realizing someone else had been in the condo all this time while Oliver and she were talking. She was certain Oliver had a girlfriend now, and that all his talk had been—well, just that. Talk.
    But when she saw their next-door neighbor, hot and sexy Chadwick Stephano, wearing only a pair of black boxers on his buff body, she just stared at him, openmouthed.
    He smiled a little, then frowned at Oliver. “Why don’t you just tell her the truth about us?”
    â€œIt just happened,” Oliver said, standing and looking sheepish. “Just today. We…we were talking about his organic garden, and…one thing led to another.”
    Melissa was so stunned that she just stared at Oliver. Then finding her tongue, she said, “What about you wanting me to work with you?” Talk about doing a 360-degree turnaround. She was