Perfect Stranger (Serendipity's Finest 2.50)

Erin and Cole walked toward the bar, leaving Sam alone with Macy. She was his sister’s best friend, so he was used to her being around.

“Hi, Macy. How are you?”

“Hi yourself.” Her smile, as usual, was infectious. “I’m good. Busy as usual. You?”

He shrugged. “Same old.”

She shook her head, her long dark hair falling over one shoulder, and sighed. “You so need to get laid.”

Sam rolled his eyes, not surprised by her outgoing ways. In addition to her blunt manner, she was beautiful, sort of exotic, her Italian heritage showing through. If she hadn’t been like family, he might have looked twice—until she started busting his balls, that is. She wasn’t for him, but no doubt she’d give some guy a run for his money.

She glanced around, a frown furrowing her eyebrows. “Where’s Nicole?”

Sam whipped his head around to meet her gaze. “Who?” He had to have heard wrong. That or it could be another Nicole. It was a common enough name.

Macy scanned the crowds before refocusing on Sam. “You probably know her? Nicole Farnsworth, the stalker’s sister? She’s new in town and renting the room over Joe’s. I invited her to meet me here tonight.” Macy glanced at her watch, and her concerned expression turned to a frown. “She’s late. You haven’t seen her, have you?”

Sam expelled a harsh breath. Nicole had moved here? Months of thinking about her and she was now as close as upstairs?

“Maybe she’s uncomfortable, not knowing anyone . . . and considering I mistook her for her crazy sister at first . . . I should go check on her.” She shoved her glass at Sam. “Hold this for me?”

Sam shook his head. “I’ll go.”

Macy narrowed her gaze and stepped into Sam’s direct path. “So you do know her.”

He nodded, his heart racing at the thought of seeing her again. No woman had ever made him feel so many things in such a short time. Protective, aroused, attracted . . .

“And you’re interested,” Macy concluded in the wake of his silence.

“No comment. I’m going upstairs. You can hold down the fort here.” This time he handed her his beer bottle.

Macy watched him, her stare too perceptive for his liking.

“And do not give my sister or brother the wrong impression. I just want to say hi and welcome her to town. Make sure she feels comfortable enough to come down and join us.”

“If you say so, Detective,” she said, using his brand-new moniker.

He still wasn’t used to the title or the promotion, but he’d worked hard for it, and nepotism—his brother being chief—had nothing to do with his new position.

He turned and headed for the back entrance of the bar and slipped out the exit. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs and stood outside the apartment door, he paused. Everyone he knew had lived here at one time or another, from Faith and Kelly Barron, to his brother, Mike, and then Erin’s husband, Cole. The place was a revolving door, a pit stop before people settled down for good.

Now Nicole.

He’d known her for a short time, when she’d been in Serendipity tracking her missing sister, who it turned out had been stalking Erin. Sam had arrested her lurking outside Erin’s condo, assuming she was her psychotic twin. But there was nothing unstable about Nicole . . . and she’d made a profound impact on Sam. From her dark hair to her big beautiful blue eyes, he felt like he could see inside her soul.

On first meeting, she’d been scared, then defiant, but ultimately he came to admire how she’d handled herself while in that small interrogation room. But the real turning point between them had come when Cole barged in. She’d immediately turned to Sam, as if assuming she could trust him to look after her. She hadn’t been wrong. And not just because he had a reputation for being the good cop in any scenario. With Nicole, the protective surge he’d experienced surpassed the normal doing of his job. It made no damned sense to him then, and it still didn’t now. Hell, her draw scared him as much as it pulled him toward her.

Once her sister had been arrested, Nicole had gone back to the city where she belonged before Sam could act on any stupid sexual or deeper impulse he might have. He hadn’t had an emotional connection with any female since Jenna’s betrayal, and he wouldn’t allow himself to be hurt that way again. But none of that seemed to matter now that she was back in town.

Sam couldn’t imagine why Nicole had opted to move to Serendipity—but there was one way to find out. Raising his hand, he knocked on her door.