“Because you’re a cop, I assumed you’d have to report whatever I told you about illegal activity. I didn’t want to put you in a compromising position. Now you’re there anyway.” She shook her head and looked away. “How did you find out?”
“You were looking out for me?” he asked, addressing the most important part of what was racing through his mind, first.
“Don’t sound so shocked.”
She pulled away and walked back toward the fireplace, staring at the photos on the mantel. Sam looked over her shoulder. Pictures of Nicole and her twin through the years. None of her parents. No friends. Obviously she didn’t extend herself to others easily. Yet she’d done so with him.
And she’d taken him off guard with her admission. He was so used to looking out for others—by profession and by family code—he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of someone putting him first. And it humbled him that she’d think of him when her entire life was imploding.
But that didn’t change the facts. “Look, you weren’t far off,” he started to explain to her. “I do have to act on the information but not without a plan. Not without coordinating with you. We can spend the next few days implementing a strategy, but to do that, I need to pull in some people.”
“But—”
He held up one hand. “People I trust. Like my brother, who has contacts in Manhattan, and my brother-in-law Cole.”
“He hates me,” she blurted out.
Sam shook his head. “No, he’s just a tough nut to crack. Once you get to know him better, you’ll see what I mean.”
“Maybe hate is the wrong word. But he equates me with Victoria. I’m not so sure he’ll want to go out on a limb to help me.”
Sam crossed the space dividing them and pulled her back into his arms. “When it came down to it, you helped Erin. You can be damned sure I’ll remind Cole of that fact. Not that I think he’s forgotten. He’s just wary.”
“Well, I can understand that.” She let out a sigh. “You really trust them not to automatically turn my father or Tyler’s over to the police?”
He tilted her chin up and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Those two? I’d trust with my life. And yours.” Leaning down, he did what he’d been dying to do since she flung herself away from danger and into his arms.
He pressed his lips over hers. He meant the gesture to comfort both her and himself, but the fire between them sparked immediately. She licked her tongue over his lips, and his cock jerked in response. He gripped her waist, digging his fingers into the soft indentation, and held on, kissing her lik
e he’d been starving for days.
And he had. He’d had no time to get together, no nights burying himself deep. Just the memory of sliding into her without a condom and losing every bit of sanity he had left.
Then today, Tyler telling him she was in danger and the sight of the menacing Russian looming close to her in the dark alley. His fingertips bit harder into her waist at the thought, and she moaned, shaking his composure.
He wanted nothing more than to sink into her body, but his sense of responsibility made his bigger, more level head prevail and he forced himself to push her away.
“What?” She looked up at him with desire-filled eyes.
“There’ll be plenty of time for that once I get you out of town,” he said gruffly. Because it was his turn to look after her.
Eleven
Sam waited until it was late at night before they headed out. He wanted anonymity and darkness. The timing gave Nicole the chance to organize herself, as well as talk to Aunt Lulu, whom she still felt like she was abandoning for the weekend. Aunt Lulu had no problem with Nicole’s sudden trip, understanding family emergencies better than most, she’d said.
While Nicole packed, Sam headed home to his place to do the same. He also took on the job of arranging for a place for them to stay. The goal, he’d explained, was to remain gone until they could return home to a quiet Serendipity on Monday.
To Nicole, it felt like running away, but he insisted on doing things his way. She let him. She’d been carrying the burden of information alone for so long, doing nothing but mull over what to do, so she was grateful to have someone else in charge for a change.
She’d hoped they could talk about what would happen next while in the car. She was afraid that by involving Mike and Cole, she’d lose any chance to get ahead of this mess, but as soon as they hit the highway, the day’s events caught up with her. Nicole fell asleep, dozing for almost the entire ride.
When she woke up, it was pitch black outside and the clock on the dashboard told her she’d been asleep for almost two hours.
“Hey, sleepyhead.”
She turned her head toward him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you to your own thoughts the whole trip.”
He shrugged. “I can handle it. You needed the rest.”