Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

He rose to his feet and kept pace with her as she made her way to the parking lot. The one good thing about her fit of pique was that she didn’t stop to worry about being scared, just pushed the thought out of her head and headed for the car.

“Are we going to talk?” he asked her.

“I have nothing to say.” She still couldn’t believe he’d gotten in the middle of a work discussion with her boss, any more than she could believe the personal comments Evan had thrown at her about Cole.

Knowing it was an exercise in futility, Erin had long since stopped arguing with Cole over letting her drive.

He settled in the driver’s seat of her Jeep. But instead of starting up the engine, he turned to face her. “You’re mad.”

“You think?” she asked, voice rising. “Where did you get off answering Evan for me? We were discussing plans we’d made, plans that had nothing to do with you.”

She stared at her clenched hands, willing herself not to get into anything personal with him. He merely needed to respect her boundaries, and he’d crossed over them today.

“What did I tell you when I moved in with you?” He didn’t wait for her reply. “Where you go, I go. I was just making that clear to Mr. I Want to Be One Half of a Power Couple in This Town.”

She swung around to face him, all her earlier resolve to remain calm flying south in the face of his words. “Careful, Cole. You almost sound jealous, and we both know that’s not the kind of relationship you want, because you can’t promise me any kind of happily ever after. No commitment.”

He sucked in a sharp breath at her sudden fury. Well, let him get used to it, because she had more to say. “Well, guess what? Evan or some other man can give me what I want,” she said, on a roll and unable to stop the flow of words spouting from her mouth. “Just because we’re going to be raising a child together doesn’t give you the right to dictate whether I can see other men!”

His eyes narrowed to mere slits, the navy irises turning nearly black as a low growl emanated from his chest. “Let’s get something straight, okay? As long as you’re in danger, I damn well can and will dictate who you see. And if you’re sleeping in my bed, you sure as hell won’t be going on a date, business or otherwise, with some other man.” A muscle ticked in his jaw, his anger a match for hers.

But his possessive tone startled her, and he wasn’t finished. Before she could blink, he’d wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her across the center console, sealing his lips over hers.

Erin lifted her hands to his chest, to push the arrogant man away, even as a part of her was unreasonably affected by his jealous display. His mouth made it perfectly clear this was about more than mere obligation, that he was more affected by her than he’d let on. While she’d been fighting to keep her feelings out of the equation, just maybe he’d been doing the same thing.

She didn’t shove him away, but she didn’t welcome him either.

Until he licked his tongue over her lips and whispered, “Open for me, honey.”

Accepting that in this, they were equally affected, she did as he seductively asked, letting him inside. His kiss was as possessive as his words and she melted into him, allowing him to overwhelm her common sense with sweeps of his tongue and nibbles on her lips. She lost herself in his delicious scent, the amazing way he kissed, as if she were the only thing that mattered.

He finally lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “Are we clear?”

“Arrogant son of a bitch,” she muttered, finding it hard to believe she could be falling for this man. Finding it impossible not to.

He looked after her, protected her, cooked her meals, and kissed like a dream—but he also came with a boatload of issues and warnings.

Did she dare give in to this thing between them on the mere whisper of hope that he could get beyond his past and let her in? When she had no doubt that taking that risk would leave her heart shredded if—and when—his own words came true?

“Erin? I said, are we clear?” He still held the back of her head in his strong hand.

As long as he touched her, she couldn’t focus. She desperately needed to think.

“We’re clear,” she said, buying herself time to decide what her next step ought to be.

• • •

They walked into The Family Restaurant and Erin immediately headed for Macy, leaving Cole alone. Good thing for him that when he’d seen Erin’s full schedule, he’d asked Nick to meet him for lunch. He settled into a seat with a decent view of both the front door and Erin’s table, his head swimming from how badly he’d fucked up this morning with Erin and her boss. Then continued to screw up worse in the car ride over here.

What the hell had he been thinking, staking any kind of claim? He hadn’t been using the right head, that was for certain. Cole needed a strong drink to get his thoughts straight, but since that wouldn’t be happening, he’d settle for a swift kick in the ass. He hoped he could count on his cousin to give it to him and remind him why he needed to keep his distance from Erin.

A glance at Erin told him she and Macy sat with heads bent together, and though Erin hadn’t looked at him since they walked in, Macy did. She glanced up at him and waved. Her grin had a calculating look that had the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

“Hey,” Nick said, drawing Cole out of his brooding thoughts.

“Thanks for coming.”

Nick settled into the chair across from him. “Well, you look like hell.” Nick gestured to the waitress, a young woman neither of them knew.