Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

Erin waited a beat before turning to face Cole.

“So what brings you here? I thought you were having dinner with your family.”

When she’d bolted out of her parents’

house, she hadn’t had a plan. She only knew she needed to see him. Now she was here—and she still didn’t have one, so she fell back on her old standby.

Honesty. “I didn’t like how we left things earlier and I wanted to see you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You broke up a family gathering for me?”

A hint of . . . vulnerability mixed with pleasure flashed across his handsome face.

No more dancing around the issue. Erin drew a deep breath and nodded. “I did.”

He beckoned with a crook of his finger. “Come here.”

She stepped into the V of his legs, and without caring who was looking, she looped her arms around his neck.

His eyes opened wide. “What are you—”

“Shut up,” Erin said, and she leaned in close and kissed him full on the lips.

He stiffened at first, not, she knew, from lack of desire, but from shock that they were in a public place. Well, tough luck, she thought, beginning phase one of her suddenly formed plan: getting Cole Sanders used to being a part of her life.

Determined, she ran her tongue over the seam of his lips. With a groan, his hands gripped her waist and he kissed her back with a passion that matched her own.

When they parted, Erin felt pleased with herself . . . until she looked into his wary eyes. “What’s going on?”

“I just don’t see a reason to hide what’s happening between us. I mean, it’ll be obvious soon enough.” She patted her stomach.

“We agreed—”

“About the future, yes, I know. But wasn’t it you who said if I was in your bed, I wouldn’t be dating anyone else?” She fluttered her eyelashes in a not-so-innocent gesture.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You haven’t been in my bed the last few nights.”

“But I plan to be from now on.”

His eyes darkened, desire blazing in the inky depths. “You want people to know about us.”

“Yep. Whatever it is, for as long as it lasts—” She wouldn’t tell him what she really hoped for. That would send him running. But to acclimate him to her Serendipity life, she needed him on board. “Yes. I want to be able to go out. To act on impulse. And when it’s over, we’ll figure out our parenting plan and go from there. Are you okay with that?” she asked, her tone deliberately challenging.

He shook his head and her stomach flipped over, disappointment filling her. She hadn’t expected him to turn her down, not when everyone would know he was her baby’s father eventually anyway.

“Fine. Forget it.” She whipped around before he could catch a glimpse of her tear-filled eyes.

He grabbed her wrist. “Whoa. You didn’t let me finish.”

She hesitated before turning back.

“I shook my head because you never cease to surprise me, challenge me, and take me off guard.”

She swallowed hard. “Is that a good thing?”

An unexpected grin curved his lips. “I’m still working that out. But as to your question? I may live to regret this, but yeah. I’m in.”

Her eyes opened wide. “You are? Why?”