“I’m okay,” she said, deadpan.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I’m not joking.”
“Hormones suck. Is that what you want to hear? Being stalked by some freaky female that wants you to herself sucks.” She drew a deep breath, knowing what was coming and unable to stop herself. “And while we’re being honest, your freaking changing moods suck! Now go away and let me shower.” She grabbed for the door but he blocked her from closing it with his body.
His eyes softened. “You’re right. Everything’s been dumped on your shoulders and it’s not fair.”
She blinked, first in surprise, then in an effort to push back oncoming tears. She didn’t want him feeling sorry for her. “Don’t be nice. It’ll just make me cry.”
She tried to turn but he grasped her shoulders. “Erin.”
“What?”
“You deserve to have me be nice to you. You deserve a hell of a lot of things—”
“That you can’t give. Blah, blah, blah. I. Know. Do you hear me asking you for anything? Hmm?” No matter what she wanted, she’d never once expressed her private hopes or wishes.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“Well, other than asking you not to get out of bed two seconds after we made—” She caught her mistake before the words were out, and paused to cleared her throat. “After we fucked, then no, I don’t believe I’ve requested a damned thing.”
Fire flashed behind his dark eyes. “Erin,” he said, his voice sounding in a warning growl.
“Now what?” She set her jaw, not wanting to have this—or any—conversation with him right now.
“I don’t care how big of an ass I’ve been, don’t say we fucked. It’s demeaning both to you and to—”
“To what? To us? To everything we share?” she asked, her voice rising. “Well, do me a favor. Unless and until you’re ready to commit to an us, don’t you dare ask me to call it anything else. Because you’re right about one thing. The way you’re behaving right now? I do deserve better.” She pointed through the doorway. “Now out. I’m taking a shower. Alone.”
Cole looked like he wanted to say something, but just as Erin expected, he turned and walked out, leaving her alone.
• • •
For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Cole kept himself busy. He made phone calls to people she didn’t know, asking questions about old cases. He called Nick and informed him that he wanted a better security system here, which Erin tried to say was ridiculous, since for all she knew they could be gone tomorrow. But Nick apparently had no problem with the idea, and a crew was coming out later in the day to work.
Erin called Evan and explained the situation as best she could, leaving out the connection to Cole. She didn’t need the man riled up any more on her behalf. As it was, she had to refuse to tell him where she was in hiding, not wanting a confrontation between the two men. She promised Evan she’d keep in touch, while he assured her he’d take care of redistributing her caseload. Erin winced at the thought of the extra work others in the office would have to take on because of her. Between her pregnancy-related days off and now this, she felt like she was abusing her position and her colleagues.
Then she’d have the baby and be entitled to maternity leave, and who knew how she’d handle things after that. Her head began to swim with all the implications, and Erin deliberately pushed those thoughts aside. There was time enough to deal with her future once her present was settled. And until her brothers found psycho-lady, as Erin had begun to think of her stalker, she was stuck in limbo.
With Cole.
And who knew where he’d disappeared to, but she had heard the alarm beeps, informing her he’d opened one of the exit doors and gone outside.
She was surprised a few minutes later when her mother walked into the kitchen with bags of groceries in her hands. “Mom! I can’t believe you’re here.” Erin hugged her mother, so happy to see her.
Ella put the supermarket bags on the counter and turned to Erin. “Give your mother a hug.” She held out her arms, and just like when she was little, in Erin went.
Her mother’s familiar scent wrapped around her, easing the ache in her chest “So?” Erin asked. “How’d you know?”
“Sam called and told me what happened. He said Cole asked him to have me run a few errands and come by, so here I am.”
Erin looked over her shoulder, but saw no sign of Cole. “Where is he?”
“Bringing all your new clothes in from the car, I’d imagine.”
“What?”