Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

“Shut up. I know what I’m talking about. Even her brothers agree.”

Nick assessed him with a knowing stare. “Again, it only matters what you want and what Erin agrees to accept for herself.”

Cole didn’t reply. Circular arguments weren’t his thing.

But Nick being Nick, he wouldn’t give up—which served him well, since that’s how he had finally convinced Kate he meant it when he said he wanted her. And only her. Cole still liked to give him shit about setting Kate up to spend time alone with him. He had to give his cousin credit for ingenuity.

“Unless it really is just sex for you, in which case, let her go. Give her up, see your kid on occasion, when Erin and whichever schmuck she marries give you time.”

Yeah, like Cole thought, Nick didn’t give up. “Leave it alone,” he told the other man.

Nick braced his arms on the table and leaned in close. “Somebody has to spell things out for you, because you’re too stubborn to see things clearly. In that way, sorry to tell you, you’re just like your old man.”

Cole’s hands clenched into fists.

“Chill out. Just giving you something to think about. So I suggest you take the next however many months until she’s due to sort through your issues. A kid’s not something to take lightly,” Nick said, as serious as Cole had ever seen him.

“I’m not taking anything about this lightly.”

Nick shook his head and let out a groan. “You’d better not be. Take it from someone who had to fight for the woman he wanted. It’s worth it. And so is she.” He tipped his head toward Erin.

She was worth it, Cole thought. And that was the exact reason he was sticking to his plan. But for now? While he was here, living in her house, protecting her, taking care of her?

She was his—until he had no choice but to let her go.

Nine

Because Erin was starving, Macy, being a good pal whose family owned The Family Restaurant, went into the kitchen and returned with a big hunk of chocolate seven-layer cake that had Erin’s name written all over it.

Erin eyed the dessert and sighed with pleasure. “I have so earned that baby.” She picked up her fork, ready to dig in. “Come to mama,” she said, and whisked the plate from Macy’s grasp.

“Okay, if you need chocolate, you must not be getting sex.”

Erin paused, her fork halfway to her lips. “I’m getting. Sort of,” she said, shoving the fork in, hoping Macy would change the subject.

Macy snatched the plate away. “Spill.”

Erin scowled at her friend, but knew she wouldn’t get her cake back until she explained. “Fine. We slept together again, but before we did, he made it perfectly clear it didn’t change the future. And I agreed.”

Macy shook her head sadly. “And here I thought the man had potential.”

“Not finished,” Erin said, eyeing the cake longingly. It was her dessert. “I backed off the next day. There’s no way I’m going to let myself get emotionally involved when I know the outcome ahead of time. But then he’ll say and do things that lead me to believe he feels more than he’s admitting to me or to himself.”

“Such as?”

Erin shrugged. “Acting all possessive. I mean, get this: He forbade me to go to the Bar Association event with Evan. He said, and I quote, ‘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,’” she said in a baritone imitation of Cole’s voice.

Macy chuckled but her eyes opened wide. “Did you kick him in the nuts for ordering you around?”

“He was driving. Can I have my cake back now?”

“I’ll rephrase. Did you want to kick him in the nuts for ordering you around?”

No. No, I did not, Erin thought, knowing her reaction had been a shock to herself at the time.

“You’re blushing!” Macy squealed.

“Shh!”