Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

“Maybe you were wrong,” Sam said in disgust.

The way Cole’s stomach was churning, he agreed. “And that mistake put Erin in harm’s way.” Nothing he could do about the past, but he could do something now. “I need to get her out of here while you do your jobs.”

Sam nodded. “Where?”

Cole remembered the look on her face when she’d walked through Nick’s spec home. “I’ll talk to Nick.” He explained his idea and Sam agreed.

“How are you going to get Erin to go along quietly? And miss work until this is over?”

“She’ll go if I have to tie her up for a goddamned month,” Cole muttered.

Sam barked out a laugh. “I don’t like one thing about this mess, but I have to admit I’d pay to see that.”

Cole didn’t reply, because if he had Erin tied up anywhere, her brother was the last person he’d want around to see what he did with her.

“I need you to help me get her out of here unnoticed,” Cole told Sa

m. “And I need you to talk to your mother. Whatever clothes Erin bought when they were together? Tell her to replace them and have them sent to you. On me. I’ll make arrangements to get them from you.”

Sam’s expression turned from wary to something more akin to respect. Cole didn’t deserve it. As far as he was concerned, Jed finally had a point. All Cole had done was mess up Erin’s life from the second he’d come into it. The best he could do now was to make sure she remained safe.

• • •

This is what her life had come to. Hiding under a blanket in a car as Cole drove her away from her house. Seriously? Where was the dignity?

She groaned.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Cole said from the driver’s seat.

She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but rationally she knew this wasn’t his fault. At least, it had better not be his fault. Whoever this woman was, he better not have led her on. She bit the inside of her cheek and thought about what she knew of Cole. He’d never pretended with Erin. She knew exactly where she stood with him from day one. But he’d been undercover. Who knew what he’d had to do . . .

The car came to a stop.

Erin didn’t know where they were headed. Cole said it was a surprise, and since she’d had to pack what she could of her personal things and toiletries, she hadn’t been privy to his phone conversations to set up a place for them to go. Sam stayed behind at her house, supervising the forensics team that was dusting for prints and making sure everything was bagged and tagged. So to speak.

“Hang on,” Cole said.

She heard the sounds of him opening the car door, getting out, then returning and shutting the door again. Soon the car moved another few feet. Not long after, he rescued her from her hiding place in the back seat.

She stepped out of the car and into a darkened garage. “Where are we?”

“Guess.” A dimple flashed in his cheek.

She loved it when he got playful. He didn’t do it that often, but when he did, it was downright adorable. Not that Mr. Tough Guy would want to hear that about himself, so she remained silent.

She let her eyes adjust and he opened the unlocked door to the house. The minute she stepped inside, she knew. “We’re at Nick’s spec house!” she said, excitedly. She’d fallen in love at first sight.

Their bags in hand, he gestured for her to go upstairs. “I called Nick and explained the situation. It’s ours as long as we need it.”

“Oh my God.” It would be even more like living her dream. A big house, the perfect man, Erin pregnant . . . but it wasn’t. Her balloon of excitement popped as she reminded herself she needed to keep reality firmly in mind. She was here because she was being stalked, and Cole was only with her for that same reason.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to think anymore. “I’m wiped out.”

Understanding lit his heavy-lidded gaze. “Go up to the master bedroom and lie down. Nick left the house open for me, so I want to walk through and make sure everything’s secure.” He hesitated before continuing. “I’ll meet you up there?”

She was surprised he’d phrased it as a question. After all the bossing around, suddenly he was hesitant?

“Sure.” Hadn’t she told him she wanted to be in his bed? Unless . . . “If you want to.”