Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
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?”
He let out a laugh that had people around them staring. “Because only an idiot would turn down what you’re offering.”
“Yeah?” she asked with what she figured had to be a goofy smile on her face.
“Yeah.” He brushed her hair off her cheek in a tender gesture that had her eyes burning all over again.
“Want to dance?” she asked.
He nodded.
A few minutes later, he’d settled up with Joe, and Erin found herself on the dance floor, surrounded by a crush of people, Cole’s hard body pressed deliciously against hers while a slow, old Air Supply song crooned from the jukebox. Cole held her tight, her curves molded against his harder muscular form. She lay her head on his shoulder and let herself pretend, just for a moment, that everything she was feeling was real.
Permanent.
That this tough man with his protective alpha ways could actually come to care for her just as she was beginning to care for him. And maybe he could, but she understood on a pragmatic level that caring didn’t mean he’d trust her to accept or live his kind of life—because he’d been ingrained with the belief that he wasn’t worth it.
The next hour passed in a blur of stares and cautious conversation from friends and acquaintances of Erin’s who were obviously surprised by the public display of affection between her and Cole. Erin played it cool—and real—introducing Cole with an easy, “You remember Cole Sanders, don’t you?” and letting them draw their own conclusions about them together based on the way they danced and the way she stayed by his side. She hoped to acclimate the people of Serendipity to Cole and vice versa. Everyone seemed polite, even with Cole acting as wary as she would have expected, leaving Erin satisfied with her night’s work.
“Okay, we played things your way. Now it’s my turn.” Cole’s low growl reverberated throughout her body, already primed from dancing so close to him. “Let’s go home.”
* * *
Cole was a man of few words to begin with, so when Erin walked into Joe’s, swung her arm around his neck and kissed him senseless, in front of Joe and all of Serendipity, she stunned him into silence.
And then she seduced him with her mouth and her words. She wanted to be in his bed? He had no problem taking her there. Not long after leaving Joe’s, they were back at Erin’s. He did a quick perimeter check and a sweep of the house before opening her car door, scooping her into his arms, and carrying her through the house and upstairs to her bedroom.