Page 66 of Perfect Together

Chin high, she glared at him, but Tyler knew her better by now and he saw beyond the bravado and the words. Like it or not, they were both involved, more than either wanted to be. He’d just wanted to come back to explore it, no baggage holding him back from her.

“Friends don’t take off on each other without a word. We were together, looking at paintings, no mention of you needing to deal with Nicole. Next thing I know, you’re focused on her and leaving me—without a ride home. Not cool.”

No, it wasn’t. And he’d been so thrown by the Russian art dealers, he hadn’t once thought about the fact that he’d abandoned her there. One minute they’d been looking at landscapes, and the next his entire life and Nicole’s flashed before him.

“I’m sorry.” He drew a deep breath. “Like I said, you deserve better than to have to deal with me.”

Silence followed and he knew he’d lost her.

“I didn’t peg you for a coward,” she said at last.

If she knew what he was dealing with, she might cut him some slack, but he didn’t want her pity. “I’m going to ask you for something. Something I have no right to ask of you.”

“What?” she asked, sounding wary.

Rightly so.

“Wait for me.”

“What?” Her soft lips parted in question.

He took advantage, leaned in, and settled his lips over hers. His intent? To give her something to remember him by. To entice her to hold out for him, despite having given her every reason not to trust him or want him to return.

The result? One taste and she imprinted herself on him for good. She rubbed her tongue against his, and with a groan, he pulled her up, wrapped his arm around her waist, and aligned his body with hers. He allowed himself this moment, holding her, feeling her, giving himself something to work toward when dealing with the nightmare back home. She softened against him, responding in ways he couldn’t have imagined. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, but not now.

Not until he was completely free.

He braced his hands on her waist and pulled her away from him. “Wait for me,” he said once more.

“I don’t understand.” She looked up at him, eyes glazed, confusion quickly replacing desire.

He touched his forehead to hers. “It’s better that you don’t know. Not until I’ve put it all behind me.”

Her gaze narrowed. “You’d better not be playing me,” she warned him.

Which was exactly what he liked about her. He grinned and slid a finger down her cheek. “When I’m playing you, you’ll know it.”

Now, he thought, looking at Macy, he had even more incentive to head home and fix the mess that was his life.

Chapter Twelve

Nicole kept Saracompany in the pool while she watched her daughter play in the shallow end. Today was the first day of a heat wave—the temperature was due to hit over one hundred degrees by this afternoon—and the water felt good against her heated skin. Sara was warm and friendly, and now that Sam’s revelations had taken the sting out of their relationship, Nicole found that she liked his high school friend. More, she respected the other woman for surviving and thriving after all she’d suffered.

She glanced around, taking in the high fence and the heavy shroud of trees behind it, an unnecessary blockade since they obviously owned acres of land. No neighbors in sight. Nicole loved the house and the grounds, the lush greenery making everything out here as warm and welcoming as the interior decor and the owner herself. She couldn’t imagine not liking Sara’s husband either.

The sound of Sam’s phone ringing cut into the silence. He grabbed his cell, talking from where he lay on a lounge chair, eyes closed, as he relaxed. His chest was broad, his abs well defined, his golden skin spattered with just the right amount of hair, which tapered into the swim trunks he wore. The muscles in his arms and the obvious strength in his legs made her mouth water. He looked delectable, but the truth was, the outside was just packaging for the equally spectacular man within.

Every day that passed, she learned more about him. Not just a good cop, he was also a decent man, and he’d dedicated himself to her protection. For the first time since the eavesdropping incident outside her father’s office, she felt safe and protected. Because she trusted Sam.

“You’ve got it bad,” Sara mused.

Nicole cut her gaze away from Sam, her cheeks heating up at being caught staring. “It’s not like that between us.”

Sara’s eyes twinkled, her expression indicating she knew better. “It’ssomethingbecause he told me ahead of time you’d be sharing a room. And I’ve known Sam for many years, and he’s never brought a woman here. Never even mentioned one in passing. Not even when I’ve pushed and prodded for answers.”

Nicole studied the pretty blonde, surprised she didn’t resent her for being so blunt or intrusive. However, she knew now how much Sara cared about Sam.

“Yes, it’ssomething,” Nicole admitted, knowing it would be foolish to deny the obvious. “But he’s not into relationships. And coming off a broken engagement, neither am I.”