Page 86 of Perfect Together

“Yeah. Because you decided what I should know and when.”

He shook his head. “It won’t happen again.”

“Promise?”

“I’ll do the best I can.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s such a male answer.”

“Hey, I’m a man and a cop. I just want you safe. What do you expect?” he asked in a gruff voice.

Having already decided she’d made her point, she leaned in close and kissed his cheek. “Great makeup sex?” she asked, deliberately light, letting him know it was, in fact, finished.

Unless he pulled crap like that again.

His eyes darkened at the suggestion. “As soon as I get home.”

This time it was she who reacted, her nipples pulling into tight points. “Hurry back.”

He pulled her against him for a hard kiss. He didn’t keep it short, slipping his tongue between her parted lips and giving her a preview of what he intended later on.

A little while later, Sam had left, leaving Nicole alone with Tyler. They stared at one another, the silence stretching between them, merely waiting to be broken.

Tyler walked to the bay window, staring outside onto the street. Nicole used the time to study the man she’d almost married. No doubt he was good looking... in a more refined way than Sam’s gruff, sexy appearance. And no question he was a good guy. She should never have doubted him. But he wasn’t the man for her.

Still, they had history and now they shared something more—the pain of discovering that their fathers weren’t the people they thought they were. For Nicole, she’d always known her father wasn’t a man she looked up to. He’d never been there for her, not as a little girl, and not as an adult. But did his behavior cross from uninterested, uncaring parent to criminal behavior?

If forced to choose, she didn’t think so. At least, she didn’t believe he’d let anything terrible happen to her.

Tyler, on the other hand, was first coming to the realization about his parent now. And the knowledge that his father was involved in illegal activity and was willing to go to desperate lengths to keep it secret? That had to be a huge blow.

“Ty?” she said, using her old nickname for him as she walked over and placed her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry about everything.”

He turned to face her. “I don’t blame you for ending things between us. It hurt, but I realize now that you were right. There was no... spark. We were comfortable. Good friends. But we wouldn’t have been happy.”

She was glad he finally understood. “I don’t suppose Macy has anything to do with that realization?”

He smiled, but it was grim. “She has everything to do with it, and you know it.”

“I do. And I’m glad. You deserve someone to make you happy.”

He cleared his throat. “So do you. It’s tough to say, but Marsden’s a good guy.”

Nicole laughed at his reluctance to admit it. “He’s the best.” The words slipped out before she could think them through. “I mean—”

“I know what you mean. If I said Macy was the best, would you take offense?”

She laughed again. “No. I guess, it’s just, this is awkward.”

“But we’re going to have to get used to it. Get used to each other being with other people.”

“Because you’re sticking around?” she asked, curious how he planned to have a relationship with Macy while she was here in Serendipity.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “I’ll figure that out when I see what’s left of the investment firm in Manhattan when all this is over.”

“It’ll get easier. But I’m not just sorry about us. I’m sorry about your father. I know it has to be a huge blow, and I want you to know I’m here if you need to talk about it to someone who understands.”

“Thanks.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I appreciate the offer, but I think you and I have other people to confide in these days.”