Perfect Fling (13 page)

“Now you’ve got a woman fighting your battles,” Jed said, getting in his parting shot at Cole.

“Go home, Dad.”

“He’ll break your heart just like his mother broke mine, mark my words.”

“But I’ll be a better father than you ever were,” Cole said, getting face-to-face with the man who’d fathered and raised him but had never ever liked him. “And I’ll have Brody to thank.” Cole slammed the door behind Jed before Erin could take the pleasure away from him.

A few intense, quiet seconds passed, in which Cole took a few moments to compose himself, breathing in and out, letting his heart rate return to normal.

“Cole?” Erin asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He didn’t want to have this conversation. If he could change anything about his relationship with Jed, it would be so he didn’t have to suffer the humiliation of confrontations like these in front of a woman like her. Because if anything Jed said had been right, it was that Erin was a damned nice woman, one whom he’d hurt in the end.

But not only was he tied to her through his child; he couldn’t bring himself to walk away from her—from this relationship she was attempting to build with him—yet.

He turned. “Sorry about that.”

She raised an eyebrow, a defiant look on her face. “Don’t you dare apologize for his behavior. The one thing you should learn? How Jed acts is no reflection on you. Now, I’m hungry.” She spun around and started for the kitchen.

“It’s cold by now,” he informed her.

“That’s what microwaves are for.” She strode into the cheery kitchen with lavender purple accents and picked up both their dishes. “Luckily for you, that’s my specialty in the kitchen.” She shot him a cheeky grin and proceeded to heat their breakfast.

Conversation about Jed seemingly over.

But was it?

Didn’t she want to dig deeper? To poke into his and Jed’s unhealthy and definitely ugly relationship? Wasn’t she worried that Jed’s view of him was somehow right? That maybe their kid would inherit his behavioral flaws? Because Jed might be an emotionally abusive jerk, but he hadn’t made up the fact that during his childhood, Cole was one hundred percent an out-of-control pain in the ass. But since Erin wasn’t bringing it up, Cole didn’t have the stomach to either.

• • •

A few hours later, after a stop at The Family Restaurant
to pick up the cake Erin had promised Nick she’d bring with her today, they pulled up to Nick and Kate’s cabin on the lake. Serendipity Lake was located on the edge of town. Many of the wealthier residents owned summer cabins, and some had been renovated.

Erin was surprised when she’d heard Nick had built his permanent home here, but she knew he was a builder, having inherited his father’s business when he passed away. She’d figured he’d bought a rundown place at a good price and fixed it up.

Except that as they approached, it became clear Nick’s home wasn’t a renovated cabin—this was more like a state-of-the-art luxury home.

“Wow,” Erin murmured as they pulled up the paved drive. The other homes they’d passed had gravel-lined paths for cars to take.

“It’s something, right?”

“Amazing!” Erin loved the house on sight.

Nick had maintained the rustic feel, so the house wasn’t completely out of place in the area, but it had a newer, more modern look on way more than one lot of land.

“Nick put his heart and soul into building this house. He planned it for years and worked during slow times, when he could get his crew here.” Cole parked behind a Ford F-150. “Inside and out. He even carved a lot of the furniture.”

“Impressive,” she murmured.

“Nick doesn’t like to brag, though. He doesn’t show off.”

Erin nodded. “Kate’s not like that either. I’ve always liked her.”

Cole met her on her side of the car. She took a few steps forward, only to realize he wasn’t beside her.

“Cole?” She turned back to face him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He took two steps forward and she stopped him, putting a hand on his arm.

“Tell me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “How do you read me so damned well? I’m an undercover agent, for God’s sake. I’m good at hiding things.”

She grinned, pleased he thought she could get past any facade he tried to erect. “I’m just good at knowing
you
. Now talk.”

He let out a groan. “I don’t do this. See family. Hang out with friends. Just . . . be.”

Her heart twisted at his hesitantly admitted words. “I know. Just try it. If, after a little while, you want to leave, just get my attention and tug on your ear. I’ll take the hint and make an excuse to go. Fair?”

“More than fair.” He slid his hand over her cheek, cupping her face and holding her in place for a kiss that was rich for all he didn’t say, but there was a wealth of feeling behind it.

He knew she got him in a way no one else ever had, or he wouldn’t be so surprised. Or touched. Progress, she thought, was a heady feeling.

• • •

Friends and family. Cole might not know from them,
but he spent the day surrounded by both. Nick had invited everyone from his mother and sister, April, to people Cole hadn’t seen or spoken to in years. There were the three Barron brothers: Ethan, whom Nick remembered from high school, his brothers Nash and Dare, and their wives. Cole recognized some of the women too, including Ethan’s wife, Faith, who’d grown up in that mansion on the hill, and whose father was spending life in prison for a monster Ponzi scheme rivaling Madoff’s. Others were new to town, like Nash’s wife, Kelly, whose smart-mouthed teenage sister, Tess, joined them midway through the day. Dare, another cop and a friend of Erin’s, had married Liza McKnight, an architect.

Then there were the babies and toddlers running around, whose ages Cole couldn’t remember, never mind which kid belonged to which parent. Nick and Kate opened their home, happy to have everyone hanging out together, neither seeming the least bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of people or the noise level of the screaming, laughing, sometimes crying kids.

Cole expected to feel so far out of his element, his skin would itch with the need to get back to what he knew—pretending to be someone else, living a lie, the pretense manageable because he was doing what he did best, doing his job for the greater good. And because he didn’t know how to do things any differently.

Today was giving him a glimpse of what he was missing. Hell, the last few weeks with Erin had been doing that too. And despite everything he’d once believed about himself, he couldn’t deny the appeal of his cousin’s type of life. The same one he was currently living. Except Cole’s current situation, just like his undercover one, was a pretense built on necessity. As soon as Erin didn’t need his protection anymore, Cole could go back to his old existence, which suddenly didn’t hold as much interest as it used to.

“Hey, you okay?” Nick asked, joining him on a lounge chair beside his, overlooking the lake.

“Fine. Just taking a breather.”

“Yeah, it can all be a bit much,” the other man said, laughing. “Where’s Erin?”

Cole tipped his head toward the pier Nick had built near the shallow part of the water. She, along with some of her friends—Macy included—were with the toddler-aged kids. Erin was holding one child beneath her little arms, despite the round tube encircling the girl’s stomach. Shrieks and laughter would occasionally reach his ears.

One thing was for sure—she looked . . . happy. No stress of a stalker anywhere in her beautiful face. Cole couldn’t tear his gaze from her bathing-suit-clad body. Though she’d chosen a one-piece that covered her stomach, it was cut high enough on her thighs and low enough on her cleavage to entice him and make his mouth water. Her long legs beckoned, reminding him of how they felt wrapped around his back as he slid into her hot, wet body.
Shit,
he thought, shifting in his chair to conceal what that thought did to him.

“Someone’s got it bad.” Laughing, Nick handed Cole a cold bottle of beer. “You two seem to have come to an understanding.”

Cole shrugged, still not used to personal conversations like these. Still, this was Nick. “Erin figures if we’re together right now, there’s no reason to hide it. Once her pregnancy becomes obvious, people are going to know I’m the father anyway.” He took a long pull of brew, which tasted good in the summer heat.

“Why do I hear a
but
coming?”

Cole groaned. Wasn’t it obvious? “But my job hasn’t changed and I’m not here to build white picket fences. I’m not built for that life.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “You’re looking pretty comfortable surrounded by the proverbial one right now,” his cousin pointed out.

“It’s temporary. She knows that. So do you, asshole.”

Nick snorted. “Yeah, like Erin’s going to be easy to walk away from.” He gestured to the water, where Erin lifted her little charge up high and pressed her lips to the girl’s cheek, causing her to shriek with delight and kick her little legs in excitement.

Something warm unfurled in Cole’s chest. He told himself it was that she’d be a great mother to their kid, nothing more. “I do what I do. I’m not going to leave her here wondering when my cover’s over, when she’ll hear from me. Or if she’ll get a call that says my cover was blown and I’m not ever coming back.”

Cole shook his head, remembering the last guy whose wife had to receive that kind of news. No way would he put Erin through that hell.

“I still say it’s her call to make,” Nick insisted.

Cole exhaled hard. “That’s not how it is between us. It’s forced proximity and just sex.” He winced as he spoke the words that felt like a lie coming from his lips and a betrayal to everything Erin stood for.

Nothing about Erin was
just
anything. Still,
Whatever it is, for as long as it lasts
, she’d said, and he’d agreed. If she’d developed deeper feelngs for him, she was smart enough to keep them to herself, because he’d made his future plans clear.

Nick tipped the bottle back and drank before addressing Cole. “Keep telling yourself that. I’m sure it’ll keep you warm when you’re undercover. I’m through hitting my head against a wall. Did I tell you I bought property on the edge of the lake and built a house on spec?”

Grateful for the subject change because it meant he could ignore the knot that felt like a ball stuck in his chest, Cole shook his head. “I’m waiting for housing sales to pick up a little before I list it.”

“That’s great.”

“Want to take a quick look? I’ve got some time before I have to start grilling burgers.”

“Sure thing.” Nick was always proud of his finished projects and Cole enjoyed looking at his cousin’s talent.

He stood and, along with Nick, walked to the water to tell Kate and Erin where they were going.

Erin met his gaze and lifted a hand to her ear in question.

He grinned, knowing she was asking if he was feeling closed in and ready to go home. Worrying about him and looking out for him.

Cole pushed those thoughts away and shook his head. “Nick is going to drive me around the lake and show me the house he built and is ready to put on the market.”

Her eyes lit up. “Ooh, another Nick Mancini masterpiece? Can I come?”

“Sure thing,” Nick said, pride in his voice.

Faith took her wriggling daughter from Erin’s arms. “I told you that’s the good thing about being a friend or relative. You can enjoy the baby and give them back!”

Erin laughed. “Soon enough I’ll be looking for people to relieve me,” she said, and everyone around them slid into stunned silence.

“What?!” Kate asked, her voice rising in pitch.

Cole froze.

Erin’s eyes opened wide and her cheeks turned bright red as she realized her slip of the tongue. “Umm . . . I—”

Cole met her gaze. Gave her permission with a slight tip of his head. It was her call if she wanted to cover or reveal. But he couldn’t deny his stomach was in knots as she pondered her decision.

“Erin?” Faith asked softly.

Meeting Cole’s gaze, Erin gave him a tiny nod back.

But he saw how awkward things had become and he didn’t want her to think he was dumping it all on her. “Erin’s pregnant. You all would’ve figured it out soon enough,” Cole said, reaching out a hand toward the water.

The tightness in her face gave way to relief. She clasped his hand and climbed out to stand next to him. “We’re having a baby,” she told them.

There. It was out, Cole thought. Dizziness that had nothing to do with the heat assaulted him as the women around them shrieked. The other guys came running to see what the commotion was all about. As they found themselves the center of attention, they were separated by the surprised well-wishers patting Cole on the back and kissing Erin’s cheeks.

He accepted the congratulations, ducked most of the questions, and finally managed to catch Erin’s gaze. She appeared flustered and overwhelmed by the attention and when she lifted a hand and tugged on her ear, he knew he’d read her correctly.

“Hey, Nick, you going to show Erin and me that house sometime this century?” Cole called out to his cousin.

Nick caught on quick. “Yeah. Let’s go through the house so I can grab my keys. Everyone go back to your regularly scheduled programming,” Nick ordered.

Cole grabbed Erin’s hand and pulled her away from her well-meaning, question-hungry friends.

“Hurry back,” Kate called to their retreating backs. “The natives will be getting hungry soon.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Nick grumbled, but even Cole could hear the good-natured chuckle behind the words.

With Cole’s hand on Erin’s back, they followed Nick to the house.

Erin didn’t say a word but Cole sensed her need for peace, quiet, and space. If she didn’t get better after the house tour, he’d make their excuses and get her home. Ironic, that she was the one who’d needed to get away from the crush of people, not him.

Surprisingly, even between Nick’s pushing Cole on personal issues and the public reveal of Erin’s pregnancy, Cole didn’t feel a hint of the anxiety he’d anticipated. They drove to his cousin’s place and walked around the massive house, which Erin loved, and the tour seemed to draw her out of her shock. Nick had even had a decorator come in and furnish it, so selling the house really would be like selling a model home.