Perfect Together

by Carly Phillips

  Sam said hello to his parents and siblings, kissed his mom and sister, and slapped Mike and Cole on the back, and she couldn’t help comparing her own family’s stilted dinner parties with this one. No jokes or kidding with the others, no hugs or kisses, no genuine concern over how each person’s day had gone.

  Lost in thought, she didn’t hear Sam approach, but she smelled his cologne and her skin tingled as he kissed her cheek, his lips lingering a hint longer than they had with his relatives.

  She trembled at the light touch, acknowledging her body’s immediate recognition and desire for a more thorough, more tactile hello.

  “This is a surprise,” he said to her.

  “Same for me.” She didn’t want him thinking she’d come here expecting to see him. “Erin said you’d be working.”

  “Now that she’s happily married, my sister’s a busy little matchmaker,” Sam muttered. But he couldn’t deny he was pleased to see Nicole here; at the same time, her presence at a family gathering was a little too close for comfort. Sam didn’t bring women home to the family, and he definitely didn’t invite them to Sunday night dinners. “But I’m glad you’re here.”

  She tipped her head to one side. “Are you? I don’t want to invade your home territory. I know we agreed—”

  He reached for her hand. “I said I’m glad, and I meant it. As for the rest . . .” He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

  “I want to talk about it. Maybe not here and now, but later. I need to clarify a few things between us.” She raised her chin in what he took to be a gesture of defiance.

  She wanted to change the rules. He felt it in every pulse of tension vibrating off her body.

  “Dinner,” his mother said, before they could get into details of what Nicole meant.

  Leave it to his mother to have impeccable timing, Sam thought.

  “Ready?” he asked Nicole, knowing he wouldn’t taste a bite of his mother’s delicious cooking. Not while he wondered just what Nicole wanted to discuss. Or why he felt like he was at war with himself and the things he always knew to be true about who he was and what he wanted.

  Nicole discovered Ella Marsden was a fantastic cook. Her daughter, she learned, could barely crack an egg. Cole did most of the cooking in their house, a fact Nicole could barely reconcile, but she found it endearing that the gruff man clearly doted on his wife and child. Sam too knew how to fend for himself in the kitchen, and so could Mike. Since Nicole had a slew of recipes of her own, she and Ella hit it off well and discussed everything from basic cooking to Nicole’s favorite subject, desserts.

  “Tell Mom about your shop,” Erin said. “She already knows you bake, but fill her in on the details.”

  Nicole patted her mouth, and placed her napkin in her lap. “Well, Lulu Donovan and I have an appointment at the bank this week to discuss our business loan request,” Nicole said, excited at how quickly things were moving along. “Nick Mancini offered us a very fair rental for the old bakery next to Consign and Design. Other than aesthetics, the infrastructure is already there. And Faith Barron is going to help decorate. My head is spinning,” Nicole said, laughing.

  “When did you make all these decisions?” Sam asked.

  “All weekend, while moving in, discussions came up, and Aunt Lulu is so prepared, she’s hard to say no to—she makes so much business sense, I don’t want to.”

  Erin went on to fill everyone in on her new job as an attorney at Nash Barron’s firm. He had flexible work-from-home hours, and she was happier than she’d ever been.

  “What about you?” Simon asked his younger son. “Case almost finished?”

  “Wrapped it up today, right?” he asked Cara, who Nicole thought seemed quiet and out of sorts.

  She nodded. Her face was paler than before. “Umm . . . excuse me,” she said, and darted out of the room.

  Mike took off after her.

  Eyes narrowed, Sam followed their quick departure. “Is she okay?”

  A semi-smile lit Ella’s gaze, surprising Nicole. “Something tells me everything’s all right.”

  Nicole met Sam’s gaze. They shrugged at each other, and soon Cara returned but Mike insisted they head out so she could get some rest, and nobody argued.

  The rest of the meal passed pleasantly enough and the subject turned to an upcoming art festival, for which Nicole had seen flyers posted around town.

  “I love seeing new artists,” Nicole said.

  “Me too. And Tess Barron has a showing there,” Erin said. “She’s only sixteen and she’s an amazing artist.”

  “That girl has been through so much. I’m happy for her,” Ella murmured.

  Nicole knew there was a story there and figured she’d ask Sam another time. “I’d love to go. There’s a place in my new bedroom that needs a picture.”

  “Oh, let’s go together, then,” Erin said. “Cole hates those things, so he can watch Angel.” The baby was sleeping in a crib Ella and Simon had set up in a spare room. “Sam, you can keep Cole company. Maybe change a diaper or two.”

  “Or three,” Cole said, offering up the opportunity like it was the chance to win a gold medal.

  “I think I’ll leave that to you,” Sam said to his brother-in-law.

  “Chicken,” Cole muttered.

  Ella laughed and rose to her feet. “On that note, I’ll clean up. Dessert in a few.”

  Nicole pushed her chair back, prepared to help.

  “No, no, you’re our guest. Sam, take her out back. The patio furniture’s all cleaned and we have citronella candles burning so the mosquitoes won’t eat you alive.”

  Nicole heard the definitive tone and knew better than to argue. Apparently Sam felt the same way, because he rose and held out a hand.

  Suddenly nervous, she slipped her palm into his big, warm one and followed him outside. The bluestone patio reminded her of the glimpse she’d gotten of Sam’s backyard. Four lounge chairs, an outdoor bar with three stools, a rectangular table and chairs with an umbrella in the center, and a fire pit. The surrounding lawn was green and lush, the plantings and flowers perfectly placed.

  Everything about the small Marsden house called to something deep inside Nicole, the empty space never filled by her cold parents or their large house full of expensive things but lacking in warmth and love. In the short time here, she’d felt more welcomed and cared for than she ever had by her own family.

  Her chest filled with a heaviness she fought against.

  “What’s on your mind?” Sam asked perceptively, as he settled into a recliner and pulled her down with him.

  She settled in beside him, resisting his attempt to pull her back against him so they could cuddle, her back to his front. She wanted to see his face when they talked, needed him to see hers. To understand.

  “You’re lucky.” She wondered if he knew just how much more he had in life.

  “How so?”

  “Love. You were surrounded by it. Your parents are present in your lives. Not just physically but emotionally.”

  Sam heard the catch in her voice and knew tonight’s conversation was important because she was going deep into herself, giving him insight into who she was and why.

  “I’m not sure I ever thought about it that way,” he admitted. “Mike did because Simon adopted him.”

  “Really?” She leaned in closer.

  “Yeah. We’ve always been thought of as the perfect family, but we have our own secrets too. Not so secret, actually. Mom got pregnant by Mike’s father and when he bailed, Simon stepped up. Turns out he’d been in love with her all along.”

  Nicole’s eyes grew wide on hearing the story. “That’s beautiful. They seem so in love now.”

  “They’ve been that way for as long as I can remember.”

  She made a murmur of acknowledgment. “They’re lucky too, then.”

  “What about your parents? I know you said they don’t care much about what you do unless it’s to benefit them, but how do they feel about each other?” Having di
vulged his parents’ past, he felt comfortable asking about hers.

  She swallowed hard. “Let’s put it this way. When I told my mother I couldn’t marry Tyler because I wasn’t in love with him, she asked me what love had to do with anything, and when that didn’t sway me, she followed up with, just when did she tell me that fairy tales ever came true.”

  Even Sam, who’d stopped believing in that result, at least for himself, winced. What kind of parent disillusioned her daughter? He thought of the way his parents had boosted Erin’s confidence and spirits, and convinced her she should at least try to go after what she wanted in life. Even after she’d gotten pregnant by a man determined to leave her and Serendipity behind.

  The summer breeze blew around them and lifted Nicole’s hair from her shoulders. He met her gaze and wished he could put the stars back in her eyes and convince her that anything was possible. Maybe it was. Just not with him.

  “So about us,” she said, as if reading his mind.

  “I take it you don’t want to just pick up where we left off last night?” His chest hurt at the thought she might actually walk away.

  “Actually I do—with some modifications or qualifications.” She looked down at the slats on the chair, not meeting his gaze. “It turns out I’m not so good at this sex-without-emotion thing after all.”

  His breath caught in his throat, but he was determined to hear her out. One night with her hadn’t been nearly enough, but what happened next? It all depended on what she asked for.

  “I need us to be exclusive while we’re together.”

  He let out the breath he’d been holding. “I can do that.”

  She lifted her gaze to his. The vulnerability in her expression sucker-punched him but good. Everything about her hit him in new ways.

  Scary ways.

  “What else?” he asked.

  She bit down on her full lower lip. “I need to know where you stand. Is this thing between us just sex? Like, when we’re out in public are you going to pretend we’re just friends? Because I couldn’t handle that.” Her huge blue eyes bore into his.

  “Hell no! Just because I’m not looking to settle down and get married doesn’t mean I don’t understand what it means to be with someone. I want to be with you, to acknowledge it in public, to let everyone know we’re together. And I sure as hell don’t want anyone else with you either.”

  Her lips parted in a soft O, and he was unable to resist leaning forward and kissing her face with its surprised expression.

  The thing he was drawn to most about Nicole—looks and attractiveness were a given—was her innate honesty. Her vulnerability tugged at his heart, making him want to protect her. Be her white knight, as ridiculous as he knew that was.

  He couldn’t help but respond to her and licked her parted lips. She sighed into his mouth, and he slipped his tongue inside. She’d had a glass of wine with dinner and he tasted the fruity flavor, but most of all he tasted her and he didn’t want the moment to end.

  Unfortunately, his brother had other ideas, as he called out from the door off the kitchen. “Coffee and dessert! Unless you’re already getting some of your own.”

  Nicole pulled back and ducked her head, an embarrassed smile on her face. “Geez.”

  “That’s what brothers are for,” Sam muttered.

  She laughed. “Sisters aren’t much better.”

  “True.” He glanced at her flushed cheeks. “Everything okay now?” he asked.

  She didn’t pretend to misunderstand him. “Will you come home with me?” she asked. “Christen my new bed?”

  Yeah, he thought, everything was just fine.

  Tyler stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. As he pulled out clothes for his dinner with Macy, he ignored yet another call from his father. He couldn’t bring himself to disappoint the man by telling him he hadn’t made any inroads in getting Nicole back and bringing her home.

  The Nicole to whom he’d been engaged had been quiet and easy to persuade to do whatever he needed in pursuit of career or family bidding. She wore designer dresses and suits, not tight jeans or cropped shorts and shirts. The woman he’d found in Serendipity was not someone he’d have become engaged to, and he had the definite sense she was finding herself now and liking the woman she was becoming. He admired her attempt to break free.

  He glanced at the new blue jeans on the bed and the casual T-shirt and frowned. What the hell was he doing, changing who he was in order to fit into a place where he had no intention of remaining? The minute he figured out how to fix the mess in his family business, he was heading back to Manhattan. Except this small town was growing on him. And so was one woman in particular.

  He grinned as he thought about where he and Macy were going tonight. Miniature golf. He shuddered at the thought. Yet he’d agreed because doing anything with Macy was something he knew he’d enjoy.

  No sooner had he dressed than he heard a knock on his door. He opened it to find the woman who’d been on his mind. Macy stood before him, petite compared to his six-foot frame, wearing patterned shorts, a denim blouse tied over a white tank, and a pair of white Toms on her feet.

  “Hey, all set to go?” she asked. Her gaze slid over him. “What are you wearing?” she asked, her smile turning downward.

  He swallowed a laugh at her look of dismay. “My clothes.”

  She scowled at him. “But you’re not going to be comfortable outside in those pants and that shirt.”

  “You mean I’m overdressed for miniature golf?” he asked, unable to suppress a grin at how cute he found her.

  “That too. I can wait downstairs while you change.”

  He shook his head. “Not happening.”

  Lines formed between her brows. “Why? We went shopping for all those clothes. Just throw on a pair of cargo shorts and we’ll be good to go.”

  He braced one hand on the door frame and stared down at her, doing his best to ignore the swell of her breasts above the tank top. “Macy Donovan, are you embarrassed to be seen with a well-dressed man?”

  “No!” She sputtered at him. “If you want to be hot and sweaty all night, be my guest. I was just trying to look out for you.”

  “And I decided I’d rather be myself.”

  “Fine.” She raised her hands in defeat. “Are you ready to go?”

  He nodded and slipped his hand through hers. “Come on, hot stuff.”

  He pulled her into the hall, shutting his door behind them, and started for the stairs.

  Macy stopped, planting her heels and refusing to walk farther. “What’s going on? Why are you flirting with me?” she asked.

  He met her gaze and shrugged. “I’m just acting naturally around you.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying I bring out the flirt in you?”

  He couldn’t contain yet another grin. He’d smiled more in the last five minutes than in the last six months. “Could be.”

  “Well, rein it in. You’re trying to win your ex back and tonight we’re just killing time while she’s at Sam’s parents’ house for dinner,” she reminded him, turning away so he couldn’t see what he felt sure would be the hurt look on her face.

  Even though they both knew what their time together was all about, and he appreciated her willingness to hang out with him, there was something between them.

  Or could be if not for Tyler’s complicated life. At least she was smart enough to remember that.

  Macy was the one who’d told him why he couldn’t go out looking to run into Nicole tonight in the first place. She’d also tried to encourage him to go back to New York and not set himself up for further hurt. Or embarrassment, she’d gently added. The last thing he wanted was this woman’s pity, but he couldn’t tell her the truth: that he’d already accepted that things were over between him and Nicole before he’d been coerced into coming up here to win her back.

  If he hadn’t been, seeing the new Nicole would have convinced him. What he didn’t understand was why this w
oman, who was even more outspoken than his ex-fiancée, who dressed more provocatively, and who was even more comfortable being contrary than the new Nicole, revved him up so damned much.

  His mother would take one look at Macy and have Tyler committed, all the while reminding him that his feelings for this woman were inappropriate because she wouldn’t fit into his world any more than he, in his khakis and polo shirt with long rolled-up sleeves, fit into hers.

  “You’re right,” he told her. “But I just want us to relax and have a good time. Isn’t that what you told me to do while I’m here?”

  “Yes. Just don’t do it by flirting.”

  “Fine. I’ll try to behave.” But it wouldn’t be easy, because she was adorable and so easy to be around, even when she was giving him a hard time—something people in his real life rarely did. It was refreshing. She was refreshing. He was actually looking forward to miniature golf, of all things.

  His cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Setting his jaw, he ignored it, and promised himself he’d focus on this woman who made him feel good and try to ignore his problems, if just for this one night.

  At his parents’ dining room table, Sam hid a raging erection beneath his napkin and under the tablecloth, suffered through a dessert he didn’t taste, and barely paid attention to the conversation surrounding them. Finally, finally he and Nicole were the first to say their good-byes.

  He sped home, daring one of his own to pull him over, and parked in Nicole’s driveway. Once they reached her house, the polite dance they’d been doing around each other ended. She closed the door and was in his arms in an instant.

  This wasn’t the smooth seduction of the first time. He sealed his lips against hers and backed her to the nearest wall, dying to be inside her again. She threaded her hands through his hair and held on as he devoured her mouth. He needed her more than he needed air to breathe, and as he wasn’t used to the feeling, he ignored it in favor of the hot sensations that were much more pleasurable.

  She hooked one foot around his leg and pressed her lower body against his. Knowing exactly what she needed, he ground his hips into hers, nestling his cock into the warm vee of her legs.