Perfect Fling
Page 28
Sam shook his head. “I’ll go.”
Macy narrowed her gaze and stepped into Sam’s direct path. “So you do know her.”
He nodded, his heart racing at the thought of seeing her again. No woman had ever made him feel so many things in such a short time. Protective, aroused, attracted . . .
“And you’re interested,” Macy concluded in the wake of his silence.
“No comment. I’m going upstairs. You can hold down the fort here.” This time he handed her his beer bottle.
Macy watched him, her stare too perceptive for his liking.
“And do not give my sister or brother the wrong impression. I just want to say hi and welcome her to town. Make sure she feels comfortable enough to come down and join us.”
“If you say so, Detective,” she said, using his brand-new moniker.
He still wasn’t used to the name or the promotion, but he’d worked hard for it. Nepotism, as in his brother being chief of police, had nothing to do with his new status.
He turned and headed for the back entrance of the bar and slipped out the exit. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs and stood outside the apartment door, he paused. Everyone he knew had lived here at one time or another, from Faith and Kelly Barron to his brother Mike and then Erin’s husband, Cole. The place was a revolving door, a pit stop before people settled down for good.
Now Nicole.
Sam had met her when he’d arrested her while she was lurking outside Erin’s condo, assuming she was her psychotic twin. But there was nothing unstable about Nicole . . . and she’d made a profound impact on Sam. From her dark hair to her big beautiful blue eyes, he felt like he could see inside her soul.
On first glance, she’d been scared, then defiant, but he’d ultimately come to admire how she’d handled herself while in that small interrogation room. But the real turning point between them had come when Cole had barged in. She’d immediately turned to Sam, as if assuming she could trust him to look after her. She hadn’t been wrong. And not just because he had a reputation for being the good cop in any scenario.
With Nicole, the protective surge he’d experienced surpassed the normal doing of his job. It made no damned sense to him then and it still didn’t now. Hell, her draw scared him as much as it pulled him toward her.
Once her sister had been arrested, Nicole had gone back to Manhattan where she belonged before Sam could act on any stupid sexual or deeper impulse he might have. He hadn’t had an emotional connection with any female since Jenna’s betrayal, and he wouldn’t allow himself to be hurt that way again. But none of that seemed to matter now that she was back in town.
Sam couldn’t imagine why Nicole had opted to move to Serendipity—but there was one way to find out. Raising his hand, he knocked on her door.