“Your milk is expired.” He popped the last bite into his mouth.
“Okay. Thanks.”
The screen went black. Dad rinsed his plate, then came my way with another full glass of water. “I know you’ll do the right thing, Nugget. You’ve got your mom’s brains, her grace, too. I don’t doubt for a second you love this man, otherwise, you wouldn’t say it. So I know you’re suffering, and you can talk to me about anything, anytime. You know that, right?”
I nodded. He set the glass on the coffee table.
“I’m gonna get out of your hair, but you need to make a promise.”
“What?”
“No more going to bars alone, even Harry’s.”
“I promise.”
He snagged his jacket. Kissed my forehead. “Love you, Nugget.”
“Love you, Dad.”
“I’ll check on you in the morning.”
“’Kay, Daddy.”
The lights went out. So did I.
Natalie
The text on my screen read: Open your door.
Same message as the last three.
I stood my ground at the counter, filling my goblet. Wine first. Uncomfortable altercation second.
Four desperate knocks hit the front door.
Two deep breaths, one slow sip, and I made my way toward the unwelcome visitor. Hand to the knob, I closed my eyes and prayed for strength and wisdom.
Sinful beauty greeted me. A test. A trap. My forbidden fruit disguised in jeans and a baseball cap.
“For the love of God, what are you doing here?”
Cole white-knuckled my door jamb. “We need to talk.”
“We really don’t.” Because talking reminded me of everything I wanted and couldn’t have.
The muscles in his arms bunched. Gnawing on his bottom lip, he stared through me as if weighing his options.
Options were not on the table.
“Who in the hell buzzed you in?” I hoped the heat from my cheeks would fuel the glare I fired his direction.
“Some sweet old lady with a feisty corgi.”
Mrs. Mariani. “Traitor,” I mumbled, though I couldn’t be angry at the woman. No doubt he’d wielded his magic smile, charmed her into compliance.
Uninvited, he stepped over the threshold. I backed away, his beauty too cruel, his presence an affliction.
For one whole month, I had managed to avoid Cole Adams and his cheek porn. I’d beaten my addiction to those damn dimples.
Five seconds in his presence, and I was jonesing again. “Get out of my house.”
“I can’t do that.” He closed the door. Turned the lock.
Golden eyes met mine, and I was transfixed. Victim to the wonderment that was Cole Adams.
“The wedding is off.” His lips moved.
The words registered but my thoughts faltered, several beats behind.
“Hmm,” was all I managed to say. I headed for the kitchen, stealing a moment to collect my wits, which Cole had splattered all over the entryway.
“Did you hear me?” He followed, personal space be damned. “Victoria and I are over.”
“So what?” I turned and threw my hands in the air, exasperated. “People break up every day. People kiss and make up every day. It’s none of my business, so why are you here?”
Expression pained, he lifted a finger and traced a delicate line below the scar on my forehead. “You know why.”
“I know nothing, Jon Snow,” came breathy and unbidden.
Pop. Pop. Dimples. Wielded like weapons, knocking me dizzy. Cole caught my waist and with little effort, lifted me to the counter, pressing his forehead to mine. “You’re killing me, you beautiful dork.”
Oh, sweet Jesus, the proximity. Unbearable. Unbelievable.
“Tell me you know why I’m here.” His lips teased mine, soft, unsure, and definitely unreciprocated. “Tell me you’ve wanted this since that day in the coffee shop.” He towered over me, tall and confident and, damn, he smelled so good, his cologne soft and citrusy. His breath, minty and sweet.
“Tell me I’m not alone,” he pleaded, capturing my chin and killing me slowly with his hopeful gaze.
“This is wrong,” I argued.
“Why?” he asked, strained, raspy. “We’re both single now. Why is it wrong?”
Because we’d been wrong for too long. “You only just left her.”
“Four weeks ago.” He pulled a strand of my hair through his fingers, studied my face, my scar. “Right after the hospital incident.”
Lacey hadn’t mentioned the breakup. Then again, I’d forbidden any talk of Victoria.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He stepped away, face flushed. “We’re over.”
“It does matter, Cole.” Nobody survived Victoria untarnished. If he’d ended things because of me, Hell would rain down in one form or another. “What happened?”
He leaned against the counter opposite me. Arms crossed. Stance set wide. So sure in his conviction. “Truth is, things had been off with us for months. And then that video.” He scratched the back of his head. “I found out some things.” His eyes seemed to lose focus, something weighing heavy.
“What things?”
“Don’t get mad,” he said to the floor.
My skin prickled. “Tell me.”
“I have a buddy in the SPD. A detective.” He cleared his throat. Nodded. Hit me with a hard stare. “I called him after you received that text in Vegas. Those messages you’ve been getting? They were—”
“From Victoria,” I blurted, heat flooding my face, shivers dancing up and down my arms. Oh, God. He’d been watching out for me.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.” She’d played the same game in high school, using multiple numbers via burner apps to harass me.
The air thickened. Cole’s eyes darkened. I expected anger, but instead, he nodded in understanding. “When I questioned her actions, she didn’t deny a thing, but she didn’t defend herself. She screamed and cried, made like I was the bad guy, threw her ring in my face and stormed out.”
“She left you?”
Cole tore the cap off his head, roughed a hand through his hair. Chin down, he whispered, “I’d been emotionally unfaithful.”
Painful knocks invaded my chest.
His tortured gaze ripped my chest wide open.
“And because I struggled with that sin, I would’ve forgiven her. But she didn’t give me the chance.” With a flick of his wrist, his hat landed at the
