Page 127 of Hot Cops

Landon shrugged, food was the last thing he wanted. Then he nodded. He didn’t have anything else to do, and the idea of going home alone and stewing all day wasn’t appealing. Truth was, he didn’t see himself going home until he saw Sunnie again, which would be hours from now. “Yeah. Okay. Day drink at the pub in front of the games?”

Finn was always in for that. “Hell yeah.”

“Just let me,” Landon grinned as he looked down, making sure to point out a red mark above his nipple, a souvenir left behind by Sunnie, “get dressed.”

Finn sighed. “Shit. I’m probably still gonna have to kick your ass.”

Landon chuckled, then walked back to Sunnie’s room. His cell phone was on the nightstand. Glancing over his shoulder, he picked it up and failed to follow Finn’s advice.

He texted Sunnie.

Need to talk.

A full minute passed before her reply came back, and he realized his best friend had been right.

Can’t. Not yet.

Landon wanted to push her, but instead he swallowed down the lump in his throat and took a steadying breath.

He wasn’t finished fighting for Sunnie’s heart.

Not by a long shot.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

“Get in.”

Sunnie recognized the voice, surprised when she looked over and saw her cousin Yvonne pulled up to the curb outside the hospital, passenger window rolled down to get her attention. She was coming off a ten-hour shift, her feet hurt, her eyes were scratchy from crying, and the idea of going home and possibly seeing Landon had her stomach in knots.

She’d hoped a day of hard work would shake out some of her confusion, but it hadn’t touched it. Hell, she was in worse shape now, the initial panic turning to cold-blooded terror.

She was a hot mess.

“What are you doing here?” Sunnie asked.

Kelli, whom she hadn’t noticed until that point, peeked her head over the back seat. “We’re kidnapping you. Taking you out for margaritas. Get your ass in the car.”

“What aboutmycar?” she stupidly asked, even though she was already reaching for the door handle.

“I’ll drive you back for it in the morning.” Yvonne had clearly thought through this kidnapping.

She was quiet as Yvonne pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. “Why the kidnapping?” she asked at last.

Yvonne glanced over and winked. “Because I saw you this morning, running out of the Collins Dorm like you were being chased by a serial killer. It was obvious you’d just pulled a Sunnie, especially considering the way Landon’s been holding up the bar ever since. So, Kelli and I decided you needed an intervention. Andweneeded margaritas.”

“Pulled a Sunnie?” she asked.

“AKA, dumped the dude and ran for the hills,” Kelli chimed in from the back.

“It’s Sunday night,” Sunnie said to Kelli. “School night.”

“And it’s June,” Kelli reminded her. “I’m one week into my summer vacay bender. Fucking free. And it feels great!”

Kelli was a kindergarten teacher and Padraig’s best friend. She’d also been around as long as Landon, which meant—like him—she was practically family.

Family.

Sunnie’s stomach clenched again, and she debated telling Yvonne to pull over in case she got sick.

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