Page 133 of Hot Cops

Then he bent over, picked her up and carried her to the police car.

Landon loved her.

He’d loved her all along.

And now it was time to tell him she felt exactly the same way.

Landon shook his head.“Audrey. You saw the video. You saw…”

“Sunnie?” Audrey asked.

There was a tinge of disbelief in her tone that tweaked his nerves. Why the hell was it so unbelievable that he and Sunnie could be together? Hell, evenSunniehad mentioned something about them being too different or a mismatch or some such shit this morning.

“Yeah,” he said. “Sunnie.”

Audrey leaned back, and he could see her seriously considering his face, almost as if she expected him to say he was just kidding, or maybe she thought he’d supposedly wise up now that she was throwing her hat back in the ring.

“I’m in love with her,” he said, determined that she understand he was serious and what they’d had was over. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t let her leave here thinking there was any chance of a future for them either. That would merely add emotional cruelty to the physical pain she’d endured since the holidays.

She nodded slowly, then smiled. “I’m happy for you.”

“Really?”

Audrey laughed easily, and he recalled why he’d loved her. She was kind and understanding, and being with her had been easy. Probably too easy. They’d gone from dating to almost insta-love. There’d been no challenge and precious little passion. Just companionable…boring love.

Sunnie offered him so much more. Life with her would never be predictable or simple, but it would be fun. And they’d set the sheets on fire every single night.

“Really,” Audrey said. “I’m sad to have missed my chance. I’ll regret that until the day I die.”

“No,” Landon said, patting her hand gently. “You’re too special. You’re going to find the perfect,nice,” he stressed, “guy. You’ll settle down and forget all about me. You might even think back on this night and realize you’d dodged a bullet.”

He didn’t admit that was howhefelt now, about her decision to move to New York rather than remain in Baltimore with him. If she had, he’d never have opened his eyes and seen Sunnie.

“From your lips,” she said.

Landon lifted his pint, clinking it against her wineglass, then did what he’d wanted to do ever since sitting down.

He looked over his shoulder for Sunnie.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Sunnie emerged from the apartment,back into the pub, and glanced in Landon’s direction. He and Audrey were still talking, then they clinked glasses. She was smiling.

Sunnie didn’t want to think about what that smile might mean.

She considered walking right over to their table, but paused briefly, trying to figure out what she would say. She’d royally screwed up this morning. It was going to take some finesse to get him away from Audrey so she could fix that.

Glancing around the pub, she realized Pop Pop was at the bar—and he was looking at her.

She decided to go that direction first. Pop Pop gave great pep talks.

“Hey, Pop Pop,” she said, claiming the stool next to him.

He smiled at her. “You finally watched the video.”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“And?”

---