Page 65 of L.O.V.E

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.

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