Page 162 of Liar's Point

“Just... evasive, I guess, whenever we’re together.”

“Evasive. You mean like avoiding sex?”

“No, we’re having sex all the time.”

Kate’s eyebrows tipped up. “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. It’s good. Just... that’s all we do. He comes over or I go to his place, we have sex, then he’s crashed out until morning. And then at work, he’s either avoiding me or he’s off doing something else and we’re completely apart.”

“Well... isn’t that better?” Kate asked. “You said you can’t work with him anymore without it being weird and awkward, so—”

“No, I can’t. I just—” She shook her head, frustrated. “We’re apart at work, and then when we’re not at work, it’s like he won’t communicate with me except physically. And I know something’s going on.”

Kate just stared at her. “Something... such as a person, you mean?”

The words were like a dart to her chest.

But Emmet wouldn’t do that to her. He was faithful. In her heart, she knew that. But she also knew that he was avoiding conversations with her for some reason, and she felt certain something was wrong.

“Not a person,” Nicole said. “But there’s something off, I can tell.”

Kate gave her a sympathetic look. “You should talk to him.”

“I know.”

“Or maybe ask Calvin.”

Nicole looked at Emmet’s brother across the bar. “No. This is between us.” Part of her felt guilty even discussing it with Kate. The only person she really wanted to talk to about this was Emmet.

“Well, are you seeing him tonight?” Kate asked.

“Probably.”

Nicole was embarrassed to say she didn’t really know. This afternoon—like yesterday afternoon—Emmet had been mysteriously absent from work. She’d asked him about it, and all he’d said was that he was following up on something for Brady.

The server returned with a tray of drinks and set them on the table.

Nicole slid her margarita in front of her and poked at it with the straw.

“Sit him down right when you see him,” Kate said. “Don’t let him distract you.”

“Ha. Easier said than done.”

“Okay, now you’re just gloating.” Kate sipped her drink. “And you know I’ve been in a dry spell.”

“I’m not gloating. It’s just a fact,” Nicole said. “It’s how we connect.”

And even knowing they should be talking more, whenever Nicole got around him, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, whether they were making dinner, or showering, or watching TV. She had expected things to taper off, but they hadn’t at all, and Nicole getting rid of her ankle boot last week had only added gasoline to the fire.

Kate sighed, probably reading Nicole’s thoughts.

“You are gloating, but I’m happy for you,” Kate said. “At least one of us is having sex on a regular basis.”

Siena returned and slid into the booth. “Okay, I heard the word ‘sex.’ What’d I miss?”

“Nothing,” Nicole said. “We were just talking about Kate.”

Siena looked at her. “What? With who?”

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