Page 99 of Liar's Point

“I won’t.”

She closed her laptop. “Now, I want to hear about the other thing. Spill it.”

“Spill what?” Nicole turned and grabbed a fluffy yellow pancake from the plate on the counter. When she turned around, Kate was staring at her expectantly. If it had been anyone else it might have worked, but her sister knew her too well.

Nicole nibbled the pancake. “Emmet spent the night.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “No kidding. I bumped into him this morning. Tell me what happened.”

Nicole bit her lip.

“Oh my God. Did you have sex?”

A chunk of pancake lodged in Nicole’s throat, and she swallowed it down. “We kissed.”

Kate tipped her head back. “Finally! God. It only took you, what, ten years?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Or fifteen, really, if you count the crush you had on him in high school.”

Nicole turned around and put her coffee in the microwave to give herself something to do.

“Well? How did it happen?” Kate demanded. “I want details.”

“I don’t remember, exactly.”

“How can you not remember? It was just last night.”

“I was pretty spacey.” Nicole rubbed the back of her neck. “He was leaving, and I think I just... kissed him.”

“And?”

“And that’s it.” She thought of his hands sliding under her shirt and his mouth on her nipple. “That’s what happened.”

Kate squinted. “You are so full of shit.”

“What?” She turned and got her coffee out. She didn’t want to talk about this anymore—not with Kate or anyone. She hadn’t even had time to think about it herself, and she wasn’t ready to piece it apart yet. Emmet had been so many things last night. He’d been kind, and frustrated, and thoughtful, and infuriating.

And sweet. It wasn’t a word she’d ever associated with him before. But he’d turned down her bed and put a glass of water out for her.

And the tender look on his face when he’d leaned over and kissed her forehead... A little zing went through her as the memory popped into her brain. That was what prompted her to throw ten years of restraint out the window—that and the pain meds. He’d kissed her first.

Only his kiss had been short and platonic. She’d been the one to drag him into bed with her and practically beg him to stay.

“Nicole.”

“What?”

“You’ve got this look on your face. What are you leaving out?”

“Nothing.” She took a sip of coffee, and it scalded her throat.

Kate sighed. Then she checked her phone and stood up.

“Well, that’s obviously crap, but I don’t have time to drag it out of you, so you’re off the hook. For now.”

A knock on the door had them both turning around.

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