Page 25 of Wild Surrender

My stomach tightened, my breath went shallow, and the lump in my throat returned.

I was in the living room of my dying father—the man I’d ignored for ten years—making out with someone I’d met two days ago. Worse, I was the one who’d started it.

What the hell was wrong with me?

A better person would have packed a bag, gone back to Toronto, and put distance between herself and Eric Alexander, before it was too late.

But I wasn’t that person.

Not when I melted under his attention. Not when it felt so good to disappear into a moment and forget everything else existed.

It felt way too good.

Which was exactly why it couldn’t happen again. The stakes were too high. I had my son to think about. The life I’d fought to piece together. Losing myself to a man, even one as incredible as Eric, felt like a price I wouldn’t survive paying.

Shame crept in, hot and suffocating. I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes. I stared at his mouth, waiting for the inevitable words of regret.

“Jamie.” His low voice was steady, unfazed.

I forced myself to look up.

He was watching me, brow furrowed, like he was waiting for something from me.

Before I could say a word, he spoke again. “Someone’s at the door.”

And sure enough, when I turned my attention outward, I heard it. A hard, insistent knock at the front door.

Then again, only louder.

“Shit.”

I lurched out of Eric’s hold, heat still humming under my skin as I smoothed my clothes and ran for the door.

Flight over thought. Always my specialty.

Instead of doing the sensible thing and checking the sidelight first, I yanked the door open.

Such a bad call.

I was greeted by messy, dirty-blond hair, dark brown eyes, a growing arrogant smirk, and a uniform. Wait…

Was that a badge? Who in their right mind would give Dylan McCoy a police badge?

Oh, please don’t let him be armed.

There was no universe in which this man-child should ever be trusted with a gun.

“Wow.” His eyebrows lifted as his gaze dragged over me, slow and predatory. “You are the last person I expected to find here.”

The surprise in his voice didn’t dull his wicked grin or the sinful glint in his eyes. If I didn’t know better, his intensity might’ve scared me.

Unfortunately, I knew him far too well.

I knew what he wanted. And I knew exactly how little of it I was willing to give. Ever again.

“Gotta say,” he added, all swagger. “You’re a really nice surprise.”

It had been over a year since I’d last seen my ex. Longer than that since I’d wanted anything to do with him. But he hadn’t changed. Same easy charm. Same quick seduction.