She smiled at him. “I was just looking to see how long we had to enjoy this. But I’m holding you to your promise to have us back before midnight.”
“Did I promise you that?”
She tilted her head and gave him a playful, scolding look. “Yes, Landon Chestnut, you did.”
He chuckled. “I did and I will.”
At that moment the waitress returned with a huge hurricane glass and two straws. “In order to share it properly, we need to sit closer,” Landon said. “I guess it’s all a part of sharing the passion.”
She grinned and then scooted her chair closer to his. Leaning in, they sipped the drink through their straws. “This is good,” Monica said, lifting her head. She pushed her hair back over her shoulder, revealing what he thought was a long, beautiful neck. The drink was good, but he’d bet she tasted better.
His gaze settled on her full, inviting lips when she licked them. “I think so, too.”
They enjoyed more of the drink and a short while later, the band started up. “Ready to dance?” he asked.
“Oh, yes.”
They both stood up, and Landon, taking her hand, led her out to the dance floor. Once there, she moved easily into his arms. Music floated around them as their bodies joined in a way they had never connected before. He placed his hand at the small of her back, and they began moving together, their limbs totally in sync.
His heart hammered in his chest. Holding Monica in his arms was better than he’d ever imagined. He’d never been turned on just dancing with a woman. Landon couldn’t help the shiver of longing that passed through him. He’d imagined holding her this way the first time they’d met, and now he had her just where he wanted her. He couldn’t believe just how attracted he was to her. It was the first time he’d felt anything like this since Simone.
But there was still so much for him to learn about her. And he needed to understand just what it was about her that made him desire her so much. He knew she had to be aware of the sexual tension ramping up between them as much as he was. And at that moment, as he held her in his arms and swayed to the music, he couldn’t help wondering if she was as confused about what was happening between them as he was.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
MONICA COULDN’T HELP THINKING that she hadn’t slow danced with a man since her cousins’ weddings six months ago. And even then, her partners had been Colton and Cobra Masters - Victoria’s husband’s brothers. Since she considered Colton and Cobra to be friends, they’d spent most of their time on the dance floor talking, catching up on what they’d been into since the last time they’d seen each other.
Dancing with them, she certainly hadn’t felt anything close to what she was feeling now. She hadn’t been in tune to their every step, nor had the movement of their bodies against hers fired her blood.
For the first time ever, she was imagining things—scenarios, images, steamy thoughts—all with Landon in the leading role. She had to get a grip so she wouldn’t be tempted to do something she’d regret later.
“Are you having a good time, Monica?”
Just when she thought her self-control was winning the battle waging inside her, Landon’s deep, sensual voice blew it all to hell. “Oh, yes.”
“Good.”
Monica knew she should have been prepared for the full force of Landon’s masculinity, but wasn’t. The music and the man were a deadly combination, and she felt herself being swept away by both.
“Monica?”
She tilted her head back to look up at him. That was a mistake. The moment she gazed into the deep, darkness of his eyes, desire flared up again. “Yes?”
“I’m really glad you’re here with me.”
She wished he hadn’t said that. Did he have any idea how that made her feel? He could have had any woman on board, but he was glad to be with her. “Why?” she heard herself asking.
He lifted a brow. “Excuse me?”
“I’m just wondering, what’s so special about me?”
He surprised her when he leaned in close, almost in kissing range, and whispered in her ear, “You’re fun to be around, you’re genuine…and I desire you.”
She nearly missed her step. Although they were attracted to each other, this was the first time they had addressed it. She swallowed deeply. “You desire me?”
“Can’t you tell?”
Yeah, she could. An arousal was something a man couldn’t hide. Part of her wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t desire her, but how could she say that, when she wanted him as well? “I can tell.”
Was this the moment when he asked her what she was going to do about it? She’d heard that line more than once, and it had been a major turn-off, because the man had made it all about him. As if her desires didn’t matter. When he didn’t say anything, she tilted her head and said, “I’m waiting.”
He lifted a brow. “For what?”
“Aren’t you going to ask me to do something about it?”
She saw confusion in the depths of his eyes. “Why would I ask you something as stupid as that?”
She shrugged. “A lot of guys would.”
“Then I’m glad I’m not like the other guys you’ve dated.”
He was right, he was different. He was more mature, sophisticated, and a true gentleman. He wasn’t the ‘rush-the-woman-to-the-bedroom’ type. She also had a feeling that he wouldn’t leave her disappointed hours later. “I’m glad.”
“Make no mistake about it, Monica. I want you. But there is something I want even more.”
“What?”
“I want to get to know you.”
He’d said that before. “Why?”
“I just do.”
She found that odd. “You’d rather spend time getting to know me instead of trying to get me into your bed?” she blurted out and then wished she hadn’t.
“I’d like to do both, but with you, I want to do things differently.”
She found that odd as well. “Why?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, then shrugged. “I don’t want to scare you off.”
Scare her off? “How could you do that, Landon?”
He tightened his arms around her. “I want you more than I’ve wanted anyone in a long time. I’m not only trying to deal with it, but I want to understand it, too. That is why it’s so important that I get to know you better. I need to find out the reason I’m experiencing such intense emotions when it comes to you.”
“Like you said, you want me. Sex isn’t all that complicated.”
“You’re right, it shouldn’t be,” he agreed.
That made her wonder why he was making the situation more complex than it was. “Yet, you feel that it is?” she asked.
“When it comes to you, yes.”
Monica didn’t say anything for a minute, mulling over what he’d said. “But you still haven’t explained something. How do you think you could scare me off, Landon?”
Landon wasn’t sure how much he should tell her. Besides, how could he explain something he hadn’t quite figured out himself?