Well, that explains why she looks so familiar. I can’t help it. I blush. I had sex with this girl’s father not even two days ago, and last night he saw me mostly naked again. Does she know? I doubt it. I can’t imagine Landon goes around telling his daughter that sort of thing. I hope.
“You look just like your dad.”
She smiles even wider at that, releasing my hand and surveying my flower beds with a scrutiny that tells me she’s no stranger to planting in the soil. “He says I look like my mom.”
Her mom. Jesus, is he actually married? Am I going to meet her mother, his wife?! How could he cheat like that? I feel sick as I say, “Oh, I haven’t met her yet.”
Her smile instantly evaporates. “You won’t. She’s dead. Died when I was four.”
Well, shit. Now I feel bad. For so many reasons I can hardly begin to think of them all.
“I’m sorry. I have a real knack for sticking my foot in my mouth.”
Stella shrugs up a small shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m used to it. So you’re planting bulbs? You should come see my garden in my backyard. I have all kinds of things, though most of it is dying off now that we’re at the end of the season. Once the pumpkins and kale are done, I’ll be down to what I grow in my greenhouse.”
“You have a greenhouse?”
“Yeah. My dad designed it and had it built for me.”
“Wow. I’m super jealous. Do you grow just vegetables or plants too?”
She giggles lightly. “I grow both, though I end up donating most of the produce and things to local food banks. You can come see it. Some day after school would be fine.”
I stare at her for a moment, wondering what I should say in response. I highly doubt her father wants me anywhere near her, let alone in their home. Not just that, but the more distance I place between myself and him, the better. But she doesn’t have a mom, and she’s asking to show me something that’s clearly special to her. And special to me because I absolutely love growing things.
Speaking of, I wonder if she goes to the middle school I’m going to be teaching in.
“I’d love that,” I tell her, curious if it will actually happen. Probably not, I decide. Kids her age throw out things and rarely follow through. “But how come you don’t use any of it yourself?”
“I wish I could, but I don’t know how to cook, and my dad isn’t a lot of help with that.”
I open my mouth to ask her more about that when someone calls her name.
Both of us whip around to find Landon standing in the middle of his front lawn, watching us. His expression is neutral enough, but his eyes, they are steel narrowed in at me, sending a chill up my spine and making my heart beat just a touch faster.
“We have to get going to the compound,” he tells her.
Compound? What the blip is a compound?
Stella whirls back toward me. “I gotta go. We have Sunday dinner at my grandparents’ place.”
Well, I guess that explains it. But a compound? Yeesh. Billionaires indeed.
“It was nice meeting you, Stella. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“I hope so.” She beams at me before running off, straight past her father, who is unmoved, and back into the house.
I twist in Landon’s direction, propping my fists on my hips and tilting my head. All attitude. Challenging the asshole. He hasn’t said a word to me. All he’s done is eviscerate me with his darkened eyes as energy swirls between us like the coming of a storm. I squint at him, ignoring the spine-tingling jolt I feel when I’m near him.
“I’m dressed today, so if you’re looking for a different visual from me, I’m sorry to say you’re not getting it.” I wave my hand up and down my body like a game show hostess and even do a little twist for him.
He scowls, his eyebrows tracking in as his gaze does a slow sweep of me, taking in my bare feet, dirty yoga pants, and haphazard shirt. His scowl deepens, and I swear to God, if he makes a disparaging comment about how I look, I’ll march over there and smack that scowl right off his face. With my dirty hand.
Unfortunately, this broody, growly thing he has going on also makes him look insanely hot. Life can be so unfair sometimes.
“You get your fill yet?” I bark when he still hasn’t moved or said anything or stopped staring as intensely as he’s staring. Like he’s picturing me naked. And just the idea that he is shoots a rush of heat straight to my core.
God, he’s such a jerk.
A sexy jerk who manages to make my traitorous nipples hard, but still a jerk.
He puffs out a breath, shakes his head at the ground, and without a word, spins around and marches off.
“Nice chatting with you,” I yell after him, smiling at the hint of a grumble I catch. And because I can, I stare at his ass as he goes. It’s only fair. I’m positive he was staring at my boobs a little longer than he should have.
I sink back down to the ground, replacing my gloves and diving back into the earth with gusto. Aggravated. Annoyed. Stupidly turned on.
I’m glad he didn’t say anything.
It’s just as well. Perfect even. The last thing I need is for my hot sex god of a neighbor to engage with me.
6
One hand grips the wheel, the other the back of my neck. Stella is sitting beside me, staring down at her phone and listening to something that sounds like a mouse dying on the car sound system. I’m more agitated than I was even last night. The sight of Elle—gorgeous and furious—has been driving me mad the entire ride to my parents’.
Just looking at her was a struggle.
Fucking her was supposed to alleviate the mounting itch burning through me. That’s what happens every few months or so. I go out, meet a random woman, and then I’m good for another few months.
That hasn’t happened with Elle.
That itch has grown. Multiplied. Taken on a life of its own.
The way the afternoon sun accentuated the hints of gold running through her hair. The flush in her cheeks. The flecks of emerald and whiskey in her eyes. The way she digs into me because I’m an asshole, and I deserve it. I lied, and she’s pissed, and she has no qualms about letting me know it.
And I like that about her.
I knew it was only a matter of time until Stella sought her out—she was already far too curious—and the fact that Elle was planting in the front beds was too much of a temptation for my little green-thumbed girl to pass up. I had been watching Elle too. The woman was digging and planting like tomorrow wasn’t coming. Fierce determination lit her features as if she was setting out to prove a point and settle a score.
But every few minutes… like clockwork… she’d glance up at my house.
This is not how it was meant to be.
I was supposed to be done with her yesterday morning when I walked out of that hotel room.
Not still thinking about her.
I do my best to push it all aside as I pull down the long driveway, past the gate that leads into my parents’ estate. “Grandma said I could pick out a horse for Christmas.”
I cringe at that before I can stop it.
Not the horse, who would stay here in their stables. But the Christmas part of it.
My mother had told me when Stella got into riding that she’d buy her a horse for her sweet sixteen. Now it’s for this Christmas, and Stella is only thirteen. My mother is worried she won’t live to see Stella turn sixteen, and my insides tumble around with dread.