“I swear it, we didn’t let her win,” he says with a laugh, holding his right hand in the air. “She’s just actually that good at laser tag. But I don’t think Owen will ever live down scoring zero points.”
“I can’t believe this is the first I’m hearing of this.” I pull a piece of prosciutto pizza from the plate, helping myself to a hearty bite. Landon was right to take the reins on ordering. This is freaking delicious.
“Owen made us promise not to bring it up, but I have reason to believe Justin might be including it in his best man speech.”
I laugh. “I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m officially even more excited for that wedding now.”
It’s quiet for a moment as Landon drags a napkin across his lips, then takes a big gulp of water to wash down the four pieces of pizza he’s already put away.
“Speaking of the wedding, can I, uh, assume that you’ll be my date?” His eyes glisten at me from across the table, brimming with hope.
As unbelievable as this pizza is, I know without a doubt that the best part of this meal is his enormous smile when I say yes. I think Ana might be right. Either that, or she was just really good at bribing me via ramen noodles. Either way, my decision has been made. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea to date my husband.
When our check comes, Landon swipes the bifold, tucks his credit card inside, and hands it back to the waitress. “So, where to next?”
I purse my lips, holding back the yawn I can feel coming on. “Am I lame if I say we should head home?”
“A little,” he says, pinching his thumb and forefinger together to demonstrate the exact size of my lameness. “But no worries.”
The waitress returns with Landon’s card, and he adds a tip and then scribbles something that sort of resembles a signature on the receipt before pushing to his feet. “Ready to go?”
Although I’ll never be ready for this night to end, I push to my feet and follow him back to the car.
Outside, the sun has barely set, leaving the sky a gorgeous shade of purplish blue. The whole trip home feels like driving through a watercolor painting, right up to the moment Landon stops in front of my building, his hand moving from my thigh to the gearshift to put the car in park.
I’m almost embarrassed by how much I miss his touch the second he pulls away. Yes, I’m sleepy. But being in a family-friendly environment for most of the evening means I haven’t so much as kissed Landon tonight. And I think we need to fix that.
“You can come in, if you want.” I try to make it sound like a casual suggestion, even when every inch of my skin is practically begging for him to get his hands back on me.
Landon’s thick brows push together as he studies me. “It’s your apartment, Bree. It’s not about what I want.”
He’s right, so I say, “Let me try that again. I want you to come inside.”
His perfect, plush lips form a crooked smile that just barely hints at his adorable dimple. “Then I’d love to.”
He hops out of the car and crosses around the front to open my door for me. It’s the kind of thing I’d normally put up a fight about, but I’m trying to be better about letting him take care of me in little ways.
We both seem to hold our breath as I fumble with the keys. Finally, I manage to get the door unlocked and lead us inside. Once the door closes behind us, Landon lifts my chin toward his, claiming my mouth with a passionate kiss.
The air around us feels heavy with expectation, and when I pull back and meet his gaze, my stomach clenches at what I see reflected back at me. There’s so much need brimming in his dark blue eyes.
Something is changing between us, and I’m not sure what to make of that. He’s opened himself up, shared personal details that I doubt many others know. And coupled with his intense interest in me, in us, it’s making me soften, making me feel things I didn’t expect.
I press my hands into his firm, wide chest, my fingers gripping his T-shirt. Lifting up on my toes again, I fasten my mouth to his in another slow kiss.
“Fuck,” he growls against my lips. “Been waiting to kiss you all night.”
He’s looking at me like he wants to devour me. There’s just one thing standing in his way. An insane amount of restraint. And even that is sexy as hell.
“Bedroom?” I whisper against his chest, my fingers still gripping his shirt.
Without a word, Landon scoops me up in his arms. My legs tighten around his waist as my lips trail over the rough column of his throat. He carries me a few steps, then stops in his tracks.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my chest suddenly tight.
The slightest bit of pink creeps across his stubbled cheeks. “I, uh, don’t know where your bedroom is.”
My bubble of laughter mixes with his rumbly one in the most beautiful harmony I’ve ever heard. How did I forget that this is only his second time here?
“Down the hall to the left,” I manage to say through my giggles. “The room with the bed.”
With big, hurried strides, Landon carries me to my room, lays me gently across my duvet, and sinks down beside me. With all the patience in the world, he runs his palm along the length of my thigh. He brushes his fingers over the front of my jeans, and I jolt. His tender touches are going to be my demise. Resisting him is futile. Pointless.
When I press my hand over his zipper, Landon curses softly. His breath against my neck is deep, but rapid, and I attack his mouth with mine. He tries to slow the kiss down, to draw things out, but I’m having none of that. My pulse riots, and heat tears through my veins like wildfire. I want him. Need him.
When I caress the firm bulge in the front of his jeans again, Landon makes a breathless sound.
“Aubree . . .” He says my name like a warning.
We’re going too far. In over our heads. But I’m powerless to stop it.
Uncertainty swims in his blue gaze. His control is hanging by a thread, and I want to see it snap.
Lust fills his features, and dear God, if I thought he was attractive before, this is flat-out unfair.
“Why does this feel so good?” I say on a groan, my eyes meeting his hooded ones.
“This is all I’ve ever wanted,” he murmurs, the rough pads of his fingers touching my cheek. Even though he doesn’t say it with words, I can see the question reflected back at me.
Why can’t it be me and you in the end?
Heat rushes through me like a tidal wave, washing away all logical thought.
His eyes are desperate. I have no idea why this matters to him so much, but it obviously does.
My body wants him. My brain thinks this is crazy. My heart isn’t sure.
But when Landon slides his palm up my calf, my body wins out.
With deft fingers, he opens the button of my jeans and tugs them to the floor. And when he discovers that my panties are wet, his groan is filled with deep satisfaction.
“Good God, baby.” His fingers trail along the damp scrap of black lace, leaving me twitching. “So wet for me already.”
With a quick tug, my panties join my jeans on the floor, and his palms press against my inner thighs, which I ease apart. I feel so exposed, so plainly on display for him like this, and for a minute, I wish I’d turned off the lights. But then he levels himself with my center, breathing me in as he slides two thick fingers into my heat, and I know for sure that nothing has ever felt as good as this.