Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (12 page)

     Shit, I didn’t want her driving separately. “No. You ride
with me.”

     She gave me a look at me demanding tone.

     I was accustomed to ordering women around, but I
modified my words and tone for her. “I would like it if you would ride with
me.”

     Grinning, she nodded. “Okay. We just need to make sure
I get back here by eleven-forty so I can be home by twelve.”

     I’d had my own curfew when I was seventeen, but I had
an easy enough time getting around it. I’d tell my parent’s I was staying at a
friend’s house and then I would have the whole night to do whatever. They never
checked up on me.

     “That’s no problem.”

     We walked out to my car and I unlocked and opened the
door for Maya.

     “Pretty car.” She said sliding in.

     I shot her a look of insult. “This is a Shelby Ford
Mustang. You don’t call a car like this ‘pretty’.”

     “What do you call it then?” She asked with a smirk.

     “Awesome, boss…art.” I replied firmly.  

     She shook her head looking sad. “I don’t know what I was
thinking.”

     I huffed closing the door on her laugh. Climbing in the
driver’s seat I started the car throwing her a raised brow as it rumbled
deeply. “That’s a manly sound, not pretty.”

     Laughing she leaned forward and patted the dash. “I’m
so sorry Shelby, for calling you pretty…even though you are. Just like your
owner, minus the forehead.”

     Grinning, I pulled out of the parking lot. “Are you
trying to give me a complex?”

     “For some reason I think that it would take a lot to do
that.” She rolled out with a small amount of sarcasm.

     “Hey, I’m just as sensitive as the next person.” I
argued.

     “I said you were pretty. Is pretty not enough? Do you
need to hear that you’re so beautiful that the stars are jealous?” She smirked.

     I nodded agreeably. “I like that analogy.”

     She snorted. “You would.”

     “Who wouldn’t?” I countered.

     She cocked her head to the side reflectively. “True.”

     “You’re beauty makes the stars jealous.” I gave her a
hot side glance.

     She blushed. “Well, that just lame, using my words. I
expected more from an artist of your caliber.” 

     “It’s a lot easier to put my emotions down on paper
than into words.” I was speaking absolute truth on that. I never before used
flowery words toward a girl.

     Maya was silent for a minute before speaking. “If you
see me like the pictures you drew then that’s fifty times better than any
words.” The smile she sent my way was sweet.

     There was no way I couldn’t be pleased by that
admission. We’d arrived at the nearest theater and I pulled into a parking
spot. Hopping out, I went around to the passenger side and helped her out.

     “You literally meant theater popcorn?” Maya asked in
surprise.  

     “Hell, yeah. Movie popcorn is the best.”

     “So we just go in there and get a bowl of popcorn and
leave?”

     “I thought we’d get some soda and maybe some gummy
worms, as well.” I pulled open the theater’s door steering her in front of me. I
was liking this guiding thing. It allowed me to touch her. Normally women were
all over me, but I’d only gotten token touches from Maya so far.  

     “Is this something you do often?” She asked looking
around uncertainly.

     I chuckled as we got in line for the concessions. “You
look like we came in to steal something.”

    She grinned self-consciously. “It just feels weird
getting food without watching a movie.”

     “People need a little weird in their life.” I spread my
hand over her back, curling my fingers around her side slightly. Her waist was
so fucking tiny.  

     “This is kind of exciting in a way.” Maya looked up at
me wearing a flush, eyes bright. 

     I hoped the excitement was more from my touch than from
getting popcorn. We moved up to the counter and I ordered a large popcorn with
butter, two sodas, and yes, a box of gummy worms. Maya said they were a
favorite of hers as well. Our likes were just piling up.   

     Back on the road we discussed art while eating the
popcorn and I was able to learn more of what she liked. It still surprised me
how easy it was to talk with Maya, and I was actually finding out that she was
more interesting than most of the guys I hung with. I loved hanging out with my
friends, but guy talk only went so far before it became mundane. 

     Twenty minutes later I pulled into Tommy’s, because he
was having yet another summer bash.

     “Wow! There are a lot of people here.” Maya exclaimed
in amazement at the multitude of vehicles.  

     “Tommy has some of the best parties. He even books live
bands for them.” I drove down his driveway and parked off to the side on the
grass with the other vehicles.

     “And wow again.” She remarked with surprise.

     Climbing out I met Maya at the back of the car. Then
before I knew what I was doing I grabbed her hand to lead her up to the house. Two
seconds later I realized what I was doing and nearly dropped her hand in shock,
because shit, I was actually holding a chick’s hand. But then I decided to go
with it because it would seem weird if I dropped it now…at least that’s what I
told myself.  

     Her hand was small and fragile in mine, but also warm
and soft. It felt nice. Maya also didn’t have those long-ass fake nails that
reminded me of claws. Hers were real but still had a slight tip to them that made
them ultra feminine. Everything about her seemed real.   

     I walked her around to the back of the house where the
party was. It wasn’t difficult to follow the noise of the crowd and band, but
it was also where he held each of his get-togethers. People were milling around
everywhere before we even reached the pool area, and I nodded to a few I knew
on the way. I didn’t miss the astounded looks thrown my way when they noticed I
was leading a girl into the party by her hand. Most people knew I didn’t bring
females to parties, and I also didn’t hold hands.

     “Landon, you made it.”

     I looked over to see Todd waving from a patio table by
the pool. Tara, his on again-off again non-friendly fuck, was sitting on his
lap. Tara’s moods were forever unpredictable; one moment she was a bitch, the
next she was psycho bitch. Todd always seemed to gravitate back to her every
other month. I’d asked him once why he kept going back and his reply had been;
‘he loved him some psycho sex’. In my opinion, no sex was worth having to deal
with that kind of crazy.

     There were several other individuals at the table with
Todd and as Maya and I walked up I saw them scrutinizing her with different levels
of curiosity. The guys all sat up in clear interest, while the girls glared at
her with narrowed eyed scrutiny. Distantly, I made out their looks of
astonishment at our clasped hands, and my blood heated from all their staring.

     I realized I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the guy’s
obvious interest, and I didn’t like the girls palpable jealously.

     Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

     “What’s up guys?” I greeted the table at the same time
pulling Maya in close to my side.      

      “The obvious, at sight of this scorching hot creature
next to you.” Fin, a soon to be ex-friend, stated with a leer. The girl sitting
on his lap gave Maya a nasty look at daring to look more beautiful than her.

     Bitchy girls, I sneered inwardly.  

     Normally, a remark like Fin’s would have gone right over
my head as insignificant because I didn’t give a flying fuck what my friends
said about the chicks hanging off me. However, Maya was different and anger surged
through me at Fin’s statement.

     Maya’s hand flexed slightly in mine and I heard her
murmur “Classy” acerbically under her breath.

     I felt an unexpected tug of humor through my anger. “Fin,
watch what you say around Maya.” My tone was cold.

     His brows shot up in incredulity. “Uh…okay.”

     Todd’s gaze tracked back and forth between Maya and me
and then our hands in skepticism. “I wasn’t certain if I would see you here
tonight, you said you had other plans.”

     I shrugged. “My plans and this party unexpectedly
merged. This is Maya.” I tugged her even nearer to my side. “Maya this is Todd,
Fin, Travis, and Conner.”

     She gave a small wave and a smile, but her expression
was guarded. “Hey, nice to meet you
all
.”

     The way she stressed
all
and elbowed me slightly
had me wondering if she was attempting to admonish me for not introducing
everyone at the table. That was cute. I had discounted the females during the
introduction because it was only Tara and three other girls that I vaguely
knew.

     “Maya huh…that’s a very unique and pretty name.”
Conner, the only one without a female in his lap, gave Maya one of his trademark
grins. His observation was also familiar as I’d said something similar to her.

     All these guys were players, the same as me, and
considered any girl up for grabs, but Maya wasn’t like all of the other girls
that trailed after me. First of all she didn’t trail after me like I was a fish
to be caught and mounted. Second…I didn’t want them anywhere near her. I still
had my doubts on whether she was putting on an act for me, but until I was
certain I found that I wanted to believe her.

     Maya was already plastered to my side but I maneuvered
her so she was slightly in front of me in an even more intimate hold while
scowling heavily at Conner. My hand settled on her hip and I felt a small
shiver go through her at the contact. Feeling it shot a bolt of heat straight
through me. I knew I was going a little overboard with my ‘staking a claim’
behavior, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.     

     “So Landon, where did you pick this one up at? Let me
guess, she was hanging out at the end of the drive hoping someone would take
pity on her.” Tara’s arm curled around Todd’s neck and she looked Maya up and
down with a spiteful curl to her lip.

     More anger rushed through me and I felt Maya stiffen
slightly against me. I was really starting to think that bringing Maya to this
party was a big mistake. Everyone’s customary behavior was pissing me off
tonight.

     Before I could ream Tara for her bitchy attitude, Maya
spoke up. “Actually he picked me up at the corner of Washington Avenue and Linden. It was either him or this balding middle-age guy. Landon’s car was cooler so I said
‘what the heck’.”

     I stared down at the top of her head in shocked humor.
I didn’t know she had that kind of witticism in her. She’d been rather
contained up to this point. However, it seemed when pushed she wasn’t afraid to
push back, and she did it in a way classier manner than Tara had. My desire for
her increased several more notches.

     The guys laughed, even Todd, while Tara’s eyes
narrowed. “I can totally believe that.” She sneered giving Maya another
dismissive once over.

     As fury continued to build in me I saw Maya’s head
shake back and forth below me and heard a small exhale from her that sounded
like exasperation rather than anger. I squeezed her hip reassuringly.

     “Tara, if you want to be invited to any other party’s
this summer you’ll keep your bitchy comments to yourself.” I gnashed between my
teeth.

     Once again shock covered everyone’s faces at my defense
of Maya. Typically, I didn’t give a shit what catty remarks were flung between
one chick and another. Before I would have been ‘let them go at it’, but I
wasn’t going to allow the witches here to spew their venom all over Maya.

     Tara was a first class bitch toward most of the females
surrounding me. She’d made a play for me once while on a break from Todd, but I
didn’t willfully dip my wick in my friends regular honey pots. Ever since I’d
noticed an increase in her attitude toward the women I’d choose for the night.
When I’d told Todd he’d just laughed and said he was surprised she hadn’t tried
it sooner.

     Todd didn’t jump to Tara’s defense, but then I knew he
wouldn’t. He did whisper in her ear and whatever he said caused her fake
injected lips to thin. That was probably another reason for her jealousy.
Maya’s plump lips were completely real.

     “Well, this was fun. I’m going to take Maya to get a
drink and then we’re going to go check out the band.” Tugging Maya by the waist
I pulled her away from table. “Sorry about Tara, she’s a bitch.”

     Maya smiled like it was no problem, but she looked
slightly confused. “It’s okay, it’s not like I haven’t run into them before.
So, uhm…are those close friends of yours?”

     “Todd’s my best friend and a teammate. Conner and Fin
are my teammates too and I hang with them frequently. Travis is another guy
from school that is part of our crowd.” I moved us through the mob of people
toward the bar, my hand still on her waist. I ignored the disbelieving
expressions, as well as the come hither gazes thrown my way, but was finding it
difficult to overlook the overt leering that was coming Maya’s way. Every one I
observed I returned with an unconscious glower. 

     “That’s the second time you neglected the females.”
Maya frowned up at me. “What about their girlfriends?”

     I sneered. “Those aren’t girlfriends, or even friends.
They’re just spoiled rich girls looking for a good time.”

     Maya’s brows arched. “Ohhh.” She said sounding
confused.

     Maya wasn’t part of our world so I doubt she understood
the intricacies of what went on in it.

     We finally made it through the throng of people
surrounding the bar and I ordered an import beer. “What would you like Maya?”

     She was looking up at me in astonishment. “I can’t
believe they didn’t card you.” She whispered.