Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (41 page)

     And now I was the one overwhelmed.

     Pulling away, I walked unsteadily toward the living
room to reclaim the chair. “Nola aside for a moment, can I ask you how that
time with my mother went?”

     When Brian had suggested they go off together I’d expected
Nola to come running at some point yelling that Nana was choking Landon. It had
been a long twenty-five minutes that I felt Brian had dragged his feet on.

     Landon sat across from me on the couch, a twist to his
mouth. More memories assaulted me as I stared at them; they’d been so firm, but
then so soft. I shook myself inwardly…
Snap out of it, girl!
 

     “Your mom let me have it, but I think we made a little
bit of a break through.” He stated.

     “What did she say?” I was worried that she might have
revealed a little too much about my breakdown.

     His gaze was intense at he stared at me. “She called me
stupid, hot-headed, impulsive, and then she said that while it would take some
time to forget what you’d gone through that she could forgive me. It was more
than I expected from her.”

     My eyes narrowed on him because he was being specific
yet vague, but then I doubted he would tell me if she was truly nasty to him.
Although, the fact that there hadn’t been any blood when Brian and I returned endorsed
the possibility of some kind of conciliation. I’d been working my mom for two days
trying to soften her to Landon’s side of things, maybe it had taken.

     Landon leaned forward setting his elbows on his legs.
“Your mom had a right to tear me new one. She was there and had to watch and
worry as you went through everything.”

     The intensity of his gaze was setting me on edge and my
eyes flickered away as I tucked my legs under me in the chair. “It was a hard
time, but everyone goes through them. I believe I came out a stronger person
for it,
and
I got something precious from it. Don’t let her guilt you
into taking anymore blame, Landon. It’s the past.” My gaze came back to his at
that with a steadfast pointed stare. 

     His gaze shifted away this time. “I hate that you
missed out on your scholarship. You were more excited than anyone I knew about
your future career as an interpreter, and the possibility of traveling.”

     I smiled. “Who’s to say that still won’t happen?”

     His head tilted back to me with interest. “Are you
still planning to go to college?”

     “I’ve been thinking about it; maybe when Nola starts
school.” I admitted. “But I wouldn’t be doing any traveling, not with Nola. I
couldn’t leave her, and I won’t haul her around with me. That was no lifestyle
for a child.”

     He grinned. “Can I say that I’m pleased about that
without sounding too selfish?”

     I tilted my head smirking back. “Yes.”

     His gaze warmed and seemed to travel my features, and
then moved down my body. I drew in a breath as it became almost like a touch.
His posture abruptly stiffened and glanced around the room. “So you’re a
realtor?” He asked, voice husky.

     I breathed out shakily and nodded. “I got certified a
couple months ago.”

     He frowned. “What were you doing before that?”

     “When mama got fired she started her own cleaning
business. After Nola was born I began helping her with that. At first it was
her, me, and two other ladies she’d hired on. We cleaned several businesses in
the area. That’s how she met Brian. We cleaned their office building. After she
married him she retired from the cleaning part but still owns the business, she
just manages now. Brian and Greg convinced me to work toward the agent thing
and I did while continuing to work for mama. I got my license five months ago.”

     Landon was leaning forward, arms on legs, and a frown
on his face. “Your mom looks happy, and you all seem to get along great with
each other…even you and Greg.”

     The way he said Greg’s name had me thinking that Landon
was still having a problem with him. Well, he needed to get over whatever the
problem was. “Mama’s very happy, and we do get along great. Brian and Greg are
wonderful people and have treated us like family even before we were officially
a family.”

      His frown indented further. “That’s great.”

     My spine stiffened with pique. “Your frown says
differently, Landon. What’s your problem with Greg? I know you two had a bit of
a hormonal exchange the other day, but you are going to have to forget that and
start over with him the next time because he is part of my family now.”

     “It was not a
hormonal exchange
.” He scowled in
offense.

     “Whatever it was you have to rein it in next time.” I
rejoined, holding back a grin at his umbrage. It was a statistical fact that
men were more hormonal than women, but they’d go to the grave opposing that
fact. 

     “If the guy gets in my face again I won’t be
responsible for my actions.” He grumbled, and then mumbled something after that
I didn’t hear.

     “Landon, you better not start any fights with my family.”
I exclaimed angrily, uncurling and planting my feet on the floor.

     “Are you seeing that guy?” Landon burst out tightly.

     I frowned at the question. “What are you talking
about?”

     “Are you dating him?” He bit out.

     My brows shot up. “No! I told you, he’s my
stepbrother.”

     “That guy wants to be more than your stepbrother.” He
declared with irate mockery.  

     My face heated at the truth of those words, and
Landon’s scowl darkened. We sat silently for a moment and I watched Landon’s scowl
fall away to moroseness.

     “I should probably get going. It’s getting late and you
have work tomorrow, and I have classes.” He stood up and made his way toward
the door. My heart dropped at seeing his glumness…and at seeing him leave.

     The fact that I was feeling these things made me
realize that it was probably a good idea that he leave. I stood to follow him.  

     He slipped on his shoes and coat and grabbed for the
doorknob. My heart pinched that he was just going to leave without any further
goodbye. But then he suddenly turned to face me with an apologetic expression.

     “Sorry about getting hormonal on you.” He said with a
twist to his lips.

     My heart instantly lightened. He’d always been able to
do that. It was like he had a direct line to my emotions. “It’s okay. While
girls have PMS four days out of the month, guys have it twenty-eight days. All
I can do is give you a pass with a handicap like that.”

     He rolled his twinkling eyes. “You and your crazy
theories.”

     “Just cause they’re crazy doesn’t make them false.” I
retorted.

     Gaze sharpening Landon stepped closer and lifted his
hand to tug some hairs behind my ear. “When can I come again?” He asked.

     His nearness completely flustered me and my words
stumbled out without thought. “I…you can come over whenever you want…I mean, I
have a pretty flexible schedule because I work from home so Nola and I are here
most of the time, except when I’m out showing a house or have another
appointment. As long as you call, give me some notice that you’re coming. We
should probably talk more in-depth about schedules and visiting and stuff…”

     My ramble came to an indistinct halt as my breath ran
out. The rest of it was caught in my throat as his finger continued to stroke
over my ear. I had to forcibly keep my eyes open and not close them while
purring like a cat at the sensations he was invoking. The urge to lean into him
and feel all that hard, hot muscle was nearly overpowering, and another thing I
had to restrain myself from doing. 

     His heated gaze moved from my ear back to my eyes. “I
want to take Nola indoor swimming next weekend. I didn’t promise her, but I did
sort of suggest that I would take her. Does that sound like a doable plan? You,
me, and her?”

     It was getting really difficult to not lean forward.
Where his lips coming closer? “Yes, that sounds doable.” I whispered in a daze.

     The heat in his eyes seemed to double. “Good…okay
then.” Both his hands came up to cup my face…my heart paused…his lips
were
coming closer. They brushed softly over mine and I gasped in shock at the hot electrical
current that shot through me. Landon groaned and set his cheek to mine as my
hands came up to grip his biceps tightly. Urgent desires slammed through me and
I had to use all my willpower to not follow them.  

     Four years disappeared as the feelings I had for him
rose up inside like a tidal wave. They say love and hate were two sides of a
coin. My love for Landon hadn’t anywhere to go when he’d dumped me but to turn
into hate. Now I no longer had any reason to hate him and the coin was spinning
crazily.

     “I’d better go.” His breath whispered over my ear
making me shiver.

     I swallowed and nodded shortly. “Yeah…okay.”

     He pulled back slowly staring down at me. “Is it okay
to come over tomorrow?”

     I repeated the nod.

     His thumb caressed over my cheek once before he stepped
back. “I’ll be over at six and I will bring the food this time. It’s only
fair.” He declared gruffly. The next second he turned and was through the door,
closing it behind him.

     I stumbled forward and set my forehead on the door,
closing my eyes in astonishment.
Oh. My. God!

∞                   
∞                    ∞

     “He’s coming over
again
?” Greg grumbled irritably.

     I sighed wearily and Gabby, sitting on the couch across
from me in my living room, raised her eyebrows. I’d pulled away from Gabby
after the rape, from everyone, and then moving away had put further distance
between us, but we had reconnected after Nola was born, when I returned to a
better frame of mind. I’d divulged what had happened to me and Gabby had cried
buckets on my behalf.

     At that same time I’d found out that Gabby was also
pregnant, with Andrea. Gabby’s life had gone through a little bit of an
upheaval herself. She’d gotten pregnant toward the end of senior year. She’d
graduated and then her and Lon had married. They’d moved to Charlottesville
where Lon’s cousin had gotten him a job working construction. Gabby had a
license in cosmetology. 

     We’d slipped back to being best friends like no time
had passed. When I’d told her about Landon’s side of the story she’d been
stunned, and surprisingly angry on both our behalf’s. She’d thought that Landon
and I had been jipped on our happily ever after, but then she’d always been a
bit of a romantic.  

     I’d pointed out that Landon and I had been young and
that there was no guarantee that we would have had one, and she’d replied that
now I had a chance to find out.

     I couldn’t help ruminating on that notion. Was it
possible? It didn’t seem possible with everything between us; his brother,
Nola’s parentage, his parent’s in all probability hating me, and that was just
the obvious issues. Like an iceberg there was more under the water, and if it
could sink a ship then we probably didn’t stand a chance.   

     “Greg, how can you say it like that?” Gabby frowned.
“It’s like you’re saying Landon shouldn’t be spending so much time with his
daughter. I think it’s great that he’s wants to see her every day. All men
should be so devoted.”

     It was Friday and Landon had been by every day since
the family dinner on Sunday. He would come by between five and six and stay to
put Nola to bed. After she went to bed he’d stay for about another hour and
we’d talk; talk about Nola and the top layer of our lives for the past four
years.

     He hadn’t kissed me again, but it was heavy in the air
between us. I could see the heat in his eyes when he watched me. I knew my eyes
were giving off a similar fire, and my nerves were continually on edge whenever
he was near. The fact that he was touching me every chance he could didn’t
help. They were casual touches; my arm, shoulder, or back, but each contact of
his hand felt anything but casual.

     Greg scowled. “I’m just worried that he’s going to
integrate himself into Nola’s life and then get bored by it all. Then where
will you both be?”

     I appreciated Greg’s concern, and couldn’t deny that it
was something I worried about. “That’s something that could happen with any
father or mother, but I don’t think Landon will do that.” I argued.

     Gabby snorted. “Yeah, the statistics of father’s, and husbands,
leaving their families is atrocious. It was something Lon could have done, but
he didn’t. And Landon could have just offered her monetary support, but he
pushed to be Nola’s father when…” Gabby pressed her lips together and looked at
me anxiously.

     A pang shot through my chest but I gave her a smile
letting her know it was okay.

     Greg sat down in the other chair, frowning. “Has he
made any steps to find out the truth?” 

     I shook my head. “No, he hasn’t mentioned it at all.” I
was a little confused on that. I would have thought he would have made
immediate plans to find out.

     He leaned back, looking pensive.

     “Maybe he doesn’t care?” Gabby offered softly.

     I gave a half shrug and glanced over my shoulder at
Nola and Andrea on the floor playing together. “He seemed to really want to
find out in the beginning. What if he’s afraid to find out? What if he has this
deep down feeling that if he finds out he won’t feel the same about her?” My
stomach churned as my concerns burst forth.

     I turned back around to find Greg frowning and Gabby giving
me a sympathetic look.

     “Maybe he wants to strengthen the bond just to make
sure himself?” Gabby suggested.

     I nodded dimly at the possibility. “I watch him watch
her and the affection and wonder on his face squeezes my chest; it seems like
it couldn’t possibly get any stronger.”