Sinner (Shelter Harbor #1)(126)
It’s weirdly domestic doing this with Landon. We’re looking at kitchen layouts, thinking though entertaining spaces and where a TV would go, and weighing south versus north facing balconies.
As much as I’d never believe it, I’m having fun. Shockingly, Landon’s not so bad when he finally lightens up.
“Well, huh.”
We’re standing in the doorway to a master bathroom while Marcus, the realtor, calls ahead for another listing in the other room. A master bathroom with the world’s most ill-placed floor-to-ceiling, wall-width window.
Landon shakes his head, scratching his chin. “Well, it’s a hell of a view.”
I snort out a laugh. “For me, or for every single person on Market Street?”
He grins as he turns to me, leaning back against the doorframe as that smile creeps across those perfect, tempting lips.
“Certainly the latter.”
My face grows warm suddenly as my eyes dart to his.
They give nothing away.
He looks at me coolly, face neutral, eyes holding mine easily, and just the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. This is who he is - cool and calm, revealing nothing, giving nothing away.
I’m sure my face is the exact opposite. As cool and collected as I’d like to pretend I am in that moment, I know it’s not true. I’m sure the flush on my face and the way my lip catches between my teeth gives everything away.
Because that look is bringing everything back. That look is the same one from the street outside the bar that night in Houston. It’s that firm, iron gaze from later up on the roof of his hotel.
It’s the look right before he pulled me against him and slid his hands over my ass.
We’re close. Standing here in the doorway of the bathroom, we’re way too close together, and my breath is coming heavy, my heart pounding at a racing pace. My eyes land on his lips, his jaw, dragging up to those sharp green eyes of his.
The look holds, both of us frozen as the tension mounts around us. I can feel my stomach tightening, my mouth going dry as I lose myself in that look as he moves a half-step closer.
“Oh, yeah, that’s a weird feature isn’t it?”
The moment shatters at the sound of Marcus’s voice as he steps around the corner from the master bedroom. Landon moves back, and I turn, quickly and fastidiously examining the hardware of the sink faucet.
“You’d probably want some curtains there, else you’re going to give quite a show,” Marcus says with a chuckle. “Anyways, I just got off the phone with the owner of the Eleven Westlake place, and it’s free for viewing if we’d like to move locales?
I turn back, shooting a quick, flashing glance at Landon before smiling at Marcus. “Lead the way!”
I breeze past Landon as I follow the realtor back through the condo, ignoring the shiver that teases up my spine.
Ignoring the fact that I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away.
Chapter Twelve
Serena
“Wow,” I whistle as I glance over the preliminary player contract in my hands before looking back up at Landon. “Dalton Cole, huh?”
“You know him?”
I roll my eyes at the skeptical tone in Landon’s voice.
“You know, I might not know what half the contractual terms in this binder mean, but you’re going to have to get used to the fact that I do actually know football pretty well.”
Landon smirks, leaning back in his office chair and crossing his arms across his chest.
“So you’re all read up on the best arm to come out of Notre Dame in two decades?”
“Georgia,” I shoot back. “But nice try.”
He grins.
“He’s good,” I say with a slow nod, looking back over the quarterback contract in my hands. “That’s a pretty good pickup this late in the pre-season.”
“Yeah, well, not as good as the quarterback we had,” Landon says thinly, his brow furrowing. “But it’s a start.”
He’s talking about Holden Cade, the golden-armed QB that was employed by Denver until about a month ago when London stole him over to Houston.
“Heard he and your friend London are a bit of an item now.”
“That’s certainly one way of putting it. They’re engaged, you know.”
“Hell of a contract,” Landon says with a chuckle. He holds my eye and grins at me. “What do you think about this Cole kid? Think we can promise him Serena Roth’s hand in marriage to sweeten the deal?”
“Cute,” I say flatly as he grins and shakes his head. “Very cute.”
“Oh you think he’s cute? That’s great, Serena. Thanks for being a team player about thi-”
“Keep it up,” I mutter, bringing a laugh to his lips.