I edged back into bed and grinned. "Nope. Not me."
"Why don't I believe you?" he asked, nuzzling into my neck.
"Because I was totally involved."
Landon pulled me down on top of him and kissed me, slow and steady. Eventually, the medicine did its job, and the pain diminished. I liked to think that the kisses helped too.
By the time we'd eaten lunch and retreated back to the bedroom, I couldn't believe the time. It was already well past time that I needed to go see Emery. I'd promised her a girls' night. This thing with Landon was fresh, new, and shiny, and I wanted to succumb to it in every waking minute. Realistically though, that wasn't going to be possible.
"Oh my God, I have to go home," I told him, hopping out of bed and locating all my discarded clothes from last night. "I have a girls' night tonight."
"Don't go," Landon said. He eased back out of bed and wrapped his arms around my waist, drawing me in for another kiss. "Just stay one more night."
"I can't," I barely managed. "I promised Em."
"Have a girls' night tomorrow." His lips grazed my jawline, and he nibbled on my ear in a way that made me want to throw myself back in his bed.
"Can't. As much as I want to stay-"
"Then, stay."
"Oh, you are trouble."
"Yes," he agreed easily.
I removed his hands from my ass with a sigh. "You're making this really difficult."
"I never promised to fight fair."
I laughed. "That's for damn sure."
"When will I see you again?" he asked, following me to the door.
"I don't know. Tomorrow?"
"Good." His eyes lit up at that. "Tomorrow is a promise."
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I like that."
"Are you going to tell Em?"
"Yeah," I said with a sheepish grin. "Can't hide anything from her. Plus, anyway, she guessed what was going on back in December."
"Of course, she did." Landon tried to pull me back into him again. "You sure you can't tell her tomorrow?"
I smiled and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. "I'll miss you, too."
He finally released me, and I slipped out the door. He stood in the open doorway in nothing but his boxers, and it was damn hard to walk away from that.
That body.
Those abs.
That V!
Fuck, I wanted that body, and everything he was capable of doing with it.
Somehow, I managed to make it out to my car and even start the ignition. He stood there, smirking at me, in the most come-hither display I'd ever witnessed. It took so much self-control to back out of that parking spot and go home.
When I entered the house, Emery was sprawled out on the couch with Buffy the Vampire Slayer on for the hundredth time.
"You're back!" Emery said with a big smile. "I thought maybe you'd ditched me."
"Nope. I remembered girls' night. Just going to get into something a little more comfortable."
Emery hopped off the couch and followed me into my room. "Why are you wearing work clothes?"
"That's an excellent question."
"Actually, where were you anyway?"
"Also a good question."
I grabbed some pajamas and clean underwear before retreating into the bathroom without answering Emery's questions. I needed a moment to compose myself before dishing the goods.
When I came back out, she was sitting on my bed with her legs crossed under her like a pretzel. "Avoiding the questions much?"
"No," I said evasively.
"You got another letter today." She held up the same standard white envelope that I had been getting once a week for the last six years. I frowned and plucked it out of her hand.
"Thanks," I mumbled before stuffing it in my closet with all the other unopened letters.
Emery frowned. "Are you going to … "
"No," I told her with more force than necessary. "I'm not."
"K," she said quickly. She knew when not to press. "So, spill where you were and what you were doing. Or else I'll make you talk about the letters."
"Okay, okay," I said, holding up my hands in defense. "I was … with Landon."
"I KNEW IT!" she yelled. Emery jumped off the bed. Her smile was wide and her green eyes bright.
I laughed at her overreaction. "I didn't even say anything else."
"Well, you're finally fucking admitting to me that you're into Landon. I've been waiting for this for months. So, are you like together, together?" Emery asked.