Lori sat up straighter. “I can take over the organization. You know, since I plan events for a living.”
“Excellent idea,” Landon said.
“What? No, you don’t have to go to all that trouble. I can handle it.”
“Baby, let Lori oversee this. Look how excited she is. You can handle me in all that spare time you get.”
“And that’s our clue that we’ve overstayed our welcome.” Lori rose to her feet. “Will and I will be going. I’ll call to talk about the birthday details. Take care of your girl, Landon.”
My cheeks warmed. Truthfully, my entire body did. I liked the sound of that. I liked it very much.
“Thanks for stopping by. And for helping with the party. You can still back out anytime,” I said as I walked them to the door. Landon was by my side, his hand firmly on my back. Once his siblings were gone, he led me to the couch, then shoved the cup in my hands.
“The sooner you drink it, the better.”
I pouted. “Why can’t it be pink?”
“You don’t trust me?”
“Oh, but I do.”
“Take a sip. First one is the hardest.”
Hardest might be an
understatement. It was terrible... and then it wasn’t. It left a bittersweet aftertaste, but I focused on the sweet part and took gulp after gulp until I emptied it.
“That’s my girl,” Landon said as I plunked the cup on the floor and then lifted my feet up on the couch. I’d barely noticed Landon move when I felt his hands at the back of my head, pressing his fingers into my throbbing skull.
“Ooooh, this is good. So good.” It felt even better when he peppered gentle kisses at the top of my head.
“Are you up for breakfast yet?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I really want you to keep doing that.”
I remembered last night crystal clear, even with the Slutty Marys on board. He’d been so loving.
When my stomach started to rumble, he said, “We’ve got to get some food into you, sweetness.”
“Okay. I already feel better.”
“Told you that cure is magic.” He left my side to mill around my kitchen. “I’ll make you some toast, and I saw jam in one of your cupboards the other day. How does that sound for breakfast?”
“Great.”
I loved seeing him as comfortable in my house as if it were his own. When he brought me a plate with toast, he also held out my phone to me.
“Your phone keeps making noise.”
I took the plate and the phone, discovering messages from Grace.
Grace: Morning. How’s your head? Do you still have Advil or should I bring you by some? Thought I’d message since I don’t know how your tolerance for noises is this morning.
Maddie: I’m all set up, don’t worry.
Landon sat on the couch, pulling my legs in his lap, scooting closer to me until my ass touched his outer thigh. Hmmm... if I shifted a little, I could even press my crotch against him. I wondered if I could do it without him catching on? He looked so delicious that I wanted to climb him.
He put the toast between us. Sharing a breakfast plate felt so intimate, and I’d become used to our coupley tendencies. A knot settled in my stomach. Nope, I would not go down this road. I was determined to focus on what Landon and I had now, not waste time with pesky questions about the future.