He didn’t say anything, just skimmed my face with his cool, pale green gaze. I had a feeling he wasn’t missing a single detail, and I wondered what he was looking for exactly. Though I could barely breathe, being this close to him again, I took the opportunity to study him back.
Landon’s gaze dropped to my mouth, lingered there.
“What are you thinking?” I whispered, my heart picking up speed.
“I’m thinking I was wrong earlier,” he murmured.
“When you said I couldn’t stab you?”
He lifted his eyes to mine, amusement flickering through them briefly before they darkened again. “No. When I said we had nothing to worry about.”
My breath caught. I didn’t bother asking what he meant. I knew.
Landon lowered his head, blotting out the light of the stove behind him. I tilted mine back, meeting his mouth as it came down on mine. He tasted like mint and reluctance, a strangely intoxicating combination. His grip loosened, and I skimmed my freed hands up to his shoulders, fingertips clawing into the fabric of his white t-shirt. I parted my lips beneath his, inviting him in.
Instead, he broke the kiss, but he didn’t pull away. He leaned his forehead into mine, breathing hard. “This is a bad idea.”
“It’s not like we haven’t had it before,” I whispered.
“And look how that turned out.”
“It’ll be different this time.”
I felt his forehead scrunch against mine as his brows rose. “How so?”
I slid my hands to either side of his face, wondering what on earth I was doing trying to talk him into this. I should be pushing him away. It was dangerous. Still, I whispered, “Well, like we said. It’s only for three weeks.”
Landon groaned. “That’s your best argument? I hope you make a better doctor than you would a lawyer.” He still didn’t pull away though.
I could feel how much he wanted me. The barely controlled breath, the hard length of him pressing against my hip. I wanted him too. It had been so long since I’d been with anyone, and I’d never been with anyone like him. Maybe that was how it was with your first. I didn’t know. All I knew was that my second had been sweet, thoughtful, and disappointing. I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his clavicle. “It’s like Vegas,” I murmured. “What happens there, stays there. For the next three weeks, this apartment is Vegas.”
“That’s a better argument,” he murmured, his hands sliding up into my hair. He pulled my head back gently and stared down at me. “I’ve always loved your mouth.”
Landon wasn’t one for compliments, so this one stunned me.
“I dated a few French girls after you disappeared. All because their lips reminded me of yours.”
I frowned, some of the lusty haze clearing from my head. “Oh you did, did you?” I could hear how bitchy my voice sounded. Howjealous.
Landon didn’t seem to notice. He smoothed the pad of his thumb over my lower lip. “It was no good, though. They weren’t you.”
All at once, the haze descended again. He was all but admitting he had missed me. That he had looked for me in other girls but none had lived up to me.
“Didn’t stop me from trying to pretend for a while,” Landon went on. Then, suddenly, his voice changed. He dropped his hands from my hair and took a step back.
“What happened?” I asked, my breath still coming fast. I meant, what had happened just now. Why was he moving away? Landon answered the question like I meant what happened with the other girls.
“I realized I couldn’t recreate you. Trying was a waste of time. What I needed to do wasforgetyou. And I did a damn good job of that.”
Hurt lanced through me. “Well good for you. I had a harder time forgetting seeing as I was raising your child,” I snapped, not caring how unfair it was.
His eyes went deadly cold. “Don’t ever rub that in my face again, Cami, or you’ll regret it.”
I had no doubt he meant it. It was like I was suddenly looking at a stranger. Again, I heard Casey’s voice.
He doesn’t exactly look safe.
Though part of me wanted to apologize, the part responsible for self-preservation wouldn’t let me. Instead, I pushed past him and practically ran back to my room.