Page 20 of Crusher

“Crusher.” His one-word greeting is firm, unlike the tone he had just a few moments ago. I hear soft murmurs on the other end of the line, but he doesn’t say much to the caller. “Gimme two minutes. I’ll be outside,” he grunts before hanging up and turning to face me. His shoulders drop when he cups my cheek with his left hand. I want to lean into his touch, but I don’t allow myself the indulgence. “I have to go. Club business.”

I know what that means. He explained it to me the first night we met. I didn’t think much of it at the time because I didn’t think it mattered. That it was something that didn’t apply to me because I didn’t plan on being around.

Looks like I was wrong about that.

I should be glad to see him go. Get some distance between us so I can think clearly again. This man clouds my judgement, makes me do and want things that are out of my comfort zone. But when I’m with him, everything feels right. And that scares the shit out of me. I’m sad he has to leave, but I don’t say anything as he follows me to the living room. Then I glance at the mess we made and panic comes rushing back, worried that Kyle will see what we’ve been up to.

Appearing to pick up on my anxiety, Landon grabs my wrist and tugs me to him. He gives me a sexy smile before bending forward to kiss me. “Rain check on breakfast. Looks like you need a minute to pick up anyway.”

I narrow my gaze at him but he laughs, kissing my forehead as his lips linger on my skin longer than necessary.

“I promise I’ll do the cleaning next time.” His assurance eases the tightness in my chest and my tense muscles marginally relax.

I walk him to the front door, where he pauses to turn back to me.

“One more thing before I go.” Landon gently places both hands on my face and kisses the fuck out of me. Just when I think my knees might buckle, he pulls away to land me with a serious glare. “I will be back, Sadie, so don’t try to run. You and me? We’re doing this now.”

I pinch my lips together, internally fighting his declaration—the same one he’s made more times than I can count. Then, he slams his mouth to mine, forcing my lips apart with his tongue before slipping it inside to massage against mine. My head scrambles to find the words to tell him that this is too much, too fast. But they don’t appear. Instead, I let him kiss me like it’s the last time he ever will. And if that turns out to be true, I’ll never forgive him for it.

Or myself, for that matter, because I let him in.

Landon pulls back and I lean forward, wanting more of his taste. “I’m never gonna stop coming for you.” And with those parting words, he opens the front door and slips through before closing it behind him.

7

SADIE

Idrop Kyle off at soccer practice, waving as he exits the car. He glances back at me, but doesn’t return my gesture. Ever since Landon left this morning, there’s been an awkward tension between my little brother and me. He hasn’t brought anything up, but I can tell he wants to. And I don’t even know where to begin to try to explain that story.

I never really planned for this, the whole me meeting a guy thing. I knew it would happen eventually, but I thought it’d be when Kyle was older. Much older. And I certainly didn’t plan on Landon crashing his way into my life. Literally. I thought he’d be a one-and-done.

Clearly the man’s determined to prove me wrong.

Now that he’s here, I don’t know what to do. My heart and my body say one thing, but my brain says something else. I know I’m just scared. I mean, who can blame me with everything I’ve been through? And to top it all off, Kyle is upset and it makes me feel worse.

“Fuck this shit,” I mutter under my breath before reaching for my phone and dialing Tessa. She picks up on the third ring.

“Hey, babes! What are you doing?” Her upbeat tone already eases the stress I’m carrying in my shoulders.

“I’m coming over,” I tell her, hoping she doesn’t have other plans or put me off.

“Perfect. I was just about to start cleaning and now I don’t have to.” She laughs, and I laugh with her.

Cleaning calms me down because it gives my hyperactive brain something to focus on and a sense of accomplishment once I’m done. But Tessa hates cleaning, avoids it like it’s the plague. Until she absolutely has to do it before someone deems her house a dump site.

“Good. I’ll be there soon.” I disconnect the call and toss my phone onto the passenger seat before pulling out of the parking lot.

A quick ten-minute ride has me parking in her driveway before I glance up to see her front door swinging open. My best friend steps onto the porch with two coffees in her hands, dressed in her usual weekend yoga pants and hoodie combo.

I smile as I walk up her front steps. “This is why I love you,” I profess, plucking one of the coffees and following her inside. We head straight for the kitchen, where we each take a seat on the stools at her breakfast bar.

“So, what’s up?” she asks, pivoting to face me while taking a long sip of her drink.

“Nothing, maybe? I don’t know.”

Where do I fucking begin?

“O-kay…” she drags out. “I could be wrong, but I think I see a post-sex glow on your face. You don’t have your usual bitchy scowl.”

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