Page 113 of Only With You

C. “Vermilion.”

I continue to press the single keys, but when the song progresses, the colors change like he said they would. I try to envision what he sees, while I try to keep up with the colors he’s calling out. They’re also extremely specific, so I’m doing my best to imagine them all.

Thankfully, it seems to be different shades of pinks with a few hues of red, so it’s not that hard to imagine. But it’s hard to focus, because the deep tenor of his voice keeps distracting me, and every so often, I feel the heat of his eyes on me.

When I reach my favorite part of the song, where it crescendos, I still. My fingers still above the keys, but the musicnever stops, because Landon runs his fingers over the keys in legato.

I stare, dumbfounded but amazed, at how fluidly and mesmerizing he plays. He executes each key, never faltering or missing a note. I’m genuinely in awe, watching him play with elegant precision.

“H-How?” I can’t take my eyes away from his fingers as they move gracefully. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things, but this is different. There’s something enchanting about watching him play. Kind of like Haptic.

“Remember I told you I have the ability to remember everything? I’ve heard you play this song.”

Right, of course. I just didn’t realize that meant he’s also gifted.

Wow.Wow.

Landon pauses, his leg rubbing mine. “Play with me.”

“Maybe you should just play. I’ll just?—”

“No, I want you to play with me. You lead, I’ll follow,” he encourages, and before I can tell him how badly I’ll mess it up, he circles his arm around my back and pushes me up to stand. “Come here.” He ushers me between his spread thighs and hauls me back to sit on his firm lap.

“Is this okay?” The deep rasp of his voice fuels a flame at the base of my spine. Then I feel his cool breath fan my bare, hot shoulder, and I shudder, and the flames spread.

I wet my dry lips. “Yeah, this is okay.”

“Come on, play with me,” Landon repeats and grabs my wrists, placing my fingers on the keys. “You were doing so well.”

The praise oddly feels like a shock, the good kind, and I snap out of it. We continue playing as if we never stopped and true to his word, I led and he followed.

As we play, every so often, my back grazes his chest, his arms brush mine, and his breath fans my shoulders in a way it feels like a kiss.

I can’t think of much other than how nothing has ever felt more intimate, more intense, more arousing. I know I should end it here because we’re nearing the end of the song, but I don’t.

When I feel his lips on my shoulder and his beard scratch my skin, I softly sigh.

My heart accelerates as he plays like his teeth aren’t occasionally nipping me.

I want more and I need more, but before I can ask for it, his phone vibrates in his pocket. He ignores it, but when it goes off again, he stops.

Landon clears his throat. “I should take this.”

“Right, yeah,” I get up, adding space between us, because my mind is going manic, and I’m having a hard time breathing.

He answers and groans, scrubbing a palm over his face. “Are you kidding me? No, Jayden, I don’t want tacos right now.” He pulls his phone away from his ear. “Everyone is going back to the house. They’re probably drunk as shit, but they want to know if you want to go over and eat tacos.”

I consider it, but I don’t miss the wrinkle in his nose when he says drunk. He doesn’t just dislike alcohol, but he has a disdain for it and I’m sure they’ll be loud, and that’s not something he probably wants to deal with.

“Tell them I’m good, but thanks for the invite.”

Landon relays my message then hangs up. “Want to keep playing?” I nod and we take a seat and he looks at me. “What do you want to play now?”

“Ever heard of ‘To Build a Home’?” I press the first key and I’m not surprised when he follows immediately, without missing a beat.

33

LANDON

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