Page 161 of Snap Shot

“You're an angel.” Landon curls further into the couch. “My sweet, sweet, angel baby.”

The stupid grin I wear doesn't leave my face while I collect a knot of ginger from his fridge and grate it into a small pot of boiling water. I strain the tea into a mug, squeeze a splash of lemon juice and add a pinch of turmeric before stirring in a spoon of honey.

Landon whines. “Am I gonna die?”

“You're not gonna die. How are you more dramatic when you're not feeling well?” I shake my head and hand him the mug. “Here, drink this.”

He takes a noiseless sip and sputters out a cough. “Why is it spicy?”

“Just drink it. It's ginger tea. It'll clear all that congestion right up.”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so.” Retrieving a small container from my briefcase, I poke around the kitchen drawers for cotton twine and cheesecloth, ordering him to a steamy shower after he finishes his cup.

We meet outside the bathroom. I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing newly-showered, shirtless Landon.

“You were right,” he confirms. “Cleared the snot right out.”

“You sound better already.”

“Cleared the whole system out, actually.” His hands wave in circles above the defined abs cutting across his stomach.

“Thanks for the visual.” I toy with the item in hand, hiding it in my palm from a brisk sense of embarrassment.

Landon gazes at my fist. “Whatcha got there?”

The makeshift necklace with a tiny satchel pendant hangs from my middle fingers.

His eyes squint in curiosity.

“It's a desi herbal cold remedy. There's ajmo—ajwain seed inside the pouch. You wear it around your neck and breathe in its smell.”

He takes a step closer. Warm hands guide mine by the wrist. “Put it on me.” When I slip the string over his head, he gathers my fingers between his and keeps them on his chest. “Will you stay until I fall asleep?”

“Okay.”

Landon lowers his torso between my legs, the weight of his head resting against my belly, toned biceps on my thighs as his arms tuck under the pillow I recline on. Fistfuls of his damp hair airdry as I finger-comb through it, massaging the scalp until we're both lulled into a deeply relaxed state. He intones an exhale when my hands drop to his naked back, nails lightly scratching up and down in languid strokes. “Fuck.”

Hard muscles ripple as his goosebumps rise to my fingertips. Landon moans into my hip. “That feels so fucking good, baby. I love this.” He groans out a low, sleepy hum. “Can you stay forever?”

I shush him, but my heart stops. It restarts with a new heaviness.

When his soft snores replace long breaths, I go home with a crack in that stupid heart of mine, more sure of what I want from him than when I got there, and less sure of what the hell I'm supposed to do about it.

Chapter 41: The Sweetest Secret

Landon

It's No Nut November and I hate myself.

As if tensions weren't high enough in the locker room, I have to deal with Wade's shit-eating grin and Derrick's disappointed glare when I shove my IOU slip into the glass NNN jar. Explaining myself after the Diwali incident had gone nowhere. They still think I'm fucking myself over.

Fletch whistles and claps a hand on my back. “Damn, brother. Fiftyk?You couldn't save a wank for three weeks?”

I jostle him off. “You're one to talk. You dropped ten on November third. At least I lasted seven days.” Our playful elbowing gets more and more aggressive until I've got him in a headlock on the floor.

Wade strolls by. “Now, now, boys. You both have big dongs. Calm down.”

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