Page 36 of Bourbon & Bonfires

“Addison is actually dating Landon,” Minnie almost shouts and everyone looks at her before she shrugs.

“Oh really. Aren’t you ... a little mature for him?”

“Mature? Something you know nothing about. Why don’t you pretend to be a parent, Felicity, and leave us alone. Go now, shoo,” Ashton says, waving her hands dismissively. Just as she does an older woman walks in the diner with two children and Felicity turns on her heel and walks away without another word.

“Who was that? And how do I avoid her?” I ask. Everyone laughs, and Dakota is the one who answers.

“That is one of the most unhappy and bitter women I have ever met. She gets off on being horrible to Piper and Ashton. It’s almost like her hobby. The upside is they both dish it back just fine and keep Min and I entertained.”

“But, her mother is one of the nicest women in town. She owns a little shop on Main. We’ll have to go shopping there one day.”

“I’m pretty sure she just called me old.”

“You’re not old, and Felicity is ... well, she’s a cruel woman who only feels good about herself when she can cut someone else down. Avoid her and you’ll be fine,” Piper suggests.

Regardless of how much her advice makes sense, the jab at my age hits me a little where it hurts, and I remember my warning to Landon last night. The reality is, no matter how much he says he cares or wants to make things work, he’s the one making sacrifices to date me, and I stand to lose nothing. Well, except maybe my heart.

After breakfast, I run a few errands and am not surprised to find Landon and Mason on my couch in the middle of one of their epic gaming sessions. Last weekend Landon declared Saturdays to be the day of rest, which was actually code for hanging out and playing video games with my son.

I no sooner place the lunch meat in the drawer of the refrigerator when two arms wrap themselves around me from behind and wet kisses are left all along my neck. I’m only a few nibbles from my knees buckling and step out of Landon’s embrace before I embarrass myself.

“Come on, babe. You can’t really be mad. I didn’t mean to leave a mark. I was caught up in you; surely I get a pass for that. Or at the very least, you can accept some of the blame.”

“Shit. I forgot about that.” Rushing to my bedroom, I search for a sweatshirt or a scarf. Something to put on and hide the mark on my neck from the world.

“So, this is your room?”

I turn to find Landon standing in the doorway to my bedroom. Leaning against the doorjamb with one foot over the other, he looks casual and perfect. Hell, he’s even barefoot again. My heart is pounding; I can hear each pulse in my ears. I bite my lip to keep my tongue from hanging out of my mouth like a dog.

“You’ve never been in here?” I ask. That seems odd, but then again, why would he have been?

“Nope. It’s nice. Are you really mad?”

“What? I’m not mad. I forgot about it, and don’t want to explain this to Mason.” I walk to the mirror and stretch my neck to assess the darkness of the spot. “Besides, it’s bad enough I need to have ‘the talk’ with him. That’s a conversation his father should have with him. I’ve been in denial about it, but he’s almost fifteen and it needs to happen.”

“I’ll do it if you want.”

I stop pulling the sweatshirt on over my head at his statement. He’ll talk to Mason about sex for me. He’ll do what Dan isn’t around to do. What a father does. For me. Dammit, he’s too good.

“I’m a nurse, I can handle it.”

“Baby,” he says, walking toward me. I won’t lie. My heart leaps anytime he calls mebabeorbaby. Shit, when he calls meturnipI secretly love it. Dan never did that. He didn’t think nicknames served a purpose. I called himhoneyonce and you would have thought I called out another man’s name in bed.

“I know youcantalk to him about sex, but you’re right, it’s kind of a guy thing. If you don’t want it to be me, that’s fine, but you also know Taylor will step up. You have people to help you. Let us.”

I don’t respond with words. Instead, I fling myself into his arms, and when he catches me, he lifts me up, our faces level, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He’s right. I do have people here to help me. I have support and family. I have Landon.

“I’d appreciate it if you talked to him. I think he’d prefer that,” I say after my assault on his mouth.

“Consider it done. Now, how about more of this kissing while I hold you like this,” he says, cupping my ass with his large hands. I laugh and hear Mason shout for us from the front room, breaking the moment.

“Fucking little cockblocker. That’s going to be our first conversation about sex.”

We both laugh as I slide down his body until my feet hit the floor. He kisses me once again before taking the strings to the hood of my sweatshirt and pulling them a little. The movement tightens the hood, covering my neck better. Stepping out of the way, he motions for me to pass him and when I do, he smacks my butt and I yelp.

“Next time I’ll leave those marks where nobody can see them.”

And just like that, I’m wondering when next time is.

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