Page 91 of Moth to a Flame

Regan

Silent. Other than thesoft sounds of the ocean, Landon’s house is silent.

That’s the first thing I noticed about it when I moved in here a week ago.

No traffic sounds or cars honking. No neighbors partying at night or over the weekend. Or maybe they do, and I just haven’t heard any of it. The walls here are thick. His land expands further than the mansion he lives in, so a few yards are separating them and us.

I don’t see them, either. It’s like Landon and I are alone in the world as we walk on the beach each morning.

He grumbles about not liking it still. I have no idea what that means, and I don’t push him.

I’m curious and I care.

And I love him enough to wait.

He’s been patient with me, so I offer him the same in return.

I get up from one of the armchairs, standing tall in one of the rooms overlooking the ocean. Stretch my arms over my head.I’ve been sitting here for the past hour, staring outside into the darkness while Landon’s worked in the den.

My limbs are sore. The space between my legs is more so. A smile tugs at my lips.

That’s why I’m here instead of there, where Landon is. This delicious soreness. How he can’t take his hands off me when he should be working.

Since he has free use over my body, I’m not allowed to deny him anything.

Except for meeting my parents.

Until Lester’s parole hearing is behind us, I don’t think I can be in the right headspace to tell them about my relationship with Landon. To anyone, really.

It’s hard to explain how one man—practically a stranger—can be controlling and wonderful all at once.

It’s even harder to explain why I never bothered with a background check. Why I trusted him blindly.

It’s hard, but not impossible.

When the time is right.

Until then, I don’t want them to worry about me living with this new man they haven’t even met.

But when they do eventually meet him, they’ll fall for him.

Just like I have.

As I stroll across the house, I reminisce about how all this started.

It’s crazy to think that a month ago, I was an entirely different person. There was this barrier that I couldn’t figure out how to take down. I had no idea what I’d find on the other side.

I certainly didn’t expect to find love. To fall headfirst for a man who brought me eyeballs. Who wakes me up with his head between my thighs and his tongue licking me to multiple orgasms.

Then again, I wasn’t supposed to get assaulted when I was fifteen. I wasn’t supposed to lose my uterus as a result of that brutal rape.

Regardless of how depressing that thought is, my lips remain curled up as I walk into the kitchen.

Landon has that effect on me.

He turns his head from where he’s standing near the oven. Looks over his shoulder, pinning me with his dark gaze.

He’s so beautiful, with his hair half up, half down, in nothing but gray sweatpants.

---