Page 38 of Finding Lord Landry

On themouth.

It started off hesitant until he pressed closer and deepened the kiss. I made an embarrassingly desperate sound in my throat before grabbing him by the back of the head to keep him from pulling away.

I knew Kenji had never wanted us to kiss because he’d wanted to keep things very clear regarding what we were (and weren’t) to each other—hookups, not lovers. Definitely notinlove.

It hadn’t worked. At least for me.

The kiss I’d given him in New York before he left had been born from my fear that, in addition to him leaving, he would also move on to someone else.

But now, he was here in my arms and in my bed again, kissing me voluntarily. I wanted to know what it meant, but there was no way I was going to end it prematurely to ask questions.

A loud knock on the door made us both jump and pull apart.

“Sir? We’re preparing to land in London,” the flight attendant called through the door. “We need you to buckle into a seat.”

Kenji glanced at me as he climbed out of bed and began pulling on his clothes. “Why London? Did you need to get back to your family?”

I was trying to wrap my head around the fact we’d practically slept the entire flight away without realizing it. There was so much I needed to explain. “Yes… and no. We left from London. That’s where the Winthrops live. And… and I kind of owe Jim a favor for including you in the rescue.”

I didn’t take the time to explain that the favor Jim had asked of me involved reconnecting socially—and very publicly—with my fellow peers in an effort to spread the good word about Winthrop & Meyers investment management over the next few weeks.

Kenji ran long fingers through his hair to straighten it. “As much as I want to go home and sleep in my own bed, I’m not sure I want to turn right around and spend another ten hours on this plane.”

“You don’t have to. We’ll go to my place. I can introduce you to my dad.” I watched his reaction.

“Really?” Kenji’s face softened into a smile. “I’d like that.”

I swallowed. “But there’s something you need to know first.”

Kenji moved past me and opened the door to the bedroom. “I already know about the Alzheimer’s. It’s okay.”

I opened my mouth to correct him, but he’d already walked out to the main cabin, and I had no choice but to follow.

Once we got there, Jamie Winthrop’s eyes caught mine. I could tell by his expression his father had explained who I was.

I grabbed Kenji’s elbow in an effort to pull him back into the bedroom, but the words were out of Jamie’s mouth before I could prevent the catastrophe.

“Everett Davencourt. Fuck, I had no idea!” He grinned like we were all in on the same joke.

Except it wasn’t remotely funny.

And we weren’tallin on it.

“You mean Landry.” Kenji chuckled lightly, though his forehead crinkled in concern, maybe wondering if Jamie was confused after their ordeal. “This is Landry Davis, Jamie. The man I told you about.”

“This is… No way!” Jamie laughed. “Everett Davencourt is your stupid boy? Holy shit, you look different from our Eton days!” He reached out a hand to shake and shot me a genuine, friendly smile like he wanted to put aside our schoolboy animosity or, worse, reminisce about it.

I gave him a half-hearted handshake, my stomach in free fall. “Stupid boy?” I repeated under my breath, feeling the familiar sting of Kenji’s rejection.

Kenji narrowed his eyes and hissed, “Everett Davencourt? FromEton?”

He dropped into the seat across the aisle from the Winthrops. I took the seat beside him like a man approaching the gallows.

Jim’s and Jamie’s eyes moved between the two of us like they were watching a tennis match. I shot Kenji a look, silently begging him to save this conversation for a private moment. He closed his eyes and inhaled as if trying to seek patience from deep within.

“Is there an update on San Cordova?” Kenji asked, opening his eyes and looking at Jim as if the name debacle had never happened.

Jim glanced between us before giving an update. “The San Cordovan government has rescinded their exemption, which means they’re now requiring the safety measures to be put in place before allowing the mine to return to operation status. Half the tourists will be released in the next twelve hours—including anyone in need of medical treatment—and the other half are scheduled to be released when the representatives from the mining company land on the island and sign new contracts. That’s expected to happen tomorrow.”

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