Page 14 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
Ipull into Landon’s driveway right on time, and he’s just coming from thebathroom, his hair soaked and a towel wrapped around his waist when I letmyself inside. Christ on a cracker, I forget how gorgeous he is. His usualtight tee shirts show he’s built, but it’s nothing compared to seeing thoserippling muscles dripping wet and—fuck me—he’s got those v lines running downhis hips.
“Ahem…Zoe?”I’m met by an insufferably smug smile when I glance up. Shit. How long was Ijust standing there, lost in the fantasy of whipping that towel off andclimbing him like a jungle gym?
“Ummm…sorry,”I mumble. “I let myself in.”
“Don’tapologize. That’s why I gave you a key.”
“Right.”With no thought about where I’m going, I turn and head into the living room.“I’ll just let you get dressed.”
Hefollows me and leans against the living room doorway. “It’s not like I’m naked.The big guy is covered. Does this make you uncomfortable?”
Hissmile taunts me and I can’t let him know it makes me feel way more thanuncomfortable. With a shrug, I make my way past him. “Hey, if the little fellaneeds some air, it doesn’t bother me. I’ll start your laundry.”
“Little!”he scoffs, following me again.
Isort a load of colors into his machine. “Stop following me. And if you eventhink of taking off the towel to prove me wrong, I’ll rub Deep Heat in everypair of underwear you own.”
Laughing,he shakes his head. “You wouldn’t.”
“Neverscrew with someone who washes your clothes or handles your food.”
Istep back from the machine and into a solid wall of damp skin and muscle. Hotbreath flows across my neck as he murmurs, “Only one problem there, sweetheart.I don’t wear underwear.” With a chuckle, he walks away, leaving me to try toslow my heart rate back to normal.
Whythe hell does he affect me like that? I’ve been with good looking men before,hell, I have a date with one tomorrow night. I hate it that he can get under myskin like that. He’s nowhere in sight when I return to the living room tostraighten up. The guy can be a slob. Two empty beer bottles wait on the coffeetable and a pair of socks lie on the floor. A small scrap of red lace falls tothe carpet when I pick up the throw blanket from the couch.
Panties.I guess I know what happened here last night. I hurry to toss them into thewasher with the rest of the clothes, then go check the kitchen. Other than afew dishes, it’s still in good shape. Landon saunters in wearing his usualjeans and fitted tee shirt. “How do you feel about cooking?”
“It’sbeneficial and keeps you from getting food poisoning.”
“Veryfunny, smartass. I hate to cook and I’m getting sick of take out. I’d like you tomake dinner through the week. I’ll add a few dollars per hour to your wages.”
Stunned,I turn to see if he’s just screwing with me. Fifteen dollars per hour if I’llalso make a few meals? The way he says it, like money has no meaning or valueto him, kind of makes me sick. He wouldn’t feel that way if he had to struggleevery day to eat and pay rent. Sometimes, he comes off as a spoiled rich kid,and I have to remind myself he’s been really good to me. There’s no reason tothink he’s like that.
“Deal,”I reply. “Any requests for tonight?”
“Somethingthat will leave me with leftovers tomorrow?” he suggests with a shrug.
He’swell stocked with groceries after my trip yesterday. “Lasagna?”
“Soundsgreat.”
“I’llget started on that, then. Do you know what you’d like me to work on tonight?”
“Theguest rooms could use some help. They’ve been closed off since I moved in. I’llbe in my office if you need anything.”
“I’llbe fine.”
Thefridge is stocked with a pan of lasagna and some sub sandwiches when I finallyleave for the weekend.
Ethantexted me earlier to say he’s spending the night at Zach’s, so my apartment issilent when I let myself in. At least we have hot water again. I brieflyconsider calling Frannie to see if she wants to go out, but curling up on mycouch with a book and a package of cookies sounds much more tempting. I’m overthe hill at twenty-three. Oh well, I do have a date tomorrow night.
WhenI climb into bed a couple of hours later, I think about my upcoming date. Jasonis cute, and he seems really sweet, so why does Landon’s face keep seeping intomy daydream? The man is infuriating.
Despitemy intention to sleep in, I’m wide awake early the next morning. I take theopportunity while the house is quiet to get some studying done and finish writingmy paper for Anatomy class. A really detailed account of the digestive systemand how it functions. Ugh.
Ethanshows up just before lunchtime and we head to the mall. “I have a few hundredsaved, Zo. I can get my own stuff,” he says as we make our way through theSaturday crowd of teenagers.
“SoI’ll get you a few things you need and you can buy some of those horribleJapanese cartoon t-shirts.”
