Page 69 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
“Yep,except for the shedding.” My skin has been flaking off and I feel like a damnsnake. We change the sheets every morning because so much rubs off in my sleep.I run my hand down my arm, peeling a long strip off and turn to Dare. “Wantsome Landon jerky?”
Dareshoves me away. “That’s fucking gross.”
“IsZoe cooking for Christmas?” Jeremy asks.
“Idon’t know what we’re doing yet. Ethan is going to stay with friends that week,so we may go away somewhere.” I haven’t broached the subject with Zoe yet, butI’d like to go somewhere warm, where we can spend the nights outside,stargazing, or maybe walking along the beach like we did in Panama City.
Thenext day, Zoe surprises me with an idea of her own.
Asshe approaches me, her face is plastered with the little smile she wears whenshe’s trying to get her way. It’s fucking adorable and it works way too often.In her hand is a brochure advertising the convention for XP sufferers in LasVegas. “It’s this weekend. Have you been before?”
Shesits beside me on the couch. “No, I don’t need a support group.”
“It’snot a support group! It’s a chance to meet other people who have the sameproblem and have some fun. They have nighttime activities, plus we can go tothe casinos.”
“Dareand the guys were hoping we could all get together, that maybe we could talkyou into cooking again like you did on Thanksgiving.”
Grinning,she opens the brochure. “We’d be back the day before Christmas. We can gettogether then, and I’ll make enough food for an army.” Her pleading eyes meetmine. “You’ve been isolated for a long time. I think this would be good foryou. Don’t you want to know how other people with XP cope, what newadvancements have been made?”
Anidea forms in my brain. “I’ll tell you what. We’ll go to Vegas and I’ll stop inthe convention, on one condition.”
“Noanal. You’re not fucking me in the ass. The answer is still no.”
Laughing,I tug her over to me. “Marry me. We’ll find one of those weird Vegas chapelswhere you get married by Elvis or an alien or something.”
Whoneeds the sun when my future wife smiles like that? “Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
“Franniewill kill me if she isn’t there,” she murmurs, considering it.
“Doyou want to invite her?”
Afterpondering another moment, she shakes her head. “No, I want it to be just us.Let’s do it.”
Sheshivers when I press my lips to her ear to speak. “And I will claim that plumplittle ass, Zoe. Someday soon, you’re going to give it me.”
“Don’thold your breath waiting for someday.” Her breathy reply holds littleconviction.
Ethanwalks in, interrupting, and we take the opportunity to tell him we’re gettingmarried in a few days. Like any teenage boy, he isn’t really concerned. Hepicks up the brochure and starts laughing.
“What?”Zoe asks.
“Justseems like a strange choice of city. Bring all the people who can’t toleratesunlight to the desert.”
Landonlaughs. “Kid’s got a point.”
Afew hours after dropping Ethan off at Colin’s house, Zoe and I are on a planeto Vegas. I’ve arranged for a suite in the same hotel where the XP conventionis being held and we settle in just as the dawn approaches. Zoe is surprised tosee not all of the activities they are holding will be at night, and I grin ather little scowl. “It’s Vegas, sweetheart. You can go from hotel to casino tohotel without ever leaving the air conditioning. Anything outdoors will be heldafter sundown.”
“There’sa concert Friday night,” she points out, handing me the itinerary.
“Sorry,but I have plans for you that night.” My arm wraps around her middle, pullingher to me in the center of the massive hotel bed.
“Doesit include me being chained to this bed?”
“Afteryou’re chained to me. The XP foundation also arranged for Frontier Place tohost a night show. It’s a western theme park built in an actual ghost town.They’ll have gunfights, bank robberies, and jailbreaks. I thought it would be afun place for you to pledge your undying loyalty to me.”
Hereyes widen and I have a moment of pure fear that she’s changed her mind untilshe replies, “I’m not promising to obey, and you’ll be pledging your eternallove for me. And promising to kill all spiders that cross my path.”
