Page 3 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
“AndI want to be ten pounds lighter and a million dollars richer. I don’t get whatI want, neither do you.” I’m being a bitch, but I’m not in the mood to dealwith another pushy male who can’t take no for an answer.
Afterhanding my money to the bartender, I make my way back to our table whereFrannie is cuddled up with a dark headed stranger. She always goes for thetall, dark and handsome type. “Zoe, this is Jeremy. We met last week when hedelivered a package to me.” The package she’s hoping to receive tonight isclear on her face, and I have to laugh at how outrageous she can be. It’s why Ilove her. We’re complete opposites.
“Niceto meet you,” I reply.
“He’shere with a friend. You should meet him.” Here we go again. Frannie isdetermined to find me a boyfriend.
“Herehe comes,” Jeremy says, waving to someone behind my back. “Landon, this isFrannie and her friend…uh.” He struggles to remember my name.
“Zoe,”I say reluctantly, reaching to shake his hand as he takes a seat beside me.Well, hell. It’s the ocean eyed guy who tried to buy me a drink.
“Zoe.”I’ve never been crazy about my name, but coming from his lips it sounds sexy.“That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thankyou. I got it for my birthday.”
Adimple appears in his cheek when he smiles. He really is attractive, with darkhair that curls over his ears and thick shapely lips any woman would love tokiss. “Can I buy you that drink now?”
Ishake my glass at him. “Still working on this one, thanks. Then I should begoing.”
“Dancewith me.”
“Isthat an order?” I snort. This guy really needs to work on his social skills.
Franniepulls Jeremy to his feet and grins at me. “Come on, Zo. One dance before yougo. It’s still early.”
Landonsmirks, and I want to kick him, but I agree to one dance, and we all head backto the dance floor. The man can move, I’ll say that for him. He grins at me andplaces his hands on my hips, guiding me to the beat. “So, do you hate men ingeneral, or did I do something to offend you?”
“I’mjust not interested in dating right now.”
Damn,though, the way he moves his body against mine makes me want to rethink thatdecision. The song switches to a slow sensual beat and he spins me around,pulling me back against his body. His chest and abdomen are rock hard, and Ilove the feel of them pressed to my back. They aren’t the only thing that’shard. He’s as turned on as I am. His scent fills my senses, fresh and cleanlike the forest after a storm, as his soft lips brush up my neck to my ear.
“Good,I’m not interested in dating either.”
“Gladwe’re on the same page,” I breathe, trying to remember why I don’t want thisman. His hand travels up my ribs while his other arm keeps me pinned to hischest. The second I turn my head to look at him, his lips land on mine. Smoothand full, they push every rational thought from my head, and his tongue wastesno time finding its way into my mouth, licking and tasting. He completelydevastates me with just one kiss, and the smug grin on his lips when we breakapart says he knows exactly how he affected me.
Myheart thrums as his lips travel back to my ear to proclaim, “I’m interested ingetting you back to my place and planting my face between those luscious titsbefore I bend you over my bed.”
Mybreath flees my body and I freeze, sure I must’ve heard him wrong. “Excuse me?”
“Youheard me, Ms. Difficult. I’ll make it good. Fuck you like you need. You’ll loveit. I promise.”
Takinga step away, I turn to gape at him. “Does that actually work for you? Tellingwomen you just met you want to fuck them?”
Asmirk twists his lips, and I want to smack the smug look off his face. “Prettymuch.”
Myphone buzzes in my pocket with an unfamiliar number, and I look up to seeFrannie waving Jeremy’s phone. Nodding, I wave to her and she grins, shakingher ass. We developed this little system since Frannie is no stranger to onenight stands. If she leaves with someone we don’t know, she calls my phone fromhis, so I’ll have his number. If she ends up chained in a basement, the copswill know where to look.
Iglare up at Landon. “My friend is leaving and so am I. Good luck finding awoman willing to overlook your crude mouth and lack of social skills.”
“Babe,my mouth can be crude in all the right places.”
“Charming,”I murmur, shaking my head as I push through the crowd and into the cool night.It only takes a moment to get a taxi and I settle back against the seat,closing my eyes. God, what a jerk. A rude conceited asshole. Who talks likethat to a woman they just met? Bend me over the bed and fuck me like I need.
Hiswords are still echoing through my head when I curl up in bed, though they havea different effect on me in the dark. That body. Those lips. I doze off anddream of the crude things his mouth could do.
* * * *
“Zoe,wake up.” Ethan’s grinning face is blurry when I drag my eyes open. “How muchdid you drink?” he asks, amused.
