Page 52 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
“Ihave complete faith in you.”
Cuppingthe back of my knee, he bends my leg and sinks deep inside me, proving my faithwas well founded.
* * * *
Afterchecking in with the boys, Landon takes me to a Mexican restaurant a few milesaway. Small and cozy, it overlooks the ocean. It’s perfect. We’re seated on thepatio by a smiling waitress who doesn’t fail to run her gaze over Landon everychance she gets. Instead of being jealous, I just nod at her. I completelyunderstand. I can’t keep my eyes off of him either. And dressed in a pair ofdark jeans with a blue fitted T-shirt that makes his eyes appear to glow, nowoman has a chance.
“Whatdid you do today?” Landon asks, popping a tortilla chip in his mouth.
“Wespent most of the day on the beach. I kicked some ass in volleyball.”
Hisfingers brush a strand of hair from my cheek. “You’ve got a little sun on yourcheeks. You look lovely.”
Howcan this man drive me insane one minute, then grab my heart the next? I lean togive him a soft kiss. “I spent some time lying in the sun and reading an actualnovel for once and not a textbook.”
“Good.You need a break. Did Ethan and his friend have a good time?”
“Couldn’twipe the smiles off their faces. They’re at an arcade now, but I told them tobe back in their room by midnight.”
“So,you’re mine for the night?” he asks, a mischievous grin settling on his face.
“Yep.You’re stuck with me. Any ideas what we could do all night?”
“Oh,I have plenty of plans for you later, but first, I have a little surprise foryou.”
Thatremark prompts me to eat a little quicker, which makes him laugh. “You have nopatience, do you?”
“Absolutelynone.”
Laughing,he pays the check and leads me down the road. “Do we need a cab?” I ask.
“Nope,it’s only a few blocks away.”
Thenight air is cool and refreshing against my sun kissed skin and Landon’s armslung around my neck feels so comfortable, so right. I take a moment to justsoak it all in, imprint this beautiful night on my memory. If there’s one thingI’ve learned, it’s that you need the thoughts of times like these wheneverything goes downhill and you’ve forgotten what happiness feels like.Walking with Landon, the smell of salt in the air, the whole long night aheadof us to do as we please…this is happiness.
I’mled to a giant building, and I turn to grin at Landon when I see the name ofthe place. “You brought me to an aquarium?”
“Theyhave a special exhibit on the evolution of the whale. I know how you love thatnerdy sciency stuff.”
“Sciencyis not a word,” I laugh, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. “We’d betterhurry, it closes soon.”
“Notfor us. I arranged for a little private time.”
Mymouth falls open. “Private time?”
“Inabout fifteen minutes, we’ll have the place to ourselves.”
ChapterTwelve
Landon
Brightexcited eyes land on mine, and I chuckle at her exuberance. Zoe is beautiful onher worst day, but when she’s happy, she exudes a glow that encompasses everyonearound her. I don’t think people even notice sometimes, but when she’s happy,it’s contagious, and the whole room seems to brighten.
Hergaze travels over the exhibit with open fascination. I don’t know half of whatI’m looking at, but I know science—and especially evolution—is her passion.“That thing.” I point at a picture of some creature. “Is seriously ugly.”
Herarm hooks through mine. “That’s a Pakicetus. It’s the most basal whale. Theyexisted about forty-eight million years ago.”
“Whalescome from that? It has legs. Could it even breathe underwater?”
