Page 71 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
Awoman gestures for Charles from across the room and he gets off the bar stool.“It was nice to meet you, Landon. Don’t forget about the pool party tomorrownight.”
“Willdo,” I mumble. Yeah, not happening. My gaze travels around the room and all Ican see are deformities, tumors, bloodshot eyes. Things I may have to lookforward to at some point, no matter how well I take care of myself. I need toget out of here.
Zoemakes her way towards me, all smiles, and I throw back the last of my drink,grab her hand, and practically drag her to the door. “Landon, what’s wrong?”
‘Ican’t be here.” She doesn’t question me until we’re back in our room.
“Whathappened?”
“I’mgetting a vasectomy,” I tell her, and her expression goes from confusion toconcern.
Shesits on the couch, but I can’t sit still. Watching me pace like a madman, sheasks, “Did you just come to that decision?”
“I’veconsidered it for years, but…damn, Zo, didn’t you see the kids? Tumors and skinlesions.” My hands run through my hair, probably adding to the madman effect.
“Yes,I also saw them laughing and playing like typical children.”
“Childrenwho likely won’t make it to adulthood before dying of cancer!”
“Stop,”she orders, grabbing my arm and pulling me onto the couch with her. “Landon, ifyou want a vasectomy, I have no problem with that. They’re reversible anyway,if you ever change your mind, and as I said before, adoption is always apossibility, but I don’t think that’s what you’re really freaking out over.”
Herhands are soft as they cup my face. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Itcould be me, probably will be me someday. You don’t realize what you’re gettinginto.”
“God,you’re an idiot.”
Imust’ve heard her wrong. “What?”
“Idiot.You’re an idiot if you think I don’t know what could happen. Anything couldhappen. To you or to me. A boulder could fall on me and paralyze me for life,or I could lose both of my arms in a car accident and you’d have to spoon feedme every day. Anything can happen, but we can’t live in fear of horribleoutcomes we can’t predict. Neither of us knows the future or how long we have,so I choose to embrace the incredible possibilities of what our lives togethercould be like.”
She’sright. I am an idiot. Without a word, I slide a hand behind her neck and takeher soft lips with mine. She lets out a little moan, and I take the opportunityto slide my tongue into her mouth, licking and tasting with a slow steadyrhythm that drives her crazy. When we finally break apart, I rest my foreheadon hers. “I love you so fucking much, Zo. I’ve never felt like this before.You’re perfect.”
“I’mnot perfect. I’m messy. I leave my clothes on the floor. I use your toothbrushwithout asking when I forget mine. And I’m sure you’ll find a hundred otherthings I do that you’ll hate.”
Pullingher into my lap, I hug her hard, burying my face in her neck. “You’re perfectfor me.”
“Andyou’re everything I never knew I needed. The only person to ever love mewithout judgment or conditions, so stop worrying. I’ll love you no matter whatbattles you have to fight with this disease or how it affects this gorgeousbody.”
Witha sigh, she settles against my chest like she usually does, in the place thatfeels like it was made for her to rest. My hands thread through her hair. “Youuse my toothbrush? That’s kind of gross, sweetheart.”
“Youput your tongue in my mouth and my pussy,” she giggles.
“Andwhen did we start living in the Wile E Coyote universe where a boulder can fallon you?”
“Itcould happen. Haven’t you ever driven down one of those roads with the FallingRocks signs? I mean, really, what am I supposed to do with that information?”
Thiswoman never fails to make me laugh or drag me out of a dark mood. My stomachgrowls and I realize we never had dinner. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving,room service?”
“Howabout we go to the restaurant downstairs, then to the casino?”
She’son her feet in half a second, an excited grin on her face. “I want to play theslots!”
“Giveme a minute to put some sunscreen on,” I tell her, grabbing it out of mysuitcase.
“Sunscreen?We aren’t going out.”
