Page 26 of Down to One

"Do what?"

"Find the positive in your relationship, even when it feels like your parent would never, ever extend you that same courtesy."

He shot her another glance from across the truck. "Speaking from experience?"

"Let’s just say, your dad and my mom would probably really hit it off at a child rearing conference."

Landon laughed as he switched on his blinker to get off the highway. Katie directed him through the next few turns until they pulled into her apartment complex.

"This is where you live?" he asked.

"Yes, why?"

"This isn’t exactly the safest neighborhood."

"It’s not that bad. I like the few neighbors I’ve met, and I’m at work so much I’m hardly here anyway."

"Oh, so you’re coming in here alone at all hours of the night? Damn Katie, I just read about someone getting murdered no more than two blocks from here."

"Well my salary isn’t exactly putting the dent in the Mavericks’ bottom line that yours is. Right now, this is what makes sense for my budget."

She didn’t have any real attachment to the neighborhood, but she suddenly felt a little defensive. She pointed to her designated parking spot and unbuckled as he pulled in. The sexual tension had shifted to the regular kind, strangling Katie in the confines of the truck. She opened the door, and scrambled out. Landon reached the sidewalk before she did, his hands help up in apology.

"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. Please, just…don’t run off again."

The weariness in his voice twisted Katie’s insides. Either physically or on the phone, she had run from pretty much every interaction they’d had. Then she’d pried into his personal life and insulted his baseball skills, and reacted with nothing but rudeness to his kindness. Geez, why was he even bothering with her?

"I’m sorry too," she said. "For what I said about the game. For prying about your dad. Once I stick my foot in my mouth, I have some odd tendency to do it over and over instead of just shutting up."

"Don’t worry about it. Constructive criticism is not only to be expected, it should be sought. One of Dad’s favorite quotes. Forget your mom, you and him would probably get along just swell."

Now she really felt bad, especially knowing the soft spots of an over criticized child all too well.

"Landon, I didn’t mean to—"

He cut her off with a smile that went straight to his eyes. "Relax, Katie, I’m just kidding. C’mon, let’s go get those keys and I’ll give you a ride back."

During the short walk to her door, Katie resolved over and over to get in and out as quickly as possible. She knew exactly where the keys were and her apartment was tiny. She could be back at the door lickety split and they’d be on their way back to being professional colleagues who once had phone sex.

But then the door closed, hiding them from the world, and everything about him engulfed her. His smell, his warmth, his presence—they all swirled around her, convincing her that decidedly bad choices were actually good ones.

She’d just spent a week berating herself for getting into this whole situation with him. Promising herself she would maintain complete control no matter what happened when he returned. Yet here he was, standing inside her apartment, hair a beautiful mess, smelling like the best men’s deodorant ever made, and crazy thoughts were racing through her brain. What if she made the first move? What if she pulled his head down until their tongues intertwined and his hands sent shivers all over her body? She hadn’t even made it fifteen seconds in his presence and all bets were off.

chapter 12

Apparently only Katie had her head in the gutter. Despite their close confines, Landon didn’t appear to be thinking about sex at all. He brushed right past her and took a few long strides to stand in the middle of her apartment.

"Shall I give you the tour?" she asked.

"Uh, sure."

She spread her arms wide and gestured around, including towards the open door to the bathroom. "This is...everything."

She chuckled at her own joke because there was no other option. She’d lived in a big fancy house most her life and now she lived here, this tiny place she loved. She had way too many other issues in her life right now to be ashamed of what she could afford.

Still, considering the reported thirty-two million dollars a year Landon Ryan raked in, her entire place could probably fit in his living room. He gave it an endearingly positive nod anyway. "It’s nice. You’ve done a nice job decorating."

"Thanks," she said, biting back a smile because she found him slightly adorable. "Let me get that key."

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