by Natalie Ann
“I’m not,” he argued.
“I don’t think you are, but she might feel that way. She mentioned the library a few times. Read between the lines. Get her a card. Pick out a few books, then bring them home and say if she isn’t interested in them, then you can go back together and pick out what she likes. Trust me, it should work.”
“How did you get to be so smart?” he asked.
“I went to college for two years for psychology. There aren’t any jobs in that field without at least a masters and I didn’t have the money to go on. I started to work retail and enjoyed it. But I always like working with kids too. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way we want.”
“Tell me about it. Or the way we plan,” he said, his hand reaching for hers. Okay, that was more than a friend move.
“So we make the best of it,” she said.
“I owe you,” he said.
“No, you don’t. I’m glad I could help.”
“I’d like to take you out. Just the two of us. What are your thoughts?”
She had a lot of thoughts but was keeping them close to her chest right now. “As friends?” she asked.
“More than that, if you want to risk it.”
“What made you change your mind?” she asked.
“I don’t know that it changed as much as it’s going back to what I really want. I guess I can’t put my life on hold until I get things situated with Chloe. That could be a long time and I’m not sure that’s fair to anyone. Least of all you.”
“It’s not about me,” she said, shocked those words were coming from her mouth.
How many times had she been told by her exes that she always thought it was all about her, even if she didn’t agree?
How many times had she tried to be the perfect girlfriend so the guy she was dating didn’t think she wasn’t worth it? Didn’t think she was full of drama, issues, or complications and want something better?
“I want it to be about you,” he argued.
There went her heart racing again. “I’d like to try for a date between the two of us, but I understand that you’ve got Chloe to think about.”
“I do. I’ll see if I can figure out something for a few hours.”
“Finn is working this Saturday night,” she said. “I’m sure Olivia wouldn’t mind watching Chloe. She’d do it for me.” She’d make sure of it since Olivia was the one who pushed this to begin with.
“I’ll check with Finn and get his thoughts.”
“I can mention it to Olivia tomorrow if you don’t mind.”
“Let me know what she says,” he said, then leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.
“I’ll make sure she says yes because I’d like more than a kiss on the cheek.”
Landon laughed. “I really like you.”
“Same goes.”
Real Kiss
On Saturday night, Kristen was walking around her apartment looking at herself in the mirror once again.
Olivia had gladly offered to watch Chloe for a few hours, and if she hadn’t, Kristen was going to guilt her into it. Especially after she’d pushed them together the previous Saturday at her house.
Well, that was wrong. There was no pushing, at least Kristen didn’t think so.
And Olivia was right—if she and Landon had run into each other months ago as she’d been hoping for, they might have been involved at this point and she wouldn’t have walked away when he found out about Chloe.
She was putting the horse before the cart, she knew. They were going on one date tonight.
They were attracted to each other.
She helped him out with his niece.
But that didn’t mean that they were anywhere near a relationship. Only in her dreams.
With a deep breath, she pushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears. She wished she had more body to the limp straight locks, but she did the best she could with it.
The same with her clothes and makeup. Years of feeling like she never measured up made her put the extra effort into her appearance. So much so, that she didn’t like the way she looked when she wasn’t presented perfectly.
Didn’t her father hate that her mother seemed to be an embarrassment to him? Did she think that about her mother too?
Funny thing was, swimming last weekend wiped away her makeup and yet Landon still asked her out. Well, she was standing there in a killer bikini, so maybe he was blinded by the slim body that matched her straight hair.
Whatever worked.
Her doorbell rang and she walked forward to open it up. There he was. Every time she’d seen him he’d been in uniform or dressed to teach a self-defense course, or in shorts or a swimsuit. She wasn’t prepared for the sight of him in dark jeans and a button-down shirt with a few buttons undone at the neck and nice dress shoes.
“Look at you,” she said, her eyes taking him all in. She didn’t care if he thought she was bold. After all, hadn’t she taunted him that she wanted a real kiss tonight and she sure the hell hoped she got it!
“I could say the same thing. That dress is killer on you.”
“I do try,” she said, giving him a little spin so he could admire her purple summer dress that clung to all the right places.
“I like a lady that tries. Are you ready to go?”
“I am. Where to?” she asked.
“I thought it’s a nice night, maybe we could go eat on the lake?”
“That sounds like a plan.”
They drove the short distance to Saratoga Lake, not talking about much in general. She wasn’t sure what was on his mind and though she wanted to ask about Chloe, she was afraid to start so soon.
By the time they were seated on the deck overlooking the water, she couldn’t wait anymore. “How is Chloe doing this week? Any better?”
“A little. I took your advice and went to the library and got her a card. I had some help picking out five books for her and brought them home.”
“What did she say?” Wasn’t that just so sweet he did what she suggested?
“She thanked me. Gave me a little smile that made it worthwhile.”
“Did she read them?” she asked.
“A few days went by and she hadn’t said a word. I’d seen her with one book in her hand. Gabby, her sitter, said she had another at daycare. I finally asked if she liked them and she said she was done.”
“She wouldn’t have told you herself?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. She is so timid around me and I don’t know how to fix that.”
“Time. I’m sure you are nervous around her about things too.”
“Hell yeah. You should have seen me trying to buy her a new bathing suit last weekend. She wouldn’t pick it out herself so I did. Then I didn’t know if I should go in with her and didn’t want to and scare her. She finally went into the changing room herself and I asked her to come out so I could at least see if it fit okay. That was traumatic, let me tell you.”
She laughed, picturing this big strong guy all nervous over how to handle that situation. “But you got through it,” she said.
“It’d be easier if she were a boy.”
“Life isn’t about things being easy.”
“Tell me about it. So let’s not talk about Chloe anymore. Let’s talk about us. I don’t want you to think Chloe is the only reason that I asked you to dinner.”
“Why did you ask me?”
“You know why. The same reason you’ve flirted with me the few times you’ve seen me.”
“But you never flirted back,” she said, tilting her head.
“Why put all my cards on the table at once?”
“I like you, Landon.”
He laughed. “So tell me more about yourself. You went to college for two years and then ended up in retail.”
“Money,” she said. “I couldn’t afford to go on and I wanted to work. I liked retail. I ended up working in a jewelry department at the mall for a big name department store. Then I was promoted to the department
manager there, but the hours were long and with the holidays it seemed never ending. I was young so I let it go, but it wore on me.”
“You are still young,” he said. “Younger than me, I’m guessing.”
“I’m twenty-eight. How old are you?”
“Thirty-five.”
“Well, I was younger and the hours weren’t as horrible as I thought at the time, but I had no life and all my friends were going out and partying and I was working. So I moved around to some smaller boutiques and such. I really liked the jewelry though.”
“Yet you don’t wear a lot of it,” he pointed out.
“I wear enough. My problem is, I’ve got expensive taste. Even working at Hartman’s I can’t really afford half of what I love.”
“Olivia does have the touch, doesn’t she?”
“She’s got a good eye for what sells and what sells for big money. Of course she’s been around wealth her whole life so she doesn’t know any differently.”
“Unlike us?” he said.
“Probably. I don’t know much about you.”
“I’ve lived here my whole life. My parents divorced when I was five or six. I can’t remember and I try to block it out. My mother remarried a few years later and had Jennifer. She was twenty-eight too.”
“I’m sorry about your sister.”
“Thanks. Like I said, we hadn’t talked in over ten years. Not since she left home at eighteen.”
“Why did she leave?” she asked.
“I’m sure she didn’t get along with my mother who was a difficult person to be around.”
“Did you?” she asked.
“Not really.” He leaned back when the waitress came over to bring the drinks that they’d ordered when they came in. They placed their food orders and then he said, “My parents fought bad. Not just verbally, but physically. Both of them. My mother would punch my father; my father would shove her. Not good memories to have as a kid.”
“Did they ever hit you?” she asked.
“Nothing more than the typical punishment for a kid. They really were more at each other’s throats.”
“Is that why you went into law enforcement?”
“I started taking karate as a kid. My father loved that I was interested. Instead of shying away from violence, I guess I wanted to be able to protect myself or at least control it more. I did it for years, competed in tournaments as a kid and so on. Went away to college at eighteen, then returned and joined the force.”
“How did you end up with your studio?”
“I missed the karate and thought it’d be a way to continue. Over the years I’d learned jiu jitsu too. Everyone on the force wanted lessons and the next thing I knew I was training local cops in neighboring cities and towns self-defense courses, different moves. It just evolved that way.”
“Sounds like it all worked out,” she said, smiling at him. This was the most comfortable she’d seen him.
“At times it feels that way.”
“And now you think it’s all going to fall apart?”
“No. Just change. I don’t want to leave Chloe alone, but I’m not around much. I bring her to the studio with me when I am working. Thankfully I’ve got other instructors to take on the bulk of the classes.”
“Does she want to learn?”
“I offered to show her some moves once I realized she was watching and practicing in her room. I think it scared her. But I’ve got a kids’ class starting up in a few weeks and Trey will be in it. I’m going to encourage her to try. I won’t teach it and I think she’ll feel more comfortable.”
“That’s sweet and it’s all about comfort right now.”
“It is. I guess we’ll get there. So enough about me. You didn’t tell me about your life other than how you ended up working in retail. How did you end up with Olivia?”
She laughed. “My mother. And my parents divorced when I was younger too. My mother is a little bit out there. The mother that every kid is embarrassed to be seen out in public with.”
“Why’s that?”
“She’s loud, crazy, nuts, and bold. My friends all loved it, but they didn’t have to live with her. Anyway, she works for Harper Construction and has for years. Olivia’s sister is married to Phil Harper so word of mouth got me the job. Or maybe wouldn’t have if Olivia hadn’t met me in person.”
He laughed. “Because she thought you’d be loud and crazy?”
“It’s not just my mother’s personality. It’s the way she dresses. Nothing matches, everything is bright and screams ‘look at me, did I make you laugh?’”
“Ouch,” he said. “Completely different than you.”
“Exactly.”
***
Landon was enjoying himself more than he thought he would.
He hadn’t wanted to spend the whole time talking about Chloe, but knew it would come up. It was hard to avoid it.
Dinner was nice, they had a great meal, but he couldn’t stay out as long as he would have liked either.
“You need to get back to pick up Chloe,” she said.
“I do. I wish I didn’t, but...”
“I get it. You’ve got responsibilities now.”
“I’ll always have responsibilities, but yes, it’s not just me anymore.”
“It will all fall into place,” she said.
“I’m sure.” They left the restaurant and climbed into his SUV. “How is it you’re still single?” he asked her.
“I tend to be attracted to guys with issues. They don’t always like to commit either.”
“And here you are with someone who has issues. Guess you don’t learn.”
She laughed and turned her head, squinted one eye and then said, “I guess not. But you don’t have issues. At least I don’t think so. Why are you still single?”
“Just been busy with life,” he said. “Not a lot of women like that I don’t put them first. And I hate to say, right now I’ve got someone else I’ve got to put first.”
He didn’t like thinking that and knew at this rate he would probably always be single. Especially when he saw her wince over his words.
“So why ask me out tonight then?”
“Because I realized that I can’t really put my life on hold anymore. I’ve got a child to think about. I can and will do it alone. I’ve got no problem with that, but it’s not healthy either. I talked to Lynn this week and she said Jennifer had it rough. That she was on her own a lot and never asked for help. I don’t want Chloe to have that life anymore.”
“So you want to try for something more than a friendship?” she asked him.
“I guess I am. That is if you want to get involved with complications and a child.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t thinking that might be an option.”
“Good to know.” He pulled into her apartment complex and walked her to her place. “I’d love to come in for a bit, but you know I should go relieve Olivia.”
She unlocked her door. “You need to come in unless you want my neighbors to see the kiss I’m going to give you. If you won’t make the first move, then I will.”
He followed her into the apartment, shut the door and had her back against it, his mouth hovering over hers. “I’ve got no problem at all making the first move.”
He lowered his head, his mouth to her lips. Not slow and tender. Not gentle or sweet.
No, his patience had been pushed to the limit just sitting across from her all night. Staring into her brown eyes that changed from amusement to concern to tenderness and understanding.
He couldn’t remember ever being with someone that showed that much emotion in one sitting.
It wasn’t just that though. Her body in that dress. The way she smelled. Her laughter.
Yeah, all of it was just winding him up and spinning him out like a plastic top on a linoleum floor and making him wish he didn’t have to end the night so early.
He slanted his mouth over hers, then her hands came up and gripped his head and held him
in place. Even with her heels on she was easily eight inches shorter than his six-foot-two- inch frame, but their bodies managed to fit close together just the same.
“Wow,” she said when he lifted his head. “You sure know how to kiss.”
“Same goes,” he said back and lowered his head again.
They stayed like that for easily ten minutes and his body was starting to run away on him. If he didn’t stop he wouldn’t be able to leave and the last thing he wanted to do was grab a quickie on their first date. It’s not like he hadn’t before, but he didn’t want to with Kristen.
“Okay. You need to leave before I won’t want you to go,” she said as if she read his mind.
“I know. When can I see you again?” he asked.
“You let me know your schedule and we will work it out.”
“I can do that.” He took a step back and opened the door. “Have a good night.”
“I will. You too. Tell Chloe I said hi.”
He left and drove to Finn and Olivia’s to pick up his niece. He could hear the laughter in the backyard where she and Trey were swimming and playing. The minute Chloe saw him, her smile dropped. It was a blow to his ego and shot to his gut and he wondered how he was going to get this to change.
“You’re back,” Olivia said. “I figured you’d be another hour or two.”
“An early night,” he said. “I didn’t want to push it too much. I appreciate you watching Chloe for me.”
Chloe climbed out of the water and grabbed her towel to dry off and then went into the pool house to change without being asked. “My pleasure. She keeps Trey company. I tend to bore him.”
“No, you don’t, Mom,” Trey said. Maybe someday Chloe would be as comfortable with him as Trey was with Olivia.
“Did you have fun tonight?” she asked him with a big smirk.
“You really want to have this conversation in front of the kids?”
“I suppose not.”
Chloe came back out. She was always fast to get ready. “Did you behave yourself?” he asked her.
“Yes.” Then she turned and said to Olivia, “Thank you for watching me and letting me swim.”
“Any time, sweetie.”
“Are you ready to go?” he asked Chloe. “Do you have everything?”