Emma came barreling out the front door and down the stairs, she lost her footing and toppled head over heels landing face down in the grass. Landon moved like lightning to her side expecting the floodgates to burst open, but instead she looked up at his face and burst into laughter.
“You have to learn to slow down missy,” Mason scolded.
Landon helped her to her feet and spotted the skinned knee and dark grass stain on her pretty party dress. Seeing what he saw, her lip started to quiver and her eyes welled up with tears.
“Hey, no tears, Uncle Landon to the rescue,” he thumbed over his shoulder. “Climb aboard little lady.”
The pout disappeared as she quickly jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his forehead and digging her heels into his side. “Giddy up LaLa.”
“LaLa should have worn a kidney belt, take it easy kid,” Landon joked, running up the front steps.
There was no other little girl’s room quite like Emma’s. Pink, pink and pink, like the bubblegum fairy had exploded in there and anything that had been missed had been heavily coated with a layer of Pepto Bismal. Landon understood what Mikala meant about the bears. With the latest addition there was no more room on her bed, he wondered where she would sleep and laughed to himself.
“Let’s get you out of this dress and soak it in the sink before that stain sets in.”
Landon opened her closet, his eyes widened when he saw the assortment of dresses and shoes. “Do you honestly wear all these?”
Emma looked at him with a puzzled tilt of her head.
“Would you like to wear this one?” he asked, taking the oddball powder blue sundress from its hanger and directing Emma into the washroom.
Emma shrugged, “Okay.”
Landon lifted her onto the counter and wet a face cloth. Ever so gently he cleaned her knee, searching in the medicine chest for a bandage and antibiotic ointment and applied them.
“Uncle LaLa?”
“Yes?”
“Can I live wif you?” she asked, with an ever present serious expression.
Landon smiled, “Why Sweat Pea?”
She pouted and looked away. “I not think mommy and daddy like me no more.”
“Hey!” Landon dropped to his knees and lifted her chin until her sad eyes met his. “Mommy and daddy love you more than anything, why do you think they don’t like you?”
“I’n not loud to say, it’s a stupid secwet,” she snorted.
“Oh,” said Landon.
As tears trickled down her cheeks, Landon’s heart tugged, he took the corner of the towel and wiped her eyes, only for new tears to spill from her eyes. It was a battle he would not win unless he helped her deal with her dreaded problem.
“You can tell me Sweat Pea, Uncle Landon promises not to tell anyone,” he offered to listen, and watched as she struggled with what to do.
“Not Uncle Cawl needer, okay?”
“Cross my heart,” he said, crossing his fingers over his chest.
She leaned into him and cupped her tiny hand at his ear and whispered, “Mommy gots a new baby in her tummy.”
Her head dropped to his shoulder and she sobbed her little heart out. “Mommy and daddy not want me no more.”
Landon held her tight, allowing her her moment of heart broken princess drama.
“You done yet?” he asked, moving her back and brushing her hair from her face. “Let’s get you cleaned up, we can’t have your party guests seeing you teary eyed with snot running from your nose.”
She giggled and patted Landon’s cheeks, as if he needed soothing.
He washed her face and patted it dry, helped her into her dress and searched in the drawer for her hair brush. Once he located a suitable hairband, he brushed her hair into a ponytail and secured it. Lifting her into his arms, he took her to the rocking chair in the corner of her room and sat with her on his knee. It took him back to all the times he spent rocking her to sleep, feeding her and watching her grow into the little lady whose heart was breaking in his arms at this very minute. She was the closest thing to a daughter he had or ever would have and he loved her dearly.
“Sweet Pea you listen to me, okay?” he said, as she nodded and snuggled into his chest, her tiny fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt. “Mommy and daddy love you to the moon and back and just because mommy’s going to have a new baby doesn’t mean for a minute that they don’t want you. They have enough love for you and a new baby too. Don’t you want a little brother or sister?”
“No,” she sounded adamant and Landon laughed.
“You know what happens when a new baby comes?” he asked.
“No.”
“You get to spend more time with me and Uncle Carl,” he announced.
Emma sat straight up with a huge grin. “Yeah?”
“And,” Landon continued as her eyes brightened, “we can go to the park and the zoo and watch Frozen and eat popcorn and drink Kool-Aid.”
“Gween?”
Landon laughed, “Yes baby, green.”
“Can we go to Chucky Cheese?”
Emma laughed at the sour face look Landon used. “Chucky Cheese, do we have to?”
“Please, Uncle LaLa?”
“How can I resist that face?” he asked, and looked to the doorway when a throat cleared.
“Emma Elisabeth Grace,” Mikala said, with her arms crossed over her chest. “Have you been telling secrets?”
Her bright green eyes widened into that attempt at innocence she managed so well with Landon, and she looked to Landon to save her.
“We’ll be right with you mommy,” Landon said and shifted Emma on his knee and reached into his pocket bringing out a tiny pink box. “I haven’t given Emma her birthday present yet.”
He winked and Emma smiled.
Opening the box for her, Landon held it in her sight and watched as her mouth opened into an O and her tiny fingers lifted out a silver charm bracelet. A single heart shaped charm was inscribed with an E. Landon fiddled until he had it on her and she held it up and jiggled it.
“Wow!” she cried.
“What do you say?” Mikala prompted her.
“I love you Uncle LaLa,” Emma said, climbing up his chest and smothering his face with tiny kisses until she was breathless.
“Thanks, that’s not exactly what I meant,” Mikala said with a laugh.
“This will do,” Landon said. “I love you too baby girl.”
“Emma, you’re missing your party, off you go,” Mikala helped her off of Landon’s knee. “Mommy wants to talk to Uncle Landon.”
Emma yanked on Landon’s sleeve and he leaned forward, she put her tiny hand to his ear and whispered, “Secwet?”
“Secret,” he winked, and she left satisfied with his answer.
“What was that all about?” Mikala asked.
“Duh! It’s a secret,” Landon scoffed.
Mikala moved Landon’s arm and sat on his lap, taking his arms and wrapping them around her hips.
“Speaking of secrets,” Landon hugged her. “Do you have something to tell me Princess?”
“I know a little girl with a very big mouth,” she scowled.
“Don’t be mad at Emma,” Landon warned. “She’s worried you don’t want her anymore, she thinks your replacing her with a new baby.”
He raised a brow and waited and when nothing more came from Mikala he continued. It was funny how speaking to a five year old was less difficult than a grown woman.
“She asked me if she can come live with me and Carl.”
“Well my little button looked happy enough just now, what did you tell her Lando? What words of wisdom did you share with my little girl?” she glared.
“Take it easy,” Landon said. “All I told her was that you guys love her and if a new baby came along one day, she could spend more time with us, that we’ll do lots of fun stuff while you’re busy…Just make sure you let her know she’s not being replaced.”
“Of course she’s not,” Mikala
huffed. “By the way, we’re pregnant.”
“Really?” Landon exaggerated surprise, which earned his a chest slap. “Ouch!”
“When are you due?” Landon asked.
“October,” she said, and held his face in her hands. “It’s a boy.”
“A boy,” Landon recited.
“We want to name him Marco Steven,” she eyed him. “Would you be okay with that?”
Landon sat quiet for a long moment. He was not surprised that they chose Steven, he was at one time someone special in all their lives, but Marco was a surprise.
“Marco was my father’s name,” Landon pointed out a bit melancholy. “It’s very Italian, something you’re not.”
“I know,” she said. “Mason said your father was a great man.”
“He was,” Landon conferred.
“Then it couldn’t be a better choice of name, I want him to have a strong powerful name.” she said. “So is that a yes?”
“Yes,” Landon hugged her and then leaned her back. “So little man, this is your Uncle Landon, you’ll get to know me real fast cause I’m going to talk to you every day and drive mommy crazy…by the way, you have the coolest big sister in town, she’s gonna help me teach you the ropes.”
“Dear God,” Mikala laughed.
“Speaking of teaching, I wanted to ask you,” Landon started. He stood and plunked Mikala on her feet and walked into the small hallway. “I’d like to start training Emma in self-defense.”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you fucking serious?” he spun on his heals to face Mikala, his brows were held into a tight frown. “She has to learn how to handle herself,”
“She’s five years old,” Mikala scoffed.
“The best time for her to learn is while she’s young,” he took Mikala’s hand. “Would you rather I teach her now, or after something happens?”
“Landon Kyle, are you trying to scare me?”
“If that’s what it takes, then yeah.”
Mikala thought for a moment and drove her fist into his bicep.
“Fine,” she pointed her finger in his face. “But don’t turn my little girl into Rambo.”
Landon threw his head back and laughed at the top of his lungs. Emma came tearing up the stairs and yanked at his hand.
“Uncle LaLa, I want banilla cake, you gotta come too!”
“I’m coming Sweat Pea,” Landon lifted her into his arms. “Do you know who Rambo is?”
“Landon!” Mikala scolded.
~Fifteen Years Later~
“Officer?” Landon asked.
“Do you know why I pulled you over sir?”
Landon shrugged. “Do I have a tail light out, I know I wasn’t speeding officer, I can’t think of what else it could be.”
“Step out of your vehicle please, and keep your hands where I can see them. You too passenger.”
“Sure thing officer,” Landon said, releasing his door handle and holding his hands at shoulder level while he slid down from his truck.
“Did you want my driver’s license officer?”
“No.”
“Then I can’t think of what you want,” Landon smiled as Carl came around the back of the truck and stood at his side.
“Just this,” she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed her cheek to his chest.
“This is behavior unbecoming an officer,” Landon scolded.
“I’m off duty Uncle Landon,” Emma grinned into his face.
“How’s it going, Sweet Pea?”
She hugged Carl around the waist and he kissed her lovingly on the forehead.
“I’m taking the detective exam next month,” she said proudly. “I didn’t want to tell you over the phone.”
“That’s great!” Landon gave her a long hug. “Does your mom know?”
Emma cringed and made Landon’s notorious sour face. “Not yet, I’ll invite mom and dad over for dinner on the Friday night and break the news, be prepared for a phone call.”
“Right Ace, you go ahead and try to prepare for the reaming out you’re about to receive, you’re a dead man when Mikala gets her hands on you,” Carl full-belly laughed.
Landon let out a growly moan. “She’s going to rip me a new one, you know this?”
“Sorry Uncle Landon,” Emma nudged into his side. “I’m so excited, will you help me study?”
“You bet I will, just tell me when.”
“Mom’s not going to happy.”
“Don’t worry about it I know how to handle your mom.”
“By the way, we finished renovating the club,” Carl told her, conveniently changing the subject.
“Maybe you better not tell me too much,” she warned, legal issues disturbed her. She didn’t want her Uncles in any kind of trouble.
Landon tweaked her cheek. “Not to worry baby girl, Passion is now an upscale romantic restaurant and the escort service was eliminated years ago.”
“So what’s happening with Pulse?”
“Pulse is still a dance club, it was your mothers dream and we want to keep her dream alive. We just classed it up a little, added a wine bar flare with a fresh new younger look. We cater to a classier clientele now,” Carl laughed.
“Yeah, no more raunchy neon and blasting music, we even have a pianist that comes in twice a week for the more mature, sophisticated crowd.”
“Are you saying you’re getting old my darling Uncles?”
Landon dropped his chin and raised a single brow. “You’re not too old to go over my knee kid.”
“Assaulting a police officer?” she laughed. “I better get going, I’ll see you two at Sunday dinner,” she stood on tip-toe and Landon leaned down for a kiss, as did Carl.
“Be careful out there, Officer Reed,” Landon advised.
“Yes sir, Uncle LaLa,” she said.
He smiled and watched with pride as his Sweet Pea strolled back to the black and white police car at the rear of his truck and waved before climbing in.
Carl wove his arm around Landon’s bicep and rested his chin on Landon’s shoulder. “Our little girl has grown up.”
“That she has,” Landon said. “Come on we have posters to order, an ad to get to the paper for the grand re-opening, as well as a major party to plan.”
***
Standing in the street, the boys watched as the installers changed the signage above the door. The swirling neon tubes that simply read Pulse & Passion were now replaced with a sign that read Feel the Pulse & Taste the Passion bar and restaurant.
“Perfect.”
“You’re happy with it then?” Landon asked, throwing his arm across Carl’s shoulders.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Carl smiled. “We chose the perfect direction for the club, this is what people want now not all the noise and dramatic atmosphere, they want charm, sophistication and excellent food.”
“Is everything ready for the party tonight?” Landon asked, as he took Carl’s hand and led him inside.
“Yes sir,” Carl lifted his check list. “We have enough food to feed an army, enough booze to sink a ship and not one rsvp came back marked no thank you. Everyone is coming, absolutely everyone.”
“Scary shit.”
“We only have a few hours, we better go get ready,” Carl said, closing the door and turning the sign that said closed for private party by invitation only.
“Shower, Babes?” Landon asked, licking a trail from the nape of Carl’s neck to the lobe of his ear and giving it a nip.
“Mmm…”
“I certainly hope that was a yes,” Landon pulled him into the elevator and hit three. “Did you know that there’s one place where we never did the deed?”
“How romantic is that thought? The deed,” Carl snorted.
“Sorry,” Landon said, shoving Carl’s back into the corner of the tiny room. “Make love.”
“Better.” Carl brushed his fingers through Landon’s hair and closed the gap between them, caressing Landon’s lips with his own
. “So tell me, what place?”
Landon’s eyes spanned the confines of the elevator. He gave Carl a naughty grin and clamped Carl’s ass cheek roughly in his palm.
“You have to be joking,” Carl snickered. “It’s too small in here.”
Landon shook his head, reached back and hit the red button on the panel. The elevator came to an abrupt halt and Landon pushed his arousal against Carl’s zipper.
“We can start in here, finish it up in the bedroom and go for round two in the shower.”
“I like the way you set out the sexual itinerary, very hot!” Carl slowly unbuttoned Landon’s shirt and slipped it off his shoulders.
The floor was littered with their clothing as Carl knelt on the pile and wrapped his lips around Landon’s length, weaving their fingers together and sliding up and down while Landon groaned. Landon’s head dropped back banging off the wall, he closed his eyes enjoying the feel of Carl’s mouth, ignoring the sting in his head. Landon hauled Carl to his feet and dropped to his knees, cradling Carl’s balls in one hand and stroking his cock with the other. Licking the pre-cum from the head of Carl’s cock, he smiled up at Carl and ran his bared teeth up his length. Carl’s hip flinched back and he growled.
“Baby!” he warned Landon, with a yank to his hair. “Two can play at that game.”
Carl grasped Landon’s chin and forced his cock between his lips until the tip of his cock touched the back of Landon’s throat and he gagged. Landon’s eyes watered and narrowed into a gratified glare. He was into the rough stuff, he liked to play the dominant to Carl’s submissive. He liked it raw and dirty. Carl after all these years craved the kind of kink Landon offered. Sex between them had never grown boring or lacked the spice it had from day one, in fact it only got better the more they explored each other.
“Oh, you’ll pay for that,” Landon wiped the moisture from his eye with the back of his hand and gave Carl a cheeky grin.
Landon punched the panel and the elevator jerked into motion, making its way to the top floor, the door slowly slid open.
“Bedroom, now!” he growled.
With his arm around Carl’s waist Landon backed him out of the elevator, across the kitchen and down the hall where they stumbled several times to the bedroom door. He kicked it open and continued walking Carl backwards toward the bed but slowing his speed while mapping kisses up Carl’s throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
Landon's Desire (Book Three of The Pulse Series 3) Page 30