“What would you have done if you had rushed to the hospital that night, only to find out that I had moved on?”
I was quiet for a moment, debating on what to say. “Truthfully? I probably would have hit her. I don’t think I could handle seeing you with someone else. You’re mine. I know that sounds like a crazy ex-girlfriend, but it’s how I feel. You’re mine, Landon, and no one else’s.”
That earned me a smile.
“Don’t I have a say in the matter?”
“Nope. Don’t you know by now that girls always get what they want? Especially me. And right now, I want you more than anything. It’s like a physical ache. But I know that I have to earn your trust again. I screwed up.”
“You did. You screwed up so bad, but I understand where you’re coming from. You’re only eighteen, City, and you had to deal with losing someone you truly loved. That messes with a person. I just…I don’t know if I will ever be able to move forward. I’ll always wonder if you’re still thinking about him when you’re with me.”
“Landon, I can promise you that I don’t think about him when I’m with you. Do I think about him? Yes. I’d be a heartless bitch if I didn’t, but I never think about him when I’m around you. You make things better. You make me better.”
“I’m glad that you feel that way. I still care about you, Lexi. I care about you more than I should.”
My heart soared. He does care. “I care about you, too.” I paused for a second, thinking over my next few words. “You know how I said that girls always get what they want?”
“Yeah?”
“Right now, I want to kiss you more than anything. Will you let me?”
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second. “I don’t think that’s a good id—”
Before he could finish his sentence, I threw my math book down on the floor and lunged at him. I was careful to avoid his injuries as I settled myself half-on and half-off of his lap.
“It probably isn’t, but I don’t care. I still want it.”
I slammed my mouth down on his. He hesitated for a split second before finally caving. I moaned as he started kissing me back with as much aggression as I was using. Our lips melded together as I clung to him. I savored every taste, unsure of when I would experience this again.
His good arm wrapped around me, pulling me tighter against him. As I settled further into his lap, he groaned again. I slid my tongue into his mouth, teasing him. His breath grew shallow as he fisted the back of my shirt. This moment would forever be seared into my brain.
I finally pulled away to catch my breath. He stared up at me, lust and uncertainty both clouding his eyes.
“What was that about, City?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“I told you that I wanted to kiss you.”
“You didn’t mention anything about molesting me.” He glanced down to where my hand was resting on the inside of his leg.
I pulled away hastily. “I didn’t molest you.”
“Sure you didn’t.” He paused. “I’m not ready to jump back into something with you just yet. Just give me time, okay?”
I nodded. “I told you, I’d wait as long as it takes, and I meant that. I’ll wait forever for you, Cowboy.”
He smiled when I used his nickname. “Good. Now, let’s get back to your homework. Your grandpa will skin my hide if you start failing classes since you’re spending so much time with me.”
“Um…I’m not failing anything for once in my life. I have all As and Bs, except for math, and I have a high C in there.”
“Then, let’s keep it that way.” He smiled as he squeezed my arm.
Yeah, things were starting to look up for once in my life.
Thanksgiving break came faster than I’d expected—not that I minded. It was nice to have a week off from school. Between the farm, Landon, and school, I had a full plate. I took advantage of the time off to spend even more time with him.
Landon finally got both of his casts off two days before Thanksgiving. I went with him to the doctor’s office and waited in the waiting room as he had both of them removed. The smile on his face when he came out had my heart beating at twice the normal speed. He limped a little as he walked, but that was to be expected after being in a cast for so long. He would have to go to physical therapy once a week to help him get back on his feet, but the doctor didn’t think that there would be any problems. Both his wrist and leg were healing nicely.
We stopped in New Martinsville on the way home and grabbed something to eat. Landon still wasn’t allowed to drive, so I took us to the Mexican place we’d gone to so long ago. It seemed to brighten his mood even more when I pulled into the parking lot.
I helped him from the car and kept my arm around his waist as we walked into the restaurant. We both knew he could walk on his own, but I used the excuse that I was afraid he’d fall so that I could hold on to him longer. I knew he saw through my lie, but he didn’t pull away. I hated when I had to let him go. The warmth of his skin and his smell made me want to cling to him even longer.
I nearly laughed when the waitress from before walked up to our table. Her eyes landed on me and narrowed. I knew she recognized me from the last time we had been in here.
Completely ignoring me, she turned to Landon and smiled. “Landon! It’s been a while. I heard you got hurt. I tried calling you, but your dad said you weren’t talking calls.”
I coughed to cover a laugh, but I must not have done a good job because she turned back to me and glared.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Well, yeah. You keep saying that you try to call him, but he never calls you back. Take a hint,” I said as I smiled sweetly at her.
It was Landon’s turn to cough.
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s taken, sweetheart. He has been for a long time.”
She looked back and forth between the two of us. “I see.”
I watched as she turned and walked away without another word. “I think I pissed her off.”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Landon said.
I turned to look at him. “Why?”
“Because she’ll probably spit in our food or something.” He grinned at me.
“Oh, I didn’t think about that. Maybe we should go someplace else,” I said, feeling guilty.
“That’s probably a good idea. Come on.”
I stood and helped him rise from the booth. He limped a little as I wrapped my arms around his waist and led him out the door. When we reached Gram’s car, I opened the door for him to get in.
“We’re doing things a little backwards here,” Landon said as he looked down at me.
“Why?”
“Normally, I open the door for you.”
I laughed. “I like taking care of you.”
He studied me for a moment before leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. “Don’t get used to it. I’ll be back to my old self before too much longer.”
I stared at his lips as he pulled away. Unable to stop myself, I stood on my toes and brushed my lips against his. He grabbed the back of my head and pulled me closer against him. I smiled against his lips, loving the feel of his body against mine. When he pulled away, I was still smiling.
Neither of us said a word as he got in the car and closed the door. I hurried to the driver’s side and got behind the wheel. We were both quiet as I drove us to a fast-food restaurant and ordered our lunch in the drive-through.
The ride home was silent as well, but neither of us seemed to mind. It had always been this way for us. When we were together, it was enough. No amount of useless chatter would change that.
After dropping him off at his house, I drove to Gram’s. She took one look at my face and smiled knowingly. I blushed and quickly hurried to my room without a word. I knew Gram was hoping that I worked things out with Landon. From the beginning, she’d hoped that something would happen between the two of us.
I lay in my bed and stared up at the ceiling as I thought about kissing L
andon. If I were to die today, I would die happy.
Thanksgiving was a huge event at Gram’s house. She’d started working on dinner and desserts two days before the actual holiday. Gram was a miracle worker in the kitchen. She tried to teach me how to cook, but I failed miserably at just about everything she showed me. At least I could boil water. That was something.
On Thanksgiving morning, I laughed when I walked into the kitchen and saw every inch of the counters covered in food.
“How many people do you plan on feeding, Gram?”
She gave me a guilty smile. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I tend to get a little carried away.”
“A little?” I teased.
“Oh, hush up, you, and help me put this food on the table,” she scolded.
We had everything on the table, except for the desserts, when my grandpa, Kent, and Landon walked in. None of them batted an eyelash at the huge amount of food. Apparently, this was normal to them.
I took my usual seat at the table, but I was surprised when Landon sat down next to me instead of where he normally sat across the table when he and his dad ate dinner with us. His dad frowned at him but said nothing. Gram could barely contain her smile as she took Landon’s usual seat.
After my grandfather said grace, we all attacked the food in front of us. I moaned when I took my first bite of turkey.
At the sound of my moan, Landon stiffened beside me as Gram laughed. I felt my face heat up, knowing what Landon was thinking. He surprised me when I felt his hand rest on my knee under the table. I glanced at him, but he ignored me as he continued to eat.
“So, how’s school, Alexandria?” my grandfather asked.
I looked away from Landon to see everyone else looking at me. “Uh…it’s going good so far.”
“How are your grades?”
“Mostly As and Bs. I have a high C in math. I’m working on it though.”
“Good. I talked to your principal at church on Sunday. He seemed pleased with you. I’m glad you’re fitting in well.”
My mouth hung open in shock. Is my grandfather actually trying to carry on a conversation with me? “I am. I like it here,” I mumbled as I looked away.
I never thought I’d see the day when my grandfather and I could carry on a real conversation without throwing insults at each other. It took me a moment to realize the dislike I’d harbored for him for so long was now gone. It hadn’t been with me for a while. I guessed Landon had been right when he said that my grandfather wasn’t so bad.
“How are your injuries, Landon?” Gram asked.
“They’re healing. I’ll be back to normal in no time,” Landon said.
“Well, take your time, and don’t push yourself. Let Alexandria help you.”
Playing matchmaker much, Gram?
“She’s been great, but I’m tired of being an invalid.” He squeezed my knee under the table.
I glanced over at him and smiled. “I’ll be your nurse anytime.”
The pressure on my leg increased, but he only smiled.
For the rest of dinner, none of us spoke much. We were too busy shoving Gram’s food into our mouths. Once we finished with dinner and then dessert, I helped Gram clear the table and then wash the dishes by hand.
Landon walked into the kitchen just as we were finishing up. “Hey, City. Want to go on a ride with me?”
“Uh…sure,” I said as I dried my hands. “Just let me change first.”
Gram had informed me that holiday dinners were a formal occasion in their home, so I’d worn khaki pants and a baby-blue button-up shirt. I wasn’t sure where Landon wanted to ride, but I figured mud would be involved. I hurried upstairs to my room and pulled a tank top and shorts on. Even though it was November, we were in the middle of a warm spell. I’d even worn flip-flops to school the previous week.
I walked back downstairs to see Landon waiting for me by the door. I followed him as he walked out to the barn and opened the doors. He climbed onto the four-wheeler without my help, and I smiled. His leg was healing fast.
“Come on,” he said as he scooted up so that I could climb on behind him.
Once I was situated, I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m not hurting you, am I?” I asked, remembering that his ribs still hurt him from time to time.
“Nah, I’m fine. You might want to hang on tight though. I haven’t been riding in a while. I need to let loose.”
I smiled as I scooted up closer to him. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
He started the four-wheeler and backed out of the barn. Once we were turned around, he tore down the driveway. I squealed and clung to him as my hair blew everywhere. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he needed to let loose. I would have been terrified to go this fast before, but now, I loved it. Adrenaline pumped through my body as we flew down the driveway and then onto the main road. He turned off on the side road leading to the mud hole we’d gone to before.
He slowed as we reached the field. When we were only a few feet from the mud hole, we came to a stop, and he shut off the four-wheeler. I kept my arms around him as we stared at the now dead field. The silence continued until I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What are we doing out here?” I asked as I laid my head on his shoulder.
“I just wanted to get away for a while. I’ve been stuck in that damn house for over a month.”
He stood, forcing me to let him go, and he hopped off the four-wheeler. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but he slid back on, facing me this time.
“And I kind of wanted to get you alone for a while.”
I looked up to see him smiling at me. “Is that so? How come?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked, suddenly nervous when his expression turned serious.
He reached up and cupped my cheek. “I miss you.”
“How could you miss me? I’m around you all the time.”
“I miss being with you. It’s driving me crazy to be around you all the time and not be with you.”
“You’re the one who’s keeping us apart, Landon, not me. You know how I feel,” I whispered.
“I know. I’m just scared, City. When you left and told me not to contact you, it nearly broke me. I can’t go through that again,” he said as his eyes clouded over with pain.
“I’m so sorry. You’ll never know just how sorry I am. What I did to you was wrong.” I raised my hand and ran my fingers along his jawline. “I swear that I’ll never hurt you again.”
“What if things get rough? I don’t want you to run again.”
“I’m done running. I know just where I want to be, and nothing on this earth can keep me away. You’re it for me, Cowboy. You’re it,” I said as I stroked his face. “I love you.”
He sucked in a shocked breath. “You have no idea what that means to me. I love you, too, City. I think I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you. There was just something about you.”
“I know what you mean. I tried to stay away from you when I came here, but I couldn’t. I was drawn to you. People rarely find their one in a million, but I know I’ve found it with you,” I whispered as I leaned up and brushed my lips against his.
“You’re here to stay? Even when things get rough?”
“You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried,” I teased.
“I can’t stay away from you anymore, City. I’m done trying.” He ran his hand down my body and rested it on my thigh. “I love you.”
Tears filled my eyes as I stared up at him. His eyes trailed down my body to where his hand rested. I looked down as he pulled my shorts farther up my leg to reveal my tattoo.
“When did you get this?” he asked.
“Right after Joel died.”
“It’s for him?”
I nodded.
“And you’re over him now?”
“I am. I let him go a long time ago, Cowboy. He’ll always be with me, but my heart belongs to you now.”
&n
bsp; His eyes found mine as he leaned in and kissed me gently. “That’s all I needed to hear. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be mine.”
I smiled against his lips. “It’s your lucky day. I’m officially yours.”
He laughed as he pushed me back on the four-wheeler. My head rested against the travel bag tied to the back rack.
He leaned down and kissed me forcefully on the lips. “I love you so damn much.”
“I love you, too.”
We ended up on the ground next to the four-wheeler. His hands roamed my body, causing me to moan and call out his name over and over again. My shirt and bra disappeared. I lifted my hips as he pulled my shorts and underwear down. I pulled his shirt over his head and started working on the button of his jeans. When we were bare, he pressed against me, resting his weight on his hands.
“I don’t have anything, City.”
“It’s fine. I’m on the pill, and my mom took me to the doctor before I started school and I got tested. I’m clean. I haven’t been with anyone since you.”
“Me either.”
He leaned down and kissed me again as he slid inside me. I moaned as he filled me. My legs wrapped around his hips as he started thrusting into me. He didn’t start slow like last time. Instead, he pounded into me forcefully as I clung to him. He was using sex as an outlet to release all the emotions that had been bottled up inside of him.
“You’re my everything. I’d die for you, City,” he said as he nuzzled my neck.
Unable to speak, I wrapped my arms around him and met him thrust for thrust. Sweat coated our bodies, and we joined together over and over again. I felt myself building and building until finally I came. I clung to him as wave after wave of pleasure took over my body.
No matter what happened, I would remember this moment forever. This was the beginning of everything for us. I closed my eyes as Landon called out my name when he found his own release.
This was it for me. Landon was my happily ever after. No matter what happened, I knew that we were destined to be together. I loved him more than anything else in this world. We had to fight like hell to get here, but all that mattered was the fact that we were finally together.
I’d thought for so long that my life was over, but I’d been wrong. It was just beginning.
Breaking Alexandria Page 24