by Ava Wood
Surrounded by the sensations and emotions, Talia held tight to him, moving beneath the spray, feeling everything in him deep inside her. Staring deep into his sapphire depths, they continued to move, feeling that intense build of ecstasy within. Their movements pulsed and their breathing quickened. His thumbs pressed deep into her hips as she felt his climax escalating. With his quick, even thrusts, her head fell back against the tile and she came apart in his arms. She was quivering around him as he took one final plunge inside of her and fell apart.
Chapter 13
Not a Bad Thing
Landon woke just before five in the morning in desperate need of a run. His father had ruined his brother’s birthday party and exposed his nieces and nephews to his drunken state. He’d hoped keeping his father hours away would have prevented that, but Abel’s selfishness clearly knew no bounds. Now Talia had been dragged into his father’s addiction and it was all becoming too much to live with. He decided a nice, brisk run would do him some good. He needed to forget about the pain he felt each time his father’s egotistical nature reared its ugly head. He tiptoed from the bed in search of some sweats when he heard Talia stirring behind him.
“Where are you going?” Her voice wasn’t much more than a whisper.
He stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. “I’m just going for a run. Go back to sleep.” He watched her sit up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
“Can I go with you?”
Landon took a step back, shocked by her question. He didn’t know how to turn her down without offending her. “You don’t want to get some more sleep?”
She shook her head and stared at him with heavy lidded eyes.
He reluctantly retorted, “Come on.”
She crawled from the bed, trudging into her slippers before digging through her drawers, moving about like a zombie, barely awake. Landon couldn’t help but laugh at her persistence. When she had an outfit in her hands, she slipped into the bathroom, putting Landon back on task. He found a pair of gray cut off sweats and his purple TCU sweatshirt, quickly shrugging them on before Talia emerged. She came out looking a little more alert, and super sexy in her clingy yoga pants and ratty old Galveston souvenir sweatshirt. Landon was still amazed that no matter what she wore, she looked absolutely remarkable. Her hazel eyes twinkled ever so slightly as she neared.
“Are you ready?” She looked up at him through her lashes with a hint of a smile.
Landon nodded and led the way out of the apartment, jogging down the stairs with Talia’s footsteps trailing a few steps behind. Dreading a horde of questions, he planned to keep a swift pace so that it would be too difficult to carry on a conversation. Quickly taking off, he raced toward a dimly lit apartment complex. Talia kept up with his pace for a couple of blocks, but soon she was panting, struggling to continue. Landon stopped a few yards ahead, turning and jogging in place while she paused to catch her breath. “You coming?”
She clutched her side as she continued to pant. With her free hand she held up a finger signaling for him to hold on a minute. “I … haven’t … run … since … high … school.” She was gasping for air between words.
Landon took pity on her, jogging back to her side. “Let’s head back.”
“No. I’m fine.” She tried. “Just give me a... minute.”
Landon chuckled. She was so damn stubborn. “I’m not in the business of killing my running companions. Let’s just go back, okay?”
Talia huffed, rolling her eyes then nodded. “Fine.”
When she could stand upright, he began jogging in place waiting for her to begin moving again. He decided it was in her best interest if he took it slow. The run had done the trick. He was no longer thinking about his afflictions. The only thing on his mind now was getting Talia safely back to the apartment without her passing out on him. She began a slow jog next to him as they made their way back.
When they were at the base of the stairs to her apartment, she leaned against the railing and uttered, “I didn’t realize I was so out of shape.”
“Sorry, I think that was my fault.”
“I should’ve known. You said run. You weren’t kidding.”
“No.” Seeing a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek, Landon reached up and wiped it away. He took her hand in his and led her up to the apartment, letting it fall just inside the door and proceeding straight to her bedroom. Being back in her apartment had his anger coursing through him again.
He heard the floor creak as she entered the room behind him. “Landon, are you okay?”
The look of worry on her face had him longing to make her understand how much she meant to him. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind. I’ll be fine.”
“You can talk to me, you know.” She moved closer, but his anger had him stepping a few steps back.
“Same goes for you, Petal.” He had to turn the focus off of him to try and get the anger out of his system.
She shook her head and turned for the bathroom.
“I love you, Tal.” He watched her stop in her tracks, then fall against the doorjamb. Inching closer, he struggled with how to continue, not interested in starting a fight. He needed her to know how he felt, but the gumption that surfaced was caused by the anger that his father had triggered. He wanted her to fully grasp the pain he felt every time she denied him the three words that he ached to hear. “I truly love you. From the bottom of my heart I do, but it breaks me just a little more when you deny me those three words. They’re just three little words, Tal.”
Her eyes looked to him, fully wounded. “They’re not just words though, Landon. They’re so much more.”
Landon sank to the bed and dropped his head in his hands, fearing that the love he felt for her wasn’t reciprocated; it hadn’t been enough. His emotions were choking him when she spoke again.
“I spent years listening to my parents say those words every day. Those words are supposed to hold so much power, yet when things didn’t go the way they’d planned they just threw their marriage away. The words weren’t enough for their selfish decisions. Sixteen years were just thrown down the drain like they meant nothing at all.” The bed sank next to him and Talia’s warmth surrounded him. “People say I love you all the time, maybe too often. I just can’t throw those words around, because honestly I’m not sure what they mean anymore.” She took Landon’s hand in hers. “I know I have deep, strong feelings for you, Landon. Please let me be enough.”
Her hand was trembling in his, pulling his gaze to her tear-stained face. His heart broke for every tear. He’d never intended to make her cry. “Petal. Don’t you know you’re more than enough for me?”
“I’ve never been enough for anyone. My mom could never find anything good in me. Hell, she moved halfway across the continent just to be rid of me. I was a teenager with so many dreams, but they all died the day she left. And my dad … he lives on another fucking continent. He’s never outright shared his disappointment, but what else could make him move a world away? I couldn’t even be enough for a relationship I poured myself into after my parents’ divorce. Anyone that I thought I’d loved has left, even—”
Landon gave her hand a gentle squeeze urging her to go on.
“God, Landon, I want to be enough, but what if I can’t? What if I’m not made that way?”
“Don’t say that. Who was there for me last night when my dad barged in? Who didn’t give up on me when I tried to shut her out? That was you, Petal. You’ve seen me through more than you realize and that’s enough. We’ll figure the rest out in time.” He kissed the top of her head while pulling her tighter to him. He longed to fill the void of rejection from her past with the knowledge that she was everything he needed and more. Through the anger of his father’s selfishness and the grief that she couldn’t say I love you, he finally understand that the words she said meant so much more. And that, for now, was enough.
Landon knocked at the door while looking down at the slip to search for the name. He’d grown so accustomed to deli
veries that he no longer checked the names, worrying about what past client might be on the other side of the door. Seeing the name on the page he muttered, “Shit,” just as the door opened.
“Landon?” A dark remnant of his past, Lady Vanna, appeared in a black tube top that barely covered her huge breasts and a leather, ultra-mini skirt. She was wearing crimson lipstick and her eyes were surrounded by a thick line of black. Her outfit didn’t surprise him a bit. It was the hair that knocked him back a step. She’d dyed it fire-engine red and cut it in a bob. It was a dramatic change from the vampiric black he’d seen before.
“Lady Vanna, hi.” He held tight to the cellophane-wrapped roses, worried he might drop them from his shaking hands.
“Long time no see.” Her fingernails sank into the flesh where his tattoo marked his skin.
Landon’s hand reached to his neck, pulling at the collar of his shirt. “For you.” He held out the flowers, immediately regretting not clarifying that they weren’t from him.
“You brought me flowers?” She gripped his shirt and pulled him inside.
“Actually…”
“I’m glad you found me. I knew you’d return to me. We’re meant to be.” She held onto his shirt as she took the arrangement of blood lilies and black roses from him and placed it on a side table. With her foot, she kicked the door shut. “I’ve been waiting for you.” With both hands free, she shoved him against the wall and began pulling his shirt away from the waistband of his slacks. “What are you wearing?”
“Stop. I’m not here...”
Her mouth crashed against his and she bit his bottom lip, stopping his words. “Stop talking.”
“Lady--.” He pushed against her, but she had a death grip on his shirt and one of the buttons fell away. “Stop.” With a less-than-gentle shove, he pushed her away and slid against the wall to the door. “The flowers aren’t from me.”
He saw her eyes nearly cross trying to figure out what he said. “What do you mean?”
With the doorknob gripped in his hand, he answered, “I’m just delivering them. The card says who they’re from.”
She looked to the card and back to Landon. “That’s no matter.” She was back against him, pawing at his chest. “We’ll make up for the last time we were together?”
“I’m sorry, but I have other deliveries to make. I have to go.” He spun around and yanked the door open, running out of the apartment. As he ran down the hall, he tried to tuck his shirt back into his pants. He was panicked when he got back to the van and fell inside. Looking in the visor mirror, he saw that his top button was gone and there was bright red lipstick all over his face. He’d never be able to explain this to Talia, much less the rest of the girls.
Freaking out, he stopped at a gas station and ran inside, frantic to wash the lipstick from his face. He stepped inside a dimly lit restroom with mildew and God knew what else lining the walls, trying to breathe through his mouth, but fearing what germs might enter. Eventually he held his breath for as long as possible as he washed the lipstick from his face. Under the poor illumination, he was fairly certain he’d gotten all of the lipstick off until he returned to the van and saw traces of the makeup around his lips. He grumbled, but hated the thought of returning into that restroom. He could still feel the odor deeply embedded in his nose. Deciding to take his chances, he returned to the shop to finish cleaning up, hoping Talia and the girls couldn’t see what a mess he was. He slipped into the backroom, planning to duck into the bathroom when he heard Reina’s mutterings.
“¿!Pero que coño?¡ Chingada madre.” Her eyes zeroed in on him like laser beams.
He didn’t have time to explain if he was going to clean himself up before Talia got suspicious. He quickly slipped into the bathroom, flicking on the dim light to examine what was left of the damage. Soaking a paper towel, he began rubbing at his face when he noticed the fire-engine red lipstick stained on his collar. In that moment, he knew he was screwed. As if the missing button wasn’t bad enough, he knew there was no explaining the evidence that lingered on his shirt. He hoped he could sneak up to the apartment and change without any further confrontation, but his hopes were dashed when he opened the door and found Camey before him, arms crossed.
“What the hell is going on?” She shoved Landon back in the bathroom and closed the door behind them, while Reina mumbled something Landon couldn’t understand.
“It’s not what it looks like.” He was still trying to regain his composure as he leaned against the bathroom sink.
“That’s good to hear since it looks like you just got back from fucking some whore.”
Landon shook his head as his hand pushed through his hair for maybe the twentieth time since he ran into Lady Vanna. “I’d never cheat on Talia.”
“The proof says otherwise.” She flicked his collar.
He involuntarily reached for it and rubbed where he imagined the lipstick still shone like a beacon. “It was my last delivery.” Camey shifted her weight; eyeing him skeptically. “She was a past client of mine and she thought the flowers were from me.”
“So you fucked her?”
“Damn it, no. She dragged me into her apartment and mauled me.” He realized he was shoving his hand through his hair again and dropped it to his side. “I’m lucky I got out of there with this little damage.”
“You expect me to believe that?” she scoffed.
“It’s the truth.” He knew he sounded defeated, but if he couldn’t convince Camey, there was no convincing Talia when Camey told her what she presumed.
“I can’t believe I…” She turned around to the door. It wasn’t an easy task in such a small space. “You need to get upstairs and change before Talia sees this. She’ll never believe your story. Hell, I don’t know why I believe it.”
“But you do?”
“Yeah.” She rattled the knob and uttered, “I’ll run interference while you go upstairs and get cleaned up.”
“Thank you.” His hand briefly stopped her, “What about Reina?”
“I’ll handle her too. Just keep yourself out of trouble. If you see any familiar names, I want to hear about it. Got it?”
“Yeah.” She slipped out of the bathroom, leaving Landon alone inside.
He waited silently, looking through the crack of the door while Camey pulled Talia into the showroom. When he saw Talia was out of sight, he slipped upstairs to change, knowing after this he would owe Camey big time.
“Delivery for you.” Talia slipped an order form in Landon’s hand and kissed him on the cheek as she passed by in full work mode. She’d been knee deep in spur-of-the-moment flower arrangements all morning and barely had time for a passing smile.
When she walked away, he looked down at the form and his heart sank. “Shit. Lady Vanna.” Her name was emblazoned across the top. He had a feeling this was going to happen after he turned her down the day before. She hadn’t come off as someone who’d give up easy, but he didn’t expect this to happen so soon. He’d barely gotten away from her and now he would have to fend her off yet again. Conflicted with how to handle her, he snapped into action when Camey came sauntering in. “Camey.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the alleyway.
“What the fuck, Landon?” She brushed his hand off and shoved at his chest. “What’s your problem?”
He held up the order form, waving it in her face. “It’s the woman from yesterday. She’s got another order for flowers.”
Camey took the order form from his hands, staring at the page. “Anonymous sender?”
“I have a feeling she is Anonymous.” Landon fell against the brick wall. “What am I going to do? I doubt she’ll let me out of there so easy this time.”
“Let me handle it.”
She stepped toward the door, but Landon reached for her and asked, “What can I do to repay you?”
“Just don’t break Talia’s heart.”
“Done.” She slipped back inside, leaving Landon in the alley alone to thank his lucky star
s. When he finally calmed his nerves over the whole fiasco, he pushed away from the wall to return inside and Camey came busting through the door, flowers in hand. “Everything okay?”
“It will be.” When Landon opened the van doors for her, she set the bouquet inside. “Talia’s not too thrilled that I’m abandoning her, but I told her I needed some fresh air.” When she slammed the van doors she added, “I’ll take care of this mess, you just take care of Talia and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“I will.” Full of gratitude, he hugged her quickly and returned inside.
“Where have you been?” Talia laid into him. It was slightly out of character for her, but Landon knew she’d been swamped.
He stammered, searching for a good excuse, “I was outside … helping Camey load the van.”
Talia’s lips puckered before she turned to bark orders at her sister. “Sara, Camey’s on a delivery. I need you to finish up that lavender bouquet.”
When she walked away, he breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he’d narrowly avoided another disaster.
“You’re back.” Landon advanced on Camey the moment she walked through the back door.
“Keep your voice down.” Camey sounded slightly winded as she slipped inside of the cooler.
Landon nodded and followed her in. “So what happened?”
Nervously, Camey peered over Landon’s shoulder. “That woman is certifiable.” She glanced over his shoulder again.
“Don’t worry. Talia stepped out to pick up lunch. She won’t be back for a bit.”
The tension in Camey’s shoulders immediately melted. “I took the flowers to Lady Vanna.” Camey put air quotes around the name. “She looked pretty disappointed when she opened the door and found me on the other side.”