And because his parents were still reluctant to embrace his decision, at least his father was, Landon stayed away. Although he was an adult and capable of making his own decisions for his life, this situation was delicate and needed to be handled with care. Losing a child wasn’t the same as parents who just disapproved of his choices, and he was trying to be respectful of that. Hell, nobody missed his twin on a soul-deep level more than Landon. Levi had been and still was a part of him.
However, he’d made his decision and time was running out. Tomorrow he would be letting his parents know he loved them, he respected them, but he was going after the woman he cared about because there was every chance he only had precious summer weeks left to be with her.
Jason and Tanner hadn’t come in tonight. They were home with their women, something that was becoming more common and not a problem because they had solid management in place. Landon was here tonight for one reason only. For Vivi.
Except after her performance, she’d gone up to her apartment for the night, leaving him down here to brood about how he was going to make his move. Suddenly the elevator door opened and Vivi stepped out, taking his breath away.
She wore a short red dress and killer spiked heels, her hair fell around her shoulders, and she looked around as if she was on a mission. As soon as her gaze landed on his, her purpose became clear.
She strode over to him, hips swaying, sidestepping people, and ignoring the attentive stares of men who couldn’t take their gazes off the seductress in red who only had eyes for him. His cock stood up and took notice.
She came up to him and seated herself not next to him but on his lap, where she couldn’t help but feel the hard ridge of his erection.
To keep her there without falling, he settled a hand on her hip. “Vivi–”
She cut him off with a finger over his lips. “Shh. I want to go first.”
He nipped her finger with his teeth and she moaned.
“You’re not going to distract me, Landon. I’ve done a lot of thinking about us and I miss you.” She ran a finger down his cheek to the collar of his shirt and dipped it inside. “It’s been hard singing on that stage, knowing you’re out there watching but I can’t have you.”
His heart slammed hard against his chest. He’d assumed he’d have a difficult time convincing her to be with him again, yet here she was, telling him she wanted him, too.
“You do realize it was your decision to end whatever we’d started,” he reminded her.
Her pretty lips pursed into a pout. “I made the wrong choice. You see, I’ve been thinking. I still think a relationship between us could hurt your family, but since I’m only here for the summer, I thought we could be together, quietly. Just the two of us until I have to leave.”
Under any other circumstances, he’d be insulted, but he understood the reason behind the request. And since he was still working on getting his parents to accept her in his life, it was to his benefit to agree to her request. She didn’t have to know he planned to continue to seduce her so thoroughly, if she thought she missed him now, she’d go crazy when they were apart. He’d do his damndest to get her to agree to maintain their relationship when the residency ended.
His free hand came to rest on her other hip. “Okay, Vivi, we’ll do it your way.”
She looked at him in surprise. Clearly she’d thought she’d have more of an uphill battle in order to get him to agree. He’d give her this because he planned to win the war. The one for her heart and her soul.
* * *
For the first time in weeks, Vivi felt like she could breathe. With her arms around Landon, his heart beating against her chest, and his hard erection pressing into her thigh, life righted itself again.
“Come dance with me,” he said into her ear, his warm breath dancing over the delicate shell, causing her to shiver.
She’d expected him to take her upstairs to bed, not stake his claim on the dance floor. “That’s not being discreet,” she murmured.
He let out a low chuckle. “My family isn’t here. Neither are my partners, though they understand about us now. Come on.” He slid her off his lap and rose to his feet, taking her hand and pulling her into the crowded space.
He settled his arms securely around her waist, and despite the steady thumping beat of the music, he held her to him and swayed back and forth as if a slow, crooning song was playing around them. They weren’t the only ones wrapped up in each other, but she only had eyes for Landon, and soon she was lost in the warmth of his blue-eyed gaze and the inner strength of the man holding her.
“Sexy dress,” he said, his fingers skimming over her bare back. “Did you choose it just for me?”
She couldn’t stop her smile. “What do you think?”
“That you rode that elevator and strode through the club like a heat-seeking missile.” His hand slid up her back until he cupped her neck, his touch sure and steadying.
“What can I say? Once I decide I want something, very little will stop me. And Landon?” she asked, her own hands slipping inside his jacket and grasping on to the back waistband of his slacks. “I want you.”
His low groan reverberated through her. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you what you want if you agree to go out with me tomorrow. You don’t need to work at night, and your performances are so good you can take a day without rehearsal.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You’re trying to seduce me into dating you. After we agreed to keep us on the down low.”
His boyish grin charmed her. “So?” he asked.
“So we agreed to keep things quiet–”
He silenced her with his mouth, his lips coming down on hers. Yep. Seducing her, she thought, his talented tongue gliding back and forth against hers. Without a struggle, she caved, kissing him back, giving them both what they wanted.
Desire rushed through her, their mouths melding, the feeling of perfection settling in her chest.
“Do we have an agreement?” He separated them just enough to ask.
She slicked her tongue over her damp bottom lip, taking pleasure in how his gaze followed the movement. “Yes. We do.” She couldn’t resist him, didn’t want to. If that meant going out on a date, she’d do it. Summer would come to an end soon enough. Might as well gather up all the time with Landon she could get.
“And that was easier than I thought,” he said, pleased. Taking her by surprise, he bent, picked her up, and hefted her over his shoulder until she hung upside down.
“Landon! I’m flashing the room!” she cried out, both shocked and mortified.
His hand came down hard on her ass … and stayed there, holding her dress in place, which was a good thing since she wore barely there bikini briefs that didn’t cover her cheeks.
“Caveman much?” she asked as he strode through the club to cheers and wolf whistles.
“I’ve been waiting weeks for you to come to your senses. I wasn’t about to fight the urge when it struck.” He stepped into the elevator and, once they were alone, put her down, holding her until she caught her balance.
Dizziness swept over her, and though she knew a fair portion had to with her quick switch of positions, another chunk was solely due to the passionate expression etched into his handsome features. “Landon.” She stroked his cheek with her hand.
The elevator came to a halt and the door opened. Landon grabbed her hand and pulled her toward her apartment, waited as she let them inside, and slammed the door behind them.
Next thing she knew, he’d lifted her over his shoulder once more, this time for the short walk to the bedroom, walking to the other room with determined strides. “You know this can’t become a habit?” she asked with a laugh.
“Why not?”
She squeezed his ass, which was mighty fine even from her upside-down position, and held her breath as he flipped her back over and tossed her onto the bed.
She bounced on the mattress and got her bearings, grinning up at him as he stripped out of his clothing. She watc
hed as he bared himself, his tanned, muscled chest, well-defined arms that she couldn’t wait to have wrapped around her, and then the impressive rest of his sculpted body. His erection indicated how much he desired her. As much as she wanted him.
Rising onto her knees, she turned and looked over her shoulder, meeting his gaze. “Unzip me, please.”
His eyes darkened as he stepped closer and reached for her zipper. But first he gathered her long hair into his hand and swept it to one side, tugging on the strands, a pull she felt deep in her core, her bikini underwear damp with desire.
She kicked off her shoes and they fell to the floor, then shimmied out of the dress, letting the garment drop to her waist. He helped her slide it down her legs, hooking his fingers in her panties and taking them off along with the dress. Before she could process the fact that she was nearly naked, he reached up and unhooked her bra, tossing it aside.
“Turn around,” he said in a gruff voice.
Her body responded, her nipples puckering into tight buds. Swallowing hard, she slowly spun to face him, her knees still bent on the mattress. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he dipped his head and placed his mouth on her breast, his lips around her nipple, and began to suck.
The sensations struck hard and fast, and she swayed on the bed, only his strong hands on her waist holding her in place. While his mouth aroused her, incredible sensations fluttering in her belly and throbbing between her thighs, he began to roll and play with her other nipple with his fingertips. She gasped and braced her hands on his shoulders, letting him work her into an unbearable frenzy of heat and need.
“You taste so good,” he said, lowering his hand from her breast to cup her sex. “And you feel so hot and wet for me.”
He kissed his way down her body, and eventually she succumbed, collapsing onto the bed. She maneuvered so she was lying flat, legs spread, and his face came down between her thighs. Next thing she knew, he was devouring her, licking, tasting, acting as if she was the best treat he’d ever had.
He slid a finger inside her and pumped it in and out until her hips writhed on the bed and her head was moving from side to side. “Landon, please, more. Harder.”
He complied, and soon she was dying from the amazing sensations traveling through her body, bringing her up, taking her higher. His tongue lapped back and forth over her clit, gentle at first, then harder, nipping lightly and then returning to gentleness once more.
“Come on, Vivi,” he said, his finger still inside her. “Come for me.”
He clearly had a plan, and making her come was priority one. No man had ever devoted so much time to making her feel good, and she knew she’d never find a man as devoted to her pleasure as Landon. Which meant she had to enjoy it while she could.
But he was determined and focused, and soon he’d found just the right pressure and rhythm, and the waves crested and consumed her, taking her over the cliff. She came hard, crying out, holding on to his hair and grinding herself against his mouth until she was wrung out.
But he wasn’t finished, and one look at the hunger in his expression and she grew ready for him again. He grasped her legs and pulled her toward the edge of the bed, poised himself at her entrance, and thrust inside.
Her nails scored his back as she wrapped her legs around his waist, holding on as he pounded into her. And despite the rough way he took her, she knew, felt, there was more going on between them.
“Look at me.”
His rough voice penetrated her thoughts, fought through the desire overtaking her body, and she opened her eyes and looked into his oh-so-blue ones. “Hey, handsome.”
A sexy grin lifted his lips. “I want you to feel me inside you.”
“I do.”
“No, I mean feel me. Know this is me making love to you.”
His words rocked her to her core, making her more aware of him inside her, around her, part of her. This is what she’d been fighting. Because no matter how they felt about each other, too much remained that would keep them apart.
His past.
Her future.
But they had now.
“I do feel you. And I won’t forget.”
He narrowed his gaze but said nothing, instead began to move inside her, more slowly this time. Really making love to her, engaging her body, heart, and soul.
She didn’t understand how she could feel so much for a man she’d known for such a short time. How he could have gotten past her walls and into her heart so quickly. Nor did she comprehend how it could be this man. Life just wasn’t fair … to dangle him in front of her knowing she couldn’t keep him.
And when he started rocking inside her, she stopped thinking at all. Emotion and desire consumed her as they toppled into a massive climax together.
* * *
The summer passed too quickly, days turning into steamy, sexy nights, Landon always by Vivi’s side. For a woman who was used to being alone, she’d quickly grown accustomed to having him around, along with the paparazzi who tried to be her new best friend. But as for Landon, she’d miss him when she was on tour, which, according to Owen, was imminent after she finished up at Club TEN29.
They had a meeting scheduled next week to sit down and discuss actual offers he had in hand. Excitement fluttered through her veins with the knowledge her dream was about to become reality. Ellie promised to go with her wherever the future led, which made Vivi happy. She’d have her assistant/best friend nearby and she wouldn’t be by herself in strange cities around the country.
She swallowed hard and focused on tonight’s show. She had a feeling Axel would be in the audience. According to Owen, the promoter’s connections would be her key to the big time, which was fine with her as long as the man kept his hands to himself. This business was full of dirtbags who could open doors. She just wasn’t about to play that kind of game to get where she dreamed of going.
“Knock knock,” Landon said before walking into her dressing room.
“Hi!” She rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips to his. He tasted like cinnamon and smelled like the warmest musk.
“Hi yourself. Just wanted to give you a kiss good luck before you go on.”
She grinned. It was a habit they’d gotten into every night. No matter what he was doing or how busy with his partners, he made time to come over and kiss her before she performed. He’d become her good luck charm. Ever since they’d gotten together, her singing sounded better, at least to her ears. Or maybe she was just high on love.
Because she did love Landon. How could she not have fallen for him hard and fast when he’d supported her from the beginning? Once he’d come to terms with who she was related to, he hadn’t turned his back on her; instead he’d stepped up his pursuit. The man was sex in a suit, decency and goodness in one hot package. And she’d miss him like crazy when she was gone.
“You ready for tonight?” he asked.
She nodded. Turning away, she looked at the mirror, pulling out a tube of lipstick and reapplying the color. “I’m good to go.”
Her cell phone rang from its place on her vanity table, and MOM flashed on the screen. Knowing her mother wouldn’t call this close to show time unless it was important, she answered, hitting the accept button.
“Hi, Mom, you’re on speakerphone. What’s up?” She smiled at Landon as she spoke.
“Hey, baby girl. It’s about Vic. Your brother.” Her mother’s voice broke on the word. “He was killed in prison.”
“What? Dead? Victor’s dead?” she asked, dazed by the news.
His face a mask, Landon grabbed a chair and gently lowered her into it, keeping a hand on her shoulder.
Her mother sniffled over the phone. “Apparently the other inmates don’t take it well when someone snitches on a cellmate to get themselves out early.” As her brother had done prior to his current parole violation and return to jail.
Oh, God. “Mom, I’ll be right over. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“Yeah, that would
be good, honey. Thank you.”
It wasn’t like her mother to admit to needing her, so Vivi knew she had to be there. “I’ll see you soon.” She disconnected the call and looked up at Landon, knowing better than to expect sympathy from him when it came to losing her brother but wanting his arms around her anyway.
No doubt he was happy Victor was dead.
As for Vivi? How should she feel right now? Vic had been her sibling, albeit estranged. A boy who’d tormented her, a man who’d used her. But they were related by blood, and her mother, for certain, was grieving her son.
“I have to go. I’m sorry about the performance but my mother needs me,” she said in a choked voice. Tears formed in her eyes and took her by surprise.
Landon managed a nod. “Of course. Go,” he said in a neutral tone that squeezed her heart.
Doing her best not to show him that he’d hurt her, she gathered her purse and her cell and pulled up the Uber app.
Landon didn’t stop her when she walked out to meet the car.
* * *
Vivi held it together until she reached her mother’s house and fell into her waiting arms. Together they cried for the little boy Vic had been before their father’s belittling and fists had changed him.
“It’s my fault, you know.” Her mother placed a hand on the baby book she’d been turning the pages on, brushing her fingers across her son’s footprints and all his firsts.
“What’s your fault? Staying with Dad? Because I know you were scared to leave,” Vivi murmured.
For all Anne Marie’s professional strength, it hadn’t extended to her personal life, where she’d let Victor Senior walk all over her. And abuse his son. Vivi had read enough self-help books about abuse not to blame her mother, but she was sure her brother hadn’t felt the same way.
Her mother swallowed hard. “I will never excuse your brother’s behavior, but I do blame myself for not getting him out of that situation when he was a child.” She drew a deep breath, her eyes damp with tears. “Your father treated Vic the way he did because he wasn’t his real son, something he didn’t find out until after we’d named him Victor Junior.”
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