“Knew you’d come around.” Luke’s annoyance matched my own, making me wonder why he even wanted this date. Was he that desperate to get back into my panties? Pickin’s must be slim out there. “Shoot me your address, and I’ll pick you up.”
“Absolutely not. I’ll drive.”
“Fine. Dean’s Tavern. Friday night at seven. Wear something sexy.”
Before I could tell him where to stick his request, the bastard hung up.
I cradled my head in my hands and came to terms with the fact that I was willingly drifting back into Luke’s toxic hemisphere.
For Benny.
Landon’s insistence on picking up Beth and me after school had meant little at dawn and prior to coffee—in my experience, men didn’t always follow through on their promises—so it was still a surprise to find him waiting outside the preschool when we got off work. He’d cleaned up since this morning, replacing his filthy fatigues with a thick winter coat and worn blue jeans. He left his stubble unshaven, working the ruggedly sexy vibe for all he was worth.
I should have checked my hair and touched up my lipstick.
The thought irritated me, because no, I absolutely shouldn’t have.
At our approach, he looked up from his phone, and his gaze crashed into mine. Like this morning, something zinged between us, making me fully aware of his square jaw and the small scar that started mid-cheek and slashed across his nose.
Pictures of a gangly little boy with big brown eyes and a sweet, innocent smile covered the walls of Beth’s house, leaving me unprepared for this grown-up version.
Judging by the way his whiskey-colored eyes threatened to melt off my clothes, little of the harmless child remained.
No, Landon was all man.
I stopped a safe distance away and offered Beth an encouraging smile, hoping she’d join him, then they’d turn and continue home with me following. That was not what happened. Instead, Landon closed the distance. The stench of stale booze had been replaced with something clean and masculine that made me squeeze my thighs together. The man just oozed sex appeal. Had he been anyone else, he would already be my latest mistake, a welcome distraction from the worry for Ben currently eating away at my stomach, but I would not risk my relationship with Beth. Personal or professional.
“Mercy.” His dark eyes flashed with heat as they locked on mine.
A thrill raced up my spine, which I staunchly ignored. I gave him an impersonal chin lift. “Landon.”
A smile tugged at his lips before his gaze shot to Beth, and he offered her his arm. “Mom. How was your day?”
She hooked her arm in his, like she’d forgiven him for all his transgressions, and let him escort her toward her house like he was some gentleman.
I followed, biting back my protests. Sure, he was her son and deserved some grace, but he’d shown up drunk and attempted to break into her house. She’d seemed rightfully pissed at him this morning. What had happened since? Had he called and done the appropriate amount of explaining and groveling?
A little voice in the back of my head reminded me to worry about my own mess of a family, because their relationship was none of my business.
Beth filled Landon in on her day as we walked.
I snuck glances at him, not necessarily checking him out, but I was curious. He visibly listened to Beth as she spoke, asking questions as if hearing how we handled portions was fascinating. My mind struggled to reconcile this attentive son with the drunk asshat I’d met yesterday.
Why had he come back to Seattle?
How long would he be here?
Why did his ass look so good in those jeans?
“Mercy, join us for dinner,” Beth said, snapping my attention back to my surroundings. “I have chili in the slow cooker.”
We were in front of her house, and I had no idea how long I’d been staring at Landon’s ass. He watched me, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
“I would love to,” I told Beth, instantly hating the way her face lit up, because I wasn’t finished. “But I can’t. I’m still working on the budget I’ll be presenting to the board on Friday.”
“Well, after you finish it, then,” she said.
I hesitated, not wanting to commit to an unwise course of action, like spending more time with her son. Landon’s eyebrows shot up in challenge, but I ignored him, keeping my focus on Beth.
