“Landen, what are you doing?” I asked.
“I think I finally understand something about you,” he murmured. “You need proof.”
“Proof?” I parroted.
He nodded. “You need to know without a doubt that the man you’re with wants you. Not just for sex but for more. At first I thought that you just wanted the thrill of being chased, but I get it now. It’s not the chase, it’s the intent. Every man you’ve ever dated was content to sit back and let you take the wheel. They were lazy or stupid or both if they couldn’t see that you needed the same thing from them that you offered so openly.”
I frowned up at him. “And what did I offer?”
“Your attention. Your time. Yourself.”
A sigh slipped out of me because everything he just said was true. I always felt like I was the one reaching out, the one giving it my all, only to get scraps in return.
“You don’t want a man to chase you. You want a man toinvestin you the same way you invest yourself. Someone who is willing to give you the same thing you offer.”
I lowered my head because my throat felt hot and tight and I knew that tears were next. His fingers curled beneath my chin, tilting my head up so he could see my face. I lifted my eyelids and met his steady blue gaze.
“And you’re worth the investment,” he whispered.
Something shifted in my chest, I think it was my heart, and the shield surrounding it cracked. Landen had managed to put my deepest, darkest thoughts into words. He understood what I wanted and needed despite my inability to articulate it.
Then his lips hit mine and it wasn’t the light brush he’d given me earlier. It wasn’t the devouring kiss I’d experienced yesterday. It was something completely alien to me. His lips were firm and demanding. He wanted me to give in, to surrender, but he was giving me something in return.
The kiss was slow and tender, a meeting of more than lips and breath. My heart thumped against my sternum, hard and fast, and I felt myself give in. I leaned into him, letting him take more of my weight. In my three-inch heels, our bodies were pressed together from chest to knee.
Landen took my weight, wrapping his arms around me tightly. His mouth grew more insistent, seeking something else from me, but I wasn’t sure what. He wasn’t asking, he was demanding once again, but I didn’t understand what he wanted. I was too lost in the sensations taking over my body, the warmth that flooded my veins, and the tingling that infused my limbs.
Somewhere below us a door slammed, yanking me out of the fog of yearning that surrounded me.
And it was yearning rather than desire. It was more poignant than mere lust. The ache wasn’t just within my body, but within my heart.
Slowly, Landen lifted his head, his eyes glittering in the fluorescent lights as he stared down at me. I could hear steps echoing as the person descended the stairs below us, a reminder that we were no longer alone, or I might have yanked his head back down and demanded he finish what he started.
Gradually, he released me, his arms loosening around my waist and his body inching away from mine.
“You’re going to be late getting back to work,” he murmured. He took my hand and opened the door to the hall, pulling me in front of him so that I walked out first. As we approached the glass doors to the office, he said, “I have a business dinner tomorrow night, but I want to see you Wednesday.”
I swallowed hard and tried to lighten the mood. I couldn’t read his expression and he seemed to have shut down once again. “I have standing plans, but you’re welcome to join me.”
Landen twisted his head to look at me in surprise. “Standing plans? With who?”
I smiled. “Lt. Joe Kenda. The new episode ofHomicide Hunterwill be on.”
Just as I hoped, my words made him return my smile. “You prefer to spend time with him instead of me?”
“I was hoping I could see you both. Think you could put aside your dislike of sharing for an hour? I’ll feed you.”
“What time?”
“Be there at six-thirty. The show starts at seven.”
His grin widened. “Dinner and a show?”
I elbowed him playfully. “Not that kind of show. Unless you’re ready to admit I’ll win the bet.”
His eyes lit with challenge. “Never, but I look forward to seeing you try.”
Landen opened the door for me and pulled me close for the light touch of his lips to mine. I was beginning to understand that this was how he said good-bye to me.
“I’ll see you Wednesday,” he promised.
As I watched him walk away, it hit me that I was in way over my head. Instead of scaring the crap out of me, as it probably should, I looked forward to the challenge that Landen presented.
I understood that even if I lost, I would win.
