He shook his head. “I don’t think you’re silly at all.”
Todd returned a moment later and Landen released my hand. My shoulders relaxed and I took another deep breath, determined to make the most of this evening with him. If I committed afaux pas, I knew he wouldn’t judge me.
The night would be special whether we were here or at a fast food joint because I was with Landen. That’s all that mattered.
A couple ofhours later, I was feeling pleasantly buzzed and more than pleasantly full of delicious food. Landen had asked me if I would allow him to order for both of us and I’d been more than willing. So we’d had the chef’s tasting menu and when Todd suggested some of the enhancements they offered, Landen agreed to the wine pairing. He only took a few sips of each since he was driving, but I had no such issue and consumed the delectable food with even better wine.
After my initial internal freak-out, I discovered that I wasn’t actually uncomfortable at all. Our table was in the corner and felt secluded even though it wasn’t. No one seemed to pay any attention to us and, after a little while, I stopped expecting someone to come over to our table and tell me to leave since I so obviously didn’t belong there.
Now, I was in the passenger seat of Landen’s SUV. I leaned back and looked out the window, enjoying the smooth leather beneath my bare back and the soft murmur of music from the speakers.
I was mildly tipsy and it took me a few minutes to realize that he wasn’t taking me home. In fact, we were heading into an area I wasn’t familiar with, but the homes were large and sat on sizeable, well-manicured lots.
I twisted my head to look at him. “Where are we going?”
Landen glanced at me and the corner of his mouth lifted. “My house, remember?”
Anticipation zinged through my bloodstream. I shifted in the seat because my skin suddenly felt hot and too small to contain my body.
He looked toward me again. “Are you okay with that?” he asked.
“Yes,” I murmured, turning my head to look at him in the dim interior. “I’m more than okay with that.”
His lips curved once again but the look he gave me was scorching hot. “Good. I wasn’t sure after that text you sent me.”
I grinned. “Or maybe this was exactly what I wanted when I did.”
His brows lifted. “I think I underestimated you.”
I laughed and leaned back in the seat. “I’m used to being underestimated. That’s how I usually end up with the advantage.”
He chuckled, unperturbed by my admission. “I pity anyone who crosses you.”
The drive was shorter than I thought it would be and soon Landen was turning the car into his driveway. I focused on breathing as his house came into view. It was larger than I expected but not huge. The lot was spacious and there were trees throughout the landscaping, giving the illusion of privacy though he did have neighbors on both sides. The drive curved behind the house and he pressed a button above the rearview mirror. As he followed the sharp turn in the driveway, I saw that the door was sliding up to reveal a three-car garage. Two spaces were empty and a sleek, dark grey sports car took up the third. As Landen pulled in next to it, I realized it was a Jaguar coupe and it was sexy as hell.
“Nice car,” I said, tilting my chin toward it.
Landen grinned. “Thanks. I’ll take you for a ride tomorrow.”
I hoped he was taking me for a ride tonight, though the car wouldn’t have anything to do with it. But I kept this thought to myself because the reality of the situation was crashing down on me.
Just a few short weeks ago, I thought Landen Weber was hot but a gigantic pain in my ass. He seemed to relish driving me crazy when he came into the office.
Now my fingertips were itching with the desire to rip his clothes off. And I liked spending time with him. That was the surprising part. I’d always found him sexy, but I hadn’t always enjoyed his company. I wouldn’t have believed it was possible.
I would have been wrong in that belief.
I was never more alive than when I was verbally sparring with Landen and he made me laugh. He could also be thoughtful, which surprised me even more than his wicked sense of humor.
My door opened, startling me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even noticed when Landen got out of the SUV and walked around the hood. I put my hand in his and stepped out of the vehicle. After he shut the door, he backed me against it, his eyes intent upon my face.
“What’s going through your head right now?” he asked.
Shit. I liked that. He asked me what he wanted to know, no games, no pretense. Just honesty.
So I returned the favor. “I was thinking that you’re full of surprises.”
My answer seemed to mystify him. He stared down at me for a long moment. “Why were you thinking that?”
