“Trying to get into my pants again, Blondie?” Landry’s mood takes a sudden upturn, and he bounces his eyebrows suggestively at me.
Ethan snorts loudly, and I bite my lip and will my cheeks not to redden any more than they already have. “You can undress yourself, and I’ll come back to collect the pieces once you’ve changed into your pajamas.”
“Aw, we both know I never wear pajamas.”
“Landry …” I struggle to camouflage my humiliation with a menacing glare.
“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t be saying that in front of Tenley’s kid,” he says, looking remorseful. “He might find out about our arrangement.”
Ethan covers up another laugh, and I clear my throat.
“The kid has a name. And he already knows that we’re roommates,” I tell Landry, making eye contact again and hoping he gets the message. “But you shouldn’t be saying things like that at all.”
“You’re right. I’m not even supposed to be thinking it, am I?” He sticks his lip out in a childish pout, and my insides start to feel all warm and tingly. “For the record, though, you’re the only one I want putting her hands down my pants. You’re my Blondie.”
I roll my lips in and nod while I help him out of his jacket and begin loosening his tie. But I can’t allow myself to stop and think about what he’s implying. All I can do now is move things along and pray I’m minimizing the damage.
“You know why I call you that? It’s because I like your hair,” Landry says, gazing up at me. “It’s so long … and it always looks so soft and shiny. And when you braid it, you remind me of Rapunzel.”
“That’s nice.” I hand the tie over to Ethan, who smirks and adds it to the pile accumulating on the dresser. “Come on, let’s get your shirt.”
He brings his hands up to the buttons but stops and blinks at me a few times. “You’re so pretty.”
I swallow hard and begin unfastening his shirt. “Mm-hmm.”
“I’m not supposed to be saying or thinking that either, but it’s true. And you know what else? I like your freckles.” He reaches up and brushes a knuckle over my cheek, and I feel my face flush with heat at the contact. “Especially the ones that go all the way down your back.”
I let out an audible gasp, and Ethan chokes on his spit and tries to cover it up with a cough. “Okay, Landry, that’s enough,” I tell him, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head.
“What? I mean it. They’re sexy,” he adds, shrugging. My stomach swoops much, much lower than I’m used to, and I swallow hard.
“AaandI think that’s my cue to hang out in the other room,” Ethan announces, his voice jarring me from my daze. “I’ll be waiting on the couch and pretending not to listen if you need me.”
“Thanks, Ethan.” I shoot him an apologetic smile. “Just so you know, he didn’t mean?—”
“Not my business,” Ethan replies, turning his lips to the side before he walks out of Landry’s bedroom.
“I’m sorry, I’m doing it again, saying too much,” Landry whines as I push his shirt back over his shoulders. I’m quickly reminded that he has very nice collarbones, located just above his very solid chest and …
Oh hello, objectively attractive ab muscles. Haven’t seen you guys in a while!
“At least I didn’t tell him that we’re married, right?” he whispers.
“Shh, he’s still here,” I scold him, my eyes darting around nervously, even though I doubt Ethan hears him from the other room.
“Oh, sorry,” he mouths, and I shake my head and force myself to turn away. Sometimes I wish my husband weren’t so gosh darn hot.
“It’s okay. But you can take off your own pants. Just leave them with the rest of your clothes for now. I’ll help you get everything together in the morning.”
“Sure you don’t need to check my pockets again?” I hear him drawl from behind me. The bed squeaks, and I hear the rustling of his clothing.
“It can wait until you’re not wearing them anymore,” I say as I move to leave him in the room.
He chuckles softly, tossing his slacks onto the dresser before he brushes my arm and stumbles past me in nothing but his underwear. “Where’s the fun in that, wifey?”
I bite my lip as I take in his form. Might as well get a good look in while I can, right? It’s not like he’ll remember me checking him out this time. “Wait, Landry, where are you going?”
“Gotta take a leak,” he mumbles. Then he stops and turns to shoot me a cocky smirk. “Wanna help? I’m not sure I can trust my aim right now.”
