“You and my brother seem to be getting close,” Landon says after a moment.
“I guess.” I shrug, closing my eyes again. Eli’s kind of a meathead, sure, but he’s an endearing meathead. A meathead you’d never know came from one of the wealthiest families in Cartmen Coast because he doesn’t flaunt it in your face or act like a pompous prick all the time. “He’s pretty funny, actually. I don’t understand why Mel doesn’t like him.”
TheMelcomment is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and I shoot Landon a quick glance to check his reaction. But of course, thereisno reaction. Landon is thekingof the non-reaction, so I stare straight ahead, relaxing back into the seat.
“He gets around, just so you know.”
It takes a second for me to catch up.
“Oh. Yeah,” I say. “I figured as much.”
“You did?” he asks flatly, eyes meeting mine.
“Well, yeah. Look at him. He’s straight out of Baywatch, and he’s a huge flirt. I mean, my god. The man can’t hold a five-minute conversation without throwing in an innuendo. It’s like he practices them in the mirror for an hour each night or something. It’s impressive.”
“Impressive,” he repeats.
“Yeah. He really knows how to turn on the charm.”
Unlike his brother,is what I don’t say.
“It’s not happening,” Landon says, his voice even.
I stare at him, confused. “What?”
“You’re not dating Eli.”
My mouth drops open in disbelief, and I sort through the last two minutes of conversation, trying to figure out when I gave Landon that impression. “When did I say I wanted todatehim?”
“You’re not fucking him either.”
I jerk forward. “Excuse me?”
Landon’s jaw ticks. “You heard me.”
My mouth bobs open again, but no words come out. I’d thought we were turning some kind of corner when Landon admitted he’d been a dick, but apparently, I was wrong. “Oh my god. I don’t want to sleep with himordate him! Jeez.”
Landon studies me closely, his eyes roaming over my face so intently you’d think he was trying to read my mind. Hell, maybe he is. “You don’t?”
“No!” I cry. “I can be friends with a guy without wanting to sleep with him, can’t I?”
“Not ifhewants to sleep withyou.”
“He doesn’t want to sleep with me.”
Landon snorts. “Please. Every man you meet wants to sleep with you.”
I laugh at the completely ridiculous notion. “Yeah. Sure. Okay. Does that include you?”
Thatgets a reaction. An appalled one. “No, not me!” he snaps. “Jesus. Don’t say shit like that.”
“Well, don’t sound so horrified by the idea,” I mutter.
“Can’t help it. It’s acompletelyhorrifying idea.”
I roll my eyes, trying not to feel offended. I get what he’s saying. The thought of sharing a guy with my sister is shudder-inducing, plus the fact that I’m nearly ten years younger than him, not that agereallymatters. But still, I can admit that Landon’s attractive. Way too attractive, if you ask me, what with that jawline and that body and thosemuscles, abs, biceps, pecs, skin—
Stop stop stop stop stop.
