When Landon’s eyebrows drew together, Aubrey ran for her room without a backward glance. Then she locked the door behind her and fell face-first into bed with her limbs sprawled inelegantly. Aria’s singing had stripped her bare, and the scared, insecure girl inside her had stood shivering in front of Landon. That girl would’ve begged. For love. For forever.
While her defenses were down, a breath of freedom had enticed her with glimpses of hope, but her survival instincts kicked in and yanked her back to reality.Love ends. Then what? You’ll be cast aside. Forgotten and alone. Don’t you remember how much it hurts? Please, you must never risk your heart.
Using the words imprinted on her soul, Aubrey cajoled the lonely little girl back into her fortress. But the woman who remained neededsomething.She didn’t want love and forever. But she wanted the right-out-of-the-oven, burn-your-fingers hot man downstairs, who looked at her like he wanted to eat her up. The man she had feelings for.Yes, I have feelings for him. Shit. I have feelings for him.This was not good, but she couldn’t hide from it anymore. Aubrey had more-than-friends, more-than-sex feelings for Landon.
She reached for her phone and emergency texted Tara.
Aubrey: Code Shit Fuckity Shit.
Tara: I thought our emergency code was Shit Shit Shit.
Aubrey: No, we decided to use this one.
Tara: Fine. Not important. What’s going on?
Aubrey: Help.
Tara: Do I need to load Jack and Alex in the car and head on up there?
Aubrey: Yes. No. Landon activated his laser vision and nearly incinerated my clothes. I think he wants me.
Tara:…
Aubrey: I mean, he isn’t even pretending not to want me. Remember the “business only” deal? Well, he means business, but not business business. He means the kind of business that happens in the bedroom.
Tara: And the shower, the kitchen, the office, the back of a car, etc. You have to broaden your horizon, my dear. So what’s the emergency?
Aubrey: You know what the damn…
She speed-dialed Tara. It would be much more satisfactory to shout at her with her mouth rather than her thumbs.
“You know damn well what the emergency is. Laser eyes and burning clothes? He wrote a shitty review about Comfort Zone, but now he’s trying to set everything right. If we sleep together and people find out, they’ll think he’s only doing it because I’m screwing him. Ring a bell?”
“And how are people going to find out? You guys have a whole private villa to frolic in. It’s the perfect setup for a secret fling. Just don’t make out in public.”
“You.” Aubrey sighed. “Are. The. Worst.”
“How is being realistic and logicalthe worst?I told you this would happen. Eyes wide open. Remember?”
“You were supposed to skewer me with a lightsaber before something like this happened.”
“Oh, God. That sentence is a treasure trove of puns.”
Aubrey hung up on her cackling friend, but Tara called right back. “Listen. If you really don’t want this, you need to address it head-on and bring it to an end. No more running. Talk to him. Andbe honest.You want him but not enough to risk your reputation and your dream. Right?”
“That’s the whole point. I don’t know what I want anymore. I have feelings for him, and I’m scared of wanting more than a frolic or a fling. The only thing I’m sure of is that I don’twantto want more.”
“Oh, Bree. I can’t help with that part. You know that, right?”
“Yes, but I’m so damn confused.”
“I know, babe, but you can do it. Figure out what you want, then make it yours.”
After they hung up, Aubrey tried to sort through her feelings, but the cacophony ofwhat-ifsandbutsin her head wouldn’t leave her alone. She longed for some sweet buns, which was crazy considering the amount of food she’d stuffed her face with earlier.Oh no. The food.She hadn’t cleaned up any of it. Not only was she a coward, she was a stinking slob.
Aubrey tiptoed back to the kitchen imagining the leftovers strewn across every usable surface. She growled and stomped her foot like a petulant kindergartener. The kitchen. The dining room. Everything looked immaculate. Landon had tidied up while she was freaking out upstairs, making her the rudest guest ever. With slumped shoulders, she trudged toward the stairs then stopped.
Her sorbet.She’d forgotten all about it. With a burst ofanticipation, Aubrey unlocked the lid and peeked into the ice cream maker. The sorbet rolled smoothly into a ball against her small spoon, and she gingerly brought the dollop to her mouth.
