“There is if we don’t want the same things.”
“I will never force you into anything, Casey. And yes, I want kids. I want to get married. I want to settle down one day and have someone I wake up to in the morning and fall asleep with every night. But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to enjoy the next few weeks with you.”
She drew a breath, held it, then blew it out slowly. “I’ll make you a new deal. Same deal, but with a deadline. After the wedding, we go our separate ways.”
My chest hurt with her suggestion. My body tightened. I felt like I’d been kicked. But I refused to let her see it. “No more avoiding me. We meet at least twice a week. And we make sure we are believable as a couple at the wedding.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re going to have to kiss me again. And dance with me. And let me touch you and act like you’re enjoying it.” I eased closer to her as I spoke. When I was within reach of her, I took her hand.
She trembled at my touch. “Landon.”
I didn’t hesitate. I tugged her against me, slamming my lips over hers.
She responded to my kiss instantly, sucking in a breath and letting it out with a sigh. Her hand went to my shirt and grabbed hold of me.
I cupped her jaw with my other hand and licked my way inside her mouth. I brought our joined hands behind her back and held her against me, devouring her the way I wanted to the other night.
She whimpered. She didn’t fight my kiss or try to control it. I could tell she was enjoying herself, but she wasn’t showing me what she wanted, what she liked.
I craved that information. I wanted to know everything about her. What turned her on, what made her retreat. Her favorite joke and her favorite food. I wanted it all.
An alarm went off somewhere to my left, and I let her pull away from me.
She rushed to the kitchen and silenced the alarm. “I’m sorry. I have to go to work this morning.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me for living your life.”
She smiled. “I told you I’m busy.”
“I know you are. Do we have a deal? Lunch twice a week, at least. Or whatever else you want to do. If that’s afternoon coffee or dinner or gathering more dick collections.”
She snorted a laugh.
“Where did you put all of that?” There wasn’t a dick in sight. Except the one trying to get out of my pants.
“They’re in my room. In my closet, where Mikayla won’t see them all.”
“Makes sense. And I’m sorry for showing up with her here. I didn’t think.”
Casey shook her head. “It’s okay. She’s pretty absorbed in her world. She’s probably already forgotten you were here.”
“I hope so. She’s not going to the wedding?”
“No. I’m technically going for work, so I never planned to take her, but Finley and Trent offered their house for a sleepover for all the kids. Trent has a house manager who lives there, and the older high school kids are going to be in charge of all the younger kids.”
“That’s a pretty good deal.”
Casey nodded. “It is. This community is pretty exceptional.”
“So are you,” I whispered.
She smiled and ducked her head. Her cheeks turned red.
I made a mental note to pay her more compliments. She needed to know how amazing she was.
“Um, I need to go. I’m sorry.”
