I knew I had to look like a deer caught in the headlights. I was blindsided, and before I could stop myself, I asked her if she was insane.
It was all downhill from there. She laughed, insisted that she knew that Landon and I couldn’t be a couple because the two of us were like night and day. There was no way a man like that could be interested in a girl like me. It only made me hate her more. When she walked away saying that he was just playing hard to get, I wanted to grab her by her hair and give it a real nice tug, only I was still too wrapped up in the idea of why Landon would say we were dating.
I chalked it up to her hearing him wrong. There really wasn’t any other explanation.
“Maybe you should,” Mad said. I shifted my gaze and gave her a glance. “Talk to him. It really might clear up a lot of things.”
“What do you know?”
“Nothing.” Mad said that entirely too fast. “I’m just saying.”
“Maddison.” Turning in the seat, I faced her. “Spill.”
“Would you look at that,” the car swerved to the right, “we’re here.”
The bright light of Lucky’s sign shined over the parking light, and Maddison pulled into the first available spot. “Mike’s waiting inside. Come on.” And she’s off, faster than I thought her little legs could carry her. “You know him. If I don’t get in there, he’ll come find me.”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my purse and started to follow, knowing without a doubt that she knew something.
The sounds of the music playing inside spilled out when she opened the door to the bar. She paused, looked back over her shoulder, and I narrowed my gaze. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Stop hiding shit,” I retorted, and she snorted in laughter.
“Come on,” she reached out and hooked her arm with mine, “let’s find my guy.”
Mike had called three times over the last hour, rushing us along. He had been gone all day working on a project at Grandma and Grandpa’s and said he was missing his woman. I thought it was adorable how caveman he was with Maddison. He adored her, and yes, I was a bit jealous of the connection they shared.
We slowly found our way through the crowd. The loud rumble of the band mixed with the loud voices around us was deafening. Maddison paused, and I stumbled over someone’s foot, bumping into her from behind. Reaching out, I steadied myself and was just about to ask her what was wrong when I was met with a determined set of big brown eyes. They were focused solely on me and narrowed.
“Shit.” I stepped back and let go of Mad’s arm. Each step I took was only met with those he took. The distance between us was not widening. Nervous energy raced through me, and I could feel my hands getting clammy as my chest tightened.
And then I did it, not my most graceful move, but I spun around on my heels and bolted for the door. Going where, I had no damn clue considering I didn’t drive, but I was in frantic mode.
I was only a few feet from the door when it came open and a big burly man stepped inside, blocking my exit. He offered me a little chin lift, and I attempted to step aside, only I was unable to. A strong chiseled chest was pressed to my arm, and I didn’t have to turn to know who it belonged to, because I would notice that manly scent anywhere.
I couldn’t breathe. I was unable to run.
Suddenly, Landon stepped around me, our eyes locked, and then he smirked. “You’re not gonna like this.” And then he leaned in and placed his shoulder at my waist before hooking his arm around me, and my feet leave the floor. “You and I need to talk.”
Unable to speak, I pressed my hands to his back and looked around frantically. Across the bar, I saw Rhett and Mike with AJ and Maddison at their sides, watching with smiles stretched out wide across their lips. Are you freaking kidding me?
I felt the shift in the temperature as he stepped outside. The coolness of the night was actually welcome on my clammy skin.
I still wasn’t exactly sure where it was he was taking me, but that didn’t really frighten me any. It was the idea of being alone with him that had me freaking out. I’d done a pretty stellar job of avoiding him, but now I was stuck. I knew this.
Landon paused, and I began to formulate a plan. He carefully started to lower me to the ground once more, and the second my feet touched the ground, I attempted to scurry off. I actually thought I was in the clear until I heard his boots scuffing against the gravel parking lot of Lucky’s, and I accepted the fact that I was not—lucky, that was.
“Damn, woman, will you just give me two minutes?” Landon hooked me around the waist, spinning me around in one quick impressive move, and I found myself being held captive in his strong arms. Okay, so yes, it felt amazing, but the nervous energy inside me begged to differ.
Not once did he attempt to release me. I couldn’t have escaped even if I’d tried. With one hand on either side of me, he gripped my waist and moved in a little closer.
“I think there has been a miscommunication between you and me.” I focused on his chest instead of his mouth. That was a train wreck in the making, because whenever I looked at Landon’s lips, I grew all girly girl and wanted nothing more than to kiss him. He honestly had perfect lips, and when he smiled, holy hell,
