“Where’s Autumn?” Landon asked, carefully laying the box on the table.
“They left. They said goodbye, but you must have been caught up in the moment and tuned them out.” Robert had his elbow now, turning him from the table and the gift.
“This is too much,” Landon said again, looking back at the table.
Robert just chuckled at him and applied more pressure to his arm. “I’m starting to see some possible obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Put it out of your mind. We’ll talk about that later.”
Chapter 23
The salty breeze ruffled Landon’s hair as Robert parked the golf cart along the outer edge of the property. Nothing but a ledge of rocks and a four-foot drop stood between them and the Atlantic Ocean. He loved this part of the property, always had. This small grassy knoll was the only thing between the water and the thick patch of trees on the ten or so acres they had traveled to get there. Landon was quiet, his gaze transfixed somewhere past the horizon as the wind guided the water to gently lap against its rocky bank.
The sun was just beginning to lower toward the west. They had a couple of hours at most before dark. Robert kept the golf cart running, pulling back from the magnificent view to give them a large unobstructed area to sit on the grass and enjoy the scenery. He always wished he had more time here.
This had been his place to come and contemplate his career path, to devise a plan of action when he’d struggled to balance his studies and then his residency. The last time he’d sat here, he’d been in a dark place. The world had seemed hopeless, his future uncertain as he pleaded for guidance from the universe. To be here again, to have found Landon and have him by his side filled Robert with happiness.
“I love it here,” Robert said, bringing the golf cart to a stop.
“I can see why.” Landon’s smile matched his.
“This was the other place my granddaddy Paulie took us camping.” Robert parked the cart and left the keys in the ignition. He went to the backseat and checked the basket strapped there. “We’d come out here in the fall and play in the leaves. Autumn would get them snagged in her hair. She’d cry while they had to brush it all out. I once tried to show her that brushing her hair was better than being pinched. I got in some trouble for my reasoning.”
Landon came around the cart. With his hands tucked in his pockets, he stared down at his feet as he walked. He had on his new walking shorts and a short sleeve button-down. He looked like a J.Crew model straight off the pages of a magazine. The wind played with that short, dark silky hair, giving him a rugged windblown look. Robert extended his hand. Landon glanced up and didn’t hesitate to take it. Their instant connection radiated through Robert every time they touched.
“You’re being quiet. Tell me what’s wrong,” Robert said as Landon walked out in front of him, stopping at the cliff’s edge.
“It’s incredible here. The ocean’s very calming to be so dangerous.”
“I know. I’ve always been drawn to water,” Robert said and wound both arms around Landon, encircling his firm body before pressing himself fully against Landon’s back. The water wasn’t the draw it had once been—it came second to the man in his arms—and Robert lowered his head to Landon’s shoulder. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”
Landon gave no hesitation when he answered. “I’m afraid I’ll embarrass you or your family when people start digging into my past,” Landon said quietly, his eyes downcast and chin tucked to his chest. “I’m in over my head with you. I can pretend it’s all okay when we’re alone together in your house, when it’s just me and you, but coming here…”
“You could never embarrass me, Landon,” Robert answered honestly, turning Landon in his arms. “Not ever.”
“That’s not true and it freaks me out. One wrong move and you might wake up and see what you’ve done,” Landon said, his indignation shining through in his tone. Robert respected the honor and integrity Landon brought to everything he did, but it did make for a war of wills sometimes, and that was okay, he was up for it.
“Wake up and realize I’m with you?” he asked.
“Yeah. And I’m waiting for that day. I’m trying to keep perspective, but you make it so fucking hard.” Landon tried to turn back toward the ocean, and the struggle was real to keep him facing Robert so he could look into his eyes.
“You want to stay with me?” he asked.
“Yes, of course. You know that.” He lost the battle and got Landon’s back again.
“I hoped. You haven’t actually said that’s what you wanted.” Robert had long past decided he and Landon were worth fighting for, and that was exactly what he intended to do. There was no way he was going to let Landon’s reservations slice away at their forever. “Stop putting all this between us. I’m crazy about you. Are you crazy about me?”
“You know I am, and I can’t accept the gift… And you know I can’t,” Landon said decisively over his shoulder. Robert didn’t want to spend their precious alone time together rehashing it all again.
“I want to show you something. Follow me.” Robert took his hand, glad when Landon relented and followed without another argument. He led him to the grouping of stately trees. Trees so tall they towered over the property like guardians. Dense foliage acted as a barrier,
