Chapter 11

Brooke

Standing in Landon’s gourmet kitchen, my hand trembles as I take the beautiful china teacup embossed with tiny Chihuahuas and a gold leaf rim. I wonder if he’s even noticed the decoration on Grandma Nancy’s good dishware. As I stare at him, he seems almost human. With manners. I begin to see him in a new light. After he opened up to me about his wife passing away, things had slowly begun to shift between us. I get the distinct impression that he doesn’t share his pain with many people. It just builds and builds until it explodes.

Now, I can better understand why he acted like such a wingnut at the grocery store and even the first day I met him. I can only imagine the sadness and loneliness he feels. He’s probably angry at the whole world. Yet, I can still see that he has a good heart underneath it all. If he could just thaw it out a little bit more, a new Landon might immerge from the melting glacier.

I want to help him thaw it out.

I quickly look away from him when he turns away from the open cabinet. “Do you ever drink loose leaf tea?”

“I love it,” I reply. “The art of brewing it in my cast iron teapot is almost therapeutic.”

“Me too.” He turns around and reaches for something. I get a glimpse of his tight rear end, and my heart does a little somersault inside my chest.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love my coffee, but tea is something special.”

He stands up and closes the cabinet. “Yeah, I grow my own herbs to mix with dried fruit for brewing infusion tea.”

“How did you get into it? It’s rare to meet a guy under sixty who gardens.”

“Are you trying to say I’m old now? Geez, if a compliment ever tumbles out of your mouth, I might have a coronary.”

I let out a laugh. I’m not ready to compliment him yet, the thought of it leaves a bitter taste on my lips. He’s still on Brooke Kirkland man probation. “No, not at all. It’s just that gardening takes a lot of patience and–”

He smiles. “And I have the patience of a small child, right? Like none at all.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t say that.”

Landon fills a tea kettle with water and puts it on the stove. He turns on the burner. “I can’t blame you for thinking that. First impressions have never been my strong suit. I thought I’d scared you away for good.”

“What can I say? I had four good reasons to come back. They’re so sweet, which makes them really trainable.”

He widens his eyes in mock shock. “The little terrors are much better, thanks to you.”

“Come on, they are so not little terrors. They don’t bite. They don’t pee on the floor. There are far worse things than barking and chewing. I hate to tell you, but those are boredom behaviors. Have you ever thought of walking them?”

He laughs, which is more like a snort. “Are we talking about the same dogs? You actually think I could walk them? At the same time?”

“Yes, but that’s probably for another session, way in the future. So, anyway, how did you become Farmer Landon?”

“That’s cute, Farmer Landon. I had a roommate in college named Rod who knew a thing or two about herbs, if you catch my drift.”

I giggle as I imagine this rigid man hitting the devil’s lettuce.

“Let’s just say Rod’s brownies were a life-changing experience. But pot was just the beginning. He knew about all of these different herbs to make teas. They could work miracles on all types of stuff from migraines to allergies.”

“Really?”

“Rod was into this back to the earth, holistic living thing. But it had its limits. He tried to use some herbs to cure his gonorrhea, and that was a disaster.”

Just when did this perfectly innocent conversation veer off into left field? “I bet.”

“Even after college, I kept brewing teas with my own homegrown herbs.”

I snort out a chuckle. “Don’t put anything illegal in mine, please.”

He snaps his fingers. “Damn, too late! Just kidding, I haven’t smoked a doobie since grad school. Do they even say that anymore?”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t smoke anything. I’ve never even smoked a candy cigarette.”

“That’s probably why you have such perfect teeth.” He fills two coffee mugs with the loose-leaf tea. “Do you take sugar or honey with yours?”

“A little sugar would be nice.”

He adds some raw sugar to both cups then pours hot water on top. The aroma refreshes but calms me at the same time. It’s a conundrum. Kind of like this man standing next to me. He walks over with the cups and hands one to me.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” He sits down across from me, and I find myself looking into his brown eyes. The very ones where I could get lost until I don’t know where I end and he begins. But I won’t let that happen. One part of me wants him to draw me into his arms and protect me, the other part wants to slap his face.

I take a sip of the tea. “This is delicious.”

He speaks like an old man, “Farmer Landon aims to please.”

A personality is finally starting to emerge. One that I might actually like. “You missed your calling. You should’ve been a voice actor.”

“I actually did record the audiobook for one of my novels.”

“What was that like?”

“Tiring. I had to record take after take in the recording studio. My mouth became as dry as the Sahara. I needed like a gallon of tea. Then, I had to keep eating apples between chapters.”

“Why?”

“For the mouth clicks and pops.”

I guess you do learn something new every day. “Huh?”

He chuckles, probably at my gaping mouth. “Certain letters sound weird if your mouth is dry.”

“It’s amazing what you learn when you know nothing about a subject.” Before I know it, I realize I’m enjoying this conversation. I’ve calmed down in his presence, my body no longer a rigid ball of nerves and anticipatory energy.

“And get this, you’re not supposed to eat salty foods before recording because you might get dehydrated,” he says, a bit of hesitancy in that deep, sexy voice. I imagine him doing voice-over work on the audiobook of my life. “Of course, I didn’t know that, so like a fool, I wolfed down a cheeseburger, large fries, and a Coke!”

“No way.” I doubt he eats like that often because I can see the muscles rippling underneath his clothes.

“I stopped by Red Robin on my way to St. Paul. I was starving, and the session was booked for eight hours. After it was over, I told my agent, ‘Never again!’”

“Which book was it?”

“I’m not telling you, at least…” His voice trails off and a lump sits at the base of my throat as I wait for him to divulge the answer. I don’t want to push him since I’m sure he gets that crazy stalker fan shit all the time. I don’t want to become one of those people. But the challenge is that I do admire his work which makes me feel like I’ve time traveled back to high school and I’m standing in front of the star quarterback with cotton in my mouth. “That’s okay, I can easily look it up.”

He crosses his arms over his sculpted chest. “Be my guest.”

I grab my cell phone out of my pocket and hit the Safari app.

“Are you serious?” Landon snorts, amused by my follow through but too surprised or amused to stop me.

I nod as I open a new browser page and type in his name.

He takes a deep breath and throws his hands up in mock surrender. His fingers…they’re elegant and tapered. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it before. They’re perfect for playing the piano or running up and down the length of a woman’s inner thigh. Shivers travel up and down my spine. A long pause falls between us until he says, “Okay! Okay! ‘Lake Superior Psycho.’”

I stare at his face, enjoying the more pleasant expression that’s been there the past few minutes. “That’s my favorite book from you.”

“It was Carla’s favorite too, my late wife.” His face falls, and he’s gone to a place where I can never follow. “I didn’t mean to talk about her. I know it’s probably weird for you.”

I rush to comfort him. Even though I’ve never been married, I can’t even imagine the depth of his pain. “No, it’s not weird at all. How long were you guys married?”

“Five years.”

A low whistle escapes my lips. “I’m sorry. My longest relationship was three years.”

“It’s hard to believe that.” His soulful gaze sweeps down my body. “Whoever he was made a mistake when he let you get away.”

I stare at the floor and bite my tongue. Even though this isn’t a date, it’s a client meeting, the topic of exes is off topic. It’s dangerous ground, full of active grenades and I’m carefully picking my way over the tripwires. “Actually, I broke up with him.”

Another smile tugs at his lips, and I exhale a relieved breath that we made it through the dead wife conversation unscathed. Nary a temper tantrum in sight. “I’m not the least bit surprised. You’re nothing but a heartbreaker in white Keds.”

“Heartbreaker?” I lean back and narrow my eyes at him. “That’s what you think? Maybe we might still be together if he could have just remembered my birthday.”

“Ouch! A man who doesn’t remember a woman’s birthday? Shameful!”

I nod and take another sip of tea. “So, what’s your deal? Anyone special?”

“Since I lost Carla, I haven’t really connected to anybody. But there was this night I almost went home with a trashy chick I picked up in a trashy bar near my place in Minneapolis.”

I laugh out loud. Not only can I not imagine him in a trashy bar, I can’t imagine a trashy chick coming on to him. He’s a little classier than your average man. “Picking up trashy chicks in dive bars, eh? Is Minneapolis where you used to live.”

He nodded. “Well, I officially still do. I haven’t sold my place. When Carla’s grandmother died, she willed me this place, and I came here to take care of the dogs and decide what I wanted to do.”

I nod, tempted to reach over and touch his hand, but I stop myself, and detour our conversation away from his sadness. “Tried any of the trashy bars around here?”

He laughs. “Hooking up isn’t really my thing. If I do find someone, I would like it to be more than just a hookup.”

Our eyes met. Held. My stomach twisted deep and low. “Same here. I’m so over the casual dating thing. But it seems like that’s what most men expect.”

“Depends on the man…”

The dogs run into the room, barking. I wish he’d finished his thought, but alas, the toy dog brigade will not be ignored. “I haven’t forgotten about you guys. Just let me finish my tea, and we’ll get right back to it.” Chili’s tiny toenails scratch my jeans. He seems to be asking me where I’ve been.

Landon looks a little disappointed. I can tell that he enjoys our conversation as much as I do. My gaze lands on the dogs, but in the space of a mental second, I’m in his room. In his bed. Landon’s looming over me, his rock-hard abs hovering ever closer to my wet core and…

“Are you okay, Brooke?”

His question snaps me back to the present, and I inhale a breath to clear my head. I take the dogs back outside and finish up the training session. Fajita and Burrito make the most progress. But all of them are doing better. I give them all small dog bones and pet them one-by-one. It’s important not to treat them like a pack. They have unique personalities and unique training needs.

After I walk back into the house, I spot Landon in the kitchen, washing dishes by hand. It’s a sexy sight, and the lust I’ve worked so hard to tamp down the past hour has returned like a stormy gale.

“That’s it for the day, they did great,” I say, my voice dripping grit.

“Thanks to you.” He dries off his hands on a towel and walks over to me. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you, Brooke. I feel so bad that we got started off on the wrong foot.” He holds out those sexy fingers toward me. I stare, wondering if I can take them without it meaning anything past the client/trainer relationship. “Truce?”

“Of course. Just doing my job.” A jolt of electricity crackles from him to me. I close my eyes against it. What would happen if I let myself fall just this once?

“And you’re great at it. Please, let me walk you out.”

We make our way across the living room. He takes me to the front door, opens it, but then hesitates. Gently, he grasps my upper arms and turns me to face him. I can’t get away from that gaze, and it takes me to a place I’ve never gone before. The electricity…it’s back, pulsating, throbbing, killing me softly. My heart races, galloping away from my common sense.

“Brooke, before you go…”

“What is it?”

He leans in and captures my lips. I’m taken by surprise as he wraps his arms around my waist and holds me close to him. Landon is an amazing kisser, the way he moves his tongue in my mouth makes my panties moist. My body obeys him, like it’s lost all control of its own. Then his lips travel to my ear, whispering something I can’t decipher over the throbbing of passion in my ears.

I need to stop this.

This man is a client.

I need to stop this right now!

His tongue licks into my mouth, and the kiss deepens, causing my knees to turn weak. He pulls away, and I feel sure his expression is as surprised as mine.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I first saw you,” he says, kissing the tip of my nose, my cheeks, my forehead.

I’m lost. To this. To him. To myself.

And when I look into his eyes, my mental war is over.

All moisture leaves my mouth just on the strength of his gaze. The way he looks at me is almost feral. This is the exact moment I’ve been fantasizing about since I first laid eyes on this man. My hand trembles as I reach for his pants. Heat rockets through me. I want my own clothes off, but first, I want his off.

“A little bold, aren’t you,” he hisses, leaning back. “I think I like it.”

I inhale as the huge expanse of his hands encircle my waist, lifting me. He walks backward until the back of his calves are flush with the sofa cushions. He gently sets me on the couch, but looms over me, effectively caging me in. He’s taking control, which causes another burst of passion to surge through me. I’ve never been so turned on.

“What are you waiting for, Landon?” I push, reaching up to touch the planes of his face. A light spatter of stubble lines his cheeks, and I stroke it, reveling in the rough feel of beard growth against the pads of my fingertips. He stares at me, and I like watching him watching me. It fills me with feminine power, making me feel as if I could do anything.

“You’re beautiful underneath me.”

His words touch me in a way I never knew words could. Instead of answering, I close the gap between us, so I can capture his lips with mine. Landon slides his tongue into my mouth, caressing mine. The feeling of his big body between my legs makes me want even more.

He moves his hands to the back of my head to pull me closer. Stars explode in front of my eyes, and I close them against the rocketing sensations.

My thumbs search for the soft strands of his hair. I lace my fingertips through the silky mass, massaging his scalp. A groan rips through Landon, and my desire grows on the strength of his. Wetness floods my core, so hot I have to shift my weight to get away from the intensity. He feels it as well because his eyes snap open for a split second, and I see my emotions mirrored back at me. I let go only long enough to shimmy out of my jeans and panties, sending them to the carpet. A cool flash of relief is quickly replaced by the same raging desire.

Landon sinks to his knees and scoots me backward until my spine hits the sofa cushion. His fingers inch up my inner thigh, and I suck in a breath before he reaches his destination. The sound of my little pants of air are devoured by the strength of Landon’s kiss.

I shiver, more from his touch and where it’s headed than the cold air on my fevered skin. Looking into his eyes, I lift my shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor to join the rest of my clothes. I move to unhook my bra, but Landon stops me.

“I want to.”

Glancing at him out of the slits my eyes have become, I watch him reach around behind me and unhook the three clasps. A whisper of a touch on my shoulders is all it takes to slide the straps down my arms and free my breasts to his hungry gaze. He leans back.

“You look incredible like this, Brooke. Just like in my dreams.”

The implication of being the subject of his illicit fantasies isn’t lost on me. But I’ll think about that tomorrow. For now, all I want is this man’s hands and mouth all over my body. I feel his lips place a kiss on my clavicle. My heart throbs against my ribs, galloping a rhythm so fast it’s almost painful. It feels like it’s going to escape my chest wall. He’s got artist’s hands, with long, slender fingers. I imagine him pounding away at the keys as he’s writing his latest best seller.

I imagine him making me come.

He stands only long enough to divest himself of his own clothing, sending them to the floor in a heap. For the first time, I’m feeling a little unsure of myself.

“What?” I manage to croak out.

“Just that I love looking at you.”

“You have to stop saying those things,” I whisper. “I’m not all that.”

“You are. Don’t ever disparage yourself in front of me.”

I blush when I see his confident expression. He means business. I wrap my self-esteem around myself like a cloak because he’s right. I nod as he takes a nibble of the hollow in my neck, sending a shiver through me. “I want you inside me, Landon. Right now.”

“Ah…I don’t have…it’s been so long…”

I smile at his fumbling, reading his mind. “I’m clean, Landon. I haven’t been with anyone in well over a year.”

His face falls, and my heart aches for him in this moment. “I haven’t been with a woman since…”

I put my fingertip to his lips. He shouldn’t have to say it, and I don’t want the ghost of another woman in the bed with us. I don’t want him indulging in any memories other than the ones we create together.

I pull his head down so I can kiss him out of thoughts of her. It doesn’t take long until I feel him back with me. All of him. The sinew and muscle of his arms leverage his body weight and crate me in on either side. A playful smirk tugs the corners of his lips as he takes off his boxer briefs and frees his cock to my gaze. I reach out and stroke him, enjoying the steely length.

“Mmm…” he moans as I make myself prone on the sofa, so he can leverage himself on top of me. With a swirl of his hips, he drags his cock through my slick heat, and I can’t keep my own moan from escaping. He feels so damn good. Too good. I shift my weight, attempting to manipulate just the right pressure on my throbbing clit. I place my hands on his flanks to convince him to press harder.

“Just fuck me, Lan–” My plea is halted by a hiss of pleasure as he claims me with one forceful stroke. I close my eyes to savor the moment. A groan comes out along with my exhale.

“Do you like it hard, Brooke?”

“God, yes,” I say, closing my eyes and lifting up to meet him. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I meet him stroke for stroke. He’s staring at me, and I’d like to retain the intimate eye contact with him, but I just can’t. It’s too real. Too raw. And Landon knows it. I can tell that he likes seeing me squirm underneath him.

“God, Brooke, you’re so tight, so wet.” He groans again as he pumps in and out of me. “I can’t believe how good you feel.”

My heart sings at his words. “I know,” I say, reaching my hands behind me so I can cling to the armrest of the couch. He’s pounding into me so hard, I’m afraid I’m going to slide off. “This is perfect.”

He’s hitting me in the perfect spot. As if he knows, he hooks his arm around my legs, pulling my knees to my chest. With this new angle, he thrusts into me even deeper. My entire body ignites with sensation, all leading toward falling off the abyss of pleasure. With each hard thrust, he drives in deeper, hurtling me toward an explosive release.

“Make me come.”

It’s a demand. A plea. He moves to accommodate me, stroking the spot that always leads to an orgasm.

“Come for me, Brooke. Right now.”

“Ah…” I shriek as stars appear before my eyes. The wave of ecstasy starts in my pussy and snakes its way up my body. Within seconds, I feel the tide of orgasm flow from the tips of my toes to the top of my scalp. “Don’t stop.”

“A fucking tornado swirling through this house couldn’t get me to stop.”

I try to sit up, to get closer, to kiss him, but he bends down instead and captures my lips in a searing kiss. He’s fucking me with his tongue and his dick at the same time, claiming me in a way I’ve never been before. Wrapping his arms around me, Landon kneads my breasts, toying with my straining nipples.

Landon finds that perfect spot again, building me up until all I have to do is reach out and touch it. Once the rush starts throbbing through every nerve ending, I clamp my eyes shut. “I’m coming, Landon.”

He groans from above me, going harder and deeper. Hearing his noises, seeing the light sheen of sweat on his brow, and watching his taut muscles just turns me on more. I can’t hold back another second, and I combust in sensation, milking it for as long as I can until I go slack.

He’s not far behind me, and I feel him come deep inside my still convulsing pussy. With a sigh of satisfaction, he lays down beside me on the couch and pulls me close to him.

A dog whines, then another, then two more. I open my eyes to see the four of them on the chair staring at us. I laugh. “I think we’ve shocked them.”

He hugs me tighter, pressing his lips to my hair. “I’ll pay for their therapy.”

Still smiling, I snuggle deeper into his arms. After this interlude, I fear I’m never going to be the same again. Landon Cole has ruined me for all other men.