Landen woke with a start, for a moment, he felt a little confused about where the hell he was. Suddenly someone moved next to him, and the moment he felt Amelia’s soft skin against his body, he smiled to himself.

This was all very new for him. He hadn’t spent the entire night with a girl since he was in college. Even then, it was just the one time. Still, it felt good waking up next her. He thought that it was definitely something he could get used to. He turned over onto his side and watched her sleep.

She was beyond beautiful. Landen couldn’t help but take in every inch of her beautiful face. For the first time since he had met her, more than a week before, she looked peaceful. The lines of worry were gone from her forehead, and the sadness was gone from her face. He didn’t think she could look any more beautiful than the night he first saw her, but he was wrong.

Suddenly she breathed out with a long contented smile, and Landen knew she was finally relaxed. He leaned forward, gently pressing his lips to hers, and her eyes slowly opened.

“Good morning,” he whispered giving her a smile.

“Good morning,” she breathed out through a yawn, then gave him a sleepy smile in return.

“How did you sleep?” Landen asked, as he reached out, brushing her hair back from her face.

“Good,” she smiled as she tried to stifle another yawn. “Too good. I still feel like I could sleep for hours.”

“Then why don’t you,” Landen laughed as he softly glided his fingertips up and down her arm. “I have to be going anyway. I promised my mother I would drop by for breakfast today. But I can call you later, or maybe drop by.”

“I would like that,” Amelia said with a shy smile before Landen leaned down and softly kissed her again.

“I would like that too,” he said as he reluctantly climbed up from the bed, gathering up his clothes before he headed to the en-suite.

When he stepped out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, showered and dressed, he smiled when he found Amelia fast asleep once more. He walked to the bed, then as quietly as he could, he leaned down, softly kissing her forehead, before he turned and let himself out of her room taking great care not to wake Amelia.

Landen made his way down the hallway, to the front door of the apartment. He had just reached it when he heard Nikki’s voice behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

“You slept with her!” She said, her tone was accusatory.

“Nikki,” Landen said as he turned back to look at his assistant. “I didn’t know you came home last night.”

“And would that have made a difference if you did?” Nikki asked giving him a questioning look. “What the hell were you thinking, Landen?”

“Look, Nikki…” Landen began, but Nikki cut him off.

“Don’t look, Nikki, me,” she cut in angrily. “I know you. I know you think it’s okay to sleep with someone, then discard them like they are nothing. But she is not one of those faceless girls that throw themselves at you. She is sweet and kind, but she is broken too, Landen. She is too broken for you to be playing your stupid games with. If you hurt her, she will never get over this. You will break whatever little piece of herself she has inside her, she will never trust another person again. So, you need to stop this now before she falls for you.”

“It’s not like that,” Landen insisted, wishing he could explain to her what he was feeling inside him. “With her it’s different.”

“Different how?” Nikki asked. “Different that you will change your whole life for her? Change who you are? Because that’s what it will take. I really don’t think you have thought this through.”

“If that’s what it takes, then yes,” Landen replied defiantly. “I’m not playing games with her, Nikki. I know what I’m doing.

“And what if this Pete Reynolds comes looking for her?” Nikki asked, changing tack a little. “What if he comes, and she runs again. After you change everything for her, are you prepared to let her go? Because that’s what you might have to do.”

“It won’t come to that,” Landen insisted feeling angry that his friend couldn’t understand how he was feeling. “It won’t come to that because I won’t let him get to her. I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”

“Oh my God!” Nikki exclaimed as her whole expression changed. “You’re falling for her.”

“Nikki, it’s just complicated.” Landen sighed, knowing that she was right. “I don’t know how I feel about her.”

“Well you’d better get it straight in your head fast,” Nikki replied, pinning him with a look that said she meant business. “Because I love you, Landen; I really do, but I won’t stand by and watch you destroy her. She is too special for you to hurt. So you better make up your damn mind soon.”

“I will,” Landen sighed, knowing she was completely right. “I promise you.

“Good,” Nikki sighed, still holding his gaze with her. “Because if I’ve to choose sides, it won’t be yours.”

“I understand,” Landen said, knowing that what Nikki said was not easy for her.

Without saying another word, he turned and walked out of the apartment.

As Landen made his way down to his car, he cursed himself for letting his feelings dictate his actions. He knew Nikki was right in what she said, but she was wrong about him.

He didn’t view Amelia as being anything like those other girls. Okay, maybe he was confused about his feelings for her, but he knew he wasn’t playing games. He just wished he had taken a little more time to think about how he felt before he crossed a line.

He sat in his car, staring at the steering wheel for a moment.

“YOU’RE A FUCKING IDIOT!” He yelled out loud as he banged the steering wheel angrily. “What the fuck have you done?”

He scrubbed his face with his hands, before he stuck his key into the ignition, and started the engine.

Right now, he had to have breakfast with his mother and the rest of his family, and he knew he needed to get his shit together before he got there, or his mom would see through him like she always did.

By the time he reached his parent’s house, Landen just wanted to turn his car around and head for home. He had no idea how he had started the day in such an amazing mood, but now his mood had darkened. The last thing he wanted was to go into his parent’s house and try to pretend that he was actually feeling okay.

He was just about to pull his car back down the driveway when the door opened, and his mother appeared in the doorway.

Landen sighed as he switched off the engine, knowing it was too late to make his escape now. Climbing from the car, he forced a smile on his face as he walked up the steps to where his mother was waiting for him.

“Oh dear,” Nell said as she watched her eldest son walk towards her. When Landen reached her, he kissed both her cheeks. “You look like someone just ran over your puppy.”

“I don’t have a puppy, Mother,” Landen sighed impatiently.

“It’s an expression, Landen,” Nell replied as she stared up at her son. “But there is definitely something wrong with you. And you’re not leaving here until you tell me what is going on.”

“Why does something have to be going on?” Landen asked, sounding almost like a moody teenager. “Can’t I simply be in a bad mood?!

“Landen!” Nell exclaimed. “What in God’s name has gotten into you?”

“Nothing!” Landen replied sharply before he kissed his mother on the cheek and walked into the house.

He made his way through to the back of the house, and out onto the back patio, and found a quiet spot under the gazebo, next to the summer house, where he could sit and brood.

“Can we start again?” Nell asked as she walked up behind Landen, sitting down.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Landen sighed as he glanced at his mother before he turned back to the garden, watching the tulips in his mother’s flower garden swaying in the morning breeze. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.

“Do you want to tell me what has you so upset?” Nell asked, and Landen could feel her eyes on him.

“Not really,” Landen sighed, but in his heart, he knew that she was not going to let it go so easily. “It’s nothing that really matters.”

“Have you met someone?” She asked. As much as Landen hated that she was completely correct in her assumption, he also had to smile that she still hadn’t given up hope for him settling down.

“It’s complicated,” Landen sighed, as he thought about Amelia and the night they had spent together. Then he thought about the words that Nikki had said, and he sighed once more.

“Is she married?” Nell asked, completely stunning Landen.

“Jesus, Mom!” Landen exclaimed. “Do you really have that low opinion of me?”

“Of course I don’t,” Nell insisted as she reached out, softly touching her son’s face. “I just thought I would ask the obvious question. You said it was complicated. In my experience, the most complicated barrier to any relationship is when one or both of those involved are married.”

“Well no,” Landen assured his mother. “I’m not having an affair with a married woman, and for the record, there are far more complicated things that can stand in the way of a relationship.”

“You want to give me an example,” Nell asked, smiling at Landen.

“Nice try, Mom,” Landen said as he stood up. “But right now, I’m hungry.”

“Then let’s get you fed,” Nell said as she stood up too, linked her son’s arm. “I wonder where the rest of your brothers have gotten to. I swear, it’s getting harder and harder to pin you men down for five minutes.”

Landen laughed as he led his mother back into the house, and tried, at least for now to put Amelia out of his mind.

“So, are you going to tell me who this mystery friend is?” Liam asked as he and Landen sat on the patio after breakfast. As usual, Callum and Dylan were too busy to make it, but Liam had arrived late as always, arriving when they were already half way through breakfast.

“Would you like to keep your voice down, Dumbass!” Landen hissed under his breath, as he looked over his shoulder towards his father, who had just vanished into the house. “I already have Mom on my case as it is, I don’t want to make a bad situation worse.”

“I didn’t think it could be worse,” Liam quipped, as he gave his brother an impatient look. “You’re already in over your head.”

“And you know that how?” Landen asked, really not in the mood for his brother or his shit.

“What’s going on?” Finn asked as he joined Landen and Liam on the patio.

“Colombo here thinks he knows everything about my life,” Landen huffed as he stood up. “When in reality, he really doesn’t have a clue.”

“I’m sure that’s not how it is,” Finn quickly said, trying to calm things between his older and younger brother.

“I think it’s best if I just head home,” Landen said knowing he needed time and a little space to clear his head.

“Landen,” Finn sighed as he pressed his hand against Landen’s chest. “Don’t leave.”

“I need to clear my head, Finn,” Landen insisted. “I will talk to you all during the week.”

He turned making his way towards the house.

“Landen!” Liam called after him, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he went to find his mother and father, said goodbye, then he headed out to his car.

Just as he started his engine, his phone beeped, so he quickly pulled it from his pocket. Landen sighed when he saw Amelia’s name on the screen. He took a deep breath before he pressed open in the message.

Hi. You left without saying goodbye. I was going to cook dinner for Nikki and me this evening, and I was wondering if you wanted to join us. Ax.

Landen stared at the phone for a few minutes and thought about what he wanted to say. In the end, he released a long sigh, then closed the phone.

He needed time to think and a little space. He knew he needed to do the right thing; he just didn’t know what the right thing was. He started his engine, taking off down his parent’s driveway like a bat out of hell.

By the time Landen reached his penthouse, his mood was even darker.

He walked into his bedroom, kicking off his shoes before he pulled off his sweater. tossing it in the hamper, then headed straight for his closet.

Pulling open the door, he switched on the light before he stepped inside. Two minutes later, he stepped out wearing a tracksuit, and t-shirt. He then pulled his iPod from the dock on his sideboard, before he headed for the door once more.

Five minutes later, Landen was jogging down along the waterfront, music blaring, lost in his own thoughts.

He knew his feelings for Amelia were more than just sexual attraction. It was far deeper than that. Since the night he first saw her in The Voodoo Club, she was all he could think about. And now that he had slept with her, he knew that he wanted more. He just didn’t know what more meant.

Was he ready to turn his life upside down for some woman he hardly knew? Maybe he was just too selfish to change, and that’s what scared him.

He knew Nikki was right; Amelia was different. She was vulnerable, and maybe that added to her appeal, but Landen knew if he did take things further with her, and it didn’t work out, she would get hurt, and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do. He just wished he knew what the right thing to do was.

Landen tried to close down his thoughts, as he picked up his pace. Going over and over it in his head was getting him nowhere

By the time he got back to his apartment, he felt beyond exhausted, and he was looking forward to a long, hot shower. As he stepped off the elevator that brought him straight up into his penthouse, he pulled his tracksuit top and t-shirt over his head, before he threw his keys onto the table in the hall, then he made his way further into the apartment.

He hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps when he looked up and was stunned to find Amelia sitting on his sofa, watching him closely.

“Amelia!” He exclaimed, completely thrown to find her sitting there, and even more confused how she had gotten past the security at the front desk, or into his penthouse.

“Nikki gave me her key,” she replied as if she was reading his mind. She stood up, but she made no effort to close the distance between her and Landen. “And she called the front desk to have them let me in.”

“I see,” Landen said, still unsure what she was actually doing there.

“Nikki told me that she talked to you,” Amelia explained as if once more she was reading his thoughts. “She said she’d told you that she thought you made a mistake sleeping with me. That she thinks that you could end up hurting me.”

“She did,” Landen said as he took a couple of steps closer to Amelia. “Maybe she has a point; I just don’t really know what to think.”

“Look,” Amelia said as she took a step closer to Landen. “I didn’t come here to be all fatal attraction and beg you to give us a try. I’m a big girl, and I don’t think a night of sex means I should start picking out china patterns.”

“I see,” Landen replied and couldn’t help but smile at her comments.

“I just came here to say, I had fun last night,” Amelia continued with a smile. “But if you want to leave it there, I understand. I don’t want things to be weird between us because I like you. I mean as a person like you, and if you just want to be friends…”

“Amelia,” Landen said, stopping her mid-sentence, as he took another couple of steps closer to her.

“Yep,” she replied, as she swallowed hard, and Landen knew she could feel the same thing that he had been feeling since the second he walked into the apartment and saw her sitting there. It was like an electricity, and it was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

“Shut up,” he said with a grin before he took her face in his hands and kissed her like it was the last thing he was ever going to do.

As their kiss deepened, Landen picked Amelia up, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He wasted no time, carrying her straight to his room, and through to his bathroom, before he set her down on the tiled floor of the bathroom, then reached in and switched on the shower.

“Shower with me,” he said as he looked down into her eyes, then reached for her top, and lifted it over her head.

Amelia wasted no time either. She quickly removed her bra, letting it drop to the floor, as Landen knelt before her and eased her skirt down before he reached for her panties.

Landen pressed his lips to the soft skin of her stomach before he eased her panties down. Amelia lifted her legs, one at a time, as Landen slipped off her shoes before he pulled her panties over her feet.

Standing back up, Landen looked into her eyes as he kicked off his shoes before he pushed his sweatpants, and boxer shorts down to the floor, freeing his rock hard length, he quickly kicked them away.

He reached out taking Amelia by the hand, leading her into the shower.

As they stood beneath the water, Landen smiled down at Amelia as he stepped closer to her, slamming his mouth against hers.

Pushing her back against the tiles, his kissed deepened, as their hands searched each other’s bodies. Landen lifted her up, then slowly lowered her down onto his waiting erection. Holding her up with one arm, he balanced himself against the wall with his other forearm, as he pushed up into her over and over, never once breaking his lips from hers.

Finally, he breathlessly pulled his lips from hers, as he held her eyes with his.

“You are so fucking gorgeous,” he growled before he claimed her mouth once more.

Landen could feel his legs tremble, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to hold back much longer.

“Landen!” Amelia cried as she pulled her mouth from his, crying out in pleasure as her orgasm thundered through her body. It was the most amazing sound in the world, and it was Landen’s undoing.

Slamming up into Amelia once more, he erupted deep inside her, before his legs gave way and they both crashed down to the floor of the shower.

“Are you okay?” Landen asked as he finally caught his breath.

“Umhhmm,” Amelia breathe out, as she tried to steady her breathing. Landen couldn’t help but laugh. He reached up, softly taking hold of her chin, and tilted her face up to his.

“Stay with me tonight,” he said as he looked down into her eyes.

“Okay,” Amelia whispered with a smile before Landen claimed her lips once more.