Page 63 of Worth the Trip

A little before two, Willow Run disappeared behind us.

Sitting beside Landon proved considerably more dangerous than looking at him across Nana’s foyer. Distance had at least allowed me to pretend I wasn’t inspecting the man. Up close, every detail became its own problem. His cologne settled against the leather interior without overpowering it. Sunlight struck the gold watch at his wrist. Dark ink followed the back of his hand toward his fingers whenever he adjusted his grip on the wheel, and the chain beneath his collar moved when he shifted in his seat.

I looked out the window.

Then back at his hand.

Then out the window again.

“You survived,” I said.

“Wasn’t nothing to survive. Your people love you.”

“They interrogated you over pralines.”

“They asked questions. I had answers.”

“You’re always this calm?”

“Only when I ain’t worried.”

I turned toward him. “You weren’t worried?”

“Nah. I came to pick up a woman I like, not apply for parole.” My laugh came fast. Landon glanced over. “See? Worth it.”

“What?”

“Whatever I said that got that laugh.”

“You’re very pleased with yourself.”

“I’m pleased with you.”

That one came too smoothly for me to decide what to do with it.

My hand moved toward the pendant before I caught myself.

He saw anyway.

I expected the usual teasing.

Instead, Landon kept his attention on the road.

A few minutes passed before he spoke again.

“Since we got some road ahead of us, I wanna make one thing clear.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“It ain’t. I asked you out because I wanted you here. Not because I needed somebody in the passenger seat and you happened to be available.” I turned toward him. He continued driving. “Pretty women everywhere. That ain’t rare. You stayed on my mind after you left. That got my attention.”

My pulse did something unnecessary.

“You don’t know me that well.”

“I know.” He looked at me briefly. “That’s why we out here.” Something in the simplicity of it settled me. “I’m not interested in building a whole woman in my head off two conversations and then getting mad when you ain’t her. I’d rather learn the real one.”

I held his profile in my attention for a moment before looking ahead.