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“I can’t believe he showed up…and he said…he said that you…” A lone tear trickles down my cheek and his thumb wipes away the tear.
“He didn’t love the idea of us in his office.” I nod and he sits next to me on the step. “So, you know what this means, right, baby?”
“We can’t…” I clear my throat, preparing to expel the words from my throat, but I feel them getting caught. “Be together?” The thought is like a jolt of sadness to my heart and, for a second, I swear it skips a beat.
“What?” His eyes snap to mine and his hands find my cheeks. “No…no, God no. I’m not giving you up. I just meant no fooling around at work. We have to be professional.” He rests his elbows on his knees and looks at me. “And one day when we decide we’re ready, I’ll talk to Preston…somehow.” He chuckles darkly. “And pray he doesn’t kill me.”
Over the course of the next month, Landon and I try to maintain a modicum of professionalism and, for the most part, we’ve kept it together. But there have been a few slips. A few lingering hungry gazes, a hand that grazes down my back when he thinks no one is looking, a chaste kiss to his lips when I think no one is looking. But we’ve laid low for the most part. The only time that he’s come close to blowing our cover has been when I get male attention.
I’ve just stepped out to get some coffee when I sense someone in my periphery. “Serena Mitchell, you’re a hard person to see,” Justin jokes as he falls into step with me as I walk to the nearby coffee shop.
“Hey, Justin.” I smile, and even though we are off the firm premises and not even within sight range of the windows in Landon’s office, I swear I can feel his eyes on me. I look up at Justin, and I’ll admit he’s quite attractive, but he does nothing for me. “What’s up?”
“Not much, I’ve just been preparing like crazy for this hearing on Friday. I don’t think I’ve even slept.” He chuckles. “But I was thinking maybe we can get a drink after I have my life back?” We find ourselves at the coffee shop, and he opens the door for me. “After you, Miss Mitchell.” The coffee shop looks like your standard hipster, trying so hard not to be a Starbucks complete with exposed brick and colorful loungers.
“Thank you.” I smile and, right on time, my phone begins to ring. LW appears on my screen and when I send him to voicemail I realize I also have a text from him.
LW: Didn’t I say no coffee?
“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath. How the hell does he know? Does he have like a sixth sense about me? It’s kind of hot, but I wish he understood that he has nothing to worry about. It’s him who has me screaming every night. It’s him who makes me fall deeper and deeper. It’s Landon I’m risking everything for. No man could be a threat to him.
“So, what do you think?”
“About what?” I ask as we make our way through the line to the front.
“Drinks? Or dinner on Friday?”
“Oh.” I nod. “Right. That’s actually not going to work, I don’t think.”
“Oh…okay, well maybe some other time?”
“Actually, Justin.” I shake my head. “I’m kind of seeing someone.” What a lie. If kind of seeing someone is code for being passionately infatuated then, sure, I’m ‘kind of’ seeing Landon West.
We place our orders and stand idly waiting for our coffees. “A drink is harmless, though. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior.” He grins as he crosses his heart. A grin I’m sure has worked a thousand times and gotten him a thousand girls, but it doesn’t do much for me.
I’m about to answer when I feel a hand wrap around my elbow and tug me towards a wall of muscle. “Serena.” Dark brown eyes smile down at me, crinkles forming in the corners and a deep shadow around his mouth that I’d sat on just this morning.
Shit. “Mr. West.” I nod and his eyes roam my body lasciviously.
Geeze, Landon can you not do that with an audience? I raise an eyebrow at him in question when Justin interrupts.
“Don’t you usually send people out to get your coffee?” Justin asks with a hint of judgment in his voice.
“I decided I needed some fresh air.” He gives a smug grin before he turns to me. “Serena, you’re needed back in the office.”
Translation: get your cute little ass away from this douchebag.
“Of course, just let me just get my coffee.” I point at the barista.
Translation: Calm down.
“I’ll wait and walk you back,” he answers.
Translation: No.
Justin stares at us, like he’s an outsider looking in, confused. “Land—”
“I said,” he looks at Justin, “I’ll walk her back. You’re dismissed.”
