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“Can I keep you?”
His words rushed to my heart, and I went weak in the knees. I loved the movie Casper and every Halloween I watched it. There were other times throughout the year I also watched it just so I could see the part where Casper says those words while dancing with Kat. As silly as it sounds, it turned me to mush.
So Landon whispering those words to me while we swayed on the dance floor made me fall head over heels for him all over again.
“Landon...” It was the only word that came out as emotions swarmed me, but after a minute I got them under control. “Yes, you can keep me.”
For the rest of the night we danced, we talked, laughed with our friends, and held hands as couples do. Altogether, we had a great night. The guys had some beers, but the ladies didn’t drink. Jurnee because she had kids to take care of later, Summer because of her medical issue, and me because I still hadn’t started my cycle and was a little scared about what that meant. But for the rest of the evening, I tried to not let that eat at me.
And as amazing as the night was, it was the after-party for only two that was the best part of the evening. Well, it and the pre-party combined we’d had at our house.
Our?
When did I start calling the place ours, as in Landon and mine?
And yet it felt so right.
ChapterTwenty-Five
LANDON
I’d rather have spentmy day with Alley.
Instead, I had to head to my parent’s house after receiving a phone call from my mother early the next morning after our night out. News traveled fast after seeing Miranda and the gossip wheel had already begun making its rounds, leading the crazy busybodies to stick their noses in my business.
It had been damn hard to tell Alley that I had to leave and why. Watching the blissful, after-sex smile leave her beautiful face was not how I wanted to have to wake her up.
She’d tried to talk me out of it. Alley knew how hard my parents could be on me and she was always very protective of my feelings and what I wanted for my life. But I also suspected that she was nervous that whatever they said could make me pull back from her and our life together.
What she didn’t realize is that even two years ago I would have never let that happen. But with her emotions all over the place, she hadn’t given me the chance to prove that to her. This time that was exactly what she needed to do. And once I took care of everything then she would see.
As I pulled up to my parent’s place, I let the past in, and memories swarmed me. Growing up, Summer and I were well taken care of without wanting for anything. But there were never hugs, warmth, and love filling my childhood home. In fact, our lives were cold, filled with demands and we were pushed into things neither of us wanted.
But two good things happened in that house. One, I’d always had my sister and our bond was strong. Two, I would always have the memory of the first day I met Alley there at my front door and where that led for the two of us.
The day she walked into my life forever changed me.
Climbing out of my car, I wandered up to the front door, and it was flung open just as I was about to ring the bell. It may be where I grew up, but everyone rang the bell and was announced in the Abbott home, even their own kids. I used to go to the door myself, like on the night Alley came knocking the first time, but my parents flipped about it. But seeing my mother there herself, made it clear there was a storm brewing.
Needing a momentary reprieve from the shit-show that was about to begin, I thought of Alley’s beautifully naked body pushed up against my backside as we woke this morning, her soft breath against my back, and then her stunning blue eyes as they drank me in as I rolled over to look at her. That is what I wanted for the rest of my life. Knowing that, my mind settled, and peace washed over me.
Dealing with my parents was just one step to my forever with the woman I love and a walk in the park if it meant having Alley. Squaring my shoulders, I walked past my mother who was wearing a deep scowl on her face.What's new?She always looked disapproving.
“Your father is in his office,” she said snidely, shutting the door ,and following behind me as I walked that way.
It was time to get this conversation done so I could deal with the other few items on my agenda and get back to Alley. I just hoped she didn’t freak out at the changes I was making without asking or consulting her first. We were married, I planned to keep it that way, and I wanted her by my side. Always and forever.
My father was seated at his desk, on a phone call when I walked in. He motioned for me to take a seat in the brown leather armchair across from him, but frankly, I preferred to stand. I hadn’t planned on being there more than a few minutes, and I learned long ago if I remained standing, presenting myself in a dominant position that made it clear to the other person I meant business and wasn’t taking any bullshit.
As I remained standing, refusing his offer to sit, my mother walked in and took her seat on the matching, brown leather loveseat in the corner of the room. She didn’t say a word. Instead, she crossed her pleated, silk, pant-covered legs, placed her hands on one knee, and waited with the same disapproving look she had on her face when I entered the house.
If only she knew that the familiar look didn’t affect me any longer then maybe she would stop trying to use it on me. I wasn’t a child or for that matter a son trying to make his parents proud when they never acknowledged any accomplishment of mine nor Summer’s growing up. It was just what they expected without question. Well, those times had come to an end.
I may have needed that long ago, but not anymore. I had what I needed, and she was waiting for me at home. Desperate to get this going, I let out a low huff of breath that would be taken as rude for sure, but hopefully would get the ball rolling.
Sure enough, my father ended his call. As soon as he hung up the call my mother launched in first, letting me know just how rude that I had been. Always one to need to get her two cents in, I just kept quiet and let the tirade start.
“Landon, what is this absurd rumor I hear that you are married? And to your sister's little friend at that. Do you want to explain how that got started?” my father asked in an all-business voice.
