Landon's Desire (Book Three of The Pulse Series 3)

by Rose, Jennifer

  “You’re getting married Landon?” he could hear the disappointment in her voice and see the sweet smile leave her face. “I never knew you were seeing anyone, I mean…you never mentioned…none of my business, I’ll get right on that.”

  “Morgan, wait,” Landon stopped her. “You know I’m gay right? I’m marrying Carl from the club.”

  Her brows rose. “You’re gay? Get outta town,” she slapped his arm and laughed.

  “And all this time I thought I stood a chance,” she giggled. “At least I don’t have to be jealous of a woman.”

  “If I was straight Morgan,” Landon threw his arm over her shoulder. “You’d definitely be the woman for me.”

  “I’ll call city hall right away,” Morgan went to leave, turning back to ask, “will I be getting an invitation?”

  Landon smiled, “Top of the list.”

  She smiled, closing the door as she left.

  It was a few minutes after nine, Carl would still be sleeping. Landon decided to leave a text before going back down to the garage to check on things.

  Morning Babes, taking care of city hall, what’s your favorite flower?

  Love you! L.

  Down in the garage, production was in full swing. Everything was carefully laid out on the floor, each part labeled, numbered and catalogued. Tony was sitting in the center of it all with his legs crossed and typing on his laptop, inputting all the parts with numbers to the blueprint of the car. He was meticulous in his work and insisted there be no interruptions while placement was being made. Landon tiptoed over to a card table set up for the men to take breaks and sat with a coffee and his phone.

  The last details for the sale of Pulse & Passion had been taken care of, all that was required were a few signatures and the money transfer would take place. He left Mikala a text asking her to call and smiled when a message from Carl appeared on his screen.

  Good Morning, Ace! It’s lonely here in this big bed without you snoring!

  My favorite flower? Gardenias

  What are you up to?

  Love you too! C.

  I do not snore! Lol

  We need boutonnieres for the wedding, I will order them today.

  And if anyone snores it’s you!

  Kisses. L.

  What’s left to do? You stole the list!

  Sneaky fucker, I want something to do.

  C.

  No kisses, Babes?

  You pick out our tuxes, whatever you like and make the appointment.

  I have to go, see you for dinner let’s do Thai, my treat.

  I love you. L.

  Hugs, Kisses and a BJ! C.

  Landon laughed. He called the florist and arranged for a special order of gardenias, happily they were in season. He took the list from his pocket and happily stroked off flowers.

  Eden had supplied him with a quick fix for invitations and they were being printed off and sent to her. She was pleased to make sure they were addressed and delivered by courier to all the guests and her caterer friend, the one that Mikala had used for her wedding, was sending over a menu today. He and Carl would go over it at dinner and that would be the last item on the list done. He sighed at the thought.

  “Landon,” Morgan called, over the loud speaker. “Call on line two.”

  Rushing over to the phone hanging on the wall, he caught the tail-end of Tony’s nasty glare, damn the phone.

  “Landon here.”

  “The papers are all drawn up, the name transfer has been made from Mikala Reed to Carlton Ward and yourself,” Darius said. “All I need is your signature and it’s a done deal, the deposit will take place within twenty-four hours.”

  “Perfect, I’ll drop by on the way home,” Landon told him. “Thanks Darius, I owe you.”

  “Not a problem, oh, I’ll need Carl’s signature on the final papers.”

  “Thanks.”

  Since there was pretty much nothing Landon could do until Tony was finished mapping out the system, he bid Tony and the boys farewell for the day and went back to his office.

  Morgan smiled up at him from her desk, holding up one finger for him to wait while she finished her call. He poured himself a coffee and leaned his hip on her desk.

  “Thank you very much, Mr. Liberatore will be pleased, goodbye,” she said, ending the call and asked, “I was supposed to use Liberatore right, they asked for the groom’s legal name. You’re the groom right? Excuse my ignorance, I’m so confused.”

  “You are not ignorant, it’s the ones that don’t ask that are ignorant,” he clarified. “We’re both the grooms.”

  She nodded. “Well that makes sense, I’m happy for you.”

  “I assume that was city hall on the phone?” he asked.

  “Oh. Oh my God, yes it’s all set for Saturday the twenty first at three pm.”

  “I better let Eden know the time for the invitations,” he told her. “I’m leaving for the day, I’ll be back tomorrow. Call me if anything comes up.”

  “Will do, have a good afternoon.”

  “You too.”

  And with that he turned on his heels and ran out the door. Texting the info to Eden, he headed to see Darius’ office. Being as excited as he was, he signed the papers, took them to Mikala to have her sign, gave Emma a quick kiss and returned the papers to Darius, all within an hour.

  He was a dynamo today.

  The sound of the phone ringing echoed through the hands free, it rang four times, not unusual for the club.

  “Good afternoon, Pulse and Passion,” Carl answered, in his best sexy operator voice.

  “Tell me you’re not alone,” Landon said. “And there’s someone else to cover your shift.”

  “I’m not alone,” Carl snickered. “In fact we’re quite busy.”

  “Oh,” Landon put on his most disappointed voice. “I was hoping you were available for an early dinner.”

  “I wish I could but the new guy Mik hired is here, I need to stay with him for a few more hours. You know, show him the ropes.”

  “So you’re not completely brushing me off for the new guy?” Landon asked.

  “Not completely, come home and let me see your sexy face.”

  “I’m five minutes away,” Landon laughed. “I’d say be naked but…”

  Carl laughed then stopped short when an almighty clatter roared through the phone.

  “What the fuck was that?” Landon asked, alarmed.

  “Fuck!” Carl hollered. “The new guy, I have to go, see you soon.”

  The cleanup was still underway when Landon arrived and peered over the end of the bar. The new guy had toppled over several towers of glasses and was busy sweeping them into a small dust pan with a hand broom. Carl rolled his eyes as he walked over and gave Landon a long lingering kiss.

  “Try to remember you were the new guy at one time,” Landon reminded him.

  “So I keep telling myself,” Carl whispered. “His resume said he had lots of experience, worked at some bar called Gigi’s, for two years and a strip joint before that.”

  “Gigi’s?” Landon’s interest perked. “There was a bar in Detroit called Gigi’s, I went there more than a few times.”

  In fact he frequented the place. After Steve’s death it was where he spent the majority of his downtime, screwing anyone willing and able. He was actually far more ashamed of himself than he would admit. It was not his finest hour.

  “I’m going to go get out of this suit and into something more comfortable before dinner.” Landon stood at the same moment the new bartender did and their eyes met, to the horror of Landon.

  “Tristan.”

  “Landon, what are you doing here?”

  Carl looked from one to the other. He stepped closer and asked, “You know each other?”

  “Tristan’s an old friend from Detroit,” Landon admitted, leaving the fact that he was his last sexual partner before Carl.

  “What are you doing here, Tristan?” Landon asked, cautiously. “I thought you were going to s
chool, with the scholarship, what happened with that?”

  Tristan gulped knowing exactly what he was asking, where did the ten grand go for school? Landon’s one brow rose, his jaw twisted and he walked away. Tristan looked nervously to Carl then took the dust pan to the dumpster outback.

  When he returned Carl looked at him suspiciously. “Is there a problem between you two? I sense animosity. Don’t make me regret you working here.”

  “There’s no problem, hell I haven’t seen him in ages,” Tristan confessed.

  “I’m going to have Rex run over the register with you,” Carl waved for Rex to come over. “I’ll be back before you leave. I need you to fill out a few forms for Mikala.”

  A strange tingling feeling crawled along the skin at the back of his neck, as Carl scaled the stairs two at a time. He walked into the apartment and heard the shower running. Jumping up on the bathroom counter, he sat quietly watching Landon shower. There was more to the story than Landon let on, Carl knew he was hiding something, Tristan wasn’t just some friend.

  The water stopped and Landon jumped when he opened the shower door and Carl was sitting there. Carl tossed him a towel.

  “Jesus Carl, make a fucking sound so I know you’re there, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  As he dried off he could feel his skin prickling from the stink eye Carl was burning into his flesh. He tried to ignore him, tried to play it off as if Carl weren’t in the room staring him down.

  Landon slipped into his briefs and turned to Carl, spreading his legs and stepping between them. When he attempted to kiss him, Carl turned his head. Landon moved back, crossed his arms over his bare chest and waited

  “Your friend downstairs,” Carl gestured to the floor. “How do you two know each other and why do I get the distinct impression, neither one of you is willing to give up the real story?”

  “Babes, don’t do this,” he warned. “Don’t make this something it’s not. I love you, only you.”

  “Then tell me what’s going on.”

  “Remember the anniversary cards that I told you about?

  “Yes.”

  “Johnson thinks Tristan has something to do with the cards. All of a sudden he’s here without a warning? I don’t like it but I need Tristan to think I don’t know anything until I can get a hold of Johnson and let him know he’s here. I can’t imagine why he came all this way, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”

  There were so many questions he needed answered but didn’t want to ask before contacting Johnson, he had left two messages and was waiting patiently. Carl on the other hand was not going to sit so patiently without an explanation.

  A crowded restaurant was just the thing Landon needed, Carl wasn’t about to go ape-shit in front of an audience.

  Carl narrowed his eyes into tight slits, his mouth a tight straight thin line.

  “Trust me,” Landon asked, pinching Carl’s chin between his finger and thumb and looking into his eyes. “I’ll tell you everything at dinner, go get dressed.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  At The Silk Thai they were seated at a table by the window, the frown had not left Carl’s face from the moment Tristan and Landon saw each other.

  “Since you’re not speaking will I order for both of us?” Landon joked, with a smirk and Carl continued scowling.

  “I’d like the barbeque duck, my dinner companion will have the red curry with chicken and can we have the tulip dumplings and shrimp cakes to start?” Landon asked, handing the menu to the pretty blonde waitress.

  “And to drink?” she asked, tucking the menus under her arm and holding her pen to the paper waiting.

  “I’ll have a sparkling water,” Landon smiled, and both he and the waitress turned to Carl.

  “A large iced tea please,” Carl directed his answer to the waitress, she nodded and walked away.

  “Are you going to sit there all night pouting?” Landon goaded him on.

  Carl faced the window, watching cars and pedestrians pass, ignoring Landon.

  “You’re acting childish,” Landon whispered, as he reached for a napkin. “And I’m getting tired of this one way conversation. I’m going to get my dinner to go in about two minutes.”

  Carl harrumphed.

  Landon went to stand and Carl grasped hold of his wrist.

  “Talk.”

  “Tristan and I had sex,” Landon blurted. “For a very short period before I moved to Boston.”

  “Lovers,” Carl said the word. “Does that mean you loved him?”

  “Carl, I only love you,” Landon put his hand over Carl’s. “No I never loved him, it was sex, just sex. I was in a bad place, didn’t know where I belonged or what I wanted. I wasn’t interested in anything more than getting my rocks off. Then Mason called and I came to Boston.”

  “Look I’m not going to be sorry for having a past, as disgusting as it was, I can’t change it even though I’d love to,” Landon ran his thumb across Carl’s knuckles. “You can’t seriously be mad at me.”

  The waitress brought their drinks and appetizers. She set out their plates, cutlery and more napkins and walked away with a nod.

  Taking a long hall from his glass, Carl took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

  “Without saying I’m jealous…I guess I’m jealous.”

  “Oh, Babes.”

  “What? Look at him and look at me,” Carl fanned his hand down his front. “He’s young, probably doesn’t have an ounce of body fat on him and he’s gorgeous.”

  “And he doesn’t compare to the man I love,” Landon winked. “You’re my beautiful man, the only one I want. This is the last I want to hear about him tonight.”

  Raising a shrimp cake to his lips, Carl opened and took a bite, and Landon popped the remainder into his own mouth and moaned.

  “Mmm…so good,” Landon said, wiping a crumb from Carl’s mouth. “We should have gotten takeout and I could have fed you and cleaned up the crumbs with my tongue.”

  “Where’s the list?” Carl asked, popping a dumpling into Landon’s mouth.

  With a toothy grin, Landon pulled the list from his shirt pocket and handed it to Carl. He watched Carl as he viewed each item and his smile deepened. He was so relieved to see him happy again. It was crazy for him to be envious of a kid like Tristan. But then Tristan was no more a kid than Carl.

  Just as the waitress brought over their meals, Landon’s phone rang. He took it from his pocket and looked from the screen to Carl.

  “It’s Johnson, I have to take it,” Landon said. “You eat, don’t wait for me.”

  Carl nodded.

  “Detective,” Landon started. “You’ll never guess who’s in town and working at the club as a bartender.”

  He waited and then snorted at whatever Johnson said. “Tristan St. James…that’s right, he’s on the payroll, started today. Mikala hired him.”

  Shaking his head and listening, he looked down at his lap. Carl watched an angry expression cloud his face.

  “I get married on the twenty first, I want him gone before then…I’ll talk to you tomorrow, just so you know I don’t like the idea…tomorrow.”

  Landon hit end and set his phone on the table.

  “What did he say?” Carl asked, as Landon took a bite of his duck and chewed.

  Sawing into another piece of duck, his fork and knife made light work of each slice until it lay eviscerated on his plate in a heap. Carl laid his hand on Landon’s arm, stopping him before he cut clean through the plate and into the table.

  “Take it easy, Ace,” Carl whispered, looking around to see if anyone noticed.

  “Johnson doesn’t have enough evidence to arrest Tristan, the partial finger print isn’t enough to go on. The most he can do is watch him, and if another card arrives he’ll investigate. He thinks I should try to find something or get him to confess in front of witnesses.”

  “You can make that happen, right? I want him gone too, Ace, the sooner the better.”

  “After the
last case I helped with, you would think I’d been through enough, wouldn’t you?” Landon dropped his cutlery to the table gritting his teeth. “Let’s just fire the fucker, what are a few harmless anniversary cards going to do? Paper and ink, it’s fucking harmless.”

  “Because revisiting the past once a year isn’t harmless for you, in fact it brings out the worst in you. It scares me to think someone, maybe Tristan is fucking with you. Aren’t you scared, Ace?”

  “No, I just know from experience that you never know what someone is capable of doing. I just want to know why. There has to be a connection I’ve missed. How the hell would Tristan have known Steve? I have to figure it out.”

  “So Tristan stays.”

  Landon nodded his head with his eyes closed, then snorted. “We came here to talk about the wedding…Did you call about tuxes?”

  “Tomorrow at four, I can meet you there,” Carl offered.

  “I’ll pick you up,” Landon said. “And then we can go visit my mom, I’ll call her tomorrow and tell her we’re coming, if I tell her too soon she’ll insist on a big elaborate dinner.”

  Carl shrugged his shoulders. “What’s wrong with that?”

  “I love her dearly, but the woman can’t cook worth shit,” Landon scrunched up his nose. “Unless you’re into minor food poisoning, little notice is best. She’ll only have enough time to buy a cake or something from the bakery down the street.”

  “She lives nearby? You never mentioned her.”

  “She has a condo on the water front, her boyfriend moved in with her about a year ago. I’m not a fan, don’t get me wrong, he’s nice and all and treats her well, I’m just not a fan. It’s hard to like him stepping into my dad’s place, you know? I don’t see her a lot but we talk on the phone all the time.”

  “We’ll stop and buy her some flowers on the way,” Carl told him. “There’s so much to cram into such a short time, I hope she’s not mad being told at the last minute that you’re getting married…she’s not going to be pissed that you’re marrying a bartender?”