Landen

by Holly C. Webb

  “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 be
g 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.

  Chapter 9

  Landen lay in his bed, softly running his fingers through Amelia’s hair, as she lay with her head on his chest.

  “Why did you want to become a Lawyer?” Amelia asked sleepily, without lifting up her head.

  “Actually, I didn’t always want to be a Lawyer,” Landen replied with a sigh. “I actually wanted to be a cop like my dad. But then one day, when I was about twelve, I went to see my mom in court. I sat at the back of the courtroom, they were talking about some legal crap. I was so bored. But then my mom got up to speak. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. She was just so awesome. All the men in the courtroom were watching her, not just because she was beautiful, and she really was beautiful. It was more than that. They respected her, some of them even looked like they feared her. I knew then that when I grew up, I wanted to be just like her.”

  “I can’t imagine anyone fearing you,” Amelia sighed as she yawned.

  “You haven’t seen me in court yet,” Landen laughed. “I have a reputation for being a ruthless asshole.”

  “I find that even harder to believe,” she said with a laugh as she lifted her head, looking down at Landen.

  “You should ask my brother Liam,” Landen replied with a sad smile, as he recalled the argument he had with him earlier that day. “He loves me, but I am pretty sure he thinks I’m an asshole right at this very moment.”

  “Why would he think that?” Amelia asked, giving Landen as questioning look.

  “Because I behaved like one today when I saw him,” Landen admitted honestly.

  “What happened?” Amelia asked, this time the smile was completely gone from her face.

  “I don’t know,” Landen sighed as she lay her head back down. “I was pissed off over what Nikki had said, and I was worried that I had messed things up with you. Then Liam started on about how I was in over my head with…”

  Landen stopped, realising just what he was saying and who he was saying it to.

  “He thinks you’re in over your head with me!” Amelia said, knowingly as she lifted her head once more and stared at Landen. “You’re fighting with your family because of me?”

  “It was just a disagreement,” Landen replied with a laugh, but Amelia didn’t quite see the funny side. “We have them all the time, but it’s no big deal. It’s just Liam thinking he knows everything like he always does.”

  “Landen,” Amelia said as she sat up properly and looked at him in disbelief. “He is your family, and he loves you. Take it from someone who has no family; you need to talk to your brother and sort this out.”

  “And tell him what, Amelia?” Landen said as he too sat up on the bed. “I promised you that I would protect you, and I would keep your secret. I can’t tell him what he wants to know and keep your secret too.”

  “So, it’s my fault you’re arguing with your brother?” Amelia asked, giving him a questioning look.

  “No,” Landen insisted, as he blew out a long, frustrated breath. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just complicated.”

  “I just don’t want you falling out with your family because of me,” she sighed as she pushed up from the bed, pulling a sheet with her and wrapped it around herself before she walked toward the bathroom.

  “What are you doing?” Landen asked as he too climbed from the bed.

  “I think it would be best if I just go home,” Amelia said as she stopped and looked at Landen. “I don’t think me staying here is such a great idea.”

  “You’re leaving?” Landen said as he followed her across the bedroom to the en-suite. He pushed open the door before she closed it completely and followed her inside. “Why? It’s almost midnight.”

  “I’ve already told you,” she sighed as she held on to the sheet tightly, as she picked up her clothes that were on the floor of the bathroom before she turned to look at him. “I’m not going to be the reason you fight with your family; I will not destroy someone else’s life to save mine. Now, can you please get out and let me get dressed.”

  Landen looked at her for a moment, then sighed before he turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving her alone as she had requested.

  He walked to the bed and sat down, confused by what the hell had just happened.

  This was exactly why Landen didn’t do relationships. He didn’t have time for all this complicated crap. So maybe it was best she left. Maybe Nikki was right after all.

  Still, he didn’t want her to leave. Deep down i
nside he knew that was true, even if he hated to admit it to himself. He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom, having no clue what to say to her to make her see that he needed her to stay.

  That’s when it hit him.

  I need her to stay! Landen thought to himself, giving a small laugh of disbelief. Since when am I someone who needs someone else in their life?

  Finally, the door opened. Amelia appeared in the doorway, and Landen stood up, having no clue what he was going to say. He just knew he needed to say something and fast.

  “I don’t want you to leave,” he said stepping towards her, almost forgetting he was completely naked.

  “I think it’s better that I do,” she said, her eyes fixed on the ground, as she refused to look at Landen’s face, or his naked body.

  “Please,” he whispered as he walked up to her, and stopped in front of her. He was so close that he could smell her perfume, but still, he didn’t touch her. “This is all very new to me. It’s why Nikki told me to stay away from you. She knew that I would mess this up, that I would hurt you.”

  He stopped and slowly reached up, taking her by the chin, tilting her face, so she was now looking at him.

  “Give me a chance to get this right,” Landen pleaded softly. “Please don’t go. Don’t walk away the first time it gets complicated.”

  “I don’t want you to fall out with your family because of me,” Amelia replied as she let her eyes hold his. “No matter what you have to do. I need you to promise me.”

  “I give you my word,” Landen assured her, as he softly brushed her face with the back of his fingers. “Just, please stay.”

  “I’ll stay,” she whispered, and Landen rewarded her with a smile before he swept her up into his arms, carrying her back to his bed, then he claimed her mouth with his once more.

  Landen was sitting in his office the next morning when Nikki walked in. Landen could feel her nervous energy without even having to look up at her.

  “Good morning,” she said as she watched him closely. They still hadn’t talked since their argument in her apartment the morning before. She wasn’t at her desk when Landen arrived at his office ten minutes earlier, so this was the first time they had spoken since he had walked out of her apartment.