Page 50 of Landon

Landon grinned and leaned in closer. “I think it says that you're tired of her bullshit, you've done everything in your power to help the kids, and you're ready to go home.”

Her lips curved, and she also leaned closer. “I think you're right.”

He slid his hands from the sides of her waist to her back. “What about you, Noel? You’ve spent the day taking care of others. What do you need?”

She sucked in a quick breath, her eyes never leaving his. After two days of being surrounded by people, they were suddenly alone. And as tired as she was, she had no desire to squander the opportunity to spend more time with Landon. Especially alone time. With his body so close. And his hands on her. And their lips?—

She erased the scant distance, her lips landing on his. The kiss was light. Just a whisper, giving him plenty of opportunity to pull back if kissing wasn’t on his agenda of things he wanted to do.

But he didn’t move away. Instead, his tongue licked over her bottom lip, and she opened eagerly for him. He didn’t waste asecond as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Her fingers clutched the back of his head as his velvet tongue swept over hers.

As a child, when Noel ate icing off a cupcake, she would say that the sugary sweetness made her mouth tingle, and her sister, Joy, would always laugh. Now, as his tongue danced over the roof of her mouth, the movement gave her the same tingles. Only this time, they shot straight to her core.

Angling her head to gain better access, she quickly realized he had taken charge of the kiss and used the new angle to draw her closer. His tongue now explored as it tangled with hers. Her knees felt weak, and she was glad his hands offered support.

As though he could anticipate her every need, his arms banded tighter around her waist, taking her weight while giving her his strength.

Just when she wanted the kiss to keep going, he began nibbling at her lips, offering sweet little kisses before leaning back. The kicking mewl she heard came from her own lungs. For the moment they'd kissed, she needed him more than her next breath. And now that he'd lifted his mouth away from hers, she thought breathing was overrated.

He smiled, and his handsome face morphed into what she'd come to think of as drop-dead gorgeous territory.

“You asked me what I needed,” she said with a return smile. “I think you've already got the right idea.”

“I have a lot of good ideas for you and me,” he admitted, angling his head to kiss the corner of her mouth. “But if you want to keep doing nothing more than just this, that's fine with me.”

Her hands tightened on him again, and she leaned forward, giving all her weight to him. “This is great, but I'd like to hear your other ideas. It's good to give a girl some choices, you know.”

He kissed the other corner of her mouth and mumbled, “It is?”

“Oh yeah. Especially after a day like today, a girl needs to know what her options are to relax and forget.”

He leaned back, and their gazes held, and she could've sworn time stood still. There were no sounds in the house other than her heart pounding in her chest, which she felt sure he could hear.

“Roger's room is empty, and so was the one Mike used. Believe it or not, Horticia had already cleaned the bathrooms and hung fresh towels. That was, of course, before she was hauled off to be questioned by the police.”

A giggle slipped out, and Noel shook her head. “At least she was a good housekeeper, even if she was a kidnapping instigator.”

Landon grinned, then continued. "I stripped the beds and put clean sheets on. I set your bag in one of the rooms and mine in the other. And if all we’ve done is get to know each other and share these kisses, I’m good with that, Noel. But if you want more, just let me know because I'm really interested in spending time with you. I just don't want to wake up in the morning and see regret in your eyes."

“The only way that would happen is if we woke up in separate bedrooms.” She winced and shook her head. “I realize that was presumptuous. A lot of people only want sex and then not share a bed. And that's okay, too, if?—”

“I can't think of a better way to spend the night than with you, doing whatever you want and then curling around you all night. So if you’d regret not waking up to me in the morning, just know I would, too.”

Her heart felt lighter than it had all day, and her smile widened. “Then I guess I'll let you choose,” she said.

“Choose?”

“Yeah. Which room we stay in.”

His arms tightened, and she gave a little hop. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and with one hand under her ass and the other banded around her back, he turned and started down the hall.

She was impressed that he was able to carry her down the hall and into the bedroom, and managed to do it with his mouth sealed over hers.

Everything about Landon had captured her since the moment she'd met him, but right now, in his arms, she gave over to the notion that he was the most impressive man she'd ever been with.And we've only kissed!She couldn't wait to find out what else he could do with his impressive mouth and body.

She had no idea which bedroom they were in, but as she loosened her feet from around his waist, and he continued to hold on until her feet were steady on the floor, she glanced around.

“This is the room that Mike would have slept in last night. I figured it might be cleaner than Roger's room since I’m fairly certain he’sentertainedHorticia when Pamela wasn't in the house.”

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