Page 61 of Landon

She was captivated by the subtle expressions on his face as he spoke of his family, his life back home, and his loyalty to his team. His dark brows framed his deep-set eyes, which shifted in color from a mysterious stormy gray to a soft blue-gray as if reflecting the depth of his emotions. The flight to Jamaica was enjoyable but filled with the unknown and being with someone she wasn’t accustomed to. Now, after only a few days—albeitaction-packed and emotionally draining—he was no longer a stranger.

Her gaze would casually drop, wandering over his body. Having felt his strength last night, she knew exactly what lay beneath his clothes—a sculpted, powerful physique that still had her pulse racing. She couldn’t deny it; the thought of being close to him again, of feeling his skin against hers, stirred an ache of anticipation.

Tad, Penny, and Devil woke by the time they had a meal, and she was thrilled to see that the kids appeared more at ease after their rest and food. Now as they continued to the small airport near the ranch, she let out a long exhalation.

“What are you thinking?” Landon asked.

Her gaze jerked from looking out the window back to him, and she smiled. “Everything seems so surreal. It was just a few days ago that you and I met. And now, we're in a… um, new friendship… beginning of something.” She covered her face with her hands. “God, I sound so juvenile!”

He barked out laughter and nodded. “I'm not sure I can describe this any better than that.”

She smiled, nodding. “And everything else feels surreal, too.”

“Like what?”

“A few days ago, I was excited about flying to Jamaica. Knowing we would be there briefly, I hoped to appreciate its beauty and at least see the beach. Now, when I think back, I realize that the past few days have been wild. Crazy. Unpredictable. Unexpected. So out of the norm, it's tough for me to wrap my mind around it.”

He nodded again. “Again, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I'm not sure I could describe it any better. Whatever you're feeling, I think that's normal.”

Laughing, she said, “I have normal feelings about very abnormal events.”

“Exactly,” he said with a grin. “You’re handling it better than you think.”

“What about you? While this assignment didn't turn out how you thought it would, is this normal for you? And I know you can't talk about specifics, but I just wondered about the feelings.”

“As I told you, one of the things I like about my job is that every assignment is different. Some very mundane. Some are intellectually interesting, like when I go to a place and analyze what type of security system might work best. Sometimes, I'm tasked to accompany someone who needs extra security, and it may be to a boring conference or just for travel, and nothing unexpected happens. Yes, a few things go FUBAR.”

She captured her bottom lip with her top teeth as she tried to remember what the letters stood for.

He must have recognized her confusion because he said, “Fucked up beyond all recognition.”

Now, laughter bubbled from her. “Oh my God! I think that describes how I feel about this trip perfectly!”

As they taxied along the runway, she added, “Except about meeting you. That may have been unexpected, but it was not fucked up.”

His grin widened. “Same here, Noel.”

As soon as they walked down the stairs from the plane, they were met by an SUV. Stan leaped from behind the wheel to rush toward them, radiating nervous energy.

“Dad!” Penny and Tad shouted in unison, their voices brimming with joy.

Stan opened his arms wide, pulling both kids into a fierce hug, holding them so close that Noel wondered if they could even breathe. The deep lines etched on his face seemed softened, a testament to the anxiety he’d carried these past days. Her heartswelled, knowing she had played a part in reuniting them. This was the moment she’d hoped for.

Then unexpectedly, Devil walked over to her, a rare softness in his usually guarded expression. “This is where we part ways for now, Noel,” he said. With that, he hugged her, his arms wrapping around her with surprising warmth, lifting her right off the ground.

“Hey, enough of that!” Landon’s voice cut in. He was half joking, but his tone showed a hint of possessiveness.

Devil just laughed as he set her feet on the ground. He whispered, “I like you for my boy here. It takes a strong person to be with a Keeper. I think you’re perfect for the job.” He leaned back and held her gaze. “And I think he's perfect for you.”

“Are you playing matchmaker, Devil?” she asked with a smile.

“If I can't do it for myself, I might as well do it for others,” he replied with a smirk. He bent to press a soft kiss to the top of her head before saying his goodbyes to Tad and Penny, who clung to him in heartfelt hugs.

Cole and Frazier were more reserved in their goodbyes. A round of handshakes and claps on the back later, they bid farewell to Landon and strolled into the small terminal.

Stan pulled Landon into a hug before moving over to do the same with Noel. She felt the rancher rarely showed such emotion, but a business handshake wouldn't do. She could tell he was a man who didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve, but today, the usual formalities were replaced by an overwhelming gratitude.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice thick. “Thank you, thank you.” As he stepped back, she noticed the glistening in his eyes, and her own throat tightened as she swallowed down a lump of emotion.

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