Page 112 of This Side of Beautiful

“No. I love your natural scent.” He frowned. “Okay, I do want you to take a shower after you’ve been out all day and before you get in bed with me.”

“I do take a shower when I get home.”

“If you’re out real late, you don’t, and then want to be up under me.” He wrinkled his nose.

I slapped his shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me that bothers you?”

“You’re mean when you’re sleepy and can’t rest. I’m trying to stay alive.” He snickered.

“I’m sleepy a lot.”

Landon got up to retrieve his eggs and put them on his plate. “I know.”

“Is that why you want me to be quiet with you, so I won’t be mean to you?”

His eyes met mine. “No. I do that to take care of you. I want to take care of you. I want to be enough.”

“Youareenough.”

“I wasn’t Saturday night,” he retorted.

I picked up my cell. “Is that why you left Hollow Bones? Everyone has been blowing up my cell because you refuse to answer yours.”

He finished chewing. “It’s not your business.”

“You left because of me. Itismy business.”

Landon wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I left the band because Cedrick’s decision was more than about you. He cared more about the show than you and me. He knows me better than anyone else, knows how I feel about you and drugs. He should’ve walked away from you, no matter how much you begged him.”

“Brian gave me the Xanax. Not Cedrick,” I admitted. “Cedrick didn’t make the decision.”

Landon’s eyes widened, and then he nodded slowly. “Oh, I should’ve figured Brian couldn’t resist you. He’s been crushing on you this whole time. He wanted to swoop in and rescue you. Well, it’s a good thing I quit the band and not just Cedrick.”

Placing my hand on top of his, I reassured him, “Brian doesn’t like me like that. He wanted to help.”

Landon glared at me so hard I removed my hand.

He picked up his fork. “Finish your food so we can get out of here. Please.”

“Landon, they’re your brothers. You have to fix it with them.”

“This trip is about you and me. I don’t want to talk about Hollow Bones or anything else but our relationship.”

“Why do you even want to try with me when you can’t forgive them?”

Some of the indignant anger in his eyes slipped. “You told me you wanted to share everything with me, and I want to do the same because no one has ever made me feel safe enough to do that. I’m glad those people were camped outside, or I would have made the biggest mistake of my life. I believe you’re worth losing everything, and I need to see if I’m right.” He pushed my plate closer to me. “Please eat so we can explore without you passing out because of exhaustion. We have plenty of time to hash out anything we need to.”

The hope in his expression settled my migraine and stirred my appetite.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

landon

June 25

During the week that wespent together in Texas, we were mostly silent together, an unspoken agreement to allow the last three months to fade into the background. Austin became our reset, a place to relax, regroup, and recalibrate before treading on the parts of us that could destroy what we both wanted — a true and forever love.

We’d been hiking in the heat for the last three hours. Today’s walk had been tough yet exhilarating at the same time. I needed nature to help me breathe. To help me see the road ahead. Would the road be a lonely one, or would it be full of love, laughter, and happiness?

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