Page 74 of Doing It for Love

The train ride back to Long Island is full of kisses and snuggles, and Landon hums off-tune as I doze in his lap. Even though I’m exhausted, I sort of want the train to turn back around so I can relive this night one more time.

I fall asleep on the car ride home. It’s not the full sleep, but enough to not want to move even when the car is in park. Landon’s light touch caresses the skin along my hip as he unbuckles me.

“Ugnnnn…”

“Don’t whine,” he whispers against my cheek. “I’ll carry you, lazy girl.”

It’s a slow and cautious journey across the parking lot, one where Landon curses when he slips on yet another patch of ice. I somewhat jerk out of the sleepy trance I’m in and accidentally grab his face, leaving a scratch mark along his left cheek. More curses follow, but he never sets me down, even after getting inside. My butt hits the mattress and he sort of falls on top of me. Sleepy laughter flies from my lips and he catches it with kisses.

“Let’s get you in your jammies,” he says.

“I want to wear one of your shirts.”

“You can wear the Batman.”

“I want to wear the Jack one.”

“No.”

“But it smells like you.”

“It’s the only one you haven’t put boob marks in.”

“Can I have the Bazinga one?”

“If I can cop a feel while putting it on you.”

I raise my arms over my head and let him undress and re-dress me, giggling when he squeezes my boob as he slips his shirt over my chest. He tucks me in and kisses my forehead.

“Good night.”

“You’re not coming to bed?”

“I’m not tired.”

I frown, and he tugs on my bottom lip.

“I love you.”

“Why?” I ask, eyes drifting closed already.

“Because I can’t picture a life without you,” he whispers so low I barely catch it. “I don’t want to.”

I smile as much as I can with how sleepy I am. He didn’t even rehearse that one.

His lips graze my forehead. “Why do you love me?”

“Because you say things like that.”

“Wow. My answer was so much better than yours.”

I playfully bat at him, and then return his sweet kiss to my lips.

“Landon?”

“Yes, Lizzie?”

“Thank you for waking me up. That was…” I start drifting when I can’t find the word to do the night justice. So I just mumble, “I love you so much.”

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