Page 15 of Wedding Bet

“He really doesn’t,” I assured him.

Landry’s warm brown eyes landed on me. Every time he looked at me my body lit up inside. He was the most handsome guy I’d ever seen, but when he really looked at me, it made me feel like we were in somethingtogether. He had a way of making me feel like I was important, somehow.

“I’m really glad I sent you that drink last night, Jamie.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because if I didn’t, you never would have come skiing,” he said, turning to face me. “And then we might not have shared lunch together, or drinks tonight. And you totally saved my ass back there, too.”

I nodded once. “I do what I can. Jamie here, at your service, fake boyfriend andhilariouslybad skier.”

Landry’s gaze moved from my eyes to my lips and back again. “Trust me,” he said. “You’re making this whole wedding a lot more fun. And I hate weddings.”

“How could you hate weddings?” I asked.

“Because they’re the worst.”

I shook my head. “They’re so fun. People share their love. You get to eat and drink and dance.”

Landry shook his head. “I’ve been tosomany weddings over the years. And they’re fun, but…”

“But?” I prodded gently.

“After a while,” he said, “you start to question why all of these people are capable of love, but you aren’t. You know?”

I furrowed my brow.

Christ, that was sad.

Landry was slick, rich, intelligent, and charming, but it seemed like there was a whole ocean of loneliness beneath that.

“I’m sure you’re capable of love, Landry.”

He bit his lower lip, looking down at the snow for a moment, lost in thought. “Who knows? And it doesn’t matter now. I’m not in the market for love anymore, anyway.”

I reached out to grab his other hand. “Well, I sure as hell never thought anyone would want to hang out with me in a place like this. Especially, well… a guy like you. It’s all pretty surreal.”

He looked back at me, his eyes so full of warmth.

“Of course I like hanging out with you,” he said softly. “Can’t imagine why I wouldn’t.”

He tugged me in close to him. My heart started beating like a jackhammer in my chest, and I realized I was holding my breath as Landry leaned down, his face hovering so close to mine.

Holy God.

He leaned in, his lips close enough to just brush against mine for a moment, the hint of a kiss.

And then my heart, my brain, and my whole body couldn’t take it anymore. It was like Landry was hesitating, just a little, trying to silently ask me if I wanted more.

And damn it, Ididwant it.

I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips against his. He let out a little sigh as I kissed him, his lips so plush and warm in the chilled night air.

It’s just a kiss, I told myself in my head.

But my body was making me feel like it was exactly what I needed, and that I needed a lot more of it. Landry opened to me slowly, letting his tongue slide against mine as he wrapped his arms around my body tightly. He smelled faintly of his gentle cologne that I was already wishing I could get closer to.

He hummed deeply. “Definitelylike hanging out with you,” he breathed as he slowly broke off the kiss and let his forehead rest against mine.

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