Page 51 of Landry

Camille cocked her head to one side, her gaze sliding over him from tip to toe, making his blood heat and his pulse quicken. “I don’t know. It might be fun to have a topless assistant in my kitchen.”

He crossed the room, pulled her into his arms, careful of her mug of coffee, and kissed her soundly. “If you weren’t making entries for the fair, I’d gladly be your topless assistant. But we can’t have chest hairs in your pie filling.”

“Immediate disqualification,” she murmured, her lips barely touching his. “But worth it.”

Landry chuckled. “At this rate, you won’t have to worry about disqualification. You won’t have any entries in this year’s competition.”

“I’m thinking I don’t really care,” she pressed her lips to his.

“Mama?” Ava’s voice splashed cold reality on Landry’s growing desire. He quickly stepped back and turned toward the little girl on the bed.

Ava lay with her eyes closed. “Mama?”

“Yes, baby?” Camilla hurried to her daughter’s side, setting the mug of coffee on the nightstand. “I’m here.”

Her pretty blue eyes blinked open. “I’m thirsty.”

Camille helped her daughter sit up enough to drink from the plastic cup. Then Ava lay back on the pillow.

“Are you hungry?” Camille asked.

“No, ma’am,” Ava said, her eyelids sinking. “Sleepy.”

“That’s right, sweetie,” Camille said softly. “Sleep.”

Camille tucked the sheet beneath Ava’s chin and backed out of the room.

Landry followed. “Mind if I jump in the shower?”

“Not at all,” she said. “There are fresh towels in the cabinet. Use whatever soaps or shampoos you want.”

He touched her cheek. “I’d invite you to join me...”

“But I need to listen for Ava.” She leaned her face into his palm. “I promised myself I wouldn’t parade men through Ava’s life.”

“And here we are.” Landry nodded. “Got it. No PDA in front of Ava.”

Camille’s brow wrinkled. “PDA?”

“Public Displays of Affection, like this.” He bent to brush his lips across hers. “And this.” He cupped the back of her neck and devoured her mouth in a kiss that moved him more than he cared to admit. When he finally lifted his head, his thoughts and emotions were tumultuous. He needed to slow down or risk...

Risk what?

He stared down into Camille’s blue eyes, and it suddenly hit him.

He was falling for her. He’d spent his entire life avoiding emotional attachment to anyone but the brothers he fought with.

“I need—” he cleared his throat, “to shower. You need to bake a pie.” He stepped back, turned her around and nudged her toward the kitchen.

She took two steps and looked back at him, a frown creasing her brow. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, far from okay.

Her answering smile spread across him like a warm blanket.

Landry ducked into her bedroom for his shirt, shoes and wallet, then back across the hall to the bathroom.

He shucked his jeans, turned on the cold water and stepped beneath the shower’s spray. He fully expected to see steam rise from where the cold water hit his hot skin. For the next three minutes, he endured the cold shower, praying it would chill his libido and bring him back to his senses. He couldn’t fall in love with this woman, or any other. He wasn’t the kind of man who would do justice to any relationship. Especially not the kind of man Camille and Ava needed.

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