Page 24 of A Sweet Mess

She breathed in the decadent aroma of wine, thyme, and rich, stewed chicken and veggies. The sausages added a smoky layer to the hearty stew, thickened with soft beans. Her mouth watered, and her stomach urged her to face-dive into the bowl. At the risk of burning her tongue, she blew on a heaping spoonful and filled her mouth with cassoulet.

“I had to improvise quite a bit and make do without some ingredients.” Landon watched her with shy anticipation. “Do you like it?”

“Ooh me gah,” she groaned as her eyes slid shut. She couldn’t handle more sensory input. The bite of cassoulet burst with a rainbow of flavors and textures that required her undivided attention. Warm, creamy, fragrant, and just a touch salty. It was wonderful—kind of like sublime butter except she could eat bowls of it without censure. “I can’t believe you madethisout of the random ingredients I brought. I call dibs on licking the pot clean.”

“I’m going to take that as a yes,” he said in a warm, intimate voice. His blush melted her heart, and the Smile blinded her.

Satiated with wine and cassoulet, the campfire lured Aubrey into a sleepy stupor. When Landon put his arm around her and pulled her close, she yawned and tucked her head against his shoulder. His thumb drew small circles on her shoulder, and she nearly purred.Dangerous?Probably, but nothing short of Armageddon was going to make her leave the fleeting haven by his side.

“Should I tell you a scary story?”

Aubrey bolted upright and covered both ears.Or a scary story.

“No. Never. Absolutely not.”

“Okay. Okay.” Landon chuckled, tugging her hands down. “I just thought that’s what people do when they go camping.”

“Well, I don’t.” She rubbed the heebie-jeebies from her arms. “I watchedThe Exorcistwhen I was ten, and it scarred me for life. I haven’t been able to watch or read or listen to anythingevilsince then.”

“I’m with you there.The Exorcistis the creepiest movie ever made.”

“Right? The kid who could see dead people has nothing on the vomit-spewing, head-spinning girl.” Aubrey shivered. “Now stop talking about it. Or I won’t be able to sleep for weeks.”

“Sure. Let’s just enjoy the fire.”

With a soft sigh, Aubrey reclaimed the prime real estate she’d just vacated. Landon draped his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer.

“When I was in high school, a bunch of my friends went camping and took a picture of their bonfire.” His voice wasdeep and soothing. Aubrey relaxed against him. “But when they developed the picture, there was a man standing inside the flames—”

“Oof!” Aubrey shoved him away and socked him in the arm. His full-blown laughter sounded delicious and warmed her all the way down to her toes. So she threw another punch at his shoulder for being so freaking hot.

Before she could pummel him some more, Landon caught one of her wrists in each hand. His grip wasn’t tight but firm enough for her to feel the strength he held in check. She tugged and pulled to test his hold. Futile. Her only two options were headbutting him or biting him. As though he could read her game plan he grinned and wrapped her arms behind her back. Thanks to the momentum of their tug-of-war, Aubrey fell into his arms with a small yelp.

His laughter and smile faded, and the tenor of their battle shifted, sending a thrill down her spine. The chemical reaction of skin against skin burned their teasing and flirting into ashes, and desire whirled around them. She willed her eyes to shoot poison daggers at him, but they kept trying to flutter shut. Heat spread up her neck and face, and bolts of electricity shot through her veins.

Landon drew her closer to him, his expression stark and hungry. Releasing her hands, he pulled her flush against him. She should have pushed him away, but she sat transfixed. Inches apart, they breathed each other in—frustrated and desperate. Heady forces drew their lips closer, and she closed her eyes, overwhelmed by her need for him. And as spontaneously as their chemistry erupted into the atmosphere, it shattered with a sharp crack of a splitting log.

He dropped his hands and shot to his feet, turning his back to her. The fire had shifted with the wood collapsing on itself,and the dancing flames wove surreal shadows between the trees. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, and the muscles in his shoulders and back visibly tensed.

“I’m going to turn in,” Aubrey said in a small voice. She’d wanted him to kiss her, which was reckless and stupid.You know what’s worse?She was hurt he’d had enough control to stop the train wreck, and disappointment overshadowed the relief she should’ve been feeling.

Landon pivoted toward her and raised his hand as though to touch her, and her breath caught in her throat. But he dropped his arm to his side, and Aubrey trudged away and slipped inside the tent—churning, contradictory emotions twisting her up. She zipped the entrance shut and sat uncertainly, not knowing what she should do next.

Her brain finally instructed her to go to sleep. After rubbing some toothpaste on her teeth and scrubbing her face with Cetaphil, she crawled into her sleeping bag and shut her eyes, expecting to toss and turn for hours. But before her mind grew loud with impossible questions, fatigue dragged her into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

The sun flitted through the green walls of the tent. Aubrey cracked open an eyelid and then closed it again, huddling deeper into her sleeping bag. She yawned with lusty abandon and stretched her legs to her tippy toes. Last night had been freakishly cold for the time of year, and the mountain air had frozen the tip of her nose. She loved it. Hiding from the morning chill in her cozy cocoon felt decadent.

Wait. I’m not alone.Memories of last night rushed back. She bolted upright like a mummy awakening from a sarcophagus.Her warm haven morphed into a constricting bond as she fought to free herself. There was no sign of him in the tent. All she saw was a mountain of blankets.

Hang on a second.

Landon must have brought in her blankets to use last night, but she certainly didn’t have enough to make a mountain. Aubrey scooted over on her bottom and peeked under the mound. Landon was curled up in a ball, wearing his socks, parka, and hood.Oh no.The jumble of throws was no match against the freezing temperature.

Curious to see if he was alive under there, she prodded his side with her toes. When he didn’t budge, she knelt beside him and searched for his buried face. Faster than she could screech, he pinned her under him.

“Sleep well?” he growled.

“Umm.” She cleared her throat, her heart pitter-pattering. “It got a little colder than I’d expected. Were you okay?”

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