“Ew.”
“Don’t worry, babe. You’re the only bimbo I’m interested in now.”
“I’m so relieved,” I reply, and push him playfully. Our walk goes by fast, and before long we’re back in the car and headed to my house. When we pull up, I’m surprised to see Brian’s car in my driveway and the man himself walking down my steps.
“Hey!” he says as we approach. He glances at Landon, down at our linked hands, then back at me, and smiles widely. “I was just going to leave.”
“I’m glad we caught you,” I reply, and squeeze Landon’s hand. “What’s up?”
“I was wondering if I can borrow your KitchenAid mixer?”
I frown. “Why?”
“Stephanie wants to bake cookies this afternoon, but I don’t have a mixer.”
I unlock the door and step inside, then turn and stare at my former husband. “Who’s Stephanie?”
“A girl.” He rocks back on his heels. “That I met.” Shoves his hands in his pockets. “You know, on my own. Without your help.”
“Oh my gosh! That’s so great!” I hug him quickly, then walk back to the kitchen, the guys in tow. “I want to know all about her. Do I know her?”
“I doubt it.”
“How did you meet her?”
“Does she give you the third degree like this?” Brian asks Landon, who just laughs and shakes his head. “I met her in the grocery store.”
I stare at the tall blond man I know so well, and then a slow smile spreads over my face. “What aisle?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Humor me. What aisle?”
“I met her by the ice cream.”
“Did she have wine in her basket?”
The guys look at each other in confusion, and then Brian says, “I don’t remember.”
“Think. Really hard.”
I lean on the counter, waiting, and watch Landon’s eyes travel down to my chest. I glance down, and sure enough. Cleavage, front and center.
I send him a sassy wink. You’re welcome, handsome.
“Honestly, Cam, I wasn’t looking in her basket,” Brian says, and then chuckles. “That sounds dirty.”
“Ew.” I shudder. “I don’t want to know about the dirty stuff. Of course you can borrow my mixer.” I open the pantry and fetch the appliance.
“You remodeled,” Brian says.
“I painted, Landon did everything else.” I grin and hand Brian the mixer. “Have fun.”
“That’s the plan.” He winks. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you later. Good to see you, Landon.”
Landon nods, and he and I just look at each other as Brian leaves.
“You seem very excited for someone who just found out her ex is seeing someone.”
“Hell, yes, I am,” I reply, and wash my hands in the sink. “I’ve been trying to set him up for over a year.”
“Really.” He takes his coat off and hangs it on the back of a chair. “That’s . . . unusual.”
“I know. But it’s okay.” I turn to him. “Brian is a really great guy, and I want him to be with someone equally great.”
“So you’ve been trying to set him up.”
I nod. “I felt guilty.”
Landon takes my hand and leads me to the couch, sits, and snuggles me against him. “Why guilty?”
“Because I left him,” I reply softly. “The divorce was all me. He didn’t put up much of a fight, but he probably wouldn’t have asked for it. I left him alone, and that made me feel bad.”
“You were alone too,” he reminds me, and kisses my forehead.
“But that was my decision.” I drag my nails up and down his thigh. “But, I guess I didn’t have to set him up after all. The fact that he’s doing any kind of cooking or baking with her says a lot. He claims to be allergic to the oven.”
“I hope it works out for them,” he says. “Wanna watch movies and veg for the rest of the day?”
“Hell yes.”
THIS HAS BEEN, hands down, one of the best days I’ve had in a very long time. Exercise in the morning, and an afternoon on the couch, snuggled up, watching movies and eating junk food is exactly how I needed to spend my day off. I feel rejuvenated and happy.
We’re in the middle of an action movie that Landon picked. We took turns choosing the movies today, which seemed fair to me. Right now action movie stars from the eighties and nineties are all banded together to fight . . . something. I’m not sure what. But Landon is laughing and pointing, and generally having a good time, so I’m having a good time too.
I traded my jeans for cropped yoga pants long ago. Landon ran home to get some lounge clothes as well, so we’re as casual as can be, with a blanket over our laps, and Scoot is curled in a tiny ball beside Landon, snoring happily.
This just feels good. I’d forgotten how much I love to snuggle. To feel a solid, warm body next to me. I slip my hand under the blanket and drag my fingertips up and down Landon’s thigh, like I did earlier, but this time it’s on bare skin thanks to his running shorts. I like to touch him. His skin is smooth, but his muscles are just . . . yum.
I glance up at him, and realize that he’s staring down at me, his eyes hot, and the next thing I know, I’m on my back and Landon and his harder-than-should-be-legal body are covering me, his mouth is on mine, and his hand has traveled up my shirt.