God, even I didn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
“I have a feeling you’re going to be eating crow sooner than you think.”
I needed to end this call so I could get my head in the right place before Landon got here. “See you later tonight, Hail.”
“Bye-bye.” There was that sing-song voice again. Was there a bit of sarcasm in there too? I decided to ignore it as I made my way into my bathroom to give myself one more look over.
My black ALYCE Paris dress fit like a glove. It was gorgeous with its off-the-shoulder cap sleeves and stunning bead work. It had a Queen Anne neckline with a tight bodice that showcased my curvy figure perfectly. I wasn’t stick thin, but I did have an athletic body, and I loved how sexy this dress made me feel.
Turning to look at my back, I grinned. The V-cut back had more beautiful beading, and showed just enough skin to give it a naughty feel while still keeping it classy. The A-line skirt had layers of chiffon with a slightly longer train in the back. My silver high heels added the perfect touch.
While most of the other committee members would likely be wearing their expensive designer gowns and Jimmy Choo shoes, I didn’t make that kind of money. And honestly, I couldn’t see paying seven-hundred dollars for a pair of shoes, only to be scared to death I would damage them. So my silver Jessica Simpson embellished stiletto pumps were perfect for me. Less than a hundred bucks and stunningly beautiful.
The doorbell rang, and I checked my hair quickly. I had pulled it back into a low, tight bun. The diamond earrings Landon had bought me for my twenty-first birthday hung from my ears. I pressed my red lips together once more and then made my way to the front door.
Landon and I were taking a limo to the charity event and planned on staying at the same hotel as Hailey, Mike, and our folks.
When I opened the door, I nearly choked on my own damn tongue. The statement I’d made only minutes ago about not having any romantic feelings for Landon flew right out the window with one look at the insanely gorgeous man who stood in front of me.
This wasn’t the same Landon I had grown up with. Not at all. He wasn’t the same guy I had cried to so many times with a broken heart, or the same guy who brought me Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to cheer me up when I was feeling down about something. He wasn’t my best friend whom I could share anything with.
No, I take that back. Landon would always be my best friend. I just couldn’t share how I felt about him to him. At least, not yet. Not until I figured it out myself.
But looking at Landon now made my insides come alive and burn with a desire I had never felt before in my life. He wore his dark brown hair in that slightly messy way of his that still looked amazing. It was like he styled it and then ran his fingers through it, not liking the idea of it being too perfect. He hadn’t shaved today and had the beginning of a five o’clock shadow. My fingers twitched to see if it was as soft as it looked. His eyes seemed more blue today, reminding me of the Texas sky after a storm had cleared away the clouds and left a brilliant shade of indigo blue that took your breath away.
I took in his perfectly fitted tux, fighting the urge to let out a moan. His broad shoulders seemed to be even more defined in the evening wear, giving him a sex appeal that would make any woman weak in the knees—including this woman, who stood here gawking at him like a crazy person.
I shook my head and cleared my throat, trying to remember how to speak.
“Damn, Emme. You look beautiful,” Landon said as he started to walk into my house. I moved out of his way, not even sure how I made my body function enough to take a step.
“You…you look…so handsome.”
He grinned and then winked, and a flurry of butterflies took off in my stomach.
“Thanks. You about ready to go?” he asked as he swept his gaze over me once more.
Wait, was that…was that lust in his eyes?
Okay, butterflies had been replaced by an insane pulse between my thighs.
A part of me was slightly bothered that he hadn’t seemed the least bit affected by me when I first opened the door. Here I could hardly form a solid sentence, and he acted like this was simply another night. Granted, he’d said I looked beautiful, and he’d looked at me differently, but he’d said it the same as someone like Noah would. A simple compliment that any woman would get, not one laced with something more.
“Um, yeah. Let me grab my clutch and overnight bag.”
I could feel his gaze on me, and I glanced back over my shoulder. Something was different in his eyes. They looked darker now.
Turning back around, I felt my heart drop to my stomach. My hands shook slightly as I picked up my clutch and then tossed my phone into it. I reached for the bag, but before I could pick it up, Landon’s hand brushed over mine and he took it. My breath hitched, and I prayed he hadn’t caught it. With a deep breath, I faced him and smiled.
“Where’s the pup?” he asked.
“Oh, um, Lady is staying with a friend of mine. She’s in love with her, so it wasn’t a hardship to ask her to watch her for me.”
Landon nodded and then asked, “Shall we?”
He gave me that half smile that made the dimple in his right cheek show up a little bit more than the one in his left.
All I could do was nod.
Landon extended his arm for me to take. “Let’s go get our party on.”
Landon
MY HEART HADN’T stopped pounding in my chest ever since Emmerson opened her front door. The second I laid my eyes on her, it felt like all the air from my lungs had been violently sucked out, and I had to force myself to breathe. It took every ounce of strength I had to stand there and act normally, when all I wanted to do was drool and take in every single inch of her perfect body.
When she’d gasped and let her gaze move over me with what I knew was lust in those iceberg eyes of hers, I almost wondered if she might want me as much as I wanted her. I quickly shook that idea away when she seemed distracted by something and wouldn’t meet my gaze. Maybe she was still worried about her client or something else.
I attempted to make small talk in the limo as we made the hour-and-a-half drive to Austin. “How were the plate sales for tonight?” I asked.
She turned from where she had been staring out the window and flashed me a smile so bright it could have lit up the inside of the limo. “The most sales they’ve ever had. Considering they had to add six tables to the outside terrace of the country club, I would say my little slip of the tongue worked in the hospital’s favor.”
I laughed. “It’s crazy we have the limo all to ourselves. I mean, usually we’d all be crammed in here.” Hailey and Mike were driving separately, and both our parents were already in Austin.
She laughed. “It’s weird that Noah isn’t coming. I’m starting to wonder if Amy really does have the flu.”
“Right? So, what do we do with all this alone time?”
Once the words were out of my mouth, Emmerson shot me a look, and I wished I could take them back. Her expression was sharp, but something about it made my skin suddenly blaze with heat.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked, a hint of seduction in her voice I’d never heard her use before. At least, not with me.
Swallowing hard, it was my turn to look away and stare out the window. “Remember all the games the four of us would play when we were in a limo?”