Landon turns bright red, groaning loudly. “I didn’t need to know that.”

  Charlotte bites her lip. “Too much information again?”

  “Yes,” he nods tightly.

  “You went to a strip club with your cousin?” Adam asks, his eyes round. “Dude, what were you thinking?”

  “It was for research,” Charlotte blurts out. “For a friend.”

  “For a friend?” Adam repeats, looking doubtful.

  “A strip club?” I ask Landon, still upset. None of what she has said has made me feel better. Does he still go? I look nothing like those kinds of girls. I pull on my T-shirt self-consciously.

  “It really isn’t what you think. And I’ve not been since we—you know, the first time,” he whispers quietly. I relax, but the thought of him being around them leaves something sour in my mouth.

  “He found out what I was doing and got really mad. He wouldn’t let me go on my own, even though I told him I’d be fine. The only strip club we have is in the bad side of town. The place was quite posh, but outside it was kind of rough-looking. And he looked pained the entire time we were there.”

  Hearing Charlotte’s explanation has me melting into Landon’s side. “You really are the biggest softy ever. You look out for so many people, protect them. I don’t get how you think you have a darkness inside of you, Landon Carter. All I see is light,” I tell him, not caring who hears.

  His gaze heats with desire, his mouth opening but no words come out. Without glancing away, he says, “Charlotte, I’m really sorry, but we have to go. I promise to make it up to you.”

  I hear a sniffle and turn to investigate, afraid we’ve upset Charlotte. She waves us off, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her top.

  “You two go. Me and Adam are fine,” she says, before her glistening eyes turn to me. “Thank you.”

  A lump forms in my throat at her words and the intensity behind them. All I can do is nod.

  When Landon doesn’t say anything as he grabs our coats, I begin to worry I’ve upset him somehow.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  LANDON

  The drive back to the bed and breakfast is quiet. I’m tense, but it’s only because I’m about to lay myself bare. I’m scared I’ll fuck it up, or she’ll say she hasn’t forgiven me.

  For a while now, I’ve kept thinking she’s about to tell me she loves me again. The words never come, but I can see them in the air, waiting to be said.

  The outdoor lights are on as we pull up outside. The place has come along nicely, and with only a few small things left to do and the sign above the door to be delivered and fitted, she’s ready to launch her website. Bailey is coming tomorrow to help her.

  I shut the car off, taking a deep breath as I find my bearings.

  “Landon, I didn’t mean to upset you,” she tells me quietly. She sounds unsure, and it breaks my heart. What she said to me hit me in a place I never thought I had. The heart. It meant more to me than she’ll ever realise, but I’m hoping I can show her enough, so she gets an inkling.

  “You didn’t upset me, Paisley,” I tell her roughly.

  “Then why did we leave?”

  “How can you see me like that, after everything I’ve done? I cancelled on Freya and it got her killed. I kicked you out of my car, got you pregnant, then most likely was the reason you lost our baby.”

  She sighs, undoing her seatbelt so she can turn to face me. “Because I look beyond the surface, Landon. I see you—the real you. You might be ruthless when it comes to your family, but it is done with love. You went to a strip club with your female cousin, just so she could do some research. I can’t even get into the list of stuff you have done for me, and I don’t just mean with the bed and breakfast either. And you didn’t cause me to miscarry, Landon. For ages I blamed myself for my body being defective, but I realised it happens every day, to thousands of women, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it. You have a heart of gold, Landon. Please see it,” she stresses. “I love you for who you are. I love you so much that it kills me to think of losing you.”

  My lips part, and I feel the back of my eyes begin to burn. “How? How can you love me?”

  She takes my hand in hers, her eyes glistening with tears. “Because maybe all the best love stories begin with second chances. I love you, Landon. All of you. I love you in spite of your quirks and faults. You were my dream as a teenager, but you’re my everything as a woman.”

  I wipe the lone tear that falls down her cheek. “I love you, too, Paisley. So goddamn much.”

  Her surprised gasp has me holding her closer. “You do?”

  “More than I’ve ever loved anybody. I can’t live without you.”

  She leans over the parking break, pulling my head down for a kiss, before a sob tears through her throat.

  “You really love me?” she chokes out.

  I chuckle, running my fingers through her hair. “I do; so much.”

  She looks up, her lashes wet from tears. Before I have chance to reach for her, she’s kneeling on her seat before moving to straddle me. She kisses me, and I taste her tears on her lips.

  I grip her hair, tilting my lips and taking the kiss deeper. My mind is whirling with sensations, passion taking over, making me ache for more. Her hips rolling has me moaning deep in my throat. I’m hard as a fucking rock and likely to blow my load if I don’t get inside her soon.

  I push my hands inside her coat, reaching under her T-shirt. I slide them up her delicate ribs before cupping her breasts. She arches into me, moving closer as her breaths come in shallow pants.

  I pull away, pressing light kisses to the corner of her mouth and along her jaw, before trailing my tongue down her neck. She makes a mewling sound in the back of her throat.

  “Let’s take this inside before one of my brothers turn up,” she pants out.

  I tense at the thought of anyone seeing her like this, even her arsehole brothers.

  My eyes inch open, finding her watching me. “Let’s go,” I say roughly, opening the car door. She giggles, lifting herself off my lap, causing me to groan painfully at the loss. As soon as I’m out, I press the lock for the car and grab her around the waist. She laughs, throwing her head back, and it’s the best sound in the world.

  With her legs wrapped tightly around me, I head up to the front door, kissing her soundly on the lips.

  “Keys are in my back pocket,” she tells me breathlessly.

  I slide my hand into her back pocket, feeling the keys with the tips of my fingers. Instead of grabbing them, I squeeze her tight arse. She moans, rocking against me.

  Sliding the keys out, I open the front door before kicking it shut behind me.

  She begins to trail kisses down my neck, her tongue sneaking out to lick a path up to my ear, and it’s driving me fucking wild. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I can’t take it anymore and slam her back against the door.

  I kiss her hard, swallowing her gasp of surprise. She lets her coat fall off her shoulders, giving me a sexy grin.

  I grin back, pressing my hard-on into her. She loses her smile, a low moan erupting.

  When I lean back, I grip the bottom of her T-shirt and pull it off in one swift motion. Her face fills with heat as I lean down, kissing the globes of her breasts.

  “Landon,” she moans, gripping my hair enough to pull it.

  I groan, lifting my head up to look at her. “I’m kind of at a disadvantage from here. I want you naked,” she says huskily.

  Smirking, I nod, and begin carrying her up the stairs, my gaze straying to the sway of her breasts.

  The second we’re in her bedroom, I rip my coat off my body, never taking my lips away from hers as I walk her backwards to the bed. She falls backwards when the back of her knees hit the mattress. I look down at her, smiling.

  “I love you.”

  Her gaze softens. “I love you too.”

  I reach down, taking her foot and pulling off her boot. I do the same with the other, never taking my eyes off her.

  A shiver runs through me when I pull off my shirt. She sits up, undoing the button on my jeans, her eyes round with excitement. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.

  She grabs the sides of my jeans, pulling both my jeans and boxers down in one swift motion.

  I arch an eyebrow, and she shrugs. “I want you.”

  Kicking off my shoes, I don’t waste time removing my jeans and boxers. I lean over her, kissing her deeply, and she moans.

  Thankful she’s wearing leggings, I pull them down and throw them across the room. Her bra is the last to go, and then she’s naked before me.

  I’ll never get over how magnificent her body is. She’s beautifully sculptured.

  “So beautiful,” I croak, taking her nipple into my mouth. She falls back down onto the mattress, and I follow, flicking her nipple with my tongue.

  Wrapping my arm around her back, I lift her a touch before pulling her up the bed. I settle myself on top of her as she loops her arms around my neck.

  “Inside of me, now,” she whispers.

  “I need to get a condom,” I tell her.

  “I’m on the pill. I have been since…” she trails off, her expression clouded. She means since she lost the baby.

  I sit up, running my hands down her body. She lavishes in the attention.

  “So, I can be inside you, nothing between us?” I ask to clarify, my voice deeper.

  She nods, still looking a little lost. I’m about to get her back on track, and I do when my fingers run through her wet heat.

  She moans, her hips arching towards me. Always so responsive.

  “Don’t play with me. I need you,” she cries out.

  “So demanding,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss her.

  “Landon,” she groans when I rub myself against her.

  The blood rushes into my ears as I thrust inside her without warning. She cries out, her nails digging into my back. I throw my head back, letting out a moan. Nothing has ever felt so good. My passion and need for her is all consuming.

  Her legs cling tightly around me, her heels digging into my arse as she pushes up to meet my thrusts, her hips rolling. I grunt, feeling out of my depth. There are too many sensations running through me, too many thoughts, too many feelings. It all comes out in one burst as I thrust back into her harder.

  I grip her hair before capturing her lips in a heated kiss. She pants against me as I thrust harder, pleasure rippling through me. I build up a steady rhythm, feeling her walls close around me. My entire body tingles, and my dick throbs inside her.

  “Landon,” she cries out, and I feel her tighten around me once again. I thrust faster, needing her more than I’ve ever needed anyone. I cup her cheek as sweat runs down my back and temples.

  This is going to be over before it started. Thinking quickly, I switch positions. She squeals at the sudden change, now looking down at me in shock. I smirk up at her, gripping her hips to keep her moving. Lifting her arse, she comes back down on me hard, throwing her head back as a cry escapes her lips.

  I reach up with one hand, rolling her nipple between my fingers. She moves faster, coming down on me and rolling her hips like she can’t get enough.

  The new angle doesn’t do anything to ward off my upcoming orgasm. Instead, it’s allowing me to go deeper, more pleasure rippling through me every time her tight pussy clenches around me.

  “Fuck, you feel too fucking good,” I croak out, thrusting up hard. She moans loudly, her fingers digging into my pecs. “I’m not going to last.”

  “I’m so close,” she rasps, moving faster and harder as her eyes squeeze shut.

  Every nerve in my system begins to spark and flicker, and I tighten my fingers on her hips. I reach between her legs, rubbing my thumb through her wetness before circling her clit.

  “Landon,” she cries out, tightening around me. I sit up, grabbing her hips and moving her up and down my dick.

  Her pussy spasms around me, and when she opens her eyes, her gaze is hooded with lust.

  “Another,” I grit out, trying to hold off my own.

  “I don’t think I can,” she moans as she keeps on moving.

  I take her lips in a kiss, moving her up and down as I force another orgasm out of her. I can feel her pussy clenching around me, so I know she’s close.

  She takes me by surprise when she bites my bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth. The action undoes me, and I thrust harder, feeling her pussy convulse around me. My orgasm hits me like a train, more powerful than ever before. Clenching my eyes shut, I speed up her movements, drawing out our orgasms until she’s milked all of me.

  I slump down when I feel her finish. She comes down on top of me, exhausted and breathing hard. She moves to roll off, but I hold her tighter against my chest, needing the closeness.

  A small smile graces my lips as I kiss the top of her head. I’m completely done. My muscles feel like jelly as I try to catch my breath.

  She sighs contently above me. “That was amazing,” she breathes out, kissing my chest.

  I run my fingers up and down her back, keeping my eyes closed. “That’s what heaven feels like.”

  I feel her lift her head, and opening one eye, I find her watching me. “Please don’t ever leave me,” she whispers.

  I pull her higher, moaning when I slip out of her and her breasts brush against my chest. I kiss her briefly before staring into her eyes.

  “I’ll never leave you. I might be strong, but I’ll never be strong enough to walk away,” I tell her fiercely.

  She melts against me. “You say the sweetest things,” she whispers, her eyes glistening again.

  “Hey, don’t cry,” I tell her, running my fingers along the side of her face.

  She laughs through her sniffles. “I don’t mean to be such a baby, but sometimes it’s hard to believe this is real. I never thought you’d love someone like me.”

  Her honesty is like a knife through the chest. And I should know, since I’ve had a knife sliced through me.

  “You’re the only person who could have made me love again, Paisley. It’s everything you do, everything you are,” I tell her, then to lighten the mood, add, “And you’re seriously fucking hot.”

  She giggles against my chest. “You’re such a goof,” she tells me, before she loses some of her smile. “Where do we go from here?”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, genuinely confused.

  She runs her finger through the crease between my eyes. “Don’t go getting broody. I guess I’m asking if, um—if you’d… God, this is stupid. Forget I said anything.”

  “No, go on, tell me.”

  “No, it doesn’t matter.”

  I groan because I hate it when Charlotte and Hayden do this to me. “Paisley,” I warn.

  She moans into my chest before meeting my gaze again. “I just… I mean, you stay here a lot. Practically live here with Rex,” she starts, her cheeks flushing.

  Wait. Does she want me to leave, to not stay over again?

  “You don’t want me here?” I ask, a foreign feeling of hurt hitting me.

  She groans. “No. Yes. I mean… Oh God. You’ve finished my house, and all my stuff is moved in here now. I was just wondering if you’d share it with me. I mean, for good. Like you and Rex permanently. Permanently, meaning you’d have to get rid of your flat.”

  I’m monumentally stunned. When her face falls, I can see where her thoughts have taken her and cup her cheek.

  “I’d love to move in with you. I thought I already had,” I tell her, shrugging. “I just haven’t gotten around to getting all of my stuff.

  “Really?” she asks, hope blossoming in her eyes. “Wait! You already moved in? When?”

  I chuckle under my breath at her expression. “The morning after we first stayed over. I went home to grab a bag. I knew then I wasn’t leaving. I let Drew have my flat.”

  “You did?”

  I nod, grinning. “Yeah. He’s been boxing my stuff up for me. I thought we could keep your stuff and let him keep mine. I’ll just need my clothes and shit.”

  “You do?”

  She looks kind of spaced out, but it could be because she’s overwhelmed with excitement. I can never tell. “Or I could walk around naked.”

  Snapping out of it, she glares up at me. “When were you going to tell me?”

  I rear back in shock. “Uh, tell you what?”

  “That you moved in,” she yells.

  “Baby, I thought you already knew.”

  “Well, I didn’t,” she snaps, before softening her gaze. “I’m sorry. I’ve been worried sick about how to ask you, and all along you had moved in.”

  “Why don’t we go get cleaned up and I’ll make it up to you in the shower?” I offer, running my fingers through her hair.

  Her gaze turns hooded. “Promise?”

  Grabbing her around the waist, I lift us. She squeals, clinging to me as she begins to laugh. “You need to stop doing that,” she demands through laughter.

  “Never.” I grin, throwing her over my shoulder. I slap her arse as I walk us over to the shower.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  PAISLEY

  It feels like my feet are barely touching the floor I’m bursting with so much joy. The bed and breakfast is pretty much complete. All that’s left is putting up the signs Landon ordered. The place looks freaking fantastic. More than fantastic. It looks like something out of the movies. Everywhere I look, something new will catch my eye and I’ll be awed. My vision of the place has become a reality, and it’s a dream. A dream I never want to wake up from.

  Everything in my life is bliss.

  All the bits and bobs I bought to add more character to the place… they’ve worked out perfectly. Everything has a place, and they own it; nothing else would have gone as nicely.

  Yesterday, I hired four maids, a receptionist, and two waitresses until business really kicks off. The cook I hired a while back even came in with more breakfast foods for us to taste. Landon had already eaten half of it when my brothers conveniently popped in and finished the rest. It means a lot that he’s trying with them and didn’t get too baited by their little digs.