Hot Summer Nights

28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Landon

Our run-in with Claire had rattled Leah. I hated myself for that. If I hadn't asked her on that sham of a date, Leah never would have seen us together that night. She wouldn't have to put on a brave face in front of Claire and pretend what I did doesn't still affect her.

I was still kicking myself over it when Leah surprised the hell out of me and kissed me senseless. At first, it was gentle and tender but it quickly grew ravenous. I thought my words would go in one ear and out the other, but they seemed to register with her deeper than I'd expected.

Her hands dug into my shoulders, pulling me closer as her lips moved with mine. She tasted sweet, like a fresh strawberry plucked straight from the garden. With her mouth pressed against me, I lost track of everything else.

Nothing mattered but her.

Every bit of doubt and self-loathing escaped my body as she kissed me. She exorcised it from my soul, filling me with herself instead.

It was the best feeling in the world.

That is until she pulled away and spoke the sweetest words I've ever heard. "I'm yours, Landon. Only yours. And you are mine, challenges be damned."

A whoosh of air left my lungs as I closed my eyes, letting her words sink in. She was with me. She wasn't running for the hills at the first sign of trouble, backing down when we had to face hard truths. Leah was sticking by me.

She was choosing me.

It felt like I'd just hit the jackpot.

Nothing could ruin the moment. Nothing.

Even the comments of passersby couldn't taint the feeling in my chest as we clung to one another. Mother nature could bring down a monsoon and it wouldn't shake my jubilation at Leah's words.

You are mine.

No truer words had ever been spoken. I'd been hers from our first summer together. And nothing and no one would ever change that. Even if somehow things didn't work out, those words would still be true.

I was hers.

I always would be.

~

Talking wasn't high on my priority list when it came to women before. Beyond the casual pickup line and exchanging of names, there used to be very little talking where my romantic life was concerned. Even with Leah at first.

Conversation just wasn't important beyond flirting and mutual consent. Everything was mostly physical.

Now, that's completely different.

After the ice rink date with Leah, we talked for hours. We shared our insecurities and expectations. We exchanged stories from childhood, laughed, and joked together. Told each other about work and dreamed about what the future would hold for each of us in our careers.

I never would have imagined I'd enjoy talking to a woman so much. But with Leah, it's as easy as breathing. I look forward to seeing her eyes light up when she tells me about a new idea she has for growing her brand. And I can't get enough of her sharing stories from her childhood, letting me see a peek of her that I've never seen before.

Every conversation brings us closer. I've learned so much about her through our talks. Learned that she likes to draw and spends some of her free time designing clothing and jewelry that one day she hopes to sell to her followers in her own online shop.

She's driven and creative. I could listen to her speak all day long and never get sick of hearing her voice. When she gets lost in a story, I lose myself right along with her.

Call it sappy. Call it whipped. Call it whatever you want.

I call it love.

Because that's what I feel for her. Even if I'm still too chicken shit to admit it out loud to her. I think I've known it all along, but the longer we date- the more I get to know her- the harder I fall.

And that feels like nothing I've ever experienced before.

It feels better than anything else in the world.

"Landon?"

Leah's beautiful face watches me expectantly. I didn't hear her previous question. Too lost in my romantic reckoning to register what she just said.

"Sorry, babe. What did you say?"

She chuckles as she shakes her head. "I asked if you were going to J and Charlotte's tomorrow night. Char said they were having a game night."

I vaguely remember Jason saying something about that the other day.

"Do you want to go?" I ask.

"Together?" Leah says, biting her lip as her eyes study me, looking for signs of hesitation.

She won't find any here. I have nothing to hide from our friends. Things with Leah and I have been going so well. I think it's time we show them how well we fit together.

"I'd like that," I tell her. "But if you'd rather go separately-"

"No," she cuts me off. "It's not that. This will just be the first time we've been together around them since we started things fresh..."

I can hear the uncertainty in her voice. It kills me that it's still there after everything we've overcome. How far we've come.

It's true- we've both seen our friends since, but never as a group. She's seen Colin and the girls and I've hung out with the guys several times since we got back together. But they haven't seen us together. Not since things were strictly physical between us.

This time will be different.

Taking this step seems big somehow. Showing our friends our new relationship feels important. Like their reaction to seeing us together will give us the stamp of approval we've been waiting for.

Not that it matters.

What we feel for each other is what matters. Anyone else's opinion is inconsequential.

But why does it feel like we need it? Like she needs it?

"We should go together. Show them how serious we are," I tell her confidently. "Let them see how perfect we are together."

I watch the uncertainty melt away as she listens to my words. Just as I'd hoped. Leah's face lights up with a shy smile- one of my favorites- as she says, "We are pretty perfect, aren't we?"

Pulling her into my arms, I plant a string of kisses down her neck. "You bet your cute little ass we are."

She giggles as I pinch her butt gently, still trailing my lips over the sensitive skin of her neck and shoulder. Leah wiggles against me as I hold her captive, doing my best to chase away any lingering doubts.

The only thing I'm sure of is her. And I plan to show everyone- Leah included- just how serious I am about our relationship. I'll log as many hours as it takes for her to believe in us just as strongly as I do. Starting with J and Char's party tomorrow night.