I Don't Mix Business with Pleasure

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂 𝓞𝓷𝓮

                                     𝓕𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮

Mr Armani didn't have much to say before we left his house. I made sure to give Hudson the stink eye as many times as I could sneak in. It feels childish in hindsight, but what he did was even more childish—tattling in your twenties?

I've thought of a couple of different plans to get back at him, all of which he ends up hurt in the end, so I don't think they're the best ideas. Nothing too insane- just putting a skateboard in the doorway of his office. A little fall, maybe a broken bone. There are too many security cameras though, and I'm not THAT mean.

Maybe I could sneak a Dulcolax or two in his morning coffee? No- that would end in a mess. I have to work in the same building as him, so that's a no-go.

Or- I tell him that I forgive him and then screw him over so badly that he has trust issues for the rest of his miserable life? Wait- I have a better-

My thoughts are interrupted when Landon pauses the TV show we're watching and taps my shoulder.

"You look deranged right now. What's going on in that head of yours?" He asks, giving me a crooked smile.

"Oh- nothing. I'm just thinking."

"About what? World domination?" He laughs.

"Maybe- no, just ways to get back at your brother," I reply nonchalantly.

"Your facial expressions for the last five minutes tell me that every idea you have will send you to prison."

"Prison? More like Alcatraz. Seriously, we do need to teach him a lesson- nothing too bad. Something innocent but also something he will never forget."

"Laxatives in his coffee?" He asks, shrugging his shoulders.

"No way! I thought of that. We do have to work with him though." I say, giving him a worried look.

"Great mind this alike," he smirks, giving me an evil grin.

"Do you really want to?" I ask, widening my eyes while turning to face him.

"Fuck yeah, I do. This will be hilarious. He will be embarrassed, think he has a stomach bug, and then head home." He laughs.

"What if he has an accident at work though?"

"Then it'll be even funnier. Do you know how many times my dad and brother have humiliated me at work? It doesn't get worse than that." He gives me an evil grin again.

Am I being a bad influence on Landon instead of the other way around? Either way, he seems to want this as bad as I do.

"Okay, so tomorrow we sneak a few in and call it a day." I laugh.

"You'll be coming back tomorrow?" He asks, turning to face me.

He seems to finally perk up since we got back from his dad's. We've both been sitting on the couch in his living room. It's been pretty silent since we got back. We've had a TV show playing and he's put his arm around me a couple of times. I think he feels inferior to the way I stuck up for him.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready. Plus, I want to do this as soon as possible," I smile.

"I knew there was a reason I loved you so much," he laughs, his facial expression straightening out immediately after.

I don't say anything but stare at him in confusion. Did he just say, 'loved'?

"Liked- I didn't mean to say love. It just slipped out," he trips over his words, rolling his eyes back before shutting them. I know he's cursing himself to hell in his head. His cheeks redden with embarrassment.

"That's okay- things slip sometimes." I give him a fake smile.

Maybe a minuscule part of me wanted him to mean it.

Just a little tiny part of me.

"I just got caught up in the moment," he awkwardly laughs, turning to face the TV.

He unpauses the show and intently stares at the screen. That's the Landon I know, avoiding anything that makes him nervous. His eyes burn right through the screen, not bothering to take in any of the information he's seeing or hearing.

I'm beginning to be able to tell when he's nervous and wants to avoid either confrontation or his feelings. Eye contact is the first to go.

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The rest of the night, Landon seemed to avoid looking at me at all after he let the L word slip. It's not like he directly said, 'I love you'.

If it was an accident, I'm not upset about it. If he didn't mean it then, oh well. I can't force him to feel a certain way. Although I felt a slight twinge of sadness when he said it was accidental.

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I picked out my clothes for tomorrow, luckily packing a work outfit. I knew deep down I wanted to start back up soon. I showered alone- not that I expected him to shower with me.

After I get out and get dressed, I walk in to see him lying silently looking at the ceiling in the dark. He looks deep in thought, not even bothering to steal a glance, which normally he does.

"Hey- talk to me. What's wrong?" I ask, crawling in bed next to him.

"Nothing is wrong," he sighs.

He's a terrible liar.

"Oh come on. Something is wrong. You've been quiet for the last five hours and haven't even looked at me. Just tell me," I urge.

"You know I don't open up to anyone. I promise I'll be fine. I just need to sleep it off," he assures me.

"Oh- okay," I whisper, turning over.

I really don't want to push him to open up. That's the worst thing you can do to someone who closes themselves off. Let them come to you. Then again, he might never do that. It's Landon we're talking about. He's conditioned himself to be this way- which is sad. So maybe I should?

"Don't be upset with me." He sighs, turning to spoon my body.

"Is it about the L word you'd accidentally mentioned?" I blurt out.

He lets out a long sigh, his chest expanding and pushing into my back. He's now frustrated with me. He can't expect much less from me. Weeks ago I never expected I'd be falling asleep next to him. It is all thanks to my pushiness.

"No."

"Are you positive?"

"Florence.." he warns.

"Fine. Just know you can trust me with anything- that includes your feelings." I yawn, feeling my eyes become heavy.

"Yeah-Goodnight." He replies.